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01-Jul-09 |
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The Fish That Got Away
This is the flipside of the the "best deal ever" thread, for those stories of the missed bargain. Called an hour too late to get the $25 Womb chair on Craig's list? Share your shame. Did you run frantically to some garage sale because a friend told you about the Dorito-shaped Herman Miller chair for $14? Fess up.
Here's my most recent fish:
Paul McCobb Calvin credenza - $35 at a local thrift store.
It needed to be stripped, having been painted over in gloss brown, and had no markings. I'm not so well versed in McCobb, and wasn't absolutely sure it was the real deal. Of course, as soon as I got home, google showed me the exact same cab selling for a small fortune.
D'oh!
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posted by
poach
[edit]
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01-Jul-09 |
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When I was younger I passed...
When I was younger I passed up a three tier Panton fun lamp for 50 bucks. I thought it was too fancy looking for my tastes (as cool as it is, I still feel this way). Had I known what it was, I would have definitely picked it up. At the time I was only schooled in 40s-50s furnishings. And I especially did not know much about lighting.
I coulda made some real dough on that one. I saw one like it go for 9K at an auction the next year!
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posted by
whitespike (USA)
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01-Jul-09 |
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I once passed on a Borsani...
I once passed on a Borsani P40 chair, when I was still into plastic designs. It had its original fabric, but the foam was rockhard and not knowing the design back then, I let it go.
bah.
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posted by
bj (BE)
[edit]
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01-Jul-09 |
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Fabrics by the roll
a friend took me to a junk sale and we had a good look around. Found a chap selling 40 or so full rolls of ORIGINAL 1960s and 1970s fabrics for $3 pr meter and I was going to buy the lot.
when I returned the following week........ by which time the guy had sold everything !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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posted by
Simon, Danish-homestore.com (UK)
[edit]
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01-Jul-09 |
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Wegner sawback chairs
My wife spotted two sawbuck chairs for $50 on CL about a year ago, but neither of us were sure what they were. One needed to be put back together...the other was in good shape. I called the guy, he said there were no markings. We passed. 2 days later I found out what the chairs were...when I finally got a hold of the guy, they were gone.
fm
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posted by
Fungus Mungus (USA)
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02-Jul-09 |
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Creative Playthings mid century rocker
When I just started getting the MCM bug,I saw this in the local thrift for $15.00.I recalled seeing the bright red and natural wood somewhere before,but I wasn't sure and left it there.WHen I got home,I looked it up and nearly had a hemhorrage!Of course,as soon as I returned to the thrift store,it was gone.-Damn,that still bugs me!!
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posted by
Tulipman
[edit]
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02-Jul-09 |
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tulip
why would you pass up on something you liked for only 15 dollars?
even if you did not know what it was you should have purchased it in my opinion.
it is my practice that if something is cheap and beautiful i buy it.. it doesn't matter who designed it or how famous a piece it is. 15 bucks? come on.. you deserve your angst . LOL
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posted by
tynellbuyer
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02-Jul-09 |
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$15
There have been times, for some of us, when 15 bucks was a significant sum. A little compassion, there, eh?
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posted by
Geo. H.
[edit]
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03-Jul-09 |
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Be kind
Yes, let's remember that we're asking everyone to share embarrassing stories. Good-natured ribbing is encouraged, but be kind.
Here's another tale of my own stupidity:
In the early '90s, Herman Miller ran a company store out of its greenhouse facility. Seconds, factory returns, and items being cleared out of corporate offices ended up there, at a fraction of their retail price. It was very little known, and you could almost always find a Nelson bench or Aluminum Group chair for $50.
One day, I walked in, and there was an Eames chaise lounge with a $200 price tag on it. Well, that's a pretty nice price. But Herman Miller also had a policy of giving employees 1/2 off the company store price. So I called my sister who worked there (and still does), and asked her to get it for me for the $100 employee price. She was getting off work within the hour, and like I said, the place saw very little traffic.
Well, you can guess the rest of the story. She gets there, calls me, and asks "what lounge? There's no lounge here."
Okay... bring on the ridicule.
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posted by
poach
edited on 03-Jul-09 12:20 AM [edit]
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03-Jul-09 |
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Geo. H.
Amen brother.
How about 3 Oliver Morgue Boulum lounge chairs for free. Wife was freaked out by them, we did not know what they were (this was many years ago) and they were badly (re)upholstered in vinyl making them look cheap. Double D'oh!
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posted by
glassartist (USA)
edited on 03-Jul-09 12:22 AM [edit]
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03-Jul-09 |
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poach
Ouch, that hurts. I guess there was no putting it "on hold" first huh?
I missed a chance at four fiberglass side chairs in Seal Brown for $200. Not a steal, but still a good deal for a somewhat hard-to-find color.
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posted by
woodywood (USA)
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03-Jul-09 |
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Yes, $15.00 and I passed on the CP rocker...
I had a purchased cart full of great suits I had found the very same day for about $120.,and I was tapped out,(only 20.00 left in my pocket).Anyhow,looking back(hindsight is always 20/20),I guess I should have put one of the suits back.As the late Paul Harvey would say,"That's the rest of the story."
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posted by
Tulipman
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03-Jul-09 |
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Damn, I have always wanted a ...
Damn, I have always wanted a Creative Playthings rocker!!! Same thing when I lost that Panton light .... I had tapped myself out. Only this time it was in retro kitschy crap I would never own now.
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posted by
whitespike (USA)
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02-Oct-09 |
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Two Awful Stories
I saw an ad on CL about an estate sale. Right Away I spotted the perfect sofa on the pics. It was a Grete Jalk Three seater teak sofa. I couldn't sleep thinking about it. Woke up at 6 am and didn't know what to do to wait until 9am for the sale to start. Took my dog for a walk etc. Decided to leave in time to arrive an hour early. Well, not too early. There were about 30 people in front of me when I could have gotten there at 6am hehe. The sofa was sold in a matter of seconds it was in pristine condition, even the original upholstery.
Second story, another amazing estate sale full of MCM stuff. I'm pulling two original Nelson bubble lamps/Howard Miller off the ceiling and this lady comes up to me and asked me if I wanted to share one with her. That was by the time I had taken the second one down and getting ready to pay. I told her I was planning to take both. She jumps ahead in line to pay her stuff and then the lady taking the cash goes "she already payed for those" I was like whaaa?
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posted by
Caco
edited on 02-Oct-09 07:01 AM [edit]
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02-Oct-09 |
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!!!!
B-atch!
Did they make you hand them over? If you did, you should have accidentally/conveniently crushed them or poked a few holes in them with your fingers.
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posted by
the_beloved (US/CAN)
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02-Oct-09 |
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It's a jungle out there!
It's amazing;the "me first" and f--k everybody else attitude that people have when it comes to estate/garage sales,etc.No civility whatsoever.I think common man reverts to his most primal "grab the meat" form when going to these events.Therefore,anything goes;the best defense is a good offense.When a listing says "no earlybirds",ignore it!I definitely would have ("oops") crushed the Bubble lamps in my hands!
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posted by
Tulipman
edited on 02-Oct-09 03:29 PM [edit]
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02-Oct-09 |
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totally!
i would have bowling-balled (three fingers ) the hell out of those things! lol
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posted by
tynellbuyer
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02-Oct-09 |
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I HATE estate sales. Too man...
I HATE estate sales. Too many horror stories like the above.
Personally, my best luck has been just letting things happen, not hyper-ambitiously seeking.
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posted by
WoofWoof (USA)
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02-Oct-09 |
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posted by
LuciferSum (USA)
edited on 02-Oct-09 11:46 PM [edit]
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02-Oct-09 |
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Bet You've Never Seen A Chair Like This Before!
That was the header of a Craigslist posting. Being curious I clicked on it. And lo and behold I HAD seen a chair like it before. On Architonic. It was an Ox Chair. No, not a Wegner Ox chair, which sells for a paltry $5-10k in the used market. It was a JACOBSEN Ox chair, with a swivel base, in perfect leather, for $1500. The Architonic piece was estimated at auction for $30,000-$50,000. I emailed the guy casually stating my preference for 'that wacky 50's stuff'. He never replied.
*sigh* That's the bad thing about Craigslist - other people have the same chance of getting things as you do!
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posted by
LuciferSum (USA)
[edit]
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03-Oct-09 |
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Damn, that IS a really rare...
Damn, that IS a really rare chair. There's also an ottoman. Quite a man's chair, not among Jacobsen's best designs, but certainly one of the most valuable.
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posted by
M_Andersen (DK)
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06-Oct-09 |
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Heart table *************** Heart attack
Ok here goes - I'm fighting back the tears...
About three weeks ago I went into a council run furniture shop in the UK, and found a Hans Wegner heart table and chairs, ran to office to buy it, (it was a whopping £40!!) the people in the office told me I needed to find the warehouse manager, just as I had tracked him down, he was in the middle of selling it to another dealer. Ouch! It sold right before my eyes!!! A couple of sleepless nights ensued and lots of telling myself it wasnt ment to be.
A week of so later I won a table on ebay, when I looked at the sellers other items, there it was, MY (HIS) Hans Wegner heart table and chairs. *Sob*
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posted by
Heart face
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06-Oct-09 |
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Aggravating,
as I have had many similar experiences,but you musn't be discouraged,because you will also have lucky experiences if you presevere.I hate it when I see a dealer get lucky at the thrift,though!I'd much rather see a true MCM lover find a bargain,rather than somebody who is going to flip an item for profit!
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posted by
Tulipman
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07-Oct-09 |
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this too shall pass
Sorry to hear about it, heartface, but yes, you will go on to score some good stuff. I have lost out on things but for the life of me I can't remember much about about what they were. My scores far outnumber them and THOSE I remember!
Tulipman, dealers make a living selling stuff. It's nice when you snare an item before they do, but do remember that very few dealers get rich doing what they do. And many collectors prefer to buy from a dealer than to wait for the right piece to show up as a sleeper in the thrift shop or wherever. It still ends up with a true MCM afficionado, just with a middle-man who's trying to earn a buck or two.
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posted by
spanky* (USA)
edited on 07-Oct-09 01:06 AM [edit]
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10-Oct-09 |
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Back to the estate sale Jungle!
Sorry for the late reply. I never knew if I was the one that did wrong for not "sharing" one with her but I guess some of you guys are on my side.
Never thought of poking them bubble lamps haha. I did thought of throwing them on the floor very hard. But I was nice enough to hand it to her.
And the "me first" and f--k everybody else attitude. I guess that's what drives the world crazy. People see the $ sign on stuff like this. Sad.
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posted by
Caco
edited on 10-Oct-09 01:42 AM [edit]
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03-Nov-09 |
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Ingo Maurer "One from the...
Ingo Maurer "One from the Heart" for $50.... Before I was into designer lighting I had seen this one being posted for weeks on a local trading site. It was described simply as "Italian lamp" and a picture. I thought it was the most ugly thing and kept going. A few years ago I saw it used in the disply of the local Poggenpohl shop and confirmed on the website it was indeed the same lamp for sale.
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posted by
cwoo
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03-Nov-09 |
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posted by
william-holden-caulfield (FREEDONIA)
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03-Nov-09 |
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posted by
WoofWoof (USA)
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03-Nov-09 |
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EVA ZEISEL COFFEE POT
About a month ago.Never realized what it was,but admired the clean,simple lines.Didn't think I could use it.And it was only 5 bucks...aargh!
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posted by
Tulipman
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03-Nov-09 |
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posted by
Tulipman
edited on 03-Nov-09 10:35 PM [edit]
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04-Nov-09 |
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That close
I once showed up at a church rummage sale to find a Plycraft lounge and ottoman with a $30 price tag and 'sold' sticker. If I'd just shown up earlier... That the set had already been sold, and for $30, just seemed teleologically impossible. It should have been mine.
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posted by
Brent (USA)
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05-Oct-10 |
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Went to the local Goodwill...
Went to the local Goodwill today on my lunch break. Looks like Angelo Mangiarotti......but it has a SOLD tag. Didn't even want to ask what the price was. Never seen one before in real life, so can't be sure its real....but heavy, beautifully made with a carved out bottom (of the table top) to facilitate connection of pedestal and table. Would have looked great in my kitchen.... Someone make me feel better and tell me its a generic marble table/knockoff.
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posted by
jesgord (USA)
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05-Oct-10 |
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wow
bummer .. that is most likely the real deal.
so nice! lucky bastard that got it.
goodwill? how the hell did they get a 500 pound table there?
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posted by
tynellbuyer
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06-Oct-10 |
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posted by
poach
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06-Oct-10 |
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Its NYC. People here throw...
Its NYC. People here throw money away left and right. A part of me is glad it was sold....this way I don't have to deal with trying to move the damn thing. I've looked at some detailed pictures of this table-they match up perfectly
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posted by
jesgord (USA)
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06-Oct-10 |
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posted by
Ark of Decorative Arts
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06-Oct-10 |
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posted by
woodywood (USA)
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06-Oct-10 |
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Last year I purchased a...
Last year I purchased a Willy Rizzo travertine dining table in the south of France. It was an auction and there was a set of 8 chairs around the table that were up as the preceding lot. The chairs were ugly as hell but you could see they were a quality item and unusual in a good way even though I would never live with them. I was going to have a punt on the chairs but I decided in the end to keep my money for the table (which I bought) The chairs sold for 800-900 and a few months later while looking at a catalogue I saw a set of 6 of them with an estimate of 5-7000 that went on to sell for 12000. While I have no regrets about not owning the chairs the cash windfall would have certainly helped.
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posted by
Killian (IRL)
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06-Oct-10 |
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posted by
vintage damage
edited on 07-Oct-10 08:33 AM [edit]
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06-Oct-10 |
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posted by
william-holden-caulfield (FREEDONIA)
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06-Oct-10 |
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posted by
Tulipman
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07-Oct-10 |
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This story only partially...
This story only partially applies to the thread topic: When I first was furnishing my home, I cam upon a pair of first-run Jacobsen Swan Chairs -- the ones with the bent wooden legs rather than the metal spindle. They weren't thrift-store cheap, but still a steal at $600 each. I did get one of them (triumph!!), but for some unaccountable reason, left the other behind (tragedy!!)
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posted by
squadrato
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08-Oct-10 |
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Similar brain malfunction
I had a similar experience with vintage Eames DTR folding tables.
Several years ago at the Herman Miller company store, I found a rack of about 10 of them in both the large and small sizes. I think they came out of the company's corporate retreat. They'd all been well used and most had veneer chips and broken leg clips. I picked out the only three perfect ones, and happily paid the $10 apiece asking price.
An hour later, I returned to my senses, but the remaining tables had not waited for me.
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posted by
poach
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08-Oct-10 |
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Frem Røjle
we are have been haunted a number of times by Frem Røjle dining sets in junk shops with a SOLD sticker on them! you just know that someone purchased it for £35 and is going to spend the next 2 years stubbing cigarettes out on it before skipping it in favour of an argos delight!!
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posted by
506070 (UK)
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13-Oct-10 |
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Hate/Love
Why I both hate and love Craigslist. Needless to say, I didn't get this. I also didn't get a Florence Knoll marble topped credenza for $75... *sigh*
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posted by
LuciferSum (USA)
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13-Oct-10 |
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I'm skeptical
It's always some amazing, rare, valuable chair on craigslist for $50. Not $100, not $200 not $25, but $50. This time it's a Chieftain chair, last time it was a Papa Bear chair.
I don't much see the point, but I think someone is having fun pulling people's chains.
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posted by
Pegboard Modern (USA)
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13-Oct-10 |
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I suppose if you were curious...
I suppose if you were curious about how many other people there were in your area who were knowledgeable, and actively seeking the same stuff as you on Craigslist, listing a Papa Bear chair or Chieftain chair for $50 would probably give you a good idea, based on the responses you got.
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posted by
tchp
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