.
Onward… through the never ending stalls of useless crap timeless treasure we went.
.
.
Box of 1950’s risqué playing cards?
.
.
Check! There were two.
Vintage hi fi speakers?
.
.
Check! Two as well.
Absurd 6 legged patriotic corner table?
.
.
Yup. That was there as well.
Because I don’t spend nearly as much time examining the junk unique items on sale as the husband, I’m always far ahead of him in the store. So when I see an area I think might be trouble?
.
.
Like an entire room of rust…
.
.
I try to steer him clear. But this time he surprised me and passed by the tool stall of horrors with nary a glance. We were halfway through the store by this time and I was lulled into a false sense of security that we would exit before dark.
And then….
.
.
He found a pile. Actually he found pile upon piles of ephemera. For the uninitiated pickers among us, an explanation.
Ephemera –
items of collectible memorabilia, typically written or printed ones, that were originally expected to have only short-term usefulness or popularity.
There were boxes stacked on boxes, files stuffed in drawers and a floor to ceiling shelf full of ABSOLUTELY nothing worth a damn. But this didn’t deter my husband, oh no. The more he looked and found nothing? The more he was sure there was something. He just knew an undiscovered copy of the constitution or Abraham Lincoln’s handwritten will was waiting to be unearthed .
I walked the entire mall three times, sat down and blogged for half an hour, chatted with other customers and read two old Life magazines. He still wasn’t done.
.
.
I found old shoes that made my bunion hurt just looking at them.
.
.
And World War II German mountain trooper boots I wouldn’t want to hike the Alps in…. but still, the husband wasn’t through.
After 2 hours and 38 minutes…. ( That’s how long he stood there sorting and sifting through stinky brittle old scraps of paper. Yes. I timed it. ) I pulled him away and gave him an ultimatum. He could finish browsing the store before it closed or I was taking the car and leaving him there.
Since it was a 65 mile walk home? He deserted his giant pile of vintage grocery store lists and life insurance policies and resumed browsing.
To be continued….
.
River's world..... 
Separate cars may be in order for future visits.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’d think I’d learn after all these years….
LikeLiked by 1 person
He didn’t find one eyed Willie’s treasure map?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No. And not for lack of trying…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would have browsed those old tools for a very long time. I probably would have bought something.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I usually lose him to rooms like that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have a place just like that here in Florida. It is huge and endless. We call it the City Sanitation Facility.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! That works..
LikeLike
I had a deck just like that, from the same era. It looked as if most of the women were wearing wigs. Wigs were big in the fifties and sixties…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Question is… do you still have it?
The cards, not the wig.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They might be in the house somewhere, but I’m not sure. Sure were a lot of go-go boots as well…
LikeLike
I love those stores and almost always find Something! I also love the writings of others, you never know..you might find a Diary from the past.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He found grocery lists, insurance policies, and bills of lading for thumb tacks. Fascinating stuff.
🥴
LikeLike
I wanna see an antique store–circa 5000 AD.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It will be empty. Nothing we make today lasts.
LikeLike
Hardly anything they made in BCE times lasted till today either. But having said that 5000 AD gives us enough time to get that right, but I doubt it.
LikeLike
I once had a deck of nekkid wimmen playing cards that I proudly shared with my Jr. High classmates.
Unfortunately, the athletic director confiscated them and they disappeared forever. Who knew that people would pay top dollar for just one card way back then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not your fault, I doubt future value was the top concern for teenage boys.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fortunately, Tara and I are mostly on the same page when it comes to vintage stores. Lava lamps, records, and velvet tapestries of dogs playing poker are always on both our lists.
LikeLiked by 2 people
My husband’s love of crap came halfway through our marriage. I was duped.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahh, he pulled the ol’ bait-and-switch!
LikeLike
Two hours and 38 minutes? You deserve an award for that one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your mean—just mean!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s self preservation.
LikeLike
Wow, a virtual Where’s Waldo antique mall.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve played where’s my husband for the past 3 decades. It’s not fun anymore…
LikeLiked by 1 person
😝
LikeLike
Surely, after all these years collecting old stuff, hubby must have SOMETHING (other that yourself, of course) which you would be happy for him to take on Antiques Roadshow to show America what an eye he has for “treasures in the rough.” Who knows — it might even be worth enough money to tempt him to sell it and take you on a long trip to see antique stores in faraway places.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Believe it or not…years ago, in my preblogging days, I talked him into selling things at flea markets. We’d set up every Saturday during the summer. Problem was, for every one thing he sold? He’d buy 3.
😩
LikeLiked by 1 person
You may laugh at ephemera until you see someone pay $28 for ten old b & w pictures of unknown people. Happens everyday online.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually have a nice ephemera collection. Trade cards, advertising, Worlds Fair, postcards, political, calendars etc.
If it’s a weird nerve tonic or painkiller ad? I’m all over it.
😉
LikeLike