Auction Finds - Interesting finds and even more interesting people!
In the interests of total transparency, two of these items are actually "crazy person" finds! My husband and I buy 99% of our collectibles at auctions (in order to minimise the "crazy"), but if they do find their way to the shop we will never turn them down, unless well, the person is crazy. No, that's not true, if we can get the items for the right price any kind of crazy is acceptable!
Johan is our, um, odd client. He likes to ambush me on Saturday mornings just as I am opening the shop. He will pop out of his car with the object of the moment in hand declaring "I have something for you, I want R800 to R1000 for it". No matter the item he has, he is really convinced this is what it's worth. If I am familiar with the item I will have to painstakingly explain to him what it is worth and why it is worth that. If I am not familiar with the object I will look it up, and then go through the explanation process once again. Usually he won't accept my price. Now it is time for my line "take it home with you and think about it, you can always bring it back if you decide to accept my offer." Mostly, this is what he does. A month or two later he will come back and accept my offer.
Johan and I had no idea what this was when he brought it to me just over a month ago. I photographed it and said I would try to identify it and then let him know the value. Of course I put the request for information out on Steemit and @sashin provided me with the invaluable information I needed to determine a price. I offered him R150 ($11), even though he asked for R800-R1000! He accepted R150 on Saturday, and I have listed it for R295 ($22). Hardly an earth shattering profit (that's why we attend auctions) but most sellers will often pay a lot to be able to provide interesting items for their customers.
Johan also brought this very cute vintage promotional radio. I think you know by now how much he wanted! In the end he accepted R100 ($7,50) and I listed it for R250 ($19) today. A contact in the battery compartment is missing, so I couldn't test it. But by the look of it's condition, it should work with minor restoration.
Since this is an Auction Finds post, I will share this marvelous Facit Mechanical Calculator we bought at an auction. I was thrilled it had a serial number, as this helped me to identify it quickly and easily. Charts are the true love of an antiques/collectibles seller! This is a 1935-1954 Facit Model S and I listed it for R350 ($27).
As I was paying Johan he asked me if I had seen a news story about a person who had sold something to a pawnshop here in South Africa for R1500 and then the item was sold for R450 000. I didn't, and he didn't tell me any more about this story. Hint received loud and clear, with many silent giggles. Since I sell on an online auction site, I could possibly get more than my asking price, though I doubt if any of these items will make me a (half) millionaire! On a slightly more serious note, we have been in town a long time and know Johan's story. He used to be a cash-in-transit security guard and was violently held up by armed robbers. Ever since then he has been...odd.