Treasure hunting for a sofa? Follow your nose.

Question: I have been looking for a used sofa at the antique stores in Spokane and have not been able to find one. I find lots of wood furniture but rarely a sofa. What direction would you suggest for me to find a good used sofa in the Spokane area? -- Dana Martin

Answer: What a great question. Over the years, I've looked for sofas at junk stores and antique shops, but to be honest, I usually end up either buying new or finding something in the classifieds.

The sofas that come through the thrift stores are just a little too "used" (besides, I'm always a little concerned about what kind of abuse they suffered in their previous home) and antique sofas aren't always as comfortable as I'd like.

Estate sales and garage sales are good places for finding upholstered pieces. That way you get a chance to observe their home. You can tell if animals were on them, and get a few other clues as to how they were lived on.

Finding something through the classifieds also gives you a chance to see just how the piece was treated.

Once you find something, no matter where you buy it, give it the sniff test. (I used to make my kids do this until they got old enough to figure out they didn't look cool sniffing around old furniture.)

I bought a wonderful slipcovered chair at an upscale antique sale once and didn't do the test. When I got it home I discovered a funky cushion. Fortunately, replacing the cushion fixed the problem, but it reminded me that old furniture is old furniture, no matter where you buy it.

How Munch is that painting?

In case you haven't heard, the 1893 Edward Munch painting, "The Scream," was stolen from a museum in Norway last Sunday in a daring daylight heist.
Contrary to urban legend, stolen artwork almost never lands in secondary markets like flea markets or dimly lit antique shops. Instead, they are usually held for ransom.
The BBC spells it out pretty well here .
Still, you have to wonder, if The Scream falls into the wrong hands, will anyone make a sound?

Treasure Hunting Blog Still Free

Question: I really enjoy reading your blog! I found you through the FarmChicks and MaryJanesFarm.

I've heard on the news recently that the web access to The Spoksman-Review web site is going to be restricted starting Sept. 1. Those who subscribe to the paper will have free access, and those who don't will only be able to access the online version by subscribing to it for $7 per month.

How will this affect access to your blog? I really enjoy it, but don't think $84 a year is in my budget. -- Clare, Wenatchee

Answer: First, I want to say thanks for reading the blog, and for taking time to write. I'm so glad you found me through Mary Jane and The Farm Chicks. What a great way to be discovered!

I can appreciate your concern regarding the pending $7 monthly online subscription for the Spokesman-Review. While $7 doesn't sound like much, it all adds up doesn't it?

All of the Spokesman-Review blogs will remain available to online readers without charge. At this point, I'm not sure if links to stories I write for the Spokesman will still be available. I hope so.
Thanks for contacting me. And let me know what kind of junking adventures are available in Wenatchee. I'd love to explore the area.

Antique safe

Question: I have a small Sears Roebuck safe. It is on metal wheels and the dimensions are roughly 30 inches high and 20 inches square. It has a brass combination lock, a separate handle, and the inside of the door has a hand painted sign reading Sears and Roebuck 1877. The safe is quite heavy.

Can you direct me to a web site where I can get some idea of the value of a safe? I am considering selling it. -- Tom Vrabac, Mission Hills, Kan.

Answer: Here is an online forum where you can post questions about your safe and receive feedback from collectors and experts.
I found an illustration of a safe in the 1897 Sears and Roebuck catalog featuring a safe that (roughly) fits your description. It was manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio and would have sold for around $25 at that time.

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

I’m spending the second week of my vacation with my two younger daughters. (We call them the “little girls” even though my middle daughter is 14 years old.) I sent the car back to Spokane with my husband and son, so we’re here without wheels.

It was drizzling this morning. The girls got up and made a surprise breakfast so I could focus on getting this week’s Treasure Hunting column turned in, and then we caught the 9:45 a.m. bus into Tillamook to spend a couple of hours at “Rainy Day Books.” That’s where we met Webster the shop cat.

We found more books than we could comfortably carry around town, so we left them at the bookstore while we had lunch and did a little more shopping.

In one of the thrift stores my older “little girl” found a vintage red wool Boy Scout jacket she had to have. I found a vintage plaid Pendleton jacket that needed me, so we added two more shopping bags to our loot.

By the time we caught the return bus, the rain was pouring and the wind was blowing. The bus dropped us off a couple of blocks from the cottage we’re renting, so we slogged home carrying two big (heavy) bags of books and two shopping bags full of vintage woolens.

The wind turned our umbrellas inside out, drenching us, and I was howling with laughter (If my older teenagers had been there they would have pushed me off the side of the road and left me.)

Back home we toweled off, lit a fire, grabbed a book and settled in for the rest of the day. Now that’s a vacation!

Olympic pin junkies

I read this piece about collecting Olympic pins in Saturday's Spokesman-Review.
Over the years I've run across a fair number of the little pins in thrift stores and at auctions, but I always just said no. I never buy them for the same reason I don't buy KrispyKreme doughnuts or, say, heroin .
If you start fooling around with the hard stuff, you might get hooked...

MaryJane's Farm picks up the thread

In one of the early issues of "MaryJane's Farm" magazine , MaryJane Butters included a set of intricate drawings with detailed directions for threading an old Singer sewing machine.
I wrote to her and asked that the drawings be added to her website so that I could share them with the vintage sewing machine enthusiasts who contact me.
Butters loved the idea and they are now available. You can find them here .

Treasure hunting on the Oregon coast

While vacationing on the Oregon coast I plan to make a foray into town for a little junking. I've already made a list of the antique malls and thrift stores. But that's for a rainy day. While the sun is shining I've been doing a little treasure hunting along the beach.
Agates, like those in the picture, roll up on the shore with the waves. I love the idea that it takes hundreds of years for the water to work them out of the matrix and throw them onto the sand like little jewels.

Estate sale/ garage sale advice

Question: I'm wanting to have an estate sale in my home due to some money problems. I would like to do it myself, as I do not have the money to pay someone to do it for me. Can you give me some idea how I go about this. I don't know were to start. -- Bridget

Answer: First, it's important to remember the difference in an estate sale and a garage sale. You don't state your age in your email, but if you are disposing of a lifetime of possessions it can be considered a "living" estate sale. Otherwise, you are having a garage or personal sale.

Second, make sure you get advice from someone who is informed and trustworthy. Talk to others and get the name of a trusted dealer or estate sale professional. This is especially important when it is vital to raise as much as you can from the sale. Just remember that buyers don't shop estate sales and garage sales for retail prices. And dealers will only pay a price that will leave room for a profit after resale.

Many estate sale professionals will handle a garage sale for either a flat fee or a percentage of the total. Ask for references and sign a contract.

Vintage Singer sewing machine accessory box

Question: I recently purchased an old Singer treadle sewing machine, and in one of the drawers was a wooden box full of accessories. The box is stamped on the top "Patent 1838 February 19", ( I'm pretty sure it is 1838 - at least 18 something )and it folds down flat. When the box is closed, the two sides are actually four pieces of wood that go together triangle shaped to form a "square" end. Inside the box is lined with maybe velvet, and it has numbered holders to hold the various sewing machine parts that also correspond with the numbers. I think it is quite beautiful.
I can't describe it any better than that, I'm not sure what it is, or how to go about finding more info about it. Can you point me in a right direction? -- Denise

Answer: While reading your letter I was struck by the memory of playing with the intricate folding box full of interesting little tools and parts that was in the drawer of my grandmother's machine.
You were lucky enough to find a machine that included the original tools and accessories. That doesn't happen often. They are often removed from the machines before they are sold, or were lost long ago. I suspect the patent date on the box is not 1838, but probably 1888.
The wood "puzzle" boxes were eventually replaced by modern plastic boxes that come with machines today. You can find more information about vintage machines at the International Sewing Machine Collectors Society Web site.
I've enclosed a link to a box like yours that is currently selling on eBay.

Online appraisals

Just a reminder: I don't do appraisals. I'm not qualified and I don't have the time. But I will help you find the experts who can give you solid information about your treasure.
Collectingchannel.com offers appraisals for a fee. They were recommended by Patented-antiques.com, a site with a lot of information about patented antiques like tools and sewing machines. The site offers a handy United States Patent Date Chart to help you date items patented between 1836 and 1965.
If you are planning to sell, or want to verify an antique's value for insurance purposes, you should get an appraisal by a qualified expert.
If you just want to know how much your find is worth, you can do a lot of the legwork yourself.
Price guides and source directories like Maloney's Antiques and Collectibles Resource Directory point you in the right direction.
The fastest and easiest way to see what your item is selling for on the global market today is to do a search on eBay . The online auction powerhouse has changed the market by making items more available, and has kept prices stable.
Some say eBay has lowered the value of certain items, like Depression glass, by saturating the market. But I think it just made items more available to collectors who don't live in parts of the country where the glass is plentiful. Same with other collectibles that are easy to find in some areas but scarce in others.

On the mend

Dear Treasure Hunters,
My apologies... The Treasure Hunting blog has been a bit spotty lately.
I had unexpected surgery and didn't have a lot of planning time. Now the surgery is over, and I'm recovering fine, but I'm having to learn to work (and type) while under the influence of heavy drugs. Fortunately, I have a couple of old friends who are experienced at that sort of thing and can show me the ropes.

I plan to piggyback my recovery onto a couple of weeks vacation at the beach, so that means that although there will still be new posts on the blog, they won't be as frequent. I'll be back full-strength with lots of new tips and treasure hunting facts by the end of August, so keep checking!

I'm still reading your letters and answering questions, so keep 'em coming.
Your (wobbly) junking pal,
Cheryl-Anne

Vintage Singer: Sphinx or Phoenix?

Question: I saw your "new" sewing machine on your blog. I have one which appears to be a twin. Mine was made in 1902 and the graphics depict a sphinx. Does yours?

I'm really curious as to what the value of my machine might be. I realize it depends on condition, condition, condition... But, if you don't mind, could you tell me what you paid for yours? And maybe a word about it's condition? -- Thanks, John

Answer: My machine features what appears to be a phoenix design. I haven't checked on the true date yet, but I suspect it is later than yours. Another reader recommended calling 1-800-4-SINGER with the serial number to get the true age of any Singer sewing machine.

I can't tell you much about the condition of my machine because I haven't had time to check it out. The cabinet is in good shape with only a few marks. My garage sale Singer was priced at $75 but I paid $50.

Here is a site to help you determine the value of your machine. Good luck.