What's the Best non-Audio thing you scored in a thrift shop?

[CucamongaDan]

Well, it wasn't something worth hundreds that I got for a pittance, but I thought I did good when I found this Sears deep fryer for $7.99 at a local Goodwill. Especially since we'll have been married 18 years next week & we put one on our wedding registry but never got one till now. I like it better than any of the ones we looked at back then. I'm thinking its 70s or early 80s vintage from the avocado green color and the way the owners manual looked.

Mmm, mmm, does it make good onion rings and everything else.

And best of all, I didn't even have to put Deoxit on that variable heat control.

So, anybody else ever some good experiences where you went in looking for something to listen to but ended up with something else really cool?

[crackerkorean]

I have found several different things.
Here is a small sampling.
Art Student Reproduced Picassos (it beats prints)
Signed Print from a relativley well known stained glass artist
Danish Modern Night Stand

[AnalogDigit]

I get mostly good clothes from the stores. Mostly tee shirts, polo shirts, shorts and jeans.

[75Center]

I LOVE thrift stores!

My best purchase was a new with tags $200.00 red pantsuit from Casual Corner. Bought it for $20.00 and wore it to my niece's wedding.

[pioneervato]

I would probably have to say it was a Canon FT QL camera with f1.2 lens. In fantastic shape, I might add.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=127467

[Scorpion8]

I just picked up a brand-new-never-worn Filson pure wool vest perfectly sized for my son. The catalog retail is $120, and the thrift shop sold it for $25. Filson wool is ideal for the climate we live in here, and is what all the old timers wore when logging or prospecting. That was an amazing find.

[Doctordirt]

I found a Martell congac display rack, which I use as and audio rack in the bedroom. I guess that's not really non-audio, is it?

[birddog]

About the only thing I look at when at the thrifts besides the gear is the clothes. Me being a "Large" example of the male gender, clothing options are nothing like what the "Normal" sized folks get to choose from. The big guy stuff costs more in the stores, so I always check out the big guys clothes when I'm there. Again, the selection is much smaller than the regular stuff, but I've come across some very nice stuff. Got a great L.L. Bean down vest in as new condition for $3.00 last season!

[jhal]

Got a nice Milwaulkee sawzall for 8 bucks not too long ago. About 4 years ago, I needed a new dishwasher. I happened to stop at a thrift store with my then girlfriend so she could look at clothes. They had an almost new Whirlpool dishwasher for 10 bucks, everything was there in a plastic bag for installation.:thmbsp: Saved me a lot that day, the girlfriend made out very well also.

[Urizen]

Back when I used to frequent thrifts, I found a set of Laguiole olive wood steak knives for $20.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/Urizen_2006/knife1.jpg

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/Urizen_2006/knife2.jpg

[Andyman]

Cindy got Sadie, our Malti-Poo, free to a good home from a garage sale. Complete with every thing a girl would buy to spoil a dog silly. Personalized food mats, dishes, even a treat jar.

Too bad we changed her name from "Daisy" to Sadie" though......

We've also got some nice pieces of porcelain and all these darn computers down here too.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=85057&d=1206901213

[Splatter Pak]

Two stand outs:

a pair of Minnetonka moccasins made of moosehide, very little wear, and $60 retail - my cost about six

a French Press, made in France, with nickel-plated metal parts and Pyrex glass parts, does about 1/2 liter - nine bux

Splat

[gearhound]

A medium-sized Kennedy 5 drawer roll around tool cabinet.

Steve

[IgniFerroque]

And best of all, I didn't even have to put Deoxit on that variable heat control.

I bet you're barely resisting that temptation. :)

[arrow 68]

I get mostly good clothes from the stores. Mostly tee shirts, polo shirts, shorts and jeans.

Same here. Unless it's underwear, I never buy clothes retail anymore. Levis on sale for $30, please, give me a break. And all high end stuff like Polo, Old Navy, Nautica, Brooks Brothers, Brandini, Bostonian, Coach and the list keeps going. Yesterday was half off clothing day, and I bought one pair of Levis, one long sleeve, and one short sleeve Old Navy shirts all for $8. I though this was a good find today. A pair of Ray Ban Predator Sunglasses in excellent condition. They are polarized, and have a sort of dark copper finish. 3132 is the model #, but I could not find this exact model on the net. Sunglass Hut sells this same type of frame, and similar style though. I found a nice Thermometer, Humidistat, Barometer made by Swift, And Anderson. Best one of these I have ever seen. It's chrome, and weighs a couple pounds. I think my old Nemadji Water Pot is pretty cool. A 14K Gold Gruen Wristwatch from the early 50's. Those are the standouts up until now. I sure wish I could find more vintage mechanical watches.

[similost]

I'd sayy probably the Cannon AE1 with 50mm lens, and an extra 75-300mm lens... all for $95. All it took was a new seal on the rear door and took wonderful pictures. I use it now when ever I want to take some black and whites.

[barrynsue]

Best I found was a 1950's Lionel Train set in the box for $24.95, one of those HUGE Swatch Wall Watches for $4.95, and a flawless Hall Coffee pot for $1.95. Each fetched well over $100.00 w/ the train bringing much more. Also found a cool ashtray that was used as a giveaway when the USS Coral Sea was launched from Newport News Shipbuilding for $.50. A great investment!

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/barrynsue/CoralSeaAshtray010.jpg

[sleddogman]

Also found a cool ashtray that was used as a giveaway when the USS Coral Sea was launched from Newport News Shipbuilding for $.50. A great investment!
Man... you could really hurt someone with that hunk of metal.

I'd seriously consider keeping that tucked under the front seat of my car, just in case...

Me: "It was road rage self-defense, officer."
Officer: "Hmm... looks like you really beat the ship outta him..."

[VinylHanger]

I found my daughter a mint Columbia ski jacket for 7.50 that was around 150 bucks just a couple of years ago. My favorite is the pre-war German made Seth Thomas mantel clock I picked up for 60.00 bucks, works like a charm. I've picked up a few really nice chef's knives and of course almost all my beer glasses.

Also the myriad of photography/history books, probably the best daily finds to be had at a thrift.

[similost]

I was in a thrift today, and came REAL close to picking up an old pair of Realistic 3 channel walkie talkies.. the old ones with the long metal antennas.. both in cases, and looked brand new... they only wanted $9.95 for the pair, but I guess that would kinda be audio huh? I'm still half tempted to go back and get them..

[Sandy G]

Lauriann's family name is Cash, we found a porcelain bowl in an antique shoppe that said "Cash Family Pottery, Erwin, Tennessee, 1946".She said she has some distant cousins down here, so she called her dad, & he said, yeah, one bunch of 'em had a pottery down here... She took it home & gave it to him, that was kind of a Neat Thing...

[DaWoofer]

I would love to find a deal on one of the Kennedy boxes, they last a lifetime.

[ybaolywa]

I guess that would have to be the Gaggia Classic Coffee Maker, in Chrome. A touchy espresso maker that requires a good amount experimentation, mostly with grind and tamping to get it right.
Walked out the door with it for 4.99 + tax.

[MRX37]

A mechanical jack. It's PERFECT for jacking my truck up with! And I got it AFTER paying $20.00 for a hydraulic jack which doesn't even go high enough to get my front wheel off the ground...

Keeping the hydraulic jack though as it has other uses...

[barrynsue]

Man... you could really hurt someone with that hunk of metal.

I'd seriously consider keeping that tucked under the front seat of my car, just in case...

Me: "It was road rage self-defense, officer."
Officer: "Hmm... looks like you really beat the ship outta him..."

LMAO! :D

[AU20K]

For me it has to be a 14" Ingento paper cutter, like new. Lady at the counter could not find a price so she said oh, what the heck, how about $1.00. It's mine now.

[Mysteryed]

Mine was a pair of New with tags Rockport Prowalkers for $9.99... while that is a nice price compared to $100, the real treat was the vanishing intermittent knee pain that accompanied the wearing of them... priceless! Did a swap, back to the old tennis shoes, and the pain came back... now all I have to do is find another pair before these wear out :)

[ekmanning5]

Got two baseball bats worth about $300 for my sons last summer, my cost $4.
Picked up a suit about a month ago, had to have cost several hundred dollars new, $10. And my fave, a Hammond M103 organ $20. didn't work until I reoiled it. :thmbsp: It holds a place of honor in our living room now.

[Tapehead47]

A red doily for $.10.

Actually, our nearest thrift is a Salvation Army. I check in about 2 times a month. The prices are crazy. Pair of Thrusters for $99.00. VCR's? How about $39.99 and up! POS cassette decks are $25 to $50. When they have home theatre in a box systems they price them higher than you could buy them new at Target! It's astonishing.

And the place is always full of people buying that overpriced junk this particular SA offers.

Go figure

Rick

[2DualsNotEnough]

A Sanitaire vacuum cleaner almost new for $7.An outfit I had to buy to wear to the Magic Castle with my sister:Pierre Cardin jacket,Calvin Klein shirt and pants and tie,$20.

Jimmy

[Fisherdude]

A Trek 2100 with the CarbonZX frame, 3Density saddle, alloy wheels, all Shimano components, upgraded alloy bars & seatpost, and a Specialized trip computer.

$34.99 at my local GW.

[arrow 68]

A Trek 2100 with the CarbonZX frame, 3Density saddle, alloy wheels, all Shimano components, upgraded alloy bars & seatpost, and a Specialized trip computer.

$34.99 at my local GW.

That's probably better then most of your audio finds. And I thought that my Trek 750 Multitrack with accessories was a good buy at $10.

[Toasted Almond]

A couple years back I found a brand new in the bag, New York Yankees doormat for $5. Now, every time I walk into the house from the garage I wipe my feet on the New York Yankees. I wish I would've found this thing 50 years ago. Best $5 I ever spent.

I wouldn't have it in front of the house at the front door. Look for Brooklyn in this years World Series.

[Scorpion8]

Just picked up a Filson oil-skin cruiser jacket. They retail thru the Filson catalog for $265, and I just got one for my son for $50 in hardly-used condtion. Filson makes the finest true outdoors wear for real working people (not yuppies). They had two, but I only grabbed one.

[glxie63]

Found a small briefcase that had belonged to a former Supreme Court Justice. Paid about $5 and sold it for $300. Did the same with a pair of vintage designer pants too. Course I've wasted a lot of money in thrift stores too but it will always beat shopping at Target.

george

[softmachine]

Back when I used to frequent thrifts, I found a set of Laguiole olive wood steak knives for $20.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/Urizen_2006/knife1.jpg

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/Urizen_2006/knife2.jpg

in memphis?:D

I need to go thrifting for some clothes myself...

[soundmotor]

Some good finds that is for sure. The Coral Sea ashtray is great as are the Filson gear & steak knives. There is one SA that I've been going to semi-regularly for ~15 years. We donate on a monthly basis and I always shop afterwards. It can be feast or famine. However, I've had a number of good ones over the years that I recall -

(2) Halliburton/ZERO cases stuffed with DEC hard-drive test gear from the mainframe days

Many Danish made stainless steel serving trays, platters, & bowls

Many DirecTV DVR's with 40-60GB drives

The absolute best were -

A legit, maker tagged, 1960's Louis Poulsen hanging lamp

(4) Herman-Miller fiberglass shell chairs in buttercup yellow, one of which I am sitting upon as I type this