best flea market/yardsale finds

[carobran]

whats your best flea market/yard sale find(what you got the best deal on)[]

 

[accountantadam]

I bought a box of jars at an auction earlier this summer for $5, with a "smiling" boldt mason jar in the bottom (books for 30-40), plus several other jars in the 5-10 range

 

[peejrey]

Hey Caro, I never really bought a lot at Fleas, but my best would be a light blue violin bottle, I got for 6 bucks. It was my first nice bottle I purchased there, and came out to be a good buy.
About three years ago, when I was still really getting into it, there was a log cabin that the owners had they sold antiques, and other stuff in at the fleas. There was an old buffet that had 1858 Patent Mason jars in, (About 17 of them) for $10-$15 each. Ground tops, bubbles, striations......ahhh beauty. I'm kicking myself in the but today..
_Preston

 

[carobran]

i like the 1858 masons,common as they are,bought a pint the other day with a 3-4 inch bubble in the side[]

 

[VTdigger]

Stoneware jug with a cobalt decoration of a clover from E Norton and co (1883-94) from Bennington VT for $30, it's got a small crack, but that doesn't matter to me, I found so many broken ones, it's nice to have an intact version.

 

[westernbittersnut]

Many years ago, maybe 1991 or so I bought a C. D. POSTEL (sheaf of wheat) S. F. CAL quart beer bottle at a yard sale for $17, I later sold it for $1800.00. Byron Martin's book Here's to Beers, published in 1973 #204 rated it ER (extremely rare) and 300* stars.

 

[botlenut]

Last summer, I did the early buyers pass to a annual Flea Market in my area. I covered the whole thing without buying a single bottle. One of the last two buildings on my way out, I saw some Spring Waters from a distance. I started looking them over and all but one was priced about right. The one that I knew was a winner was a red amber Shelden A Spring Sheldon Vt. I bought it for 75 dollars knowing it was at least worth a few hundred. When the hammer dropped on Ebay, it closed at $1325.00. I was amazed. It makes all the running around I do chasing leads worth it. Better yet, the guy was from Vermont, and I was able to meet him at the New York- Vermont Border to hand it off. Thus avoiding shipping it, as well as giving PayPal a big fat fee. My second best find ever.

 

[LC]

Bought a super nice scroll flask in an antique shop for twelve dollars . It was a fairly large shop , and the flask was the only bottle there . Guess they did not know the value of bottles . Made my day . Still have the bottle .

 

[coreya]

A couple years or so ago went to an estate sale and bought a huge pile of stuff, a cedar chest, safe, tools, quilting supplies (for the wife), and more stuff that I can't remember all for 125.00. Included with all that were some old mason jars and a green bottle that just looked right to me and is still my favorite bottle (I figure it cost me a buck or so when everything was said and done)
Here is a little blurb that someone on here wrote me about it (I believe it was Red Matthews);
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Quart, smooth base, applied sloping double collar, this is the V-17A (Don Tucker's classification)variant, where the earth the Squaw is standing on extends BEYOND the oval. and is rated SCARCE . It is embossed as follows: "MISSISQUOI / A (Large letter) / SPRINGS // (Embossed standing Indian woman with papoose on back). And here are some pics!!!

 

[David Fertig]

I'm pretty sure this one, listed in the next GlassWorks auction, is the one my friend picked up at a yard sale on the 50 cent table. I believe he sold it to me for $5. I eventually traded it for a good squat though.

I might have to see if I can get it back.