In this article, I list my favorite vintage finds that I’ve bought for vintage resale on my online platform and explain why each made the cut! If you are a vintage reseller, you’ll see what I learned from picking, pricing, and selling each item and can use these tips for finding and reselling your own unique finds.
Last year, I began buying and selling vintage and antique items online.
I LOVE old stuff!
Many of my weekends are spent sifting through antique goodies at garage sales or auctions so I can see what treasures I can scoop up. Some of them I keep for my own home, and some I resell online. This started out as a hobby but turned into a fun way to make a little extra income. Some folks sell on Facebook Marketplace and others on Etsy. I chose to open an eBay since the platform is international and has the most users (167 million users, actually).
It’s by no means a consistent income, but it’s super fun. I’ve learned so much when it comes to researching vintage items, the stories behind them, and the modern value that they bring. I definitely would not consider myself an antiques expert but I’ve enjoyed the process!
Below, I have my top 5 items that I’ve bought and sold online. Each item made the “top 5” for a different reason, and these are by no means on here just because of the profit margin that each brought. I’ve also let you in on what I paid for each item, where I found it, and what it sold for on my eBay store.
Note: Keep in mind that my profit is listed as gross profit and does not factor in the fees that I have to pay eBay (usually around 15%).
Alright, here’s what you’ve been waiting for…
1. Peter Pan, First Edition published in 1916
What a treasure! First of all, people love vintage and antique books. They love them more if they are a first edition and they love them even more if they are in pristine condition. I had two-out-of-three going for me here. The fact that the book had some wear meant that I couldn’t get top dollar for it, but it WAS a first edition and it WAS and antique (for those of you who don’t know, an item must be at least 20 years old to be labeled as “vintage” on most platforms like eBay and Etsy and must be at least 100 years old to be labeled as an “antique”).
J.M. Barrie wrote Peter Pan originally as a play in 1904 and then as a children’s book in 1911. It was published under other names, such as Peter and Wendy. Alice B. Woodward illustrated this particular version was and Silver, Burdett & Co. published it.
TIP: Be on the lookout for nostalgic books and especially first editions. Also, books with an intact binding and pages free of rips or writing will sell for higher amounts.
Where I Purchased It
Facebook Marketplace. I bought this in a lot of old books that were dug out of a tobacco barn in rural Kentucky. The books had been stored in antique suitcases and some were pretty musty and worn. Peter Pan, however, made it out with only minor wear.
Price I Paid
$0.38
I know, right! That price sounds cheap, but remember I bought two vintage suitcases full of books, with an average price of $0.38 per book and 2 free suitcases, which I’ll probably repurpose down the road.
Sold Price
$111.99
I had originally listed this book for more based on my research of similar items that had recently sold but decided to include it in a storewide sale after having numerous “watchers.” It paid off, at I sold it quickly with a $111.61 profit.
2. Antique Whiting Sterling Silver Ice Tongs, 1914 Portland Pattern
I bought these in a bin of mix-matched silverware and flatware. It was my first experience with vintage silver. The first thing I did was sort out all of the pieces and grouped the items that matched. My next step was to research the makers, material, and patterns of each set. Sellers need this info to accurately describe the item (if you are selling on eBay, good search keywords will make all of the difference).
Honestly, I didn’t even know what this particular item was when I saw it. I’d never even heard of ice tongs! It was marked “Whiting,” and after a lot of online research, I found it was the Portland pattern, manufactured in 1914. This meant it was past the 100-year mark and qualified as an antique!
Also, the fact that it was sterling silver instead of silver plated meant it was more valuable. Items labeled “silver plate” consist mostly of other metals like copper and nickel and are coated with a thin layer of actual silver, while sterling silver is almost completely silver.
TIP: There was a downside to this item – It was monogrammed! I had no idea that a monogram would affect the value so much. It was actually detrimental! I never found an exact match to my pattern that had sold, however similar pieces were selling for $250-$500! BUT (there’s always a “but,” isn’t there?), my ice tongs had a big, fat “M” on the handle, which dropped the value by a ton. Still a win, but I know this for next time.
Where I Purchased It
I bought these ice tongs in a lot of mix-matched vintage flatware at a yard sale. The lady who sold it had originally bought the bin at another yard sale and planned to use the lot for jewelry making but never got around to it. I snatched it up fast when she told me the price.
What I Paid
$0.05
Again, this was a single piece from a lot. I paid $5 for the bin, and it had well over 100 pieces. This was a steal, and although these ice tongs were the most profitable piece in the lot, I’ve made a lot more revenue from this bin and unique and rare pieces are still selling today in my store.
Sold Price
$71.85
Now that’s a payday! It was very time consuming to research the individual pieces in the bin, but that was time well spent. Now, I feel like I have a better eye for valuable brands and patterns.
3. Vintage Echo Nautical Neck Scarf
I have several vintage silk scarves that I wear in my hair or occasionally as a neck scarf and figured if I love them than other people probably do, too. This scarf had a retro nautical pattern that drew me in. I could just imagine Audrey Hepburn wearing this scarf while on a sailboat in Narraganset Bay, drinking champagne and laughing in the wind!
It was an Echo scarf, and I learned that Echo was founded in the 1920s. Although I was unable to find when this particular pattern was made, I could tell it was vintage by the logo.
Where I Bought It
This was bought at an estate auction, on the last day, which meant everything was half off. I bought several vintage scarves and hats in a box that everyone else seemed to pass up.
What I Paid
$1.00
Each scarf and hat I bought was originally priced at $2.00, but since I attended the estate sale on the last day, I paid half price for each.
TIP: My favorite local estate sale company will reduce prices by 25% on the second day and 50% on the third day of a sale and then auction off items that do not sell during the last few hours of the last day of the sale. This is great for people like me who want very low inventory costs upfront. Check with the estate sale company to see how they operate.
Sold Price
$9.61
I told you, not every item on this list would reap a huge profit! This scarf made the list because it was such a unique retro piece with great appeal to a lot of buyers. It was also an opportunity for me to research vintage women’s accessories, a topic that I knew nothing about beforehand.
4. Vintage Brass Apothecary Mortar and Pestle
I come across a lot of brass items and feel that they are so nostalgic and easy to use as decor in any home. This mortar and pestle set was likely purely decorative, although it may have been used as a spice grinder. It gave me sort of a medieval, whimsical vibe and I knew it would appeal to a lot of folks, so I didn’t hesitate to buy it.
TIP: If you are selling items on an online platform, don’t forget to pre-weigh your item (in the package that it will be mailed) so you know how much to charge for shipping. This brass mortar and pestle were small but very heavy since it was solid brass, and you never want to have to cover the cost of shipping something like this, unexpectedly.
Where I Purchased It
I scored this unique item at another yard sale, among a million other knick-knacks. This one caught my eye because of the unique engravings on the sides.
What I Paid
$1.00 Yep, that’s all!
Sold Price
$18.35
I consider these types of sales my bread-and-butter sales, meaning they bring enough profit to keep my store going.
5. Trio of Vintage, Mini Oil Paintings
Sometimes I have to put a lot of effort into sourcing vintage items at a decent price and other times I just stumble across them. This was one of those times. I had no idea what I had found when I picked up these mini paintings. All I knew was that they appealed to me because of the tiny yet detailed scenes, vibrant colors, and gilded frames. They had a marking for Tara Productions, so after some research I learned that they were vintage oil paintings, produced for sale in Italy between the 1920-s- 1950’s. On multiple platforms, these paintings were selling for $40-$150, depending on the size, detail, and condition!
Where I Purchased It
These were found at a local thrift store.
TIP: If you are on the hunt for vintage items for your online platform, antique store, or just for your personal collection, places like Goodwill can be priced a bit high. In my experience, I’ve come across items that were more unique and less pricey at thrift stores that were not large corporations. Check out your local thrift stores for better prices!
What I Paid
FREE
That’s right. It was in a “free” bin right outside the door of the thrift shop, tossed in with a boatload of other items that no one wanted. My lucky day!
Sold Price
$55.00
Another great find, sold to a happy buyer.
I hope you all enjoyed hearing about my TOP 5 FAVORITE FINDS FOR VINTAGE RESALE and also found my tips helpful, whether you own a business or just love collecting unique vintage finds.
Leave a comment below and tell my about your favorite vintage or antique finds, and what made them so awesome!
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