Finding that diamond in the rough

[Luecke2326]

Good afternoon gentlemen,

I enjoy shopping Facebook market place, Craigslist, and many more personal selling sites, in pursuit of treasures. I’m sure many of you enjoy doing the same!
I’ve been hunting shaving items long enough that, I like to think I have a pretty keen eye for vintage shaving items. I’ve been known to work a large antique mall in the span of 30 min. If you have many stores to go to, it makes sense to have a system. For one, I always carry a pad of paper and a pencil, to jot down the number of a case or booth numbers for negotiation. I walk into the store with a couple specific items already in my mind and a price threshold, which I’m not willing to pass. I’m always ready to negotiate price and to ask the store to call the vendor if allowed.

Personally, I don’t just buy anything I see anymore, I’m quite selective. I have boxes of junk razors, ugly shaving mugs, and brushes from my Acquisition Disorder days(who knows what I’ll do with all of it).... THOUGH sometimes I have to buy a bunch of JUNK in order to get ahold of a couple nice pieces... The photo below is a case study of a lot I would buy, for the potential of a big score!!

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE? A diamond in the rough(cost of everything pictured $100 plus shipping)?

What is your process, if you have one?

Do you end up buying things you don’t want, so you can score a really rare or nice item?

Always interested in your responses,

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[steveclarkus]

I have been buying all my razors from a single trusted vendor/restorer for almost two years. Other than that, I’m not much of a collector. For instance I have perhaps a half dozen soaps/creams only one of which is “artisan”. I’m more of a “throw it out” type I suppose.

 

[BigJ]

Great question!!

My major acquisition days are (largely) over!

These days I concentrate on very few ‘quality’ purchases! By ’quality’ I don’t necessarily mean expensive. What I am interested in is performance, ideally coupled with a pleasing ’hand-feel.’ For example, my newest brush is an old EverReady 200 that I sent to Rudy Vey for a bit more weight and a 2-band knot.

 

[dmshaver]

I can't tell what everything is in the picture. I'm not able (or I don't know how) to enlarge the picture to zoom in on items. I'm also not knowledgable about vintage soaps, brushes, & other shaving gear other than vintage Gillette. And I'm just learning about those.

I'm going to take your system of having a pad & pen when I go to antique malls. I've many times forgotten where an item is, so I don't go back. I've taken pictures of the stall # if there is one to help me get back to it.

Some of my best finds in the rough (I'll let others determine if they are diamonds, or not) have been a Senator, 2 Diplomats, & a President. Each were purchased at what I consider a price much lower than their value.

I hope you will let us know, in due time, what the diamond in the rough is in your picture.

 

[Whiterook]

That looks like a Schick type C on the shelf!

 

[Luecke2326]

I can't tell what everything is in the picture. I'm not able (or I don't know how) to enlarge the picture to zoom in on items. I'm also not knowledgable about vintage soaps, brushes, & other shaving gear other than vintage Gillette. And I'm just learning about those.

I'm going to take your system of having a pad & pen when I go to antique malls. I've many times forgotten where an item is, so I don't go back. I've taken pictures of the stall # if there is one to help me get back to it.

Some of my best finds in the rough (I'll let others determine if they are diamonds, or not) have been a Senator, 2 Diplomats, & a President. Each were purchased at what I consider a price much lower than their value.

I hope you will let us know, in due time, what the diamond in the rough is in your picture.

Will DO!

That looks like a Schick type C on the shelf!

That's one item of many hiding on this shelf, it was NOS.

 

[Doorcube]

Looks like a fatboy next to the Schick. Bottom shelf looks like a majority shoe polish and brushes. There is a brush on the top shelf that has a black and clear handle. Would take a stab and say that is an old EverReady.

 

[carluchi]

I see a strop on the wall so I suspect a straight somewhere in there. I see a lot of boar brushes but few badgers (unless I'm missing something).

Not sure I would spend $100+ shipping on this unless there were a few more close up pictures.