Yard Sales, Flea Markets and Antique shops 2021

[Aragorn243]

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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[Flying10uk]

British 1945 dated ammo pouch

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.

[Eaglelord17]

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

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$+

[browningautorifle]

Turkish converted M98 bayonet

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...

[Aragorn243]

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.

[Aragorn243]

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.

[Aragorn243]

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:

[champ0608]

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.

[browningautorifle]

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

[Aragorn243]

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.