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Antique Mall Finds


TerryB

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Even though I can no longer drive due to my SCI disability, the antique auto hobby is still strong inside me as is my passion for motorcycles.  A trip to a local antique co-op mall was enjoyable recently when I found these items.  I have to keep reminding myself I'm supposed to be in the downsizing mode of operation but sometimes common sense has to be put on hold and the urge to buy another collectible wins out.

 

The red Saab 96 is a Dinky toy and was actually purchased from a small booth operated by the AACA library.  The antique mall is in Palmyra PA and has offered some sales space to the library at no charge to help them raise funds.

Terry

 

 

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A few months ago I was in an Antique Mall and found a Franklin NC tag topper and a Highlands NC one too.  Living between the two and having a Franklin mailing address, I bought the Frankln one because  I had never seen one before.  The following week I returned to buy the Highlands one and it was gone.

Proving the old addage "Buy it when you find it, or it will be gone"

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The pin to the right of the topper is an American Motorcycle Association Gypsy Tour item from 1958. I'm a charter life member of that organization so finding the pin was exciting.  The car from the AACA booth was a neat find too as it's easy to find room in my garage for it.  

Terry

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2 hours ago, TerryB said:

Even though I can no longer drive due to my SCI disability, the antique auto hobby is still strong inside me as is my passion for motorcycles.  A trip to a local antique co-op mall was enjoyable recently when I found these items.  I have to keep reminding myself I'm supposed to be in the downsizing mode of operation but sometimes common sense has to be put on hold and the urge to buy another collectible wins out.

 

The red Saab 96 is a Dinky toy and was actually purchased from a small booth operated by the AACA library.  The antique mall is in Palmyra PA and has offered some sales space to the library at no charge to help them raise funds.

Terry

 

 

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Back in October of this year I stopped at the Black Swan Antique Shop in Palmyra (the place you mentioned) on my way to the AACA Library's Sale during Fall Hershey Week. I found a few items for my Automotive Literature Collection at the AACA Booth that I purchased there. It turned out that the owner of this place was the person who rung up my purchases. I made a point to Thank her for supporting the AACA Library with the free space she donated.

 

BTW, many Thanks to Matt Hocker, Assistant Librarian at the AACA Library for telling me about the AACA Library's booth at the Black Swan Antique Shop!

 

When I got to the AACA Library's Sale I found a couple of books for friends of mine and a few other items for my collection. The icing on the cake was seeing some AACA people I know at the Library Sale. Schedule permitting I will be doing this again next year.

 

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13 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

Proving the old addage "Buy it when you find it, or it will be gone"

20+ years ago, I took a friend of mine who had never been to an automotive swap meet before.  Not knowing that addage, he wanted to be methodical by looking along the perimeter wall tables first, and then work our way to the inside tables.  Not long into working our way along the outer tables, I immediately got sidetracked to something I saw on one of the inner middle tables and bolted over to look.  He ask me if I was "in a rush". I therefore explained to him when you see something on a table that you think you need, you drop everything and look at it immediately, as it might not be there when you've worked your way to it!!

 

Craig

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Paul, you are so, so right. I learned the "buy it now" at Hershey many years ago. Didn't buy something because I thought I would find it cheaper somewhere and lo and behold when I went back the part was gone.

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Terry- congratulations on your treasures.  That tag topper is great.  

Yup, the Black Swan is a nice mall and I've made some good discoveries there over the years, even at Hershey time.  It's great that AACA has a spot there in support of the Library and I plan to visit again this coming fall when I'm in the area.

Generally though, antique malls have been hit and miss.  I've been in some that advertise "antiques" but they are full of yard sale junk and beanie -babies. 

 

On my way north last year, a Maryland mall that had historically produced some decent automotive stuff was almost totally devoid of anything even remotely related.  It seemed as if the automotive vacuum cleaner had gone thru!  When the guy wandering around with all the showcase keys asked if I was looking for anything special and I responded "automotive related items" he replied that they sell all that stuff on ebay.   There was one bud vase there but it was overpriced.   Just for the fun of it, I stopped again on my home to see if I could dicker a bit on the bud vase and in a booth right up front was a nice brass car clock on a table in plain sight.  Obviously it was a fresh piece so my timing was perfect.  It was quite reasonable too. I think catching great finds in antique malls is all about timing, so I keep looking, even if I didn't find any goodies during an earlier visit.

 

One of my best antique mall finds was a great embossed cardboard advertisement for automobile horns.  It was in mint condition and was being used as a backboard in a picture frame with an old calendar print in it.  I noticed it when I picked it up to move it from the top of a showcase and happened to glance at the back and saw the embossing.  Love a bargain and the thrill of the hunt.

Terry

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Nice finds! My wife used to be a big Antiquer so I always look for car stuff when we hit the malls. I have found threaded hubcaps, data plates and radiator emblems. One time I found a Roosevelt emblem in one of those jewelry vendors with the big glasstop boxes of bulk costume jewelry, he must have thought it was some kind of cameo. My best score was a boxfull of radiator emblems that had been coated with old brown shellac - when I cleaned them in paint thinner they were all in like new condition! 

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Great find!  Actually, I snagged a neat item in McKinney Texas a few years ago.  I was on the way to the National Meet in Paris Texas and arrived in Dallas, connected with Doug Drake at the airport and we shared a rental car from there.  As we passed through McKinney, I noticed an antique shop in the center of town so managed to get Doug to stop and look around.  He was a bit slower than I was going through the place and while I was waiting up near the front door for him to catch up, I looked down right by where I was standing and noticed a small table lamp.  Hidden under the over-sized lamp shade was a Pierce Arrow archer mascot.  It had been used to make the lamp but was not damaged.  I bought it pretty cheap.  Later when we arrived at the motel in Paris, some friends in the room next door teased me about not being able to do much antique hunting from the airplane.  They had traveled cross country and in the past three days had hit every shop possible.  Their display on the bed for me to view consisted of a number of scratched-up oil cans, a few tire pressure gauges, a couple of Model T wrenches, and some old cut-out magazine ads.   Not much of any quality really, but they were convinced they had me stumped.  I told them I'd only found one thing on my way from

Dallas and invited them to see it - will never forget the look on their faces as they saw that beautiful archer.   I guess it helped me earn a reputation as a pretty good treasure hunter. 

 

While you're on the thread, wondering how things are going there in McKinney?  I remember a bunch of fun, enthusiastic folks and thoroughly enjoyed my time there.  Would love to come back again.  Any chance for another meet our tour there?

Terry

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I find the thrill of the hunt is the big draw for me to visit antique malls as opposed to eBay buying.  If i was not in downsizing mode there would be more items on the bring home list.  Every time I stop at the AACA library booth at the Black Swan mall I need to practice self control as many of the literature items grab my attention and some actually do win and get my $$$.  

 

From the many many fine items pictured here I see I'm not alone!

 

Terry

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31 minutes ago, TerryB said:

I find the thrill of the hunt is the big draw for me to visit antique malls as opposed to eBay buying.  If i was not in downsizing mode there would be more items on the bring home list.  Every time I stop at the AACA library booth at the Black Swan mall I need to practice self control as many of the literature items grab my attention and some actually do win and get my $$$.  

 

From the many many fine items pictured here I see I'm not alone!

 

Terry

It's an illness....

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Bought this at an antique shop in New Bern. Payed too much for it. Thats probably why it was there a week later. I couldn't resist. A real prize.

NEVER saw one before especially in my home town.

Yes. We have lots of water. New Bern is nestled in the junction of 2 rivers. Thats why I've lived here for 62 years.

 

Bill H

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23 hours ago, Terry Bond said:

Great find!  Actually, I snagged a neat item in McKinney Texas a few years ago.  I was on the way to the National Meet in Paris Texas and arrived in Dallas, connected with Doug Drake at the airport and we shared a rental car from there.  As we passed through McKinney, I noticed an antique shop in the center of town so managed to get Doug to stop and look around.  He was a bit slower than I was going through the place and while I was waiting up near the front door for him to catch up, I looked down right by where I was standing and noticed a small table lamp.  Hidden under the over-sized lamp shade was a Pierce Arrow archer mascot.  It had been used to make the lamp but was not damaged.  I bought it pretty cheap.  Later when we arrived at the motel in Paris, some friends in the room next door teased me about not being able to do much antique hunting from the airplane.  They had traveled cross country and in the past three days had hit every shop possible.  Their display on the bed for me to view consisted of a number of scratched-up oil cans, a few tire pressure gauges, a couple of Model T wrenches, and some old cut-out magazine ads.   Not much of any quality really, but they were convinced they had me stumped.  I told them I'd only found one thing on my way from

Dallas and invited them to see it - will never forget the look on their faces as they saw that beautiful archer.   I guess it helped me earn a reputation as a pretty good treasure hunter. 

 

While you're on the thread, wondering how things are going there in McKinney?  I remember a bunch of fun, enthusiastic folks and thoroughly enjoyed my time there.  Would love to come back again.  Any chance for another meet our tour there?

Terry

 

Things are great in McKinney although depending on how many "few years ago" you were here you will find it is a much bigger town than it used to be. The downtown courthouse square has been renovated extensively but unfortunately gentrification has eliminated a lot of the old antique shops. Still worth shopping though and I find things from time to time. If you ever have a national meet in North Texas I'll be there!

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What great finds you all have had!  Makes this girl jealous!  Then again, I need to go to some antique shops before I start to complain about what I've NOT found ;)

However, on one of my estate sale weekends, I came across one that the owner used to recondition license plates!  Unfortunately, my time was limited, so I couldn't spend too much time rummaging through ALL. THE. STUFF!!!  But... I found a 1941 NC license plate that was really rough, but beautiful - gave that to my brother in law for his 1941 Packard collection.  I also found a primered 1965 NC license plate.  brought it home and painted it for my father in law, for his 1965 Econoline pickup :)

 

Like old cars, I love old stuff!!!  You can't beat the quality and the beauty :) 

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