Yard Sales, Flea Markets and Antique Shops 2024

[browningautorifle]

Ammo/powder vendors haven't gotten the memo that the pandemic is over, and all the mad rush of the last 3.5 years has subsided the demand this cycle.

You still see that here with some guys still asking $400/$450CDN per thousand primers...

[Sapper740]

Militaria in general, and WWII and Vietnam collectibles in particular are drying up. For years I did the rounds of First Mondays here in Texas and always found something interesting and reasonably priced. For those who are unfamiliar with the term 'First Monday' towns in Texas have large Flea Markets that are open the weekend of the first Monday of the month. In major metropolitan areas like Dallas-Fort Worth there are 'First Mondays' every weekend somewhere, usually on non-fiirst monday weekends. I used to do the rounds: Canton or Weatherford on the first First Monday, Bowie on the second Monday, McKinney on the third Monday, Denton on the fourth. The weekend where I didn't bring something home was rare but in the last 5 years things have changed for the worse. If you do find something of interest the price and or condition is ridiculous. It's gotten so bad that I've gone from going to Flea markets on a monthly basis to only going once every couple of years because I won't pay the hugely inflated prices I negotiate them down too.

Regards, Derek

[shadycon]

It is definitely not the same anymore, but what is !

[Aragorn243]

Thank you for the review of the flea market. I won't be making the drive next year. My weekend was pretty much a bust. It's not just firearms that are drying up, it's anything surplus related. I know ai post a lot of pick ups over the summer but I bust my butt to get them. I'm hitting antique flea markets, yard sales, antique shops every weekend and rotate between 5 different key areas in a 50 mile radius of my house. And when traveling outside that range, I hit any shop I go past that's open. We had rain yesterday, so I missed out on my usual Sunday flea market that I almost always find something small. Next weekend is the 1st Saturday flea market at the other antique flea market so I'm hopeful for that. I hit four antique shops today and these are all large co-ops and all I found in these four shops was one Army green wool blanket of indeterminate age, with holes and a flare gun I almost bought but decided it was too far gone to restore, especially for the price they were asking. I passed on the annual Labor Day flea market that is town wide on a nearby town to got to the annual Hospice Sports auction, but I got nothing of real note there. Prices were way down except on the people I wanted. I did get a signed photo of a former Penn State football player but that was a spur of the moment purchase, not something I really wanted. Jim Palmer signed Jersey $250 where there are half a dozen online for $85 delivered. Rocky Blier signed mini helmet for $275.00, Lambert signed large photos for $375 and $450 each. Willy Mays signed photo was the star of the show for $2000.00. I momentarily thought about getting in on that one before I decided my budget really didn't support that decision and my wife who went on a short mission to get food would be returning. They had a Caitlan Clark photo THAT WASN'T SIGNED, that sold for $275.00. My last hope was a Jerome Betis framed photo I was going to shoot my charity budget on but it went for $150 over that. We usually try to spend $200-300 here, today was $90.00 and $40 of that was on food.

[Aragorn243]

A little better luck this weekend with more "normal stuff. First last weeks spoon.







Last weeks photo:





This weeks yard sale item, a small USN pin with a weird backing I can't find anywhere. The pin resembles a safety pin.





An antique shop find, an early 1910 shovel, most likely WWI vintage, no date.





And today's flea market finds, a second early Vietnam undated pilots' knife and a child's book from WWII. I find it interesting that they still show cavalry on horseback when the last unit was in the Philippines which would have been eliminated by 1943.

[browningautorifle]

The spoon looks like our standard cooking implements in our mess halls...unchanged with time. The pin, wonder if it's a retirement pin? We have one very similar given to sailors of certain ranks on retirement. Meant to go with civies.

[Aragorn243]

Not a bad day today. Two items, neither expensive, both something I didn't have. The first is a British No4 MK2* spike bayonet made by one of the more common manufacturers but one I didn't have, P. S. K. (Prince-Smith, & Stells). The second a US "General Purpose" bag, nominally for ammo I believe but doesn't seem to have an official function I can find.

[browningautorifle]

Yes, a mag bag. Lots of Thompson mags were packed ashore in those.

[Aragorn243]

What was hilarious as I did not recognize the bag as I've never seen one before and I asked the seller what it was for. Without hesitation, "it's for a tent". I just looked at him and repeated my question and he elaborated about it being for a pup tent. Now I know he said that because the one very legible word in it is "TENT". I simply said OK and offered him less than he was asking, made the deal and left. I wasn't in an argumentative mood that morning. I've bought a few things from this guy before, he's not an antique guy but comes out on yard sale days to set up.

[Sapper740]

What was hilarious as I did not recognize the bag as I've never seen one before and I asked the seller what it was for. Without hesitation, "it's for a tent". I just looked at him and repeated my question and he elaborated about it being for a pup tent. Now I know he said that because the one very legible word in it is "TENT". I simply said OK and offered him less than he was asking, made the deal and left. I wasn't in an argumentative mood that morning. I've bought a few things from this guy before, he's not an antique guy but comes out on yard sale days to set up.

I was delighted one day while rifling through a pile of gear for sale at a Flea Market to find an emergency pattern carrier for the British civilan gas mask. At $15 I thought it was over-priced but the chance of finding another one in Texas was rare so I bought it since i was working on a Home Front/Dad's Army display. When I paid the seller he remarked, "I wondered if anyone was going to buy that German bread bag." I just kept my mouth shut and walked away with my prize.

Regards,
Derek