Monday 10 October 2011

Saturday Night's alright for fighting

Weekends are all about the thrill of finding bargains. On Saturday there was another jumble at my now favourite village hall. I thought I'd up my game and get there 25 mins early to get to the front of the queue...oh no there were the two die hard jumble ladies who always get there first and cause trouble.

The two offenders at front always bring their own chairs so they can set up camp in the door way. On Saturday behind them in the queue was an elderly lady with her husband in a wheelchair.  The doors were finally opened (5 minutes late according to the seated jumble queen) the two with the chairs jumped up and waltzed in leaving their chairs blocking the second door. This meant the elderly lady and hubby were stuck as the wheelchair wouldn't go through. Much maneuvering later we finally got rid of both the seats and managed to get the second door open only to find  the jumble had parked her shopping trolley in the door way!

Well it was handbags at dawn when several women decided to take a pop at with her and a huge bitching match happened right there in the open door.It turned out that the chairs and shopping trolley in the door way were the tip of the iceberg, apparently jumble queen also hits the tombola stall hard each week and nabs most of the prizes - oh the scandal! I did overhear a scruffy looking man refer to jumble queen as a "big arsed walrus" - ooh err!

After the drama I had a good rummage through the clothes, no real vintage but some good high street brands which I will be putting on eBay. On my way out I checked out the toy stall for something for the little man. Amongst a box of plastic toys I spotted this little well loved fella:
I could see he was quite old and loved that he had bells in his ears so paid the 30p asking price for the little scamp.  When I got home I spotted the tag on his foot:

 He is a Merrythought bear. So I checked him out online.  Well it turns out he is probably from the 1960s a couple have sold for over £100 on ebay! Blimey, wasn't expecting that from the jumble!

Will I be ebaying him?
Naa, there is something quite appealing about his creepy eyes and womble nose so think this one is going to be living with me for sometime yet :o)

Have you ever found an item on a thrifting mission that turns out to be worth a bit more?

Big Love

36 comments:

  1. what a smashing find! I bet he told tell some interesting tales x

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  2. Oh I hope he stays with you, he's gorgeous - does he have a name yet?

    Jem xXx

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  3. I always enjoy your tales of jumble hilarity! 'Big arsed walrus' is my new favourite insult.

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  4. Oh keep him, he does look a bit Wombley, and the stitching on his paws is so cute. On the other hand, £100 is £100... Perhaps he can be a family heirloom!
    Rumble in the jumble, eh? It's tough out there! Keep your eyes and your elbows sharp, you never know when the big arsed walrus may strike! xx

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  5. Ah, isn't he cute! I feel sorry for ugly cuddly toys (not saying he's ugly, but he's not your ubiquitous 'cute' cuddly toy!)

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  6. He is cute, but 100 pounds scarlett! I never find anything worth a lot, but my hubby does all the time. He got six fabric dining chairs,with ripped fabric once he thought they looked like a certain designer. When we got them home we found a tag really hiden where the fabric meets the chair base and they were Grant Featherston (aussie, midcentury). we never got round to having them recovered and got a happy surprise of 1,850 dollars for them even in the pitiful state they were in!

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  7. It sounds like the jumble ladies finally got there dues! Meaning they got what were coming to them. Love the bear, but his eyes are a little spooky LOL

    Carol

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  8. He does look rather Womble-ish Scarlett, I'm glad you're keeping him.
    I'm going to add "big-arsed walrus" to my repertoire btw...I love it x

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  9. *Awww* The bear is so sweet, I would keep him too!

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  10. Very cute - whether you keep him or not depends on how much use £100 would be at the moment??

    I found a Harrods Merrythought bear at a jumble years ago - I can't 'bear' to part with him though if he's now worth £100 I might do!

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  11. A very cute bear! Normally I'm not a fan of name calling but these women sounded like they had it coming. "Big ass Walrus" you can't make this stuff up.

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  12. Oh my GOD - I swear that's my sister's bear, christened 'Chingledings' for the bells in his ears. She's only 30 though, so I don't think hers can be that old. I will have to get my mum to dig him out of the wardrobe or wherever he's hiding. LOL at the 'Rumble at the Jumble'!

    x

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  13. You jumble sale antics crack me up! How amusing that old ladies fight over jumble. Especially the Big Arsed Walrus comment, he he! LOVE your bear, he is loved and very sweet AND worth £100! Best bargain for me was a 60s Habitat Conran Maclamp for £2 from a local flea market, they go for about £140 on Ebay. Its my sewing table lamp though, love it!

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  14. It sounds like it all happens at the jumble sales! I think that little bear is adorable. I love his scarf and his little orange eyes :)

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  15. Crikey, bringing your own chairs to a jumble. What an excellent idea!! Tbh, I quite like a bit of a rumble in the jumble (as long as the rumble isn't directed at me!).

    I bought a TG Green cornishware salt and pepper set (which I blogged about) for 10 p each. I've seen them on the net for £40 EACH. Wowser. I'm keeping them though.

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  16. He's a sweetie but if you can get £100 imagine the jumble sales you could go to on that.
    Chairs to a jumble? Our regulars take Tennents Super! Must be a lot posher round your way!! xxx

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  17. Those women are reasons why I dont go to places like that with crowd but glad you do coz the stories are hilarious.Find out their names so you can go to their estate sales one day (Oh I am bad lol)

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  18. Never had such excitement at the jumbles I go to! Love that bear - nice to know there are still some bargains to be had! M x

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  19. Love him - so sweet! Don't seem to have jumble sales round here anymore!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  20. Love your jumble posts, it always makes me smile and laugh at the reports of their goings on!

    I've not found anything worth anything in a jumble, mainly because I'm not really a thrifting queen, but I do know that my parents have gotten rid of stuff, only to realise that it was worth a bit later on....my full collection of Natwest pigs, a bit of cornishwear that they got given as a wedding present and didnt like, and various other things given away or still have but their true worth isnt realised....swear if I did 'cash in the attic' or garage in our case, I'd be flabergasted to what some of our old stuff is worth!

    But love the bear! I'm particularly fond of old toys, especially ones with stories behind them. Your bear is lovely and I'm very much in the not ebaying camp!

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  21. Thank you sweetie! Neck still hurts tho, but getting better :)I actually got out of bed today! hehe

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  22. Oh that 'walrus' would have gotten my dander up also. Glad you found some treasures and I think the bear is really charming. Yes I've picked up a piece or two and discovered I'd found something worth much more then I thought! hugs, Linda

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  23. Your Merrythought bear is lovely. My Mum still has one from the 1930s, which she had as a child, called Happy. She says she wants to be buried with him!! On a happier note, I found some Wedgewood pottery at a jumble sale last year which I paid 30p for and which sold for over £60 on ebay - I was very pleased.

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  24. This lil bear is so cute I never find any cool toys at thrift stores. Thanks for your comment on my blog sweetie!

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  25. Your jumble sale stores are the best, would love to join on one of those.
    I love the scary red eye bear, reminds me of a bear on an episode of Tales From The Darkside.
    plus he is worth mula ,just incase Finleyto gets creeped out by him.

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  26. Wow, what action at the jumble and what a find. He's certainly got a Womble nose.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  27. He's adorable, I love old bears I just feel compelled to take them home with me! Much to the Mr's dismay.

    I think the true value of a loved teddy is priceless xxx

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  28. Your jumble sale stories are a treat. I love hearing how jumble sale walrus gets her comeuppance! Should get a reality TV crew in - I know I'd watch!

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  29. He is just precious. Of course, now all I can think of is who can I pick a fight with so I can call them a fat arsed walrus? There is just no come back for that. Score!

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  30. I hate people that are that crazy with sales.we get senior citisens who do that the last thursday every month.we open early and get all kinds of crap.Thats sad they left their chairs in the way of that poor couple.No manners.That bear is so cute.Glad he is a keeper.love his fur.

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  31. What a cutie. That story cracks me up

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  32. I'm with Keshling on this one. Sell!!

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  33. Nice find but I think I would eBay (I have a hatred of stuffed toys and as fast as I try and get rid my kids seem to adopt more!!!!)

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  34. Awe, he's a cutie! I probably wouldn't buy something if I thought it wasn't worth more than I paid for it to be fair, so in that respect all my thrifted or booty items are worth a bit more than I paid for them. I saw the Jane Norman frock tag in your last post and it exemplifies the reason to why I now frequent charity shops very rarely, around this neck of the woods their pricing has gone all Pete Tong. I personally think that charity shops should also serve the community that they are in by offering up cheaper alternative for the locals to your George of ASDA et al. I live in one of London's poorest boroughs and for a charity shop to ask a fiver for a well used bobbly nobbly Primark jumper feels like a bit of a slap in the face to me. I blame that pesky wench Mary Portas personally cause now all your charity shop chains are trying to go upmarket, och, I hope that hellhound never gets her hands on the car boot sales...what would we bargain hunters do if all the boot sales suddenly turned all boutique chic on us, eh?!
    My best thrifting find, that yielded a healthy profit when I sold it on eBay a few years back was a vintage Azzedine Alaia frock that I bagged for a fiver...I'm still on the hunt for that elusive Ossie Clark frock but alas so far no luck. x

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  35. big arsed walrus? wuahahahaha just had to laugh about that! but blimey, scarlett! you found a treasure! talking about a serious money for the teddy that you paid only 30p! you always have the eyes of a good bargain hunter! i wish i had your talents :)

    x susan

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