Lump
Well-known member
Last summer while making a trip to visit family members in Massachusetts, I went to a junk shop and later to a flea market near Amherst. I was surprised to find some nice stuff...and especially surprised to find good items at the junk shop!
Anyway, the "junk shop" (one of those houses converted to an "antique mall", with lots of little booths owned by different people) is the kind of place I usually avoid. They rarely have anything; and whatever they might have is overpriced. The wife and I walked quickly through this place, expecting (and finding) nothing. But on our way out of the door, the guy at the desk said, "Hey! Don't leave without seeing our side room."
We walked into that room, finding almost nothing... and then my wife said quietly to me, "There are old tools in that rusty bucket in the corner."
(Man! Me LOVES that woman!)
Anyway, the bucket was filled mostly with junk...but as I moved overpriced rusty junk aside, a couple of items caught my eye. The first one was a little metal store display, of Craftsman wrenches. See photos below:
Ain't it cool?
I loved that old logo on the top, and the old "machine gray" colors. The wrenches appeared to be from the right vintage, with the parallel line look. But they were rusty.
The price? Well, let's just say it was too high. BUT...there were more tools in the bucket. So, I began my favorite tactic, which is too make a large pile, ask for the price...and then before I get the reply...begin to "change my mind," and explain that it will probably be too much anyway...
(But I must admit that I did find this little "tool board" or "tool display" to be interesting.)
The sheet metal stand had a few bends, and a nail hole with paint scratches right in the middle. But I have never seen another one like it.
I set it aside, piled it up with quite a few other tools, and asked for a "package deal". After the shop owner employed HIS tactics (wringing of hands; knashing of teeth, looking very apologetic, and explaining that he just HAD to get his own costs back out of those items...chuckle..
), I made ridiculous offer. He then countered with an outrageous price, and I apologized for wasting his time.
As I headed for the door, he pleaded with me to come back and work with him on the deal.
Needless to say, I got the deal I wanted, including this Craftsman store shelf display. I'll pause this story for now, and add the rest of the tools from that "package deal" later. But I've been sorting tools, etc, and deciding what to keep and what I will sell. This Craftsman wrench display is about to be listed in the Garage Journal Classifieds. After I get it listed, I will come back to this post, and show you some of the other items which came in that one haul.
Anyway, the "junk shop" (one of those houses converted to an "antique mall", with lots of little booths owned by different people) is the kind of place I usually avoid. They rarely have anything; and whatever they might have is overpriced. The wife and I walked quickly through this place, expecting (and finding) nothing. But on our way out of the door, the guy at the desk said, "Hey! Don't leave without seeing our side room."
We walked into that room, finding almost nothing... and then my wife said quietly to me, "There are old tools in that rusty bucket in the corner."
(Man! Me LOVES that woman!)Anyway, the bucket was filled mostly with junk...but as I moved overpriced rusty junk aside, a couple of items caught my eye. The first one was a little metal store display, of Craftsman wrenches. See photos below:
Ain't it cool?
I loved that old logo on the top, and the old "machine gray" colors. The wrenches appeared to be from the right vintage, with the parallel line look. But they were rusty.
The price? Well, let's just say it was too high. BUT...there were more tools in the bucket. So, I began my favorite tactic, which is too make a large pile, ask for the price...and then before I get the reply...begin to "change my mind," and explain that it will probably be too much anyway...
(But I must admit that I did find this little "tool board" or "tool display" to be interesting.)
The sheet metal stand had a few bends, and a nail hole with paint scratches right in the middle. But I have never seen another one like it.
I set it aside, piled it up with quite a few other tools, and asked for a "package deal". After the shop owner employed HIS tactics (wringing of hands; knashing of teeth, looking very apologetic, and explaining that he just HAD to get his own costs back out of those items...chuckle..
), I made ridiculous offer. He then countered with an outrageous price, and I apologized for wasting his time. As I headed for the door, he pleaded with me to come back and work with him on the deal.
Needless to say, I got the deal I wanted, including this Craftsman store shelf display. I'll pause this story for now, and add the rest of the tools from that "package deal" later. But I've been sorting tools, etc, and deciding what to keep and what I will sell. This Craftsman wrench display is about to be listed in the Garage Journal Classifieds. After I get it listed, I will come back to this post, and show you some of the other items which came in that one haul.
