Flea market Finds: Second-hand

[Banfili]

Very nice find!

[Hurricane Annie]

I found a  collection of a interesting coat hangers today while doing a Saturday stint at the Salvation Army Store. I tasked myself with bundling up hangers for sale on the shop floor. People donate the ordinary and extraordinary. Always ask in charity shops  if there are hangers for specific purpose  you require.

Bundled up were  bright colour combinations of plastic, wire and wood type sets. Both wooden and plastic suit hangers.  Gold, silver and black coloured pants clip hangers. Collections of brand label hangers. There are a few bags of crochet and knit hangers to look into during  the week. 

I blagged myself an eclectic fistfull of  plastic, wood and metal hangers. A set of clear wide  plastic with a sunburst pattern design. A vintage wooden  bar hanger with a dry cleaner stamp and a brass coloured wire hanger.

[Deimos]

I found a  collection of a interesting coat hangers today while doing a Saturday stint at the Salvation Army Store. I tasked myself with bundling up hangers for sale on the shop floor. People donate the ordinary and extraordinary. Always ask in charity shops  if there are hangers for specific purpose  you require.

Bundled up were  bright colour combinations of plastic, wire and wood type sets. Both wooden and plastic suit hangers.  Gold, silver and black coloured pants clip hangers. Collections of brand label hangers. There are a few bags of crochet and knit hangers to look into during  the week.  

I blagged myself an eclectic fistfull of  plastic, wood and metal hangers. A set of clear wide  plastic with a sunburst pattern design. A vintage wooden  bar hanger with a dry cleaner stamp and a brass coloured wire hanger.

Your S-A is much classier than ours in the States. I don't think I've ever seen any fancy hangers there...just the generic Walmart plastic ones.  

[Hurricane Annie]

I found a  collection of a interesting coat hangers today while doing a Saturday stint at the Salvation Army Store. I tasked myself with bundling up hangers for sale on the shop floor. People donate the ordinary and extraordinary. Always ask in charity shops  if there are hangers for specific purpose  you require.

Bundled up were  bright colour combinations of plastic, wire and wood type sets. Both wooden and plastic suit hangers.  Gold, silver and black coloured pants clip hangers. Collections of brand label hangers. There are a few bags of crochet and knit hangers to look into during  the week.  

I blagged myself an eclectic fistfull of  plastic, wood and metal hangers. A set of clear wide  plastic with a sunburst pattern design. A vintage wooden  bar hanger with a dry cleaner stamp and a brass coloured wire hanger.

Your S-A is much classier than ours in the States. I don't think I've ever seen any fancy hangers there...just the generic Walmart plastic ones.  

This one is in a small coastal township surrounded by rural land owners. We get affluent life style block resident's clear outs and deceased estates from the aging population. Along with the grease, paint, food and alcohol stained  rags we get wonderful and wild donations. From  collections of unworn boutigue flowing garments with expensive price tags attached - to bags of a mausoleum  to mature women's chain stores that have long closed their doors. The clothes hangers reflect both demographic .

Amazing what people will pay for wave worn designer  branded surf wear.  But Hey ! It has a famous label

[Deimos]

About 15 months ago I spotted this little Ansonia table clock on ebay.
Seller said "it keeps good time when it runs", but admitted it only runs intermittently.
For my needs the clock didn't have to run, but if it did, that was a bonus... I was just after the look of it.

I paid all of $25 which included the shipping cost.
Later I looked it up on a vintage clock website. A fully functioning one that is cosmetically undamaged can fetch $75-$100.
Cosmetically, this one is in very good shape. Not mint, not perfect, but still in very very good shape.
Case and curlicue frame adornment are solid brass.

Sure enough, the thing started running more and more intermittently, and pretty soon stopped altogether.
So, just recently I took a rather expensive heirloom clock (a Chelsea Ship's Bell that I have owned for almost 25 years) to a clock repairman (horologist) I've known for about 20 years.
The Chelsea maintenance was overdue (should be every 7 years and it was nearing more like 10 years), and I thought I may as well take the little Ansonia along too.

After handing over the Chelsea I showed him the Ansonia and asked if he could fix it; at least get it running even if it might not be accurate.
He examined it for a few minutes, said it was "a cute clock", told me the history of Ansonia clocks, and then said he would let me know.

4 weeks later, both clocks are ready.

Chelsea clock maint cost: $395
(Don't be shocked, please...I already knew what it was going to cost. It's almost twice that much to send it to the original manufacturer, plus added shipping costs, plus added insurance. And when you consider it's only once every 7 years--putting aside $55 toward it every year-- $395 is not going to break the bank...not my bank, anyway)

And the Ansonia?  He said, "Oh, its' just a regular wind up clock...cleaned it, made a few adjustments....nothing too involved. No charge."

Oh my...that was too nice of him!
It runs all the time and keeps perfect time. Yessssssssssssssssssss!!!!!
It's going to be used in one of my project "builds", just as you see it. (If you can see it....Did the pics come through on my post?)    

[Deimos]

I was in the market for a wind-up clock for the bedside. Not a big fan of the digitals, especially when they go south during a power outage.
And in so far as the  battery backup, that only works if you have remembered to check/change the battery as needed.

Looked on Amazon and elsewhere for a standard (round faced) wind-up. The offerings were pretty dismal, especially as regards quality. ALL of the highly rated  "quality" wind ups (rated on third party rating sites), didn't do well at all when rated by actual users, wherever it was bought. Even the higher end ones priced near $100 didn't hold up well  in the long run.

So I went to the used/vintage market. That's always a crap shoot because mechanical clocks have a lifespan. And you never know how much a clock was used, regardless of how old it is. Someone may have used one in a vacation cabin 2 months out of the year. So a 1950's windup still might be in excellent condition and have many years of use still in it.  

Found a website for vintage (and not so vintage) wind-ups.... www.alarmclockdoc.com   and found a lovely little windup in a solid nickel case.
It has an Art-Deco look to it. I'm partial to the Vic-Wardian look for most things, but Art Deco works very well on mechanical devices.
It is made Westclox (maker of the the Big Ben and Baby Ben wind-ups), 1932, model 61-D "Dura".
It is  3-1/4" tall, base is 3-1/2 x 1-5/8", face diam. is 2-3/8", weight 598g  (about 1lb 5oz); it's a solid, hefty little thing.

It wasn't a bargain find or a steal and, honestly, I had to think about spending the money.
But once I had it in hand, I was glad I bought it.  (Came with a 2 year warranty, for what it's worth).  

                     
                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

[Caledonian]

not really a flea market, but i have got these things from my grandmother's attic






These used to belong to my great grandfather, I also inherited his top hat. it was the man's greatest wish to see me walk before he passed away, sadly he never made that. I wonder what he'd think of me now, sometimes as i hang onto some of his stuff. i understood he was the kind of man to hang onto all kinds of knicknacks, i imagine he might have enjoyed steampunk

[Sorontar]

Nice finds Caledonian! Is the top hat in good condition? Is it black or another colour?

[Caledonian]

Nice finds Caledonian! Is the top hat in good condition? Is it black or another colour?

it is in good condition, be it a bit dusty. it came in the hat box and all. it's a black moleskin top hat, very lightweight. according to the seal in the inside lining it is from a hatter in Utrecht. the moleskin is a bit ruffled, appearently he had a little comb to keep it tidy, but that has gotten lost

[Miranda.T]

Really nice, and these artifacts have so much more resonance when they are from family. I'm imagine your great grandfather would be very proud you're now the custodian of these treasures.

Yours,
Miranda.

[maduncle]

I ventured out today to the local rusty junk yard and selected a few parts for a current project.

Now I just need to try and remember how to insert images in posts on the forum ...

... oh wait ...

[Sorontar]

Hi maduncle.
Any idea what they were originally used for?

[maduncle]

Hi maduncle.
Any idea what they were originally used for?

I suspect the plough disc was used for ploughing.

The other item with chain links would have been used to connect a farm implement to a tractor and then tension it.

As for the single wheel - another farm implement part.

[mizzarrogh]

Those are really not expensive in the particular area where i live, i think i payed about 5 or 6 bucks for this perfectly working beauty, but the motor (made by a Swedish company for conversion) is not as common to find.
(unfortunately the needles, foots and other accessories are almost always gone on those very old beauties here, probably people re used them for the newer machines, i have only found a box with the original accessories once...) Personally i like the Swedish made ones a bit better because of the inner structure are a bit stronger built on the Husquvarna machines, i already have a much better Singer machine from the 1950s, but i really could not resist this one since it looked this beautiful and had almost no rust either. Honestly, the Only major backdraw i ever noticed is that they can not sew zigzag, only straight underlock stitches.The metalplate for the undertaker is missing, but perhaps it's possible to make something to replace it... For now i think i will go the booring way and keeping it as it is, just cleaning it up and tuning it back to working condition so i can use it in my sewing room and of course give the wooden case a few drops of glue and a nice polish i want to keep the original labels for historical reasons. There is really something magical about sitting in front of one of those in the summer with all the short lived flowers and beauty outdoor!

[Banfili]

It looks like the knee lever is missing, too. My very first sewing machine was one of these straight sewing types. No zigzag, but it would reverse! I just sewed a second straight seam outside the seam to act as the zigzag overlocking row!

[mizzarrogh]

Yes, i searched for it but i could not find it, the person on the charity store where i bought it promised to save it if she managed to find it or any other accessories (under that lid it is a simple porcelain rheostat, similar to those in the foot pedals), however the motor can also be operated by a foot pedal, the motors (made by Dometic, i think there was also a Danish company which made similar electric conversion kits that fits most very old machines, but some machines needs a cast iron clamp that came with the Husquvarna set if the machine needs an extension, some Singer models with that round, slender swan neck may also need that if one plan to convert it (like if one find a loose machine where somebody have used the cast iron table for something else, othervise the mechanical foot pedal is very handy in some situations in my opinion if it comes with the machine i had kept it), but it think it is pretty easy to fix) even came prepared with a foot pedal socket from factory, i have a similar foot pedal for my other machine which i think will fit this motor, so perhaps i can borrow that one when i use this maschine.
And i have a later green machine from the 1950s with a similar knee, i just personally like the foot pedal a bit better since it leaves the table free, but that's maybe just a matter of personal preference.
If i can't find any original i think i will forge a new handle and punk it up a bit, perhaps... 

I think one can probably use those machines for a lot of art projects, i just did not had the heart to destroy it, if it had been trashed up inside it had been different, one project for a scrap machine would be to make an 1800 aquarium pump for example.

My primary plan is to used for my Victorian dressmaking in the winter season. 

[mizzarrogh]

Here is the other working pre 1950s machine in question where it sits and leakin oil on my Loomstool i saw... ha ha  
(It's also a fleamarket find so i hope it fits here)
(I use this machine so i need to keep it as it is, Edit, this is an example of that machinetype wich needs the iron extender if one wish to mount a similar electric motor, but i it's not a big deal to make i think.)

[Deimos]

...I think one can probably use those machines for a lot of art projects, i just did not had the heart to destroy it, if it had been trashed up inside it had been different, one project for a scrap machine would be to make an 1800 aquarium pump for example.

A  BG "forum-ite" got pretty creative with one....

                     Vintage sewing machine re-purposed

[mizzarrogh]

That was a pretty cool idea, i have also seen people making lamps of them and i think the intestines would make great roboparts as well (old recordplayers do as well, particularly badly made vinyl players from the 80s use to contain a lot of usable parts for actual working robot arms, etc I used to build 1800 inspired robotparts from this type of metalscrap when i was a child, before i knew steampunk was a thing i have always been a bit in envy of the flow of creativity and ideas they had in that era before modern Television and computers)
I am using a pair after grandma that did not had any motor or stand as book supports, i did just polish them up a bit with wax, they make extremely sturdy book supports i can tell... ha ha

Well see if i can got my thumb out of my ar* and post some pictures of my weddingdress collection in the anatomical section, in case You guys wondering what i am doing with them...
(Well, those dresses are not strictly for wedding, my sister used a re purposed vintage weddingdress as a ball gown)

(I will return after midsummer with photos of more weird and interesting things, like rope braiding machines and wooden cogs i found here around over the years, if interested. I sort of collect those old mechanical devises they made on the farms here back in time when i find them cheap because it is such a great source of inspiration how people came up with all those crazy ideas and also managed to transform them into the materials they had cheap and easy aces to.)

[Caledonian]

More treasure was found on my other grandmother's attic,
This is a lovely suitcase I dare say

[Hez]

More treasure was found on my other grandmother's attic,
This is a lovely suitcase I dare say

Steampunk bagpipe case??

[Caledonian]

More treasure was found on my other grandmother's attic,
This is a lovely suitcase I dare say

Steampunk bagpipe case??

that would be a worthy destination, if only i owned a set of pipes

[mizzarrogh]

A small batch of 1940-50s electron valves, i will take a look att hem first and sort out those who are still working ok since i need them as spares for the radio collection, but if there are brooken ones i think they will be perfect for a project!

A mini project i currently working on is a hybrid tube amplifier build from old fieldradio tubes.
Personaly i like if i can give the tubes an actual function in the project.

[maduncle]

A mere ten dollars from the local Salvation Army Opportunity Shop.

Now a work in progress ...

[E.J.MonCrieff]

It looks as if all the terminals inside the heater are on a ceramic block.  You should be able to get cable with butyl rubber insulation to connect the heater to the mains, and it looks as if the reflector will polish up nicely.  Very nice find!