Carpe Interruptus

So, my research (which I shoulda done before jumpin' to that conclusion) has turned up the fact that Chanel always signs pieces "Chanel," and that the back-to-back C's are just on the front of the jewelry.  A field trip to a galleria is scheduled as soon as my student rush subsides, but until then I feel like such a drug company right now.  (Jumping the gun with the announcement?  Get it?)  Plus, I saw the mark again on a pair of 14K clutchbacks on a pair of studs that were probably consigned by the same person.  Either there's a lot of Chanel around or I goofed.

::retreating with an awkward bow and rather pink cheeks::

Carpe Chanel

Indianapolis was so much fun I almost can't stand just the memories of it.  I went to meet with my two best friends from high school.  Over the (many, many) years, we've kept in touch and seen each other separately, but not all together since our ten-year reunion.  Why choose Indy?  One lives east, one lives west, and one in Indy.  Seems like the halfway point, yes?

In between getting busted for noise (I haven't laughed that much in decades) and running around eating out, we all had some down time.  I saw my cousins (did I mention most of my dad's side lives there?) and I did some touristy stuff, but mostly (duh) I hunted.

Three pairs of gold earrings (studs are white gold) and 14K ankle bracelet (it had the sterling heart attached so was priced to that), two pair sterling (screwbacks, heavy) earrings and bracelet (big one), the freshwater-and-sterling collar, plus a couple of gambles.  The ring and sterling necklace in the back were the highest priced, and I sigh over paying so much but I knew the former wasn't stainless steel as the clerk said, and I thought the latter had diamonds in the goofy- looking pendant.  Wrong on both.  And the dangly onyx things weren't even plated.  But all were within my risk-budget, and the heaviest pair of gold earrings were very, very inexpensive (plus 20% off that day), so I'm happy.

The ring actually had me going, though - it had no mark so I scratch-tested it, through the platinum acid with no deterioration.  My heart ka-thunked ... even though I have a platinum watch and this didn't quite look right ... and who would put a CZ in platinum (a dishonest husband or a sticky-fingered jeweller?) ... but I hoped ...

So, since last Saturday was our quarterly antiques show, the only time I see my best-paying gold guy, and I was already planning to go with a bagful of broken, awkwardly designed, or just plain ugly gold and silver jewelry (really, what were we thinking in the last few decades????) I asked him to give it a look.  "Not platinum" he said immediately, then told me palladium tests the same ("but it's not that" ... dammit!) and so does stainless steel (not magnetic, though, I checked).  He says it's likely titanium (cheapest of the list) but he can't verify because he doesn't know if it also tests that high.  (Kind of a stupid acid test, then, huh?)

Sorry, getting ahead of the timeline (and needing to calm down).  I flew back Wednesday night, and, despite my laughing-and-talking-sore throat, and my holy-crap-is-everyone-but-me-a-night-owl? exhaustion, headed out bright and early Thursday morning.  Only one thrift "drew" me, and it turned out they were having a sort of grab-bag day. There were a dozen or so sitting in a basket on a long, loaded table.  I bought 5, plus a pair of mismatched earrings I'd seen before but never looked at.

The result almost filled a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.  I sorted into "good enough to donate," "keep for my own nefarious purposes," "give away to friends and family," and "total crap."  Most (shock) fell into the last category (and so is in a landfill somewhere).  The stuff on the right is mostly donate.  The black necklace is for my daughter.  The stones, etc., for DragonBunny.  This stuff is mine.

Gold at the bottom, sterling at the top from grab bags, mismatched pair were one of each.  Score!

And it was even better than I knew when I took this picture.  See the stud just above the big, WG hoop?  The one that has a more substantial setting?

It's that probably-titanium ring with the earring in it.  See, I didn't test things until after I took the initial pictures, gold, silver, and stones.  When I thought the metal was platinum I decided it would look better if I replaced its small, fake stone with what turned out to be a quarter-carat-plus (and very, very clean) diamond from the single.  I took another picture to check it out.  Would've looked cool, no?  But, alas, now the earring will go in the safety deposit box until I find something it belongs in (or another just like it).

Then the week got even better.

After my disappointing (but honestly unsurprising) news on Saturday, I decided to focus on the emptiness of my jewelry box and the nice chunk of change I'd gotten to put toward my outrageous retirement plans (and maybe a storage locker?).  I also decided the Lug and I deserved bonuses - non-allowance based presents - so I bought the Lug three beautiful pipes and myself a rare milk glass egg.  Then, since I had classes scheduled in a couple of hours, I left early to hit a store I hadn't hunted for two weeks.  Armed with a bit more cash for my own treat (hey, I did all the work, yes?), and finding a trove of new vintage stuff in the cases, I was like a guy in a tool shed - I grabbed a stunning necklace, a pair of amethyst studs, and a fairly pricey bracelet in rapid succession.  But when I turned to check out, Mama Angel slapped me with a reminder to check everything, including the separate brooch display thingie (sterling sometimes but almost always costume).  I sighed, but as usual, I listened.  And found a gold-priced-as-metal piece ... which reminded me I don't need to spend more to get more ... which meant I put the bracelet back ... but not the necklace because it was so, so gorgeous (and under $50) that I wore it out of the store.

Seriously, isn't it amazing?  14K, onyx, and two small diamonds.  I've already worn it a lot.  And all three pieces had been sitting there for at least five days.  I was in a serious case of stun, but I just kept thinking what if?

So yesterday, I went back to the grab-bag place first thing in the morning, and I took a bunch of silver studs to donate.  In the back of my mind I hoped to find another plastic sleeve full of beads and whatever - with one, particular earring in it - but the grabs were all gone. Ah well, check everything anyway.  A fabulous sterling necklace for a friend, a pair of cheap, junk earrings with a 14K and 18K clutchback on the beat-up metal posts, and there, in the back of a case that was still hidden by the sale table, a ring.  A class ring from 1964.  10K and heavy.  And not only priced well to begin with but everything was more than a third off because it was the last Monday of the month.

The ring (Monday) and the brooch (Saturday).  Each $10 or less.  And each had been sitting in its respective case for five to fifteen days.  The ring is simply heavy, engraved, and a great deal intrinsically.  The brooch is heavy, too, but ... well, I didn't choose the title of today's blog at random, now did I?  Yep, the pin holds both its 14K mark ... and two C's, linked, back-to-back.

Check everything.  Have fun.  And leave no gemstone unturned!

I love my life!

Happy hunting to all!!!

Hunting In Foreign Parts ... Again

I will admit to forgetfulness - I am in Indianapolis right now, at the tail end of the most fabulous reunion of the Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse that could ever happen.  (Yes, high school ... we haven't been together, all three, in twenty years!)  We talked, we laughed, we got busted by the hotel management for noise ... good times.

And, of course, I hunted, even found some great pieces (and one mystery piece), but the focus was on a different sort of treasure.  The best kind.

I'm headed home this evening.  I miss the Big Lug like crazy.  He's already told me we aren't going to do this again - next time he comes with me even if he has to stay in the hotel room by himself the entire time.

He misses me, too.  I am happy.

Good hunting to all - and to all a better night!

The First

I went to a storage auction yesterday, and another today.  I'd prepared myself ahead of time to write a cool, first-timer blog, comparing and contrasting with all three shows, with thrifting, maybe even tell a nice allegorical story about messes and life.

Trouble is, yesterday wasn't my first auction.  I stood at the door of that locker in the steaming heat, and it felt so familiar.  Couldn't remember why, but suddenly, in the middle of trying to decide between Cascade and Finish, I remembered a day about 15 years ago - I was standing in a crowd of 50 or 60 people, staring at rows and rows of stainless steel fryers, cabinets, and shelves thinking "I can't use any of that."  It was a storage auction.  I was there.

Does that make me cool?  Or just old?

Don't answer that.

So what have I run into so far?  Well, I'll tell you one thing - times have either changed (and TV lies) or I happened to be in on a major auction of the sort I have yet to run into (and TV lies).  I found out that in two days' time, ten auctions (with a total of 32 lockers) went down to three (with a total of 6 lockers) within 24 hours before the start time (lesson - call ahead before you leave the house to see who paid their fees at the last minute).  I found out that most of the buyers are nice, cooperative, and kind of fun to be around - drama (TV doesn't lie, but probably exaggerates).  I found out that most lockers, at least in this area, are full of trash the owners don't want to clear (the nice people talk) yet the things still sell every time (for $25 or less) and that very few hunters will let you see what they find inside (TV doesn't lie about that).  I found out that these auctions are exactly like thrifting in that you have to have a little faith that if you keep going and going, eventually you'll find something that gives you that tingle of promise (all woo-woo aside, did I tell you those earrings I found Tuesday are David Yurman?).  And I found I kind of like it all.

Today, one of the winners allowed me to hang around - a couple of college kids, trying out a new thing.  I took a picture of the inside.

Five bucks for all of it.  He sold one of the chairs and some tools, to what Dave (on Storage Wars) calls "vultures,"  people who hang around and pick through to buy any or some of the items without having to clear the locker.  Personally, since the kid doubled his money in about two minutes he did great.  And he was so sweet, so wide-eyed, that I wanted to make sure he ate more (a Mom thing).

Plus, there was more.  While I stood there, talking, they started opening boxes.  Books.  The second one his friend pulled out looked vaguely familiar, so I asked to see it.  First edition Taylor Caldwell.  Not a well-known title, no dust jacket, but a first edition Taylor Caldwell!  And another, a Norah Lofts.  A couple of sconce-type lamps with smoked glass and 70's switches (the kind that are coming back).  I told them to flip through the books (I've found money) and Google the crap out of titles.  They took my number.

So sue me, I'm a compulsive teacher.

Overall, it was pretty fun.  I will definitely do it again.  And I might even buy something ... when my back heals and Acid Trip has time to help me.  I have a feeling I will discover a great prize at the bottom of several of these boxes of crap.

Oh, and before you ask, the footlocker was almost empty.  Just an almost-new, still-in-the-box Ikea table.  Good deal for $5, but no treasure of the Sierra Madre.

That's for me to find.

Risking It

I didn't go to the storage auction yesterday, because I did a second sweep on Google and found seven of them within a 15 mile radius tomorrow and Thursday.  No driving 80 miles, yay!  I plan to shadow, anyway, mostly ... but who knows?  I've been taking risks lately and they've been paying off!

Mostly.

This was today's Wheel of Fortune.  When Mama Angel gave me that feeling, the one that said "go donate purses" (including one Italian leather bag that I was saving to consign in the Fall) I didn't have a problem - hey, I'm in "planting" mode, remember?  But when I realized my attention (and intention) went straight to a thrift in which I've never found anything of substance (next to my bank) ... well, let's just say, I sighed, smiled, and went in to give, not receive.

To my surprise, I found these three lovelies, true pairs all.  Since I do not look too closely at markings when things are cheap (though I swore I saw something on two) I decided to take a chance on them.  I paid about $14 (with tax) for all.  I could handle it if I was wrong.

See, I might talk about my prizes, but I end up with as much trash as treasure.  I can't tell you how many dollar-heres and fiver-theres I've lost.  Those add up, but don't hurt (much).  C'mon, admit it, a bunch of mosquito bites are just irritating.  Wasps, scorpions, and rattlesnakes, on the other hand, make me want to cry.

I don't usually bet real money on a non-sure thing, but I risked $50 for each of these.  Both are unmarked.  And to say both were iffy is an understatement - the ring, especially, made me crazy, and not just because it was choppily made, has weirdly blue turquoise (or amazonite, maybe), and had more than one suspicious patch in the metal.  No, it was the fact that the woman who ran the consignment store said she doubted "very much" if it was actually gold (she worked in a jewelry store for ten years), but that the consigner insisted it was and wouldn't lower her price as much as the manager wanted her to.  On the other hand, the cherub is nicely detailed, well-made, and there's a squishy place where a mark could have been, one that looked a lot like "585" (yes, in the magnifier - I do not spend that much money without a ton of study).

Long story short:  the ring's 14K and the cherub isn't anything at all.

And I'm okay with that.  Sometimes it's all about stepping out of our little, safe, 50-cent box.  The storage auction thing isn't really a risk since I don't plan to buy anything at all (okay, unless it's cheap ... or I get that feeling ... or Mama Angel hits me over the head with a chair).  Not yet, anyway.  And today wasn't either - mosquito-level crap doesn't count.  I'm not even talking about $200 on something you can see is marked "900 pt," either (though at the time that was about all I had).  No, I'm talking about the real risk of doing something we love just because we love it.

I don't usually look closely at things until I get home - I have found that when I know what I have, some part of me stops looking really hard ... or listening, I haven't figured out which it is - but today I opened the bag in a different thrift store.  See, there's a sweet, fabulous lady I know who works there Tuesday mornings.  She told me today that when she was working, she found stuff and sold some on eBay but since she retired, "nothing."  I panicked.  That's what started my Mom's crazy-cat-lady spiral.  "Nothing."  The only cure I know is to fill it up.

The three pairs of earrings above weren't all gems.  One was total crap.  One was sterling only.  And one was marked "925" ... and "750."

Feel that rush?  Get it again when you realize that silver-to-gold it's about fifty-fifty???  Then once more when you hit the scale and find they weigh almost half a troy ounce?

Feel it?

See, it's not the potential cash (I won't get rich this way).  It's the rush - the discovery rush, the I-paid-how-much? rush, the Thank-You rush ... all of that and more, all at once.

That's my something.

Now go out and find yours.