Sometimes you walk away from a yard sale empty-handed, and other times you hit the jackpot.  My latest yard sale stop netted me my favorite finds ever!  And to think I almost passed it by, assuming they couldn't possibly have anything I'd want!

The purchase of the day is a pair of 1940s-era brass pineapple lamps.


The pair was priced at only $10.  The seller mentioned he could get more for them at a scrap yard, so I scooped them up before he changed his mind about selling them!  I have never seen anything like them, so I did a little research online and found some almost-identical lamps posted on eBay for $90-$100 each.  Those were just individuals, so I assume a matching pair would bring a higher value.  I couldn't find any other info online.  Anybody have personal knowledge about these lamps?  The Mr. and I are so curious!

My next steal is a vintage table fan in robin's egg blue.


It wasn't priced, so I asked the seller what he wants for it, and he said $2.  Serious?  I picked it up immediately and was checking out the cord, which looked a bit sketchy.  Before I could even make a move, the seller said since it would need to be rewired, he'd knock down the price to only $1.  Um ... it was a steal at $2, so I think I'll take it for $1.

Ironically, The Mr. and I were researching fans just like this a few months ago.  I had told him I really wanted a chandelier over our bed rather than our ceiling fan, but we agreed we still need to be able to move air around in the room.  Since he's into vintage things and since I love the color turquoise, we had thought a vintage fan might be a good option.  They're pretty easy to find on ebay, and I even spotted one in a local antique store, but the price was never right and we basically forgot about it until now.  I'll have to find out what it would take (and cost) to get it rewired and then decide if it would even work for us.  My guess is that they're rather loud.  Anyone know about the sound or the rewiring costs?

A very unassuming item that caught my eye is this clear glass jug.  It was dirty and bug-filled, but at only 25 cents, it's a bargain.


My last treasure, which may or may not really be worth much, is an arc floor lamp with marble base.  The shade is hideous in my opinion, but that would be easily changed.  The marble base is super-heavy.  It has been chipped at one corner but I think it's still pretty neat.  The price?  Just $5.


Lesson learned:  Never pass up a yard sale.  You might assume you'll find the best stuff at nicer, newer houses, but in fact they often have just useless junk.  (Unless you're shopping for kid-stuff, and then they're usually your best option.)  Yard sales hosted by people over the age of 70, especially if the house is old and it looks like the people have lived there a long time, often have the best finds because the items tend to be better quality that have stood the test of time.  They may need some cleaning or refurbing, but if you keep an open mind, you can discover like I did today!

What do you think about my finds?  Trash or treasure?  If you have additional info about any of them, please let me know!