A seller on a podcast dedicated to thrifting and selling said that it was good business for him to focus on the logistics of sourcing and get in and out of thrift stores as quickly as possible, to leave behind the thrill of the hunt in favor of efficiency. That may be good from a business perspective, but it would take a super human effort for any of us to leave behind the thrill of finding something exciting like our first ever bullet pencil or a pharmaceutical tin in one place and a booklet about the same product somewhere else. The whole editorial philosophy behind the weekly fresh to market vintage post is that we may be in business, but we are still crushing on the newest things we’ve found.
Here’s the fresh to market vintage finds we found this week…
Bantron Smoking Deterrent Tablet Tin
In the 1950s and 60s, the idea of lighting up a cigarette rather than having a snack was considered by some to be a viable weight loss plan. The connection between the booklet and tin is that the advertised product was made by the same company. Honestly, I don’t want to know what was in those little pills to deter one from smoking. The tin itself and the calorie counting booklet though are fun bits of history. Wouldn’t that tin be just perfect to keep a few ibuprofen in your purse?
Bantron Tin and Calorie Counting Booklet, $9.95
-Pam, Vintage Renude
Bullet Pencil Keene Souvenir
A bullet pencil is a casing that looks like a bullet with a cartridge that holds a small pencil and was created and used around the First World War from actual bullet casings. I love the idea of protecting the pencil point and also the lining of your purse or pocket. I am particularly enamored with its ability to hold pencil stubs and act as a pencil extender when assembled in a certain way. I had never held a bullet pencil. At last week’s flea market, I found one which amazed both me and the vendor. It was probably a souvenir of Keene, New Hampshire as I am closer to that Keene than the other baker’s dozen of Keenes in the country!
Speaking of pencils, my post about pencils on VU can be read here if you love them too.
Bullet Pencil, $48.99
-Mary Ellen, AuntHattiesAttic
Counted Cross-Stitched Sampler dated 1980
Cross stitch and needlework date back as far as the 6th century BC. The type of counted cross stitch work done in this sample gained popularity in the 1960s when stamped kits became readily available. The quote on this piece speaks to the reason many of us collect vintage.
Vintage Cross-Stitched Sampler, $35
-Linda, Selective Salvage
THX 1138 Paperback, 1971
Star Wars collectibles are a universe unto themselves. But before there was Star Wars, there was THX 1138, the feature film directorial debut of George Lucas. Lucas was also the co-writer. Paperback adaptations of films have long provided fans with a little bit more, letting us relive a story at our own pace as often as we want, particularly in the dark times before VHS cassettes. Time is not always kind to mass market paperbacks, but this one was gently read and well cared for and is in much better condition than it should be.
1971 Paperback adapted from the screenplay of THX 1138, $48.
–Laurie, NextStage Vintage
That’s this week’s fresh to market vintage. We are very serious about the business of selling vintage, but hopefully we will always be thrilled with the hunt for things to sell. Thrills come in sizes small and large. Some are just “well that’s just dandy” and others are “get the smelling salts because I’m feeling faint.” Variety is the spice of life, is it not?
Every week, we present a variety of posts. Subscribe to our blog newsletter and you’ll always be in the loop. For example, if you don’t subscribe, you might have missed our post this past week about collecting vintage Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars.
