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How is your local antique circuit?

This afternoon I took an hour or so to do the rounds of my local antique stores, and thought I would report in. Then I thought... maybe other gents could add their own reports, as an ongoing thing. Save the big scores for the score threads. Avoid giving out certain details: no appraisals per TOU, and why give away your fishing holes? But even without those details I hope the local color will be worth reading. Tell us about your antique malls, flea markets, estate sales, etc.

Today my first stop was a mall with two or three dozen stalls. I checked every stall, even though I knew most of them would not have any shaving tackle. Things move slowly here, but sometimes I will run across a Super Speed or an Old Type. That open-comb vintage Merkur was right where I left it: no one seems to want it at that price. But it had a new neighbor, a two-tone black and white boar brush that could be snazzy with the right knot. In another stall I noticed a couple of injectors, one cased, both E/G-type, that have been there for months. The split-handle Old Type was still there in its NEW case. In a small case I spotted an early injector, B/C-type I think, and a straight with bas-relief scales in black. I left without buying anything.

At the second stop I walked in the door and immediately spotted a brush: an Ever-Ready boar with a translucent base and a black upper section - maybe hard rubber? The price was not bad, but the top portion had a little bubbling that I was not sure how to fix. So I passed on that. Then I overheard a young gent asking about straight razors: this place has a few nice examples, but they are priced pretty high. I eavesdropped shamelessly for a while, and then introduced myself. He had been wetshaving for about a year, and recently started using a shavette. I recommended B&B in general, and specifically for honing advice. Nothing else in the shop was new since my last visit: old friends included a cased Auto Strop, a fat-handle Tech, a steeply-priced signature-case single ring, and a half-dozen steeply-priced straights. Again I left without purchasing anything, but maybe I brought in a new member.

The third stop was - closed! News to me, but apparently the owner of the building decided against renewing the lease. Dame Rumor told me that the building will be subdivided into two smaller premises, a pizza place and a clothing shop. It was on a street where the rents ought to be pretty high, so that is understandable. But I found my Simpson 24 in that shop, and my Kent. So it goes.

That does it for my first report. How are things in your neck of the woods?
 
Traveling 100 miles would yeald nothing (as far as shaving items). I've only found 1 thing in all of my looking (locally). No longer worth the effort around here. Now when traveling, sure.....

Oh, this was the single item I did locate so I can't complain too much :001_smile

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I've had very good luck locally. At least, that was until I bought most everything and now I rarely stumble across any "new" items. I did stop in one shop on the way home today and noticed they still had a lucite Rubberset nylon brush for a nice price. That's the same shop from which I bought a cased Bostonian, a half dozen News, a Lady Starburst, and two antique end tables for a very modest amount before Christmas.
 
I've only found 1 thing in all of my looking (locally). No longer worth the effort around here. Now when traveling, sure.....
Oh, this was the single item I did locate so I can't complain too much :001_smile
Same exact narrative here, just swap the pics. :thumbsup:


 
Bust. In one year of going regularly I found a cased Fatboy. The malls are not worth it as they seem to have everything but shaving gear.
 
I've been to about half the antique shops in the area. Scored a dubl duck brush and a whole batch of nice straight razors. Just posted the details in the straight razor section.

Looking forward to seeing the rest of the responses!
 
I'm not big on going to antique stores but I sometimes accompany SWMBO and our daughter to their favorite shops. This has been going on for about four years and the shop owners know me by now. I have found exactly 0 razors until now.

On a recent visit to a very well regarded shop outside Stockholm the owner waved at me when I entered. "Maybe this would interest you?" And then he showed me this:




British Aristocrat #22​
I forgot to haggle! :001_rolle
 
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There's a pretty active antiques scene in my area, which isn't surprising because so many retirees move to South Florida. When they pass on, their estates are often liquidated here.

We have a lot of local shops, a few antiques malls, and a couple of large regional antiques fairs every month. Sometimes there's hardly anything of value on display, other times you can get lucky. Like anything else, you really have to know what you're looking at, and be able to tell if an item has deteriorated to the point where it's worthless, or is a gem that just needs a little TLC.

The key is to be flexible and don't get greedy. Don't sweat it if there just isn't anything around on a particular day. I have to like something in order to buy it, and I never buy anything simply because I think it might have some value in a re-sale. You have to be prepared to walk away from a bad deal, but you also have to be willing to spend a couple of dollars for good quality. Most vendors are pretty easy to work with if you understand that they're in business, and they have to make a buck or two.

I did very well on these two guys at an antiques fair earlier this month, but I passed on a couple of straight razors that just didn't really ring my bell. No problem - I'm looking to the show coming up next week!


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Also seen at a recent show (completely unrelated to shaving, but cool anyway) - a vampire killing kit.
I passed on that as well - too creepy!

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I haven't strayed far from my favorite shop- Basically a dusty warehouse crammed to the gills with all types of bric-a-brac. The owner has gotten to know me, and he sets aside certain items he thinks I may find interesting. I haven't come across much of note, although there is a very nice unbranded straight I've been keeping my eye on. He never seems to have any brushes, but since straights are more my thing, that's no loss. Most of his other shaving stock is injector-types, although I came across what may have once been a nice Super Speed. Like most of the rest of his stock, it was heavily corroded and tarnished, but that can be fixed with some TLC. What concerned me more was the fact that it looked like it had been run over by a bus. There are also more old Avon A/S bottles than I can count, most empty, although there's a couple full ones. Most of it is dirt-cheap, as he doesn't do a lot of business and just wants to move it. I picked up a vintage Weck Sextoblade with case for $6. Trying to clean it up now. I may wind up branching out a bit more, but with over-inflated prices elsewhere, it may not be worth it.
 
I'd say 90% of my Razor Collection is local finds. I can't justify paying the online prices for them.

Here are some of my local finds (there are probably a few I forgot). I don't stop or look for them weely, they just happen to be there when I am there. They were harder to come by in 2013 (even the owners said so), but I still managed to scoop up a couple FB's and a mint Red Tip. I'd say I stop in once every couple months, just one or two places when I am near and happen to get lucky.

Not shown are a couple handles and about 6 OS mugs and a couple OS Beer type mugs. The nice thing is, they are all in great shape (Bull Dog shows the most wear) and none have any plating or mechanical issues.

Some of my highlights are: Blue Tip Rocket, 4 Pce Travel Tech, Case Aristocrat Jr, Red Ring and a couple FB's.

 
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There are several antique stores around these parts - in Duvall, Snohomish, Issaquah, Bothell, and elsewhere depending on how far you are willing to drive. I have purchased shaving gear in 6 of them. Mostly small stuff; a Gem Jr. razor, an MMOC razor, a couple of Old Spice Mugs, a straight, and a Rolls Razor which is my best score to date..

I have never seen any decent brushes. What I do see are nondescript, really used brushes, overpriced. Several Rolls Razors with missing parts and/or cracked hones, also overpriced. But one very nice Henckels straight with a good price, but I just wasn't in the market for one. Maybe I'll regret that, but I didn't have the money at the time.

Mostly, I'm in the market for anything of interest when I go antiqueing. I have purchased many a hand tool, for example, and some penmanship stuff as well (inkwells, for example). And, oh yeah, my Snow White avatar.
 
I've had good luck around where I live too, the only thing is that I went in and bought vintage razors so often the average price went from around $12-$15 to about $25-$30... Needless to say I haven't been back in a while...now the prices will go down! Then I'll be back! :bigsmile:
 
Like some other posters, I have yet to have any luck finding shaving equipment at antique stores. If I have time and I drive by one I typically like to stop in and see if they have anything. I'm hoping that eventually I will have some luck.
 
I have found a lot of great deals at local antique stores. Unfortunately most of them have the internet and just type into ebay and come up with ridiculous prices. Some actually do their research and charge a reasonable price, but I already have enough stuff, so I only buy it when it is a deal.
 
I'd say 90% of my Razor Collection is local finds.

Wow brucered, I'm speechless!

I guess we don't have a tradition of selling used DE's in Sweden, or so I've been told by shop owners I visit regularly.

Lots of cutthroats here though, but I'm scared of those...:blushing:
 
The antique stores around my house do occasionally have vintage Gillette razors. My last trip out I was able to find a gold tech and an old type. I offered the guy $15 for both. He said he would give me both for $4 if I promised to come back and shop there again. It's been about two weeks and I haven't had a chance to get back to the store again. Maybe next weekend I'll stop in and see if he has any new items for sale.
 
Lots of cutthroats here though, but I'm scared of those...:blushing:

I've seen and passed on every straight I've seen, or I'd probably have 20-30 of those too. I don't know enough or have have the desire to bring them back to life/restore.

Gone are a Shave King which was bought and sold, as well as a New Feather Travel Razor (the guy had a partial case of 4-5 with display box). A few of us local B&Bers each got one after giving each other the heads up, then they were gone for good. As unique as both of those razors were, they didn't shave that well and I'm not a collector and have no room to keep them around for display.
 
I've had good luck around where I live too, the only thing is that I went in and bought vintage razors so often the average price went from around $12-$15 to about $25-$30... Needless to say I haven't been back in a while...now the prices will go down! Then I'll be back! :bigsmile:

I was afraid of price creep so I have made it known that my max for a razor in the shops is about $20 and less if I buy multiples. They seem happy with that and let's say I have been able to score some deals :)
 
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