Did you ever buy something and then not know what to do with it?

[Paper Roses]

The non-profit thrift shop where I volunteered for many years closed recently. All clothing and housewares was donated to Savers, the furniture was sold to dealers in a fairly local co-op. When everything was closed and done with, all that was left was the box of costume jewelry.
Two times a year we would have a jewelry sale. Whatever we thought was good was compared with similar(or same) items on eBay, tagged with the eBay price, put in a hatbox and saved for the sale. Just before sale time, we would re-ticket the items at out T/shop price. The obvious gold and silver was put in the small case to be sold. Everything else(not the junk) was put aside for the sale.

In a spirit of goodwill, I offered the manager a good price for the stuff in the box. I had not seen the contents in months. She passed the offer to the powers that be. The offer was accepted. I now have a huge lot of good to great costume jewelry and I don't know what to do with it. I did not know how much was set aside but when I picked it up and paid, I was flabbergasted.

My thought before I bought this stuff was to sell it on eBay. I have never done eBay but---

Never did I expect to have about 300 pieces. This is good costume jewelry. Major names, no plastic junk.
Any ideas? No way do I want to do the eBay route. I took a quick look, too complicated and time consuming, not for me.
This lot of goods needs a dealer with a good size display case.

This huge lot sits in my living room. I avoid facing the project. There is too much to consign to one of the local shops. No way to keep track of it. I need to sell it outright.

How do I get myself into these situations?????

[northoftheborder]

1. Thanks for the laugh, an empathetic one!

I have no helpful suggestions; me - who brought home a funny, cute, photo of a sheep with a flower bouquet on her head yesterday! Thought it cool! (won it at a luncheon as a table prize!)

There are people who create wonderful new jewelry concoctions from old costume jewelry. Look at the website Etsy. I'll bet there is someone one there would love to have your box of treasure!

[Vinca]

2. You ought to be at my house sometimes.

I'm sure my husband thinks I'm nuts, but he's too polite to tell me. The last really unusual thing I dragged home was a brand new minister's cassock and surplice I found at a tag sale for $20. There was still a $200+ price tag on the cassock. Fortunately, it sold rather quickly on ebay. If I didn't have ebay and the group shop to unload my stuff I'd be like one of those buried alive people in a hoarder house.

[Ghost in the Machine]

3. Too many times to count!

I once bought a bow saw for a dollar at a flea market. I had no use for it, but just couldn't leave it sitting there for a dollar! I hung it up in my dad's garage, where it stayed for about 12 years, even when we moved to another State. One day we got a bunch of stuff together to take to the local flea market here, and I took the bow saw along. We had people already looking as we were setting stuff out. When I pulled the saw out, a man asked "how much do you want for that saw?" I asked "how much would you offer?" He said "$10"... I said "it's yours!"

When I have the money, I'll buy things really cheap because I can't just leave them there for that low of a price. I bought a "Blooming Onion" Maker, still brand new in the box, never been opened, for $2 at a yard sale 6 years ago. It's still sitting on the shelf beside me right now!

Peace,

Ghost

[grasswire]

4. could you consign it at a vintage clothing shop?

that's what I would try to do, I think.

I would sure love to see this stash you got.

[Paper Roses]

5. Hi Grasswire and others who may have read my initial post.

These past 2 weeks, I have had 3 dealers here to look at the stuff I wanted to move along. The first to come bought a few things. Yes, he bought the best of what I had. I had to cringe, keep my mouth shut and take his offer. I know the business has changed and I took that into consideration. I need the stuff 'gone. The second bought some of my cut glass. She was not interested in anything else, I knew that before she came. Again, a loss.
The third dealer looked at all I had and passed. Said he could not sell what I was offering. The market has changed and all he wanted was Mid-Century items.
OK, get that.

During our conversation I asked him if he knew anyone who bought costume jewelry. He gave me a name of a dealer who buys only good costume stuff. My initial thought was to call this dealer to see if he would come.
During the last part of the conversation, I offered to show him the jewelry, just for a look-see.

The bottom line, he loved the stuff and bought the whole mess.
I am glad it is gone and know he will make a ton of $$. This was vintage stuff, most designer names and now brings a very good price. Never took a picture, wish I did.

This whole experience was an eye-opener. I have never sold anything I have at home. I had to keep in mind the old adage, "buy wholesale, sell retail". I was selling wholesale. The experience with all 3 dealers was good, it is the market that made a difference in what money I received. A loss but I'll get over it. Sure makes me wonder where things are going. The balance of the things I have will be bought to a consignment shop. If they don't accept it, I will make a donation to our local charity thrift shop. I need this stuff to be gone. If I sell my house in the spring, I don't want to move anything extra.

Boy, I miss the good old days!

[grasswire]

6. I saw a whole bunch of sellers who are mis-reading the market on the weekend

Flea market in the hall of an Elks Club. Dozens of dealers who mostly had glassware and inconsequential things like candy dishes and figurines, etc. These people paid $150 for table space, and I'll bet they didn't make that for the day. I did see ony one dealer who would probably make more. His stuff looked like America Picker style. The grill from a 1939 Ford pickup, etc.

There was one paper dealer I would have bought from, but his stuff was overpriced.

It's a new market, yes.