Yard Sales, Flea Markets and Antique shops 2021

It keeps getting harder every year but I still manage to find things off and on. Today was a rather mixed bag. Yard sales turned up a brand new current issue backpack in the digital camo. Flea market yielded a British 1945 dated ammo pouch the seller kept claiming was a gas mask bag. Not sure how he figured a gas mask was going to fit in it but I didn't say anything $3 for that. Same seller had what I believe to be a Vietnam era portable shower bag that appears to have never been used for $5. I swear I am accumulating the most eclectic collection of military items ever. Antique flea market yielded an entire box of Ballentine books for $45. Not sure how many, perhaps as many as 100. I have to sort them and figure out which ones I already have. Antique shop yielded a Lahti holster for $18. Didn't know what it was at the time, took a chance. Not a super steal but less than what they are going for. Now to find the matching pistol.

I also learned a lot about Hitler Youth knives. Found one for sale. Looked appropriately used but upon researching it on the web, it failed almost every "good" test there is.

I also enjoyed explaining to another seller why his Turkish Mauser bayonet converted for Garand use wasn't worth $185.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

British 1945 dated ammo pouch

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It's worth keeping a look out for Mk1 Patt.37 basic pouches (ammo pouch) which are slightly smaller than the one which you got today but are much rarer. The height of the belt attachments on the back is slightly different and they have round "popper" type closures. They do turn up for sale occasionally and you normally find that the trader/stall-holder doesn't realise that they are uncommon.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

I also enjoyed explaining to another seller why his Turkish Mauser bayonet converted for Garand use wasn't worth $185.

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I had one guy in a USA gunshow try to explain to me why my Turkish converted M98 bayonet wasn't worth the 60$ I paid. I was happy because in Canada that bayonet is about 120$+

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Originally Posted by Eaglelord17

Turkish converted M98 bayonet

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I'd have one if I still had an M1. They just aren't around here. I'd have one of each of the conversions...

Someone just paid $242.50 for an obvious reproduction 1917 bayonet. I just paid $115.00 for a real one.

m1917 bayonet | eBay

On the Turkish bayonets, they have been the bottom feeder bayonet here for the last 5 years. All types with the exception of the original full length one from WWI. That one brings a premium in any condition.

I go weeks without finding anything and then hit the jackpot. Not that today's haul was rare but it certainly was cheap.

Keep seeing signs for this garage sale but I can't find it because they only put a sign up at the main street in the development with no further directions and there are streets going off all over the place. I almost gave up but finally found it. Guy has a table with relatively modern stuff on it, one being a flak jacket. So I asked price. $2. For a complete good condition flak jacket. Next item is pair of rain pants in universal camo. They look like they would fit and there's a jacket underneath. How much? $1. By this time I'm thinking the guy is either nuts or really wants to get rid of this stuff bad. Desert boots I didn't need so I passed them up. Final item, brand new in the package rifle cleaning kit for an M-16. $1.

Brought the stuff home, Flak jacket won't go around my stomach so so much for wearing it but I have the desert camo for it already so it will be a display item. The rain suit jacket still has the tag on it, fits perfectly and is Gore Tex. I've been wanting one of these for 20 years but wasn't going to pay $100 for one. The pants are also Gore Tex and may have been worn once.

Only other thing I saw today was a badly dented 1942 canteen in a dirty cover and missing the cup for $50. I passed on that, if it had been at the same sale, I probably would have gotten that for $1. Guy told me he didn't have change. OK.

Another fair weekend. Yesterday I picked up some WWII shell casings, three Japanese and one US. I already had two of the Japanese and the US but the markings are different so it's good. The third Japanese is a 20mm round of some type. The guy had more of the same of each type but I didn't buy all of them. Another fellow had an Ames 1944 US entrenching shovel in a 1945 carrier marked SHELL LEA. GDS. CO. INC. He said it was a 1948 shovel which made no sense as they stopped making them for a while in 1945 but I didn't argue with him about it. He also had a black shovel, exact same type as the US models and not of inferior quality marked TAI WAN with a camel no less above it. He called this one a cheap reproduction and again I didn't argue with him. This shovel of the two has me more intrigued. It could have been made for the civilian market but I'm thinking more along the lines of Taiwan's military but I can't find any information on it. I'll try to get photos up later. For whatever reason, my photo hosting site isn't uploading right now. Paid $30 for the pair. Today I got a nice WWII overcoat (trench coat) for $10. Pretty decent condition, the moths got to it a little but no holes and if you aren't looking for them they aren't really noticeable. Couldn't find a date on it anywhere, no label, just a 36 at the collar. After photographing it, I located the tag on the inside of the interior. 3 January 1945. It apparently had patches sewn on it at one point but they were removed. Some of the tread it still there. Lastly I picked up two full boxes of Carcano 7.35 ammo, one sealed. Have one more day of antiquing tomorrow so maybe I can add more to the haul.

Photos up in other threads but here's a preview:

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I'm saving my pennies to buy this uniform group at the local antique store. There's also a CIB in the pocket, and a picture of the veteran eating chow on a Pacific beach with what I think is a 1903a4 sitting next to him. Cool picture one way or the other. The seller wants way too much for it, but I can't help myself.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...AoovRGDl-1.jpg

Wish Jap cases would show up here sometimes but they're scarce. They'd be about the only thing I'd buy.

Not yard sale but two online purchases arrived yesterday. A Bulgarian WWII mess kit and a Japanese knee mortar. I've wanted one of the later for years and finally found one at a price I had the funds for at the same time.

Seller shipped it with the fuze separate and fun fact learned. I was trying to screw it back on and the blasted thing just wouldn't go. I knew if fit, it was on when I purchased it in the photo. So I'm very carefully positioning it and turning and it would seem like it started and then nothing. I checked the threads a couple of times and about the third time I'm looking at them I notice they are reversed. It went on fine then.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

I notice they are reversed

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Would have been my first guess knowing where they came from...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Would have been my first guess knowing where they came from...

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The bottom of the mortar screws on the normal way.

A new purchase today, not surplus but a significant addition to my military toy collection. Local reuzit shop, kind of like goodwill, had a silent auction on a lot of Dinky military vehicles. I hate these things because you put a bid in and then if you are the high bidder after 6 days and no one else bids, you win. Most of the time I forget I put a bid in and never check. This time I made an effort to pay attention. It took three weeks and a couple of bids but I got it today. Tank transporter and tank, an artillery piece, two anti-aircraft guns with ammo carriers, scout car, small tank, several trucks of various sizes. I checked prices on eBay and it added up to about $444.00 worth of toys based on the cheapest one I could find of each. Got them for $75.00. I need to find a few replacement tires. They tend to be more than the trucks cost so we'll see.

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Tires were surprisingly easy. 16 of them for $7.00 and free shipping. I need 5 for sure but may replace a few more. Looks like heat got to some of them.

Dinky's are rare in my area. Matchboxes were very popular here when I was growing up but Dinky's not so much. It's rare that I find them at yard sales. I love the old England made toy cars. Picked up my holy grail a couple of weeks ago, a Matchbox T-bird with the silver metallic wheels. Never had one as a kid but I had a lot of it's contemporaries.

Centurion tank, Saladin armored car, Ferret scout car...Universal carrier...nice.

Good day today. Started off by driving past a yard sale where there was no parking and the wife saying there was a helmet there but it wasn't green, it was white with blue. I went back and it's a US Civil Defense helmet with an intact decal. $20 and no one there, just a jar full of money, seriously. We aren't exactly a high crime area but a jar full of money just isn't done anymore. Not being able to negotiate, I put a $20 in the jar.

Next stop I get 500 rounds of AK ammo for $150 which is pre pandemic pricing. Same guy as a box of large plastic toys which included a German WWI tank which is awesome. All brand new. $20 for the box. Receipt found when I got it home, $135 many years ago when it was purchased. The German tank's box was in there and it alone was $28.

Short walk and I found a 1943 US foot locker for $15. Interior looks great, exterior is a bit beat up. One of the last yards sales of the day I find a small Seabees patch, probably of modern manufacture but it is nice and was 50 cents.

Flea market on the way home a guy has two 1888 Commission rifles, both German although he called the one Spanish, I saw no markings on it. Picked the better of the two which he called the German and got it for $200. Needs some work but it's all there. Stock has some varnish on it.

So it was an expensive day but I think I got some decent bargains.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

a 1943 US foot locker

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I have one of those myself, loaded out of Ft Lewis Wa in December 1974 when I was there on my mortar course. Wish I'd taken better care of it though.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

Picked the better of the two which he called the German and got it for $200

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Let us have a look later...?

I'm off to our own local swap and shop tomorrow morning for a look. Last week a guy had a opy of a 1880 US hunting knife, issue type and called it an entrenching tool. I tried to explain the difference but he did the typical know it all look through me as I described the difference...he wanted $200CDN for it which may be $100 high... He also had an Artillery saber from the 1880s named to an officer from a LOCAL arty unit here. My friend picked it up for $150 down from $200CDN. It's now in his shop for sale at $800CDN. It wasn't out when I went by... Maybe something tomorrow.

I have been pretty successful at avoiding garage/ estate sales for fear of catching the bug. If you guys keep posting these cool finds you may be copeable for my infection.

Heck, I can go to 100 yard sales over weeks and find nothing interesting. This may make it look like it's easy but it isn't. I also live in an area with a lot of antique shops plus I go out of my way to find them and go in areas I visit. It's what we do for fun.

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This is what the German WWI tank looks like: Weston WWI German A7V Heavy Tank | eBay

Two of these: BMC WW2 Gray Amtrack Tank Vehicle for 54mm Plastic Army 741801499913 741801499913 | eBay

Skipped the yard sales this morning. It's been a rough week and I was tired out. Early afternoon, we stopped at a few antique markets that weren't open on the 4th weekend when we went. Picked up a British WWII 3Pdr casing that has been reused and restamped numerous times and an unfired 90mm US AP shell. If I'm reading the thing right it was made in 1956 so outside my normal range but the price was right and I have a casing that needs a shell. The second shop had a few helmets the guy thought were all worth $300-$350. Two modern kevlar US helmets a "brigadier general's helmet that was hilarious. No liner, beat to crap shell that was dented all over and the dents removed very poorly and spray painted. Small hole drilled in it and a non-military star stuck on the front. The only one that might have been worth that was a pretty nice British WWII helmet but it might have been redone. I wasn't paying it."

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Slim pickings at yard sales lately but I got two items today. A US military wool blanket of unknown age but assuming late WWI to WWII age. And a US canteen 1945. Only paid $3 for each of them so I did OK price wise. I can't find an marks on the blanket but will look more tomorrow. No tag which is the key missing component. Not all were marked which is why the tag is so important.

I got a reproduction German WWII helmet in the mail today from RTI. It looks pretty good. Shape not quite right and is lighter than mine but I have a Quist and they are heavier than other. I figure I'll experiment with camoflauging it. It smells musty from storage and the strap rivets rusted pretty bad. Everything else is like new iwht no damage so this is a bit weird. They are clearing them out at $29 which can't be beat. Also got a Japanese repro cap this week. It's really nice. They went all out on this one. I'll have to post some photos when I get some taken. I looked at these for months before finding this company. They use the appropriate connections between the hat and the neck screens. Most are using snaps or something similar. This uses long flat "hooks" that slide in threaded "loops".

The blanket had a US in the center that is completely gone. Only by holding it up to a light behind it can you see the distinct letters. It's almost like it's thinner where the letters were. It did have a corner tag also long gone.

And then there's today. Didn't even make it to the weekend.

I'm home from work early and decide to get the truck ready for Monday when I head north again for four days. A stranger stops and gets out of his vehicle and I'm like "can I help you". You're Steve right, I said "yes?" Says he has a rifle for me to identify. Made sense then since a friend had asked me if I'd look at something his neighbor had a couple of weeks ago. So he's off to get the rifle, is back in a couple of minutes and it's a bubba'd M43 Spanish Mauser. Not even a challenge to ID. So then it gets to what I think it's worth. I told him probably about $100 in the condition because it can't be saved. Barrel has been cut. Bolt handle cut off and a bent type brazed on, stock cut and heavily sanded, no crest, cracked and incorrect handguard (maybe original) Bore looks fine but the barrel has no crown at all. Am I interested in it, Hell no. More talking, he really doesn't want it or have any use for it. What would it be worth to me. I'm like $25 but told him I really didn't want it. He counters with $20 and I figure it could be a last ditch truck rifle or something and I give him the $20. He then asks if I am interested in other military items and I start down my list and he interupts with helmets. I said yes. He has five in his garage. So I head to his house a couple blocks away. I wasn't expecting much but I see an M42 shell in the bunch along with two Iraqi helmets and a US M1. I screwed up on the 5th and told him it was a Spanish helmet because of the bridge clip but I realize it's on the back not the front and I seem to recall Hungarian helmets had that feature. Again, he doesn't want them, got them for free. What are they worth to me. He doesn't care if I sell them for $500. I told him I'll pay $20 for any helmet so he gives them to me for $100. I'm not sure the M42 is an M42 but it's since been confirmed on another group I belong too so I'm happy with the deal. It's painted silver unfortunately. Thought the US helmet was a French one for a while and still not sure on the liner but I think it's a 70's-80's helmet like I would have had in service. Son in law already want's to give me $25 for the rifle LOL but I'm going to see if I can do something with it to improve the looks. It should at least function.

We have estate and garage sales that I keep an eye on. Military items are getting scarcer and scarcer but once in a while I see something that I'll take a chance on. My last acquisitions were a little disappointing. The picture didn't have anything in it to give scale so what looked like a pair of artillery shell casings turned out to be two 20mm. casings made by the Bridgeport Brass Co. in 1942. There was a WWI CFA bronze shoulder title and a Victory medal named to a Gunner in the Canadian Field Artillery, Cobourg Hvy. Bty. and what I thought was a piece of trench art turned out to be a salt or pepper shaker made in the shape of an artillery shell with the Arras city crest on it. Research shows that these were made as souvenir pieces for the soldiers.

Here's some photos of the reproduction Japanese Infantry hat:

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