Marvelous Mid Century Estate Sale

Here is an estate sale I went to during the summer that had some pretty neat stuff.  It was about a hours drive from our home and I brought along PB since he was out for the summer.  All of the photos of the house are from the listing.

This clock was the belle of the ball.  When ever I go to estate sales I like it better when there is nothing particular in the photos that I want but from the offerings shown I can tell there is going to be some awesome stuff.  This sale was different.  It had the awesome random stuff but it also had two things that I really wanted, and that clock was one of them.

Here are several more listing photos with the awesome random stuff but nothing I would be willing to push an old lady aside to get at.

Look at that entire closet of vintage Tupperware!

Shown here on the lower right, that set of cutie pie merkids riding swans, was the other 'gotta have it' item.

Lots of nice planters.

Since I had PB with me I told him he was going to be my partner in nabbing the goods.  We studied the photos with the listing extensively till we figured out the house floor plan and where the two primary things I was wanting were located.  I figured we would enter from the front door, I would go for the clock which was right beside it.  PB was to make a bee line for the bedroom we believed to be off of the kitchen and containing the cuties.
We decided to get in to town early enough to eat lunch and hit up a couple of thrift stores, two hours should be good. We got to the sale 45 minutes before it started which I figured was going to be w-a-y too early.  But it wasn't, it was actually late.  There were about 10 people already ahead of us.
They had us entering through the garage which fumbled up our game plan....and there was a lady near the front with a walker.  It was sprinkling on and off as we waited but that did not stop the line from constantly forming behind us.  I bet that by the start time there were 40 people.  I have never been to a sale that had such a line and I never have to be at a sale more that 15 minutes early.
As we made our way into the house we were slowed down by the walker lady and even though we entered into the kitchen first we didn't see a door to another room.  PB and I just kept ourselves together and moved steady toward the living room and the clock, which I saw was gone.  A lady ahead of us had nabbed it.  We then shifted gears and left most of the people in the living room and headed down the hallway toward the bedroom we expected had been off the kitchen.
Turns out it is off the kitchen, the door to it blends in with the paneling so well we couldn't tell it was there.

Here are the treasures we brought back:

I love vintage scrap craft so I picked up this pop top alligator magnet (the seller gave it to me, surprised someone wanted it!).

I love the Bondex kid!  This patch set is really big and would be suitable for framing!

A pink Tupperware Wonderlier bowl from 1954!

A presto timer with the box, perfect for "cooking, washing, games, telephone calls, naps, photos, hundreds of other uses".  This is now our 3rd one of these.  We have broken the last two.  The first one I found at a thrift store and Mr. Husband accidentally broke it.  He didn't tell me he did, but bought another one off of ebay.  The second one has also broke with usage. We decided this one is just going to have be a decorative item.

 

Cute McCoy planter.

Handmade vintage dress.  It fits pretty well just going to have to take it in a little on the back. It's extra flouncy back there for some reason.

And these cuties!  We were able to nab them!  After I had them in my hands and we were walking around checking out the rest of the sale, a lady came up to me and asked if I would like to put them on the Hold Table.  I said sure and handed them over.  PB freaked out and said "Does she work here?!"  And truthfully I didn't know if she did.  We rushed over to the Hold Table and they were on it but I started getting nervous someone was going to snatch them up so I had PB stand guard while I quickly looked the rest of the sale over.  As I went back in the kitchen I realized I hadn't checked out the TupperCloset. I didn't see it.  I recalled the photo from the listing and went to where it should be and it was there, it was just again disguised by the wall paneling so when I open it up no one had been in it yet.  I am very picky about what Tupperware I will buy so I selectively picked my pink bowl and as I was backing away I felt the rush of wind pass me as the mega tupperwhores swooped down on it all.  The sale was really well organized and not a lot of areas to dig around (which I actually like doing) so we were in and out of there in 20 minutes.  PB was getting moody and I didn't like being around that many people, also was bummed about missing out on the clock.  I did stop and ask the girl who had it what the cost was, $65, which is not too bad.
I am glad we were able to get the cuties at least though.
There is a set listed on ebay right now that is $150!  And those are cracked even.
I only paid $3 each for mine!

A few weeks later we went to another sale by the same estate team.  I was telling the owner how we got in line 45 minutes early and there were still several people ahead of us. She said the people at the front of the line got there 3 1/2 hours early!  Which is really unheard of in our area of estate sales.
She also told me that the place was wiped out by the end of the sale.

I have really been a bit obsessed with estate sales lately, but with good reason.  We are coming to an end of an era.  The estates of people in their 90s, who have hung onto their mid century stuff is rapidly dwindling.  These pieces will start to shift to where most of it is owned by collectors.  Dealers will drastically increase the prices of what is available on the market.  Mid century products were made in great abundance so I don't think we are going to be hitting a desolate state for at least 10 more years.  This all sounds like lines from a News Week article about stocks and real estate, but I don't think I am exaggerating.  I'm not going to panic over it but it is concerning.  Collecting and treasure hunting is my hobby and passion.  I hate to think of what will be in thrift stores in 20 years, cheap crap broken laminate particle board furniture from walmart, wrangler denim jorts, and a crap ton of those stupid wall hangings that have words on them like..."Home" and "Family" or "Dream Big!".
They might as well just park dumpsters on lots and put a sign on the side that says "Donation Drop Off".  I think I might actually be starting to panic!