Three Dollars Spent: What Are Your Unbelievable Flea Market Finds?

[NJKLAGT]

I dig all of my bottles but I buy all of my jars. I know that some might not consider this to be treasure hunting in its purest sense, and in ways I'd have to agree with them.

But, I have only ever found two or three jars that weren't broken in all my time digging, and they weren't anything very old or desirable to me. I guess this is because big things get broken easily and tiny things weave down into the cracks and spaces where they stay protected in the ground over time.

At the flea market there's this guy who sells bottles and jars for a dollar, and these could be anything, doesn't matter to him, he'll even have an empty four-year-old beer bottle without a cap or label sitting there. So naturally a lot of the stuff stays there for a long time, but for a dollar you can imagine the good stuff goes fast. Once a month or so someone will come and drop off a few boxes of jars to sell him and you just have to hope that you happen to be there around the time that they arrive. I'll never forget the time I passed a lady leaving with a dozen ground lip jars, I had just missed out, who knows what was in that box of hers! Well anyway I guess I was there at the right time this time, scored three solid jars for a dollar each. First a green Crown quart, greener than some I've seen, and it's got a backwards 1 error, pretty cool. Then a nice Wallaceburg Gem quart with some thin green streaks and some big ol' bubbles on its backside. And last but not least a HFJCo Mason's Improved pint, ground lip, bubbly, awesome.

I would have been happy to spend three dollars on any one of these jars, so to get all three for a dollar each was such a rush. Now that the ground's hard I'll probably be spending more time at the flea shops!

So what are your most unbelievable flea market finds?

 

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[cje]

Last fall I found a J & I E M turtle ink at a local thrift for 75¢.

 

[NJKLAGT]

Holy smokes cje, that's awesome, good thing you abstained from spending those quarters at the gumball machine!

 

[NJKLAGT]

Hey cje,

I was just reading about those inks and I guess John & Isaac Elijah Moore were the ones who actually patented that igloo shape, and I guess they made those inks in your state! Only about 25 miles away, in Warren, Mass. I wonder if the ink you found at the thrift store ever left the state, maybe it didn't travel very far at all!

 

[cje]

Probably not. I've dug a couple, but I couldn't pass up the one in the thrift store. The lip was a bit chipped but for 75 cents I didn't mind.

 

[NJKLAGT]

Alright, I lied, I've bought a handful of bottles.

'Got this c1870/80s quart flask for a dollar. Applied top, post-bottom mould. Is it the nicest flask in the world? No sir, but it looks great on the shelf and it's one I can comfortably part with if a friend or family member would ever like something for their home. For a dollar, despite how chewed up it is, it still catches the light nicely, and the curiosity too.

 

[diggummup]

Found this one at an estate sale. Not too many bottle digs going on in these parts. Heck, most of this area isn't old enough to even have privy sites so... although some might not consider this to be treasure hunting in its purest sense, sometimes you have to play the cards you are dealt.

 

[NJKLAGT]

Yeah diggummup, I know what you mean, I'm not a purist about it myself. Strollin' around a flea market or thrift store can definitely be called a treasure hunt! It might lack the dirt and weather and landscape but it has those old musty smells and the stimulation of having so many beautiful old things in one place. I'm definitely playing that hand now, the ground's hard and I just can't resist trying to see if I can find a deal!

That is a nice Ball jar! 'Always nice to see something other than blue for a change. My green Crown was mixed in with a whole assortment of blue and clear jars and luckily I'm not colourblind!

 

[unclemac]

I was up in Vancouver last Saturday...now you got me wanting to go back and check out the junk stores. the trouble is finding the hidden gems, you know, the small stores, out of the way, run by the guy that just loves to buy and sell.

 

[NJKLAGT]

If the ground's hard where you are it's a good way to satisfy that treasure hunting itch! And you can learn a lot from involving yourself with the vendors and other enthusiasts for sure.

 

[RelicDude]

Cool thread. I don't pick stuff up to often from flea market's but I had to pick up these two quart flasks. For three bucks for both. I love the whittle on the Amber strap side. And I just love the size of the seam side.

 

[NJKLAGT]

Nicely done, RelicDude!

That seam side's got something strange going on, 'love how it reflects the light. I gotta say though, that amber flask is gorgeous. 'Love that whittle and also that circular emblem, where I imagine the label would have gone. It's a nice simple design to have there. And the circle appears to drip in some places, so cool. What a stunner!

 

[NJKLAGT]

Bought this lot last summer for about one Canadian dollar per bottle. Nothing crazy in there, but all decent blown bottles free from damage.

 

[RelicDude]

Nicely done, RelicDude!

That seam side's got something strange going on, 'love how it reflects the light. I gotta say though, that amber flask is gorgeous. 'Love that whittle and also that circular emblem, where I imagine the label would have gone. It's a nice simple design to have there. And the circle appears to drip in some places, so cool. What a stunner!

Thank you the seem side has a swirl in the glass that makes it really wonky. And the Amber strap is probably my favorite flask. I've never seen another quite like it.

 

[RelicDude]

Bought this lot last summer for about one Canadian dollar per bottle. Nothing crazy in there, but all decent blown bottles free from damage.

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That's a nice spread I like the pickle jar.

 

[Mich. Wolverine]

Nice jars and bottles. I don't find many older whole jars but this one is my favorite.

 

[NJKLAGT]

Very nice sealer, Mich. Wolverine! I love that embossing. Was this a flea market find, or were you sympathizing with me about never digging whole jars? haha

 

[Mich. Wolverine]

I didn't dig this one but found it at an excavation site in a dirt pile. I don't buy or sell bottles. Everything I post are bottles that I have found.

 

[NJKLAGT]

What percentage of construction workers would you say reacts well to asking them if you can watch from the sidelines and pick through their piles? I know there was one spot recently dug up and paved over that probably had a privy or trash pit somewhere but I never got around to asking. Is it a good idea to make like, your own business card kind of thing to give them? Or is it unnecessary and misleading to try and make yourself look more official?

 

[Mich. Wolverine]

I'm not the guy to ask about this so I hope someone will tell you what they do to get into sites. I'm lucky enough to live in a small town and I know all the guys that have excavation companies and they expect me to show at some point in time to metal detect or bottle hunt.
Wolverine.