PURSE Fans! The Best Yard Sale Ever

[iLander]

In keeping with staci's yard sale thread, I've got a find to report!
I went to a garage sale on Friday, in a very nice neighborhood, and saw a small sign among the lovely things: "Ask to see designer bags".
So I did. The lady goes in, comes out a minute later with 3 LOUIS VUITTON BAGS!!! And they're real! I can tell, I have purchased 3 of my own, so I know them like the back of my hand. They look right, feel right, everything.
"How much are you asking?"
"I was thinking $50 each?"
"Okay, may I look at them?" She hands me armful of monogram canvas!
I spend a few minutes checking them over so carefully, just to be sure. The other shoppers are looking at me closely to see if I look like I am even CONSIDERING putting them down. As if. :biggrin:
I say "If I get these 2, can I get this one, which isn't in great shape, for a little less?"
"Sure, I'll sell that one for $25."
I got a Keepall Bandouliere 55 (duffle bag), a Neverfull GM (tote bag), which is a tote bag, and a Speedy 30 (barrel-shaped hand bag). For $125. O. M. G. They all have a faint perfume odor, but for the price I can work on that (I've found a sock full of baking soda, set inside the bag, works great!)
The Speedy is pretty worn out, but for $25, I can CUT IT UP and sew a wallet. Just kidding, I wouldn't do that. But I could . . . haha
The Neverfull is great, looks barely used.
The Keepall has a stain on the strap, but I think it will blend in more when the vachetta darkens.
I will remember that sale forever.
Here's the quick pic that I texted my DD.

 

[PintoBean]

If the stain is oil based, you could try rubbing a little cornstarch on it to see if it absorbs the oil.

Hot dang, girl, talk about a steal! You could probably send them to LV for some rehabbing and still come out winning lololol! For me, the hardest part of owning a new bag is breaking it in. That first scratch or ding really smarts! It's done for you, so now go to town really using the bag lolol.

 

[Calliecake]

Great Finds ILander!!!!! I couldn't agree more Pinto Bean. That first scratch on a new bag is brutal if it's an expensive bag.

 

[LLJsmom]

SCORE!!!!! Congratulations iLander!

 

[Queenie60]

Wow -Great find! Good for you - Enjoy!!!

 

[stracci2000]

I'm tellin' you guys, yard sales are where it's at!

Great job ILander!!!!
I bet you're over the moon!

(A few months ago, I found a Mark Cross purse at a thrift store for $7.99.)

 

[iLander]

I agree, stracci! Awesome find! I go to check for plants, pots and plant stands for my plants. DH loves tools, electronics and car stuff, his best find was a specialized tool kit he bought for $20 and sold for $400 on ebay. DD likes wallets, she machine washes dirty Coach wallets/purses and sells them on ebay. Her boyfriend buys games and gaming systems that he knows will do well on ebay. We really don't do it for the money, but it's a fun hobby since DH and I have retired. The kids do it for the money.

For posters looking for tips:
- go early, stand in line if you have to.
- Visit the high end neighborhoods first.
- I like yardsales.net because they will give a map of the sales around you. I think it's a robot pulling from Craigslist and newspapers, so it makes a lot easier.
- Great finds are few and far between, so you kind of have to work at it.
- I think sales are a LOT better than thrift stores, because they aren't picked over by a ton of other customers.

What I've learned:
Don't ever pay full retail for furniture. Seriously, I've seen so much furniture for pennies on the dollar, and it still goes unsold. Furniture can be reupholstered, but it's pricey, so don't depend on it, unless you LOVE the bones of the piece. Antiques and unique collectibles don't sell well at yard sales, so if you like them, you'll enjoy it. If you really need a better price, (some people build in extra to haggle down from) be respectful and ask "What's your best price?" Don't haggle under a dollar, that's just tacky. Get to know your spray paint! People see rust and sell for cheap, so I buy outdoor items (trellises, chairs, plant hangars) for cheap! Church sales tend to be picked over by parishioners, but sometimes you can find something. Power tools go cheap because the batteries wear out, but if you have a good battery . . .

Over the years, I've found
-14K Victorian pearl studded bird pin $50
-A table that matches a pair of 1930's ice cream parlor chairs that we've had for 30+ years. $7
-A wrought iron bistro set with table, 2 chairs and a glass top $10

I'd love to hear what the rest of you guys find! I love the treasure hunt aspect of my new retirement hobby.

 

[momhappy]

Great find!!! Enjoy your new bags

 

[VRBeauty]

Congratulations on your great find! And - happy hunting!

 

[stracci2000]

It's fun to find luxury goods at thrift stores and yard sales!!!

Here's a small sampling of my recent thrift store finds for under 10.00 each:
3 Coach purses
Stuart Weitzman shoes
Cole Haan shoes
Aquatalia shoes
Prada shoes
Kate Spade purse
Mark Cross purse (the same style Taylor Swift has!)


Recent yard sale finds:
2 German baby dolls from early 1900s ($25 and $49)
2 Dale Tiffany reproduction table lamps ($35 and $45)
Monte Joye French art glass vase -$5

and of course the previously mentioned 14k watch chain necklace -$2

 

[ckrickett]

What a freaking steal!!! OMG!

 

[ihy138]

THAT'S AMAZING!!! I once found a vintage Chanel jacket at a yard sale for $20. Too bad it was a bit too small.

 

[monarch64]

Wow, you hit the yard sale lottery! That's awesome.

I'm not much of a yard saler, but I'm not much of a shopper all around, anyway. However! A friend of mine is hosting a group yard sale in a few weeks and she's been busily stowing away other participants' furniture and items in her garage. I went over to her house last week and she said, "come here, I have to show you this ottoman because I know you're gonna love it." Sure enough, there was a beautiful, huge, round, seagrass Pottery Barn coffe table/ottoman in great condition. Our other friend was going to ask $50 for it (I think it used to retail for $300+?) but she let me write her an IOU and I'll just pay her out of my proceeds from whatever I sell. It's already in my garage, haha!

 

[kenny]

In keeping with staci's yard sale thread, I've got a find to report!
I went to a garage sale on Friday, in a very nice neighborhood, and saw a small sign among the lovely things: "Ask to see designer bags".
So I did. The lady goes in, comes out a minute later with 3 LOUIS VUITTON BAGS!!! And they're real! I can tell, I have purchased 3 of my own, so I know them like the back of my hand. They look right, feel right, everything.
"How much are you asking?"
"I was thinking $50 each?"
"Okay, may I look at them?" She hands me armful of monogram canvas!
I spend a few minutes checking them over so carefully, just to be sure. The other shoppers are looking at me closely to see if I look like I am even CONSIDERING putting them down. As if. :biggrin:
I say "If I get these 2, can I get this one, which isn't in great shape, for a little less?"
"Sure, I'll sell that one for $25."
I got a Keepall Bandouliere 55 (duffle bag), a Neverfull GM (tote bag), which is a tote bag, and a Speedy 30 (barrel-shaped hand bag). For $125. O. M. G. They all have a faint perfume odor, but for the price I can work on that (I've found a sock full of baking soda, set inside the bag, works great!)
The Speedy is pretty worn out, but for $25, I can CUT IT UP and sew a wallet. Just kidding, I wouldn't do that. But I could . . . haha
The Neverfull is great, looks barely used.
The Keepall has a stain on the strap, but I think it will blend in more when the vachetta darkens.
I will remember that sale forever.
Here's the quick pic that I texted my DD.

What do those bags cost new?

 

[iLander]

What do those bags cost new?

They retail for over $3000 new, Kenny.

At the time, the total was probably about $1200-$1500, but Vuitton prices have risen steadily for the last few years. All French items have gotten really expensive. I actually have a Chanel purse, that I bought new, which now sells - used - for more than I paid.

I am excited, because if I had bought them new, and used them for six months, they would now look exactly like these do.

 

[iLander]

THAT'S AMAZING!!! I once found a vintage Chanel jacket at a yard sale for $20. Too bad it was a bit too small.

Should have bought it! Chanel jackets, of any age, start at $500 on eBay. Excellent condition, in a desirable color/style often sell for $1000+, because the styles tend to be timeless and vintage lovers dream of Chanel. And Dior, Laurent, etc.

 

[iLander]

Wow, you hit the yard sale lottery! That's awesome.

I'm not much of a yard saler, but I'm not much of a shopper all around, anyway. However! A friend of mine is hosting a group yard sale in a few weeks and she's been busily stowing away other participants' furniture and items in her garage. I went over to her house last week and she said, "come here, I have to show you this ottoman because I know you're gonna love it." Sure enough, there was a beautiful, huge, round, seagrass Pottery Barn coffe table/ottoman in great condition. Our other friend was going to ask $50 for it (I think it used to retail for $300+?) but she let me write her an IOU and I'll just pay her out of my proceeds from whatever I sell. It's already in my garage, haha!

That's the spirit! That's exactly what bargaining is all about; the great item for cheap! If I were you, I'd look carefully at everybody's stuff at that sale.

 

[iLander]

It's fun to find luxury goods at thrift stores and yard sales!!!

Here's a small sampling of my recent thrift store finds for under 10.00 each:
3 Coach purses
Stuart Weitzman shoes
Cole Haan shoes
Aquatalia shoes
Prada shoes
Kate Spade purse
Mark Cross purse (the same style Taylor Swift has!)


Recent yard sale finds:
2 German baby dolls from early 1900s ($25 and $49)
2 Dale Tiffany reproduction table lamps ($35 and $45)
Monte Joye French art glass vase -$5

and of course the previously mentioned 14k watch chain necklace -$2

I have serious watch chain envy, straci! It's so funny, people don't seem to grasp that even if they buy something ritzy and new (especially shoes) they will look like yard sale shoes in a couple of months. I bought a pair of Chanel shoes for $25 and ebayed them for $129, a couple months back. The lady had been holding on to them for 25+ years, but the style was perfect. They were too small for me. I wouldn't touch designer stuff if I didn't know it veeeeery well, though. Fakes are everywhere.

Are you ebaying any of your finds? I'm challenging myself (because I am that bored) to fund my yard sale money through ebay sales. The dolls are really easy to research, if you're so inclined.

Wait! I just realized the shoes and the bags were in the same neighborhood! Maybe I should just go door-to-door there.

 

[stracci2000]

It's fun to find luxury goods at thrift stores and yard sales!!!

Here's a small sampling of my recent thrift store finds for under 10.00 each:
3 Coach purses
Stuart Weitzman shoes
Cole Haan shoes
Aquatalia shoes
Prada shoes
Kate Spade purse
Mark Cross purse (the same style Taylor Swift has!)


Recent yard sale finds:
2 German baby dolls from early 1900s ($25 and $49)
2 Dale Tiffany reproduction table lamps ($35 and $45)
Monte Joye French art glass vase -$5

and of course the previously mentioned 14k watch chain necklace -$2

I have serious watch chain envy, straci! It's so funny, people don't seem to grasp that even if they buy something ritzy and new (especially shoes) they will look like yard sale shoes in a couple of months. I bought a pair of Chanel shoes for $25 and ebayed them for $129, a couple months back. The lady had been holding on to them for 25+ years, but the style was perfect. They were too small for me. I wouldn't touch designer stuff if I didn't know it veeeeery well, though. Fakes are everywhere.

Are you ebaying any of your finds? I'm challenging myself (because I am that bored) to fund my yard sale money through ebay sales. The dolls are really easy to research, if you're so inclined.

Wait! I just realized the shoes and the bags were in the same neighborhood! Maybe I should just go door-to-door there.

I have not sold anything on Ebay. But I have purchased alot from Ebay over the years, mostly vintage jewelry.

My neighbor is a doll collector, and he had educated me a little on antique dolls. So when I saw the first doll at a yard sale, I knew she was a good buy. She is "Viola" by Hamburger & Co, circa 1910. She other doll is "Floradora" from Armand Marseille.

As a side note, I know several people who would not wear shoes that came from a thrift store.
I, personally don't have that problem.
I only buy shoes that are unworn or practically new, with very little wear on the heel. I was raised on hand-me-downs, so it doesn't faze me. If I can find $300 shoes for 7.99, I'm in!!!

 

[kenny]

What do those bags cost new?

They retail for over $3000 new, Kenny.

OMG! So these ladies must not have any money left over to put in their purses!?!

 

[iLander]

What do those bags cost new?

They retail for over $3000 new, Kenny.

OMG! So these ladies must not have any money left over to put in their purses!?!

No, they really don't.

I should clarify, the $3000 is for the group, at current prices. Not each. That makes it muuuuuch better, doesn't it?

You should visit a purse forum sometime, Kenny. There are ladies with Hermes collections, and those bags are $20,000+ EACH.

I was once at Bergdorf's and there was an Arab woman there buying Chanel purses. She was irritated that they had only 8 of her chosen style, at $5000+ EACH. I guess they were gifts for the other wives? You never saw such apologetic SA's (sales associates as they are called in the purse world) in your life.

 

[kenny]

... You should visit a purse forum sometime, Kenny. ...

I don't know ...
Do I really want to be on TWO fora where the ladies kick my butt.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I found a Cole Haan Village bag in this pretty blue color for $2 at a tag sale once. Most of what I buy is for my kids so it's really treasure to me since you can find stuff that people just want to get rid of super cheap.

My SIL however is a professional tag sale hunter. She literally goes every weekend and one day she came back with a solid 14 or 18kt (can't remember) charm bracelet loaded with charms and each charm was solid gold with rubies, sapphires, pearls etc. She also found 14kt gold four leaf clover charms at the same sale and I want to say she paid $10 each clover and $50 for the bracelet. This was like 20 years ago.

 

[momhappy]

THAT'S AMAZING!!! I once found a vintage Chanel jacket at a yard sale for $20. Too bad it was a bit too small.

Oh my! Yes, any time you see authentic Chanel items, buy them! They hold value pretty well, especially classic handbags (like flaps) and tweed jackets. You almost can't even touch a tweed jacket for less than $500. Of course, authenticity is always an issue when it comes to Chanel, so it's wise to shop carefully.

 

[ihy138]

THAT'S AMAZING!!! I once found a vintage Chanel jacket at a yard sale for $20. Too bad it was a bit too small.

Should have bought it! Chanel jackets, of any age, start at $500 on eBay. Excellent condition, in a desirable color/style often sell for $1000+, because the styles tend to be timeless and vintage lovers dream of Chanel. And Dior, Laurent, etc.

iLander and momhappy - I kick myself all the time for leaving it there. This was before my days of selling on eBay and knowing how valuable things are.