Old treasures

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Hubby and I enjoy going to estate sales and auctions.  We went to one on Saturday and came home with some real treasures.  Maybe.

This sewing machine cost me $2.  Yes, it's a dirty mess, and who knows whether it will work or not? It is a Japanese badged machine made in the 60s for sale either in Canada or the US.  The name on it is "Long Life."  I'll eventually clean it up and try to get it running, but if it won't, I'll use it for parts.

 

This "Wizard " machine was manufactured by Brother for Western Auto stores in the 60's. It also needs work, and is missing the bobbin plate, but I only paid $5 for it, and parts are still readily available for it online.

This is a Singer 237, and I paid $7.50 for it.  It's fairly clean and intact, and takes commonly available parts and accessories. The case is all beat up, but I have a couple of empty cabinets it should fit in.

You may be wondering why I buy old "junky" sewing machines like this at all.  Two reasons: I enjoy the challenge of rehabilitating them into useful machines again, and I like to be able to give a working machine to someone who can't afford one. I am not a repair technician by any stretch of the imagination, but I have learned a lot after 40 years of sewing.  You would be surprised how often a dirty old machine will purr like a kitten after a good cleaning and oiling.  Many of the former owners didn't know how to maintain the machine, or ever really used it. It may have sat in a closet or garage for years, before essentially being thrown away.  So I buy them when I can get them cheaply, and expect to spend a few bucks, so I can give them away.

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I bought this beautiful relish tray with a matching sugar, creamer, and what I suppose is a lemon bowl. They are all in perfect shape, and I only paid $5 for the set.

This unglazed pottery pitcher is about 7-3/4"  tall, has no chips or cracks, and is a Capodimonte-style piece. I paid $4 for it because it is just so pretty.

I fell in love with this oil painting, an 18" x 20" canvas in a really nice frame, signed with what looks like "Annie."  It cost $7.50--see? I can find some nice treasures at these sales.

Not everything is a winner, though--I did buy a magnifying glass attached to a flashlight for $1.  When I put a new bulb and batteries in it, it works!  It just won't turn off.  There's a problem with the switch.  But at least it was only a buck.

Hubby came home with an electric typewriter.  He had been looking for one, and found one in a nice case for only $5.  He looked at some gardening equipment, but didn't buy anything else.

We don't get to go to these auctions very often, but we do have fun!

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