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Monday, December 29, 2014

The weird stuff

Before Christmas I told you a little about the pawn shop where I work. Janie wanted to know about the weird stuff so...Janie Junebug, this one's for you:



This item came in to the shop not long after I started. It's made of brass and has felt on the bottom, maybe so it wouldn't slide (on a ship?). We think it's a light of some sort, and everyone who's seen it seems to agree.

As you can see, it's also adjustable, and the top part comes right off. Inside there was paper stuffed down in the tube, but no evidence of fuel, no wick, no reservoir. Here's another view from the side:


So. That's the weird. Because although we think it's a light, we're not sure, and if it is, then how did it work?



Dianne also wanted to know how stuff goes out of the shop. For the most part people come in and buy it. Lots of folks bought wooden lobster buoys last summer and interesting signs. Jewelry sells. And we even had an art dealer from DC come in  buy a few pieces, which says something for the quality of our merchandise! We also sell on ebay, usually 7-day auctions, and usually stuff that needs a wider audience like an old Raggedy Anne doll (doll stuff tends to sell well), books, vintage games, and 'marked' items, ie anything that has the maker's mark, preferably a famous one! We recently sold some George Jensen silver cuff links for a pretty penny. I've even started my own ebay account and currently have a total of ONE item available for sale: a limited edition copy of The Velveteen Rabbit with a real velveteen cover. I'm also thinking of selling my Magic cards...

Now. Tell me about you. Got anything fun going on in your life? Writing anything that's got you hooked? Reading an awesome book? Do tell!



28 comments:

  1. Maybe the workings of the light were long removed?
    I wonder if I could sell my old Magic cards? Some are the original set.
    Reading David Powers King's Woven at the moment and jamming with my new amp!

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    1. Some of the older cards can be worth something - especially if you have Black Lotus; that baby's worth some big $! Yay for you and your new amp!!!

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  2. Very cool, piece, Marcy....

    Thanks for sharing....

    HAPPY 2015! ALL the best!!!!!

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  3. Sounds like your job remains an interesting place to work. Never know what will walk in the door.

    And you... starting your own Ebay account:)

    Happy 2015!

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    Replies
    1. I know...pretty cool...I think. We'll see.

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  4. Thanks for answering my question! I'm surprised you have such a thriving walk-in business for these unique items.

    Your odd item there is perplexing! With newspaper stuffed into the central tube, it sounds as if the working innards (whatever they were) were removed. I wonder why?

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  5. I love old stuff. The idea of DEALING it sort of stresses me out--you'd need to be learning all the time in order to make good deals, but it still seems pretty cool.

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    1. Luckily the boss man makes all the decisions about buying and pricing - not me!

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  6. It is a strange something or other. What an interesting job.

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  7. What a fascinating place to work. Snippets of people's lives coming in each and every day.
    One of the books I am reading at the moment 'The Bookshop that floated away' (Sarah Henshaw) is speaking to my obsessive self.

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    Replies
    1. It is most definitely fascinating. And I'm learning what stuff is - or was!

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  8. Hopefully someone knows what that thing is. There's got to be someone who does.

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  9. How funny!!! That thing *is* weird!!! And the Velveteen Rabbit was my favorite story as a kid… loved it SO MUCH. <3

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    1. It's a lovely book. I wish I could keep the copy I have.

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  10. New for me? Double-butt waffle maker.

    Very fun post you've got here. Neat to hear about this stuff. Glad you're loving your job.

    Happy 2015.

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  11. Thank you. I love it when something is for me. I will like it even better when everything is for me, and . . . what? NARCISSIST? You're crazy. I'm perfect.

    Love,
    Janie

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  12. That's an interesting job, I'd like that and the knowledge you must have?

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    1. I'm learning about what things are, and what they were. Definitely very interesting!

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  13. How interesting! eBay definitely opens up opportunities for local businesses to go global.

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  14. ooh, maybe it's a lamp for police interrogations :)

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