What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Swap Meet Junking

This weekend is Swap Meet Weekend. It is only held twice a year out at the Fairgrounds. It is small, but grows each time.  There are hopes that it will grow and become a huge event known across the country.  They have quite a way to go before that happens. 

Yesterday it was open, but was really more of a set up day.  I did manage to poke around in some boxes and score a few goodies.  Most people are selling junk from their houses and are letting it go cheap.   There is one couple there that are selling antiques and they have high prices, but some deals mixed in too.  The husband is more willing to deal than the Missus.  She is really set in her prices!

Here is what I bought yesterday.  Sorry for the shadows.  Two neat old wire baskets for 50¢ total, a cast iron corbel with a star for $1.00, a folding ruler for $1.00, a HUGE toolbox for $2.00 and a vintage cutlery drawer for $4.00.  The drawer was a bit overpriced from one dealer, but the toolbox was cheap from another, so it all worked out in the end.  Oh, I almost forgot the chalkware fish for 25¢.  Poor little guy.

Today it was pretty cold - only 54 degrees in the middle of May.  It was dry when we got there, but it started sprinkling more and more while we shopped.  We took a PB&J break in the car and it started raining pretty good.  Most of the vendors started covering up their stuff and leaving, so we left too.  But, I did manage to score some good stuff before that.  With not too many customers, the dealers are wanting to get rid of stuff so that equals cheap prices. Yippee!
Two more folding rulers - both from the same booth as yesterday - $1.00 each.  I know personally own a dozen folding rulers.  I think that is enough.....isn't it?  (Although, I will never leave one behind for $1.00!)  Everything else was from a dealer that announced, "Everything is a quarter."  Be still  my heart.  She didn't have it all out yet, but I found a lot of neat old office supplies including a mini printing set, old box of crayons, Dennison gummed labels, a thick notepad with some guy's name on it - fun for ebay notes, a cookbook for Tea - scones, cucumber sandwiches and the like.  I also found a big stack of vintage Christmas Seals including an unused page from the year I was born that is destined to be framed. 
Same stuff - different angle.  I love old boxes and graphics.  Surprising, no?  ;o)
The paper mache bunny and Drowsy Bean doll were from the 25¢ booth.  The other items were from a booth where everything was a dime.  Why, oh why would you schlep all your junk all the way to the Fairgrounds, sit in the hot/cold/rain for three days and then sell it all for only a dime? 

As we were about to leave, we spotted a table full of junk mixed in with one of the tables of car parts (the Swap meet is half junk, half car parts), so we went to look.  As The Bean sorted through some old pottery marbles, I took a look at a Rickshaw on the other side of the table.  Yes, a real Rickshaw.  It was awesome.   When I walked away from the rickshaw, I spotted a big box full of old Anodized Aluminum Tumblers and pitchers.  Old metal tumblers are high on the list of "finding things my Great Grandma used.".  When the guy running the booth finally came back over, he gave The Bean the marbles and starting making small talk with me.  I commented that the metal cups were neat and finally, I bit my lip and asked how much they were.  I have seen one tumbler for $5-8 at the flea market.  I've seen pitchers for $20 and up.  I could see three pitchers in the box and a lot of tumblers.  So, I knew it would be pricey.

He paused a minute, then he said, "$5.00."  And, I said, " For............?"  Because you never know if that means for each piece or for each set of for exactly what.  He said, "For it all."  "HERE IS YOUR FIVE DOLLARS MISTER!"  He said, "I will probably get home and my wife will tell me they were worth a lot more that than."  Yep, probably Mister, but ADIOS, I am out of here. 

In the end, I had eleven Basal tumblers in a variety of colors.

A gold-ish pitcher and more tumblers.

A green-ish pitcher and even more tumblers.

A red pitcher with what I think is a Bakelite handle and the cups from the first photo.  Three pitchers and twenty one tumblers in all.  The Deal of the Day!

We might go back tomorrow - it is supposed to be dry but cool - a perfect day for junking!  Plus, there is the Kiwanis's sale at the Boys and Girls Club.  Junk, junk, junk!

Check out more Thrifty Finds @ Southern Hospitality and Apron Thrift Girl Thriftshare.

11 comments:

  1. You really found some amazing deals in all that junk. Of course the box with the aluminum tumblers and 3 (count them three!) pitchers for $5 was one of the biggest scores I've seen in a long time. WooHooo!!

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  2. Wow!! on the tumblers - what a deal!
    But I always like the vintage office supplies, too, and they seem to be sort of an underappreciated vintage category in our electronic world.

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  3. Shara, I loved reading the past post...too much thrifting fun. I think you know how much I love Arkansas from my blog. You have good junk juju. What a sweet monkeybox story..have a great junk weekend...smiles...Renee

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  4. I just had to comment because, I too have some Aluminum tumblers that did belong to my Great Grandma (Granny). We don't really drink out of them. The kids don't like the "taste". But I like the reminder of my childhood everytime I open the cupboard! You got an awesome score! I might just have to "summer" in Arkansas so I can junk around with you!

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  5. As I read through your post, it just kept getting better and better. Ooooh! nice score! I love the aluminum tumbler set at such a great price. Nice!

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  6. Wow!!! Yes, I have seen those cups for up to $10 each and a pitcher is way more expensive. Way to go! That guy's wife is flogging him right now.

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  7. Those are some amazing finds! Love the tumblers and pitchers - five dollars! You made out like a bandit! I can't leave a folding ruler behind either!

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  8. Anonymous7:32 PM

    Great finds! Those cups remind me of my aunt's house. She had quite a few of them, having six children!
    The folding ruler is cool, too. Great stuff!
    Tammy

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  9. wow, I would love to go to a sale where everything is that cheap! That is amazing all the things you got

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  10. Love the aluminum tumbler set :)

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  11. DYING for a huge toolbox just like that.

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