the purchases!

Oh the things I would have bought this past Sunday at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire … IF only I had a big truck to drive it all home in! But, alas, I had but one suitcase – and a dinky carry-on at that. That sort of size limit turns you into a very discerning buyer!  Here is what I came home with…

A couple of lovely vintage skeleton keys.

A pair of outboard motor cuff links. The one on the left still has the little propeller that spins  The cost of these cuties? A whopping $1.00!  They are to be a future gift for a very good friend with a motorboat.

I bought three of these cheese markers made from old flatware handles. I gave the third one, labeled “Blue” to Marissa as a little thank you for giving up her entire weekend to entertain her parents.

Who can resist globes and maps? Not I! This little 6-inch baby brings my collection of mini orbs up to five.

Two of the other four are banks, one is a pencil sharpener, and the last (and smallest) one was… yeah, I don’t know what it is or was!

If you follow me on Pinterest, you may not believe it, but I only bought one – yes only one Mason jar, and it’s a beauty!

This old blue Ball “Perfect Mason” jar was a steal at $6.

Look at the wonderful glass inner lid and the unique cutout and the wording on the outer ring! I saw the same size blue Ball jars with solid metal lids that were selling for $30 and more!

Here I am, looking through a Vintage Stereoscope Viewer. You slide in the double photo, look through the lens and see a wonderful old vintage photo in 3D. Amazing!

Alas, I did not buy it. The asking price was way out of line – $250.  I’ve seen them go for under $50 on eBay.

Marissa purchased a wonderful porthole, like this for $20. Once again, we saw nearly identical items throughout the Faire selling for $50. She is planning on getting a mirror cut to fit. Cute idea! Adding a piece of glass and using it as a picture frame or even slipping in a clock would be so much fun too!

I’ve saved the best for last – my purchase of the day! The second I saw it; I knew it would be mine! Dave asked, “What are you going to do with that?” What kind of question is that!? Does it matter? No, I just know that it is cool, unique and that I want it!  So I paid and he graciously carried it for me throughout the remaining two-thirds of the market.

Dave may have been skeptical about my big find at first, but after the third or fourth person stopped him to say, “Wow, where did you get that?” or “That is so cool!” – he had to admit that maybe it was a good buy.  And by the time we finally arrived back at Big Daddy’s – and not one, but two of the guys who worked in the booth asked if they could buy it from me… well that was the final confirmation of my good eye. I’m not yet certain how or exactly where I’ll be using this vintage (early 1900s) paper roll/cutter, but the paper made a great backdrop for most of today’s photography.

If that top wood piece would have been even 1/2 centimeter longer, it would not have fit in my suitcase. It was meant to be mine!