Second Hand Sale » Second Hand Books and Paper Items

Vintage Valentines Day Cards

Mike — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:01:55 +0000

My Box of Vintage Valentine Cards

In one corner of my game room I've got a box filled with someone's memories. Vintage Valentines Cards, heart felt greetings signed with love from someone long since gone to their reward. Bundled up in that plain old box are hundreds of long kept tender messages and well wishes dating back to the 1930's or so. Every time I move that box of old Valentines from one corner of the room to another, I can't help but think that they must have really meant a lot to their original owner during their life.

I came to own these vintage Valentines greeting cards by making one of my estate sale purchases that included box upon box of mixed up merchandise. I found them, carefully tied together with an old, worn out ribbon, in the bottom of one of the boxes. I couldn't help but feel a little bit melancholy as I flipped through them, and read Valentines Day messages sent by lovers separated by miles during a war I've only experienced through books and movies. Now it is time for them to move on to someone else. Perhaps they will become part of a new mother's scrapbook because she likes how the old fashioned images bring out the eyes of her little one on the "My First Valentine" page. These creative people give a second life to these forgotten treasures.

Scratch N Sniff old vintage Valentine cards by Grand Award lot of 2 Unused
US $.10

Fuzzy VALENTINES DAY CARD RUST CRAFT FOR SPECIAL TEACHER USED Vintage 1940 60s
US $.39

Vintage Whitney Made Sweethearts Postcard 1920s Era Signed Made in USA
US $.49

Vintage Folding Naughty Girl Valentine Card 20s Era Signed Made in USA
US $.49

Second Hand

Why Collect Vintage Valentines?

People collect vintage Valentines for a variety different reasons. Scrapbookers love the old graphics. The style is much different than what you find today filed on shelves in the supermarket. The messages are simple and sweet. They are perfect for giving a scrapbook a special added touch. Other people collect vintage ephemera like this because, like me, they feel like they are catching a glimpse into the past when they hold these old cards and read the messages written inside of them. Sometimes it is just a nice change of pace to find vintage Valentine decorations and cards that have nothing to do with today's trends. A Valentine text message just doesn't have the same personal touch.

For people who might want to look for these old Valentine cards on their own, I have a little bit of advice. First of all, the place to find them (maybe) is at estate sales. Don't expect them to be sitting out as a featured item however. Many times, family members either decide to save them for themselves, or they do not really think that anyone would be interested in owning old greeting cards that were already written on years ago. I see them from time to time, now that I look for them, but they are usually thrown into a box of assorted items that are one step away from the dumpster. If you don't see anything like that out for sale, consider asking the person in charge of the estate sale if there are any old greeting cards among what is being sold. Sometimes, they will help you to locate a hidden stash of them that they saw as things were being set up. It certainly never hurts to ask.

Vintage Matchbooks|Matchcover Lots

Mike — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:47:11 +0000

Don't Throw Away That Old Box of Matchbooks!
It's funny how seeing one little thing can bring back a really old memory of something you completely forgot about. I was doing my usual skimming and scanning of eBay auctions when I came upon some auctions for vintage matchbooks. I looked at the old matchbook covers and suddenly I had a flash of a memory.

I have been trying to piece the whole thing together since. I remember sitting on the floor in my Mom's room when I was pretty little. I'd guess that I was four or five years old. There was a hat box on the floor of her closet that caught my eye. When I opened it, I didn't find the hat that I'd expected. Instead, I found that it was filled with hundreds of really old matchbooks. My Mom explained what they were and said that she had been collecting them for a long time. I'd guess since at least the 1930s. Then she explained that they weren't to play with but I could look at them while she was there.

Vintage TURKEY TURKISH AIRLINES THY Matchbooks Matches HOLDERS LOTS OF 2
US $.95

2 Tom Seaver NY Mets Baseball Matchbooks
US $.99

Don Drysdale Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Matchbook Van Nuys CA
US $.99

Pope John Paul II Polish Pope Matchbook Papal Visit Canada 1984
US $.99

Second Hand

I remember that they really caught my imagination. They were filled with all kinds of old, brightly colored advertisements. There were pictures of people and cars and who knows what else. I was absolutely fascinated by them. After that day, I'd always ask my Mom if I could look at her collection while she was in her room getting ready to go out, or doing some other day to day activity. She almost always obliged and I think she liked the fact that someone appreciated the matchbook collection she had accumulated over so many years. I have no idea what ever happened to them after she died. They probably were thrown away. Too bad.

Now, it turns out that vintage matchbook covers are actually very collectible. I guess that there are other people in the world who feel something like I did as a little kid when they see matchbooks.

When you think about it, it was a genius way to advertise. Dirt cheap for large quantities that were given away, constantly getting looked at and handled. Heck, if you want to go all psychological about it, there was probably even some kind of link made between smokers lighting up for pleasure and making a connection with what was on the matchbook. Classic. A great little exercise in conditioning really.

I've found some matchbook collections among the estate treasures I've found. What always sort of put me off about them were that there were so many in each collection that it would have taken me a year just to research the history of each one.

The first matches available for sale appeared in 1827. It took until the late 1800s for advertisers to get the idea of putting their messages matchbooks. With such wonderful and creative artwork on the matchbook covers, and sometimes the matches themselves, it was only a matter of time until they became collectibles. A lot of people smoked during the first half of the last century, so having a need for a book of matches was nothing uncommon.

Vintage Horn Hardart Matchbook Matches Automat Unused
US $5.00

93 Matchbooks 16 Matchboxes Used Unused Lot
US $5.00

Two McDonalds 25th Anniversary 1980 Matchbooks 30 Matches BLACK WHITE
US $5.00

6 Joe DiMaggio NY Yankees Baseball Matchbooks
US $5.50

Second Hand

I learned while I was writing this little post that a person who collects matches is called a Phillumenist. How's that for a bit of trivia for the day. Phillumenists often specialize in the types of matchcovers they collect. Advertising was so prevalent back in the day, that you could pretty much take your pick of what interests you. One lady who purchased a vintage matchcover lot of about 500 pieces from me was thrilled because it was almost entirely made up of matchcovers from businesses that were local to the area where she grew up. She lives across the country now and I suppose they were like a little piece of home to her.

For those who might be hardcore Phillumenists, I found a site you might like. It is dedicated to your particular collecting interest. You can find it here. For those of you who enjoy the hunt for old matchbooks, but have not been having much luck, I have a tip for you. Go to estate sales (early). Find the person in charge of the sale, and ASK them specifically if they have any matchcovers / matchbooks. Although some sellers realize that these are collectible, many people who run estate sales seem to view them as an afterthought. They will often be pushed aside or not even put out for sale. If that is the case, you can often work out a very good deal for a large lot of matchbooks, just because the seller doesn't really expect that many people would want them. Can you imagine?

Leather Bound Books

Mike — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:24:01 +0000

As I've explored what sells on eBay and what just turns into clutter to be pushed around, there are some items that have proven to be solid bets time after time. Of course, that is mostly what I'm writing this blog about nowadays I guess.

One of the solid performers is leather bound books. The old ones. Antique leather bound books are an almost automatic sale if they are in half decent shape. You may have some of these sitting around your house at this very moment.

I've always loved to read since I was a little kid. I think it is a wonderful thing that there is still a very solid core of people out there who prefer to do their reading away from a lit up screen. Collecting books may actually be gaining popularity. Perhaps people are looking ahead and imagining a day when simple words written on paper will be obsolete. After all, you wouldn't want to kill a tree if you could avoid it, right? I hope that isn't where things are headed though.

Of course, collecting leather bound books is not just about the literature. The books are so handsome that they are actually used as part of the decorating scheme. The dark, rich look of real leather fits so well with what I imagine when I think of a library in someone's home. The image of a silver haired man with a smoking jacket, a pipe and a fireplace all sort of go with the image too, but that might just be my overactive imagination at work.

IRISH MELODIES by Moore VINTAGE Little Leather Library
US $.99

Decorative Fake Leather Readers Digest Set Lot
US $.99

VINTAGE 1890 STUFFGART GERMAN BIBLE EVANGELICHE AS IS W WEAR AND TEAR AND TAPE
US $.99

Complete Poems of William Shakespeare Chatham River Press gilded pages
US $.99

Second Hand

Leather books are purchased with regularity on eBay and many of the people doing the buying are extremely knowledgeable about the subject of books. As I was doing some research on leather bound books, I was led to websites and videos devoted to the skilled practice of bookbinding. It truly is an art when done correctly and bookbinding required years of apprenticeship in earlier days. It is quickly becoming a lost art.

If you are a seller, do your best to learn about what you are listing and give as many details as possible about the book, but be honest. I learned quickly that the art of bookbinding and the collecting of books is way bigger than I ever dared imagine. I found some great general bookbinding information here, but there was no way I was going to try to bluff my way through listing an antique book.

Tell all that you can ascertain from the information at the beginning of the book and take more photos than you think you will need. Give potential book buyers several closeups from different angles and describe anything on the inside of the book that they might not be able to see in your photos. Certainly, if there is any type of mildew smell, you MUST mention it. That is a deciding factor for many people. Someone skilled in book restoration may be interested in such a book, but in general, no one is going to want to introduce a mildewed book to their collection.

If you are a potential buyer, do not assume that everything that you cannot see in the auction photos is in good shape. Ask questions and request details. Leather bound books can be very expensive depending on the title, edition, year of production and a host of other factors. Get clear on every detail that you can.

I like to include relevant videos with my posts whenever possible. This was a bit more challenging for this topic than I expected. What I settled on was this excellent video devoted to binding books. Not leather bound books, they are a true specialty area. The video is well done and interesting none the less.

Margin of Safety: Risk-Averse Value Investing Strategies for the Thoughtful Investor by Seth Klarman

Mike — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 11:46:33 +0000

Let me start this entry by saying that if you might have a copy of the investing book titled Margin of Safety: Risk-Averse Value Investing Strategies for the Thoughtful Investor by Seth Klarman, you should go find it NOW. This is one of the most valuable second hand books you could possibly own. If you are looking to buy Margin of Safety, you can just scroll down a bit and find what you want, or click on the giant image of the book that is shown here. That will lead you to plenty of reviews and information about buying this extremely hard to find item.

One of the reasons I started this site was to help people who want to sell things on eBay (and Amazon). Everyone has heard stories of people replacing their income by starting an online business. The problem usually is knowing what to sell. As an eBay seller, my focus has always been on finding those hard to find items that buyers REALLY want, but most people have never heard of and sometimes don't even know exist. One of my favorite items to re-sell has always been books. This is because they are found at almost every estate sale for very low prices, they are easy to ship, and they can sometimes be very valuable. Most of the time the most valuable books are very old. This book proves though that scarcity and the law of supply and demand is even more important than how much time a book has had to accumulate dust on a forgotten bookshelf.
The book Margin of Safety was written by Seth Klarman as a guide to investing. It seems to have turned into a practical model for what happens when a lot of people want a hard to find quality item. Even though this book was only published in 1991, used copies now sell for hundreds of dollars on both Amazon and eBay. For whatever reason, it has not been re-printed. I am not a student of investing by any means, but apparently, Mr. Klarman managed to write what has become the go to book on the subject of risk averse value investing.

I'll be honest with you, as a seller, I'm actually excited to go out and start looking for this book. Generally, people who are clearing out what they see as clutter are not careful at all about checking the value of what is being sold unless they believe it is a rare antique. Margin of Safety looks just like any other book about investing from the 1990s. There were tons of them written, and honestly, they are usually what is left sitting on the shelf at the end of the sale. Most people take a glance at them and assume that the information probably isn't relevant anymore. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find that this book sells every weekend for a buck or two at garage sales and flea markets all over the world.

Now, just as a warning, I have been doing a little bit of research, and it seems that there is also a book called Margin of Safety that tells the story of developing the polio vaccine. That is certainly a subject worthy of a book, but unfortunately for treasure hunters, people are a lot more interested in the Klarman publication. I'm only mentioning this so if you find the title staring at you from a shelf somewhere, you don't get too excited before you check the name of the author.

So, there you have it. If you are looking to buy Margin of Safety by Seth Klarman, I sincerely hope you will use one of my links. You can find it on Amazon, or follow the links below to check out the listings on eBay. Following my links won't change your price, but it would make me a little bit happier camper! If you are now on a quest to find this valuable book about investing, I wish you luck. They are certainly out there, the question is whether you will have the patience and commitment to hunt them down! If you do not see anything listed below, it means that nothing is showing up on eBay for the book currently. Please keep checking back or check out the Amazon link above!

COPPER QUARTER OZ WALKING LIBERTY DESIGN BULLION ROUND
US $.01

$205 AAT Dusky Dolphin International Stamp Genuinely Used
US $5.50

$370 Dingo International Stamp Genuinely Used
US $9.50

$205 International NT Jim Jim Falls Stamp Genuinely Used SCARCE
US $7.50

Second Hand

Diversions of a Diplomat in Turkey 1887 Antique Book

Mike — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:11:28 +0000

Among the many very old books I acquired when I purchased one particular estate lot, was this very nice 1887 edition of Diversions of a Diplomat in Turkey by Samuel S. Cox. Mr. Cox was a United States Minister to Turkey who wrote not so much about his political work, but the diversions he found during the detail. I believe this may be a first edition, but I'm not an expert on books by any means...just following clues. Online samples are a Google search away if you care to read a bit. If you'd like the 1887 edition for yourself, click on the photo or check out my eBay/Auctiva store at www.coolstuffifound.com. I am starting it at just $9.95.

[nms:antique book, 4,1,15]

1920?s Fayette County Teachers’ Institute Program Book

Mike — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:12:52 +0000

Second Hand Sale Online presents...

This is a program distributed to professional teachers who attended the 1929 Fayette County Teachers' Institute. This is definitely a niche item, so we'll have to see if anyone out there is collecting old materials related to teachers and/or education. This might also interest people who collect prgrams from various events. I cannot imagine that there are many more of these circuating right now. I will link the photo to my Auctiva/eBay store www.coolstuffifound.com in case anyone is interested in checking it (or anything else) out.

[nms:antique education,3,0]

Vintage McKeesport High School Yearbook

Mike — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:19:14 +0000

Second Hand Sale presents...

A very nice 1945 Vintage McKeesport High School Yearbook.

One of the things I enjoy finding at estate sales is old yearbooks. Looking at them is like looking back at life during another generation's glory days. All of the young faces filled with dreams of the future! I generally could have at least one of these listed every couple of weeks. One that was set to list but didn't due to technical difficulties this past week was a really nice McKeesport High School yearbook from 1926! I'll be getting that on soon.

The value of these is quite variable. If there is a reunion coming up and two people want the same book, the value goes up, obviously. I don't really worry about that at this point since I'm trying to make space. I just list them. The value of these increases DRAMATICALLY if someone famous is included in the student listings.

Update: This yearbook along with a couple of others from McKeesport have been sold. Until I get more listed, I'm going to leave some other McKeesport items showing for anyone who might be interested. McKeesport has a great history and used to be quite a thriving economic center.

HO SCALE MCKEESPORT COAL CO FOREST LUMBER 40 OPERATING DUMP CAR by LIFE LIKE
US $.99

PA McKeesport 12 31 1901 Knoll Washer ad corner Lebanon
US $.99

US PRECANCELS OREGON OKLAHOMA AND PENNA TWELVE STAMPS
US $.99

Muhammad Ali 2011 Ringside Boxing Rd 2 On His Way To Greatness Insert Card 10 10
US $.99

Second Hand

Old Sears Catalogs Online and the Popularity of Vintage Catalogs

Mike — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:56:39 +0000

Got Old Catalogs?

Vintage catalogs are one of my favorite things to find at estate sales but they don't turn up all that often. Think about it. What are the odds that you would even have an old catalog from five years ago sitting around your house in mint condition?

I think they are one of those collectibles that were treated as ephemera and were often thrown away. What is the average life expectancy of a catalog in your home? In my house, they get purged any time my wife reaches her "clutter threshold". When that happens, it's a good idea to immediately move anything that you want to hang on to. I doubt that there are a lot people who hang on to today's catalogs as potential collectibles. That is the nature of ephemera though. People don't see much value in it until many years later.

As an example, I know that there are a lot of people out there who collect the old Sears Christmas Wish Book catalogs. Personally, I don't think one ever survived my "wish list" building without having many, many items circled in ink when I was a kid. I can't even imagine anything like a mint copy getting by me as I prepared for the holidays. The older generation always told us that the old Sears catalog is what they used to stock the outhouse with paper back in the day. Really. I don't think I could make that up. That is yet another strike against the odds of a vintage Sears catalog surviving for very long in good shape.

On eBay, old catalogs are quite a popular find. As I mentioned, the old Sears Roebuck catalogs are snapped up very quickly, but they are just the beginning. Auction catalogs are incredibly popular. I picked up a box full of Sotheby's literature once and couldn't get it listed fast enough. Once people saw that I had three or four of them listed one week, the emails started pouring in asking me if I had specific publications related to certain auctions. Unfortunately, that just isn't how this end of the business works. You dig and dig and go all over and then you buy up what you manage to find.

Vintage Specialty Catalogs

Many collectors search for old Sears catalogs online, but other specialty catalogs also do quite well. These sometimes fall into the "who ever would have thought?" category. A General Electric parts catalog recently went for close to $350. I knew that there was a solid core of collectors for General Electric though. One woman asked me to notify her any time I found ANYTHING GE. She said she would buy it on the spot. Sight unseen. I've also seen this confirmed when I did research for my post about antique fans. I included a video in that post that features a fan collector who built his collection exclusively around vintage General Electric fans.

Car parts, fashion prints, catalogs referring to products that contain asbestos, TVs and radios, vintage seed catalogs...they all go. It makes sense though, when you think about it. It isn't just that people love to collect the old catalogs themselves. People who collect other interesting items sometimes want an associated vintage catalog as either a nice addition to their collection, or as a source for figuring out what they still need to complete their collections. A collector of old bikes might want a vintage Schwinn catalog. Many people love to collect antique tools. A vintage hardware catalog might make them aware of old items they did not even know existed! Vintage toy catalogs could be an amazing find for someone who is trying to build a collection of vintage or antique toys. The list goes on, and it can be applied to almost any area of collecting. Catalogs make great guides as well as wonderful stand alone collectible items.

Vintage Catalogs for Sale

Lot of vtg Catalogs Canon Minolta Mamiya Camera Typewriter Calculators
US $.99

11 vintage 1970s REPRINT CATALOGS SEARS ROEBUCK MONTGOMERY WARD
US $.99

1923 SEARS ROEBUCK CATALOGUE Thrift Book Of A Nation 1973 Reprint
US $.99

1897 Sears Roebuck Catalogue 1976 Reprint Large Softcover Ads Illustrations
US $.99

Second Hand

Some people collect these old catalogs to keep as display pieces that go with a larger collection following the same theme. Others collect the catalogs as part of a vintage catalog collection. There are also those creative types who love the old artwork and they will turn one vintage catalog into several artistic works with a little bit of cutting and pasting. I have a friend who does this with scrapbooks. Her projects always look great.

Whatever the reason may be, vintage catalogs are a big time seller on eBay. If you are a collector, I hope you find something you like in the listings above (or their following pages underneath). If you are a potential eBay seller, your tip for the day is to grab those old catalogs when you see them in decent shape. They are tough to come by outside of eBay.

This is a great video I came across on YouTube showing off an old catalog...

A Note About Vintage Sears Catalogs

Without a doubt, these old wish books and seasonal catalogs are a hot collectible item. They're a lot of fun to look at because it's like taking a peek back at the culture of another era. The fashions, interests, and popular items of the day are all bundled into one beautifully illustrated book. However... If you are considering buying a vintage Sears catalog, be sure that you are buying an original (if that is what you want), and not a reproduction. Yes, these old catalogs are so popular that there have actually been reproductions made for resale. Most sellers will be honest about the age of what they are selling, but buyer beware is always a good guideline to follow. Sellers might not even realize that they are selling a reproduction if they found the item at a garage sale. I have to admit that I scooped one of these up and paid for it at a garage sale a while ago (along with several other items) without ever looking closely enough to notice that is was a reproduction. At least it only cost me a few bucks. If you ever have a question about something you are considering purchasing, always take a minute to ask a few questions before making a purchase.

The Playgoer Theater Magazine

Mike — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:50:03 +0000

There are many people who are still quite taken by the idea of a visit to the theater (theatre). I guess I've just never really been exposed to it very much. I imagine this 1933 edition of The Playgoer might be of interest to someone. It was published in Pittsburgh, PA and has quite a bit of local flavor in the advertisements. This is a continuation of the plethora of ephemera I've got around here.

I am doing my best to go back and mention when something I specifically mentioned has been sold. This edition did sell and I have found that there are collectors out there interested specifically in vintage and antique items related to the theater. What I come across the most is old playbills and occasionally small advertisements. Posters are a rarity. Here are some similar items to hold the spot till I get some dug up for you from my boxes of memorabilia.

Depression No More Self Hypnosis CD SRP $39
US $.01

George Clooney The Last Great Movie Star by Kimberly Potts and Kimberly J P
US $.75

Im Hosting As Fast As I Can Zen and the Art of Staying Sane in Hollywood b
US $.75

Enhanced Study Skills Test Confidence Self Hypnosis CD
US $.97

Second Hand

Vintage PA Fishing Laws Summary 1939

Mike — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:36:10 +0000

One of the things I come across on a semi-regular basis is old hunting and fishing memorabilia. This is a Summary of Laws Relating to Fish and Fishing in the Inland Waters of Pennsylvania from 1939. Earlier editions I've found have included laws pertaining to both hunting and fishing. This particular booklet is fishing only. The commissioner of fisheries at the time was C.A. French. These booklets are more common than the actual pin licenses they came with at the time.

EDIT: The original booklet has sold. I'm showing similar items for right now. Take a look!

The condition of these varies a lot, but because many people took them with them when they went fishing, there is a good chance that they will not be pristine. Most sellers will show plenty of photographs to let you see what you are getting, but occasionally you'll find a listing with minimal information and poorly taken photos. If you are still interested in the hunting or fishing booklet, just drop the seller a question and most will be happy to give you more information.