It’s been written about before, by myself and more eloquently by others, but thrifting is a modern day treasure hunt. People either have the hunger or they don’t, more scores for the rest of us! A few weeks ago I scored big. I was in line to pay for a couple of vintage children’s books at the Good Will when a woman dropped off a couple of big blue boxes.
The boxes looked beat to hell but what was inside was unused.
I imagine she got them as a wedding present and they had been sitting in her basement for ages. The biggest box contained 4 column candlesticks.
I paid $9.99 for them. SHAZAM.
I have not added candles yet (or taken off the blue paper on 2 of them, tacky!) but slapped them up on the mantel as a trophy, like the head of a beast.
The other box contained a set of hand-blown champagne flutes. Also unused and nestled safely in their original box. I paid $4.99 for those.
The woman who dropped them off was still there as I snatched them up and appeared horrified at the price I paid. She kept saying, “They are Tiffany!” “Stop thrift blocking, Lady!”. I wanted to say but did not want to antagonize her. I tried not to make eye contact and scurried out with my spoils as quickly as possible but I could sense that it may have been her last thrift donation. Pleased as punch I got to be her send off!
Do I like crystal? Not really. I had some non-Tiffany sitting in my basement for years up until our move last summer. It was over cut and not my style at all. Would I have looked twice at the candlesticks had they not been Tiffany? Maybe not. I am not ashamed to say that I am caught up in the wonder of the blue box just a little bit. Not enough to buy anything at retail but thrifted? You bet.
Plus they really are elegant and just calling out for me to rustle up a dinner party…
