A lot of items I see that pop up on the bay seem to come form estate sales according to the sellers descriptions. Has anyone had luck on actually aiming to find shaving stuff at these things or do you think the sellers just pick them up as they find them, in addition to other unique vintage goodies?
Estate Sales?
- Thread starter sid3000
- Start date
I have been to alot of sales and still havent found any razors
Most estate sales are run by professional estate buyers ... they have a network of dealers who specialize in certain categories of items. So when they prep a house's contents for sale, they give Joe a call because they know he's into Depression Era glassware, and Mary gets alerted that there's a Sterling Silver tea set, and Frank is first on the scene to pick up the power-tools, and Tony gets the cameras, etc...
Somewhere in this loop is a guy who is known to the network for wanting to buy up old razors, shaving mugs, and other grooming items.
What the public gets at the end of all this are the left-overs that none of the pros want.
If you go into an antique mall, you'll see that some glass cases have tons of razors or cameras or spice-jars or thimbles or what-have-you, while others have none. This proves the point that certain dealers are on the lookout for specific items.
Somewhere in this loop is a guy who is known to the network for wanting to buy up old razors, shaving mugs, and other grooming items.
What the public gets at the end of all this are the left-overs that none of the pros want.
If you go into an antique mall, you'll see that some glass cases have tons of razors or cameras or spice-jars or thimbles or what-have-you, while others have none. This proves the point that certain dealers are on the lookout for specific items.
I picked up a lot of 5 razors for 15 dollars at an estate sale
exactly!!
I've found stuff occasionally. You have to get there really early to hope to find much. Even if it hasnt gone "into the network" mentioned above there are all kind of amateur ebayers and professional resellers buying up anything they think they can make a buck off of. An example--when my mom was selling off my grandparents stuff she had wingnut dealers knocking on the door at 6 am.
Estate sale are often great places to get good second hand tools, though, so theres still some motivation for going, even if youre not all that lucky.
Estate sale are often great places to get good second hand tools, though, so theres still some motivation for going, even if youre not all that lucky.
I will share my approach to the estate sale question. I do not go looking for razors, if there is one or two great, but I only go if SWMBO wants to go.
Instead, I found the local junk/antique dealer who does go to them and is one of the early birds for this type of stuff, he handles all kinds of vintage stuff. And, I have made friends with him. He buys all the razors he can and then I go once a week and take a look. I also buy some junk along with the decent stuff to keep the relationship going. IN the last month I have picked up four ST8 razors- one is a keeper and two are on to the bay and one right in the trash, but the total cost was $24.
Good luck!
Instead, I found the local junk/antique dealer who does go to them and is one of the early birds for this type of stuff, he handles all kinds of vintage stuff. And, I have made friends with him. He buys all the razors he can and then I go once a week and take a look. I also buy some junk along with the decent stuff to keep the relationship going. IN the last month I have picked up four ST8 razors- one is a keeper and two are on to the bay and one right in the trash, but the total cost was $24.
Good luck!
This is how it's done. Leave your card, talk with the guy about whatever interests him, buy a couple of goodwill junk razors every so often. You have to be okay with the fact that you're going to be known as that guy who wants to buy people's old razors. Word will get around in your town. I live in a city of 92,000 people, and when I hit the antique stores, the guys behind the counter ask if I'm still using straight razors. We always have a good laugh, but they know who I am and what I'm looking for.
I pass most of them on to my friends who have become hooked but are too embarrassed to be 'that guy' in their town. If you're serious about getting your hands on some sweet deals, this is the only way to go.
Went to an Estate Sale this weekend specifically because shaving goods were advertised in the description of the sale... so I go in and ask the guy at the door where the shaving stuff was... he pointed to a bookcase that had about 15 shaving mugs on it, and said the razors were in the back inside a glass case with the jewelry.
So I was pretty excited... UNTIL I SAW THE PRICES! Wow was the pricing aggressive... the shaving mugs were like $20 - $40 each!!! And they were nothing special at all... so I went back to look at the razors -- all they had were straight-edge razors, but they weren't quality.... and again, grossly overpriced. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHICH OUTFIT IS DOING THE PARTICULAR SALE... in other words, some Estate Sale companies price things fairly, but you have to watch out for the ones that are just pricing crap through the roof.
So the original owner wasn't much of a high-end collector of shaving goods -- maybe just items from his personal collection that he used. But then again, who needs 15 shaving mugs?
I have seen the occasional double-edged razors at Estate Sales... actually, just one other time. At least they were only $5 each... but I still passed.
So to sum it up, I don't think Estate Sales are good places to find shaving goods (was that the question?)
So I was pretty excited... UNTIL I SAW THE PRICES! Wow was the pricing aggressive... the shaving mugs were like $20 - $40 each!!! And they were nothing special at all... so I went back to look at the razors -- all they had were straight-edge razors, but they weren't quality.... and again, grossly overpriced. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHICH OUTFIT IS DOING THE PARTICULAR SALE... in other words, some Estate Sale companies price things fairly, but you have to watch out for the ones that are just pricing crap through the roof.
So the original owner wasn't much of a high-end collector of shaving goods -- maybe just items from his personal collection that he used. But then again, who needs 15 shaving mugs?
I have seen the occasional double-edged razors at Estate Sales... actually, just one other time. At least they were only $5 each... but I still passed.
So to sum it up, I don't think Estate Sales are good places to find shaving goods (was that the question?)
So, what's the recommended method for becoming this guy?
So, what's the recommended method for becoming this guy?
See above advice about becoming known as 'that guy' at the local antique shops/malls. The people who own and run those are the 'dealers' mentioned. They're the ones with the pick up truck/small trailer combination who are in the house long before the estate company opens the doors to the public.
I send my dad out to look at estate sales every now and again. There are local websites that will alert you to estate sales with pics and such. Much like antique stores and flea market shopping it's all hit and miss but this is part of the fun. I've been really lucky in the last year, picking up a really nice big fellow and a red/black new at one of these sales for about $20. I've also found many other things I was looking for i.e. a really nice outdoor play set for the kids for $20. Again it pays to make acquantences in your area and be known as the shave guy and ask people around. It also pays to have family members keep an eye out for you just in case. Sometimes they find nice little jewels for you.
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