Garage Sale Collection

[judd]

I don't often attend garage sales but one day, 20 some years ago a friend of mines father was moving to another residence and was having a moving day sale, I needed a ladder and my bud said his dad was selling one, so I attended, I bought the ladder and was just sort of hanging around waiting for my bud when I spotted a box shoved off to the side. There was a book on top that caught my interest so, I picked it up and browsed through it, then quickly looked through the box, it contained a cash of German WW2 memorabilia. I was thrilled, I always had an interest in this sort stuff. So, beings how this was not in amongst the sale items, I asked the Old fella what the story was with the old box. "Oh that stuff, that's just going to the dump" I said how bout I save ya a trip, I'll buy it off ya ?....."Buy it" he muttered, Ok what'll ya give me" ...... I don't know, (I really didn't know what it was worth at the time, I just knew I wanted it) how about Twenty bucks?.........."Take it ! "he said, with a glint in his eye. Well, I couldn't get out of there fast enough, I bolted home excitedly to check out what all I had gotten, I really didn't get a good look while I was there because I didn't want anyone else to catch sight of any of it and have a potential bidding war on my hands.

I think I scored ....................what d'ya think?
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/22927979


There's a bit more to the story, not all good !!!

[Izhak]

Wow!

[Flecktarn]

Woow, great!
Wish we had garage sales here in the Netherlands, haha...
And that in the late 80's/90's, not too long ago!

Some great stuff you've got there, especially the bayonets, medals and belts...

Fantastic story, just like you'd imagine it, but it never happens anyway... (it does, though )

Flecktarn!

[Woolgar]

It would be great if you could post some detailed pics please

[Alan Smith]

Did you ever follow up to see what happened to the pistol that went with the holster you got?

[blutundehre]

Great find. I have gotten a few items at garage sales, but never a group like that,
and certainly not as cheap as you got your group.
Sometimes you really find the good deals,but most people, because of the internet, research what they have and usually think they got the only one ever made and ask waaaayyyy too much for them.
Do you plan to keep or sell? It can either be a great collection or great profit.

[DanReich]

Safe to say you can now double your investment !

I have barely seen any TR at garage sales, then again I don't go to many.
One guy last summer had a crusty bronze mothers cross, I asked him how much he wanted, he said $200.
He said thats about half of what they were worth, I said Hmmm, really ?
He said yep, and I walked away, not feeling like educating him as I had 2 of my little girls with me.

I had the feeling that he had researched it, knew they weren't worth much and was hoping to snag a sucker, mesmerized by the Swaz.

[Steve P]

Well mate, I agree, you did score!! well done...don't have these kind of garage sales in Australia, worse luck!

[Adam S.]

Nice score! And welcome to the forum!

[judd]

Let me first say, Thank you all for the Warm Welcome........to answer a few questions, here is the rest of the tale.

The holster you see there was empty at the time, I inquired about the pistol but, he replied that he had sold it a few years earlier to a gun dealer, said he was uncomfortable with it in the house and that he took $50 for it. There was also a set of 7X50 Kriegsmarine Field glasses in the box, but his son quickly snatched them up for himself, I was a bit disappointed with that., but I suppose I was just lucky he hadn't any interest in the rest of it.

And now for the sad part, after 15 years or so packed away in a tired old black suitcase, sitting down in the basement collecting dust. I decided to part with it all, my reasoning was that I couldn't very well display it, (some people just don't seem to appreciate this sort of stuff) I rarely ever even looked at it, only occasionally maybe to show the odd person who was interested.

The problem was how would I sell it, do I part it out or sell it as a lot, and to whom, I did not want it going to some Neo Nazi skinhead, eBay was a no go and I did not know of any of these forums. So I merely emailed various dealers c/w the pics, to see if they had any interest. I was surprised that all but one that I found on the net were not the least bit interested in even lowballing me. I thought, man this going to be a tough sell and when I am faced with a challenge, I work even harder to accomplish a goal, which sometimes can work against me. In this case I was determined to sell this lot and was not going to be swayed by my better judgment to just keep it all...............One of the last dealers I spoke with offered me $1000 for the lot, thinking that I would never unload this stuff, I jumped on it, grabbed the loot, packed it up and sent it off.

Been doing this ever since ...................... Oh well, as the saying goes..........."Easy come, easy go"

I did however hang on to the book, (the dealer said it was worth about $50) I don't think so Nick.............. It is just too cool to give up at any price, looking at any of those 100 pics through that viewer in 3d is like being transported back in time, it is a real kick and anyone thus far who has looked at them is simply blown away.

Having said all that, in the end ...................... I did turn a handsome little profit and I still have the pictures and the Book.

Cheers, Judd

[Dmv]

Thanks for the story!
I guess we all have them about cheap scores, passing them away and regret it now...
Oh those sales 20 years ago...

[redline09]

I did however hang on to the book, (the dealer said it was worth about $50) I don't think so Nick.............. It is just too cool to give up at any price, looking at any of those 100 pics through that viewer in 3d is like being transported back in time, it is a real kick and anyone thus far who has looked at them is simply blown away.


Cheers, Judd

the 3d book you have is worth $200-300

[juoneen]

Bbbbrrrrtttt!!

[Jordan Jamison]

Nice score!

It's not like that today... when people think that every fool will buy something with a swaz on it for huge prices at garage sales.

[PzV]

we don't have garage sales here in Germany, but things do on occasion show up over here very cheaply at flea markets or are given to you by neighbors.