Scored a win at my local Goodwill store

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Katie H

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I'm an avid thrift store shopper and, usually, only purchase things I need to replace or for goodies to turn into gift items.

Fast forward to earlier this week when I dropped my favorite 10-inch skillet on the kitchen floor. Okay, it was, after all, another thrift store purchase but I really liked it. My husband had tightened up the handle a bit some time ago and it was doing well...until I dropped it. The handle was some sort of composite plastic or Bakelite and broke away at the side of the skillet. Not safe and not good to use so it hit the trash pile.

Okey dokey, now I have a challenge.

Turns out I had a doctor's appointment the next day, which was near one of my favorite Goodwill stores. Stopped in, found another 10-inch skillet with a riveted metal handle attached and an even better cooking surface...$2.00USD. MINE! By the way, a new one retails for over $50.00USD. Yeah!

Already used it three times and am a very happy camper.

Guess if I drop this one, the only thing that will be damaged will be the kitchen floor.
 
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That luck bro. Very VERY good deal

I’m pretty sure the skillet I use currently (not mine, it’s another family members) was bought for £30 at a jumble/garage sale. Still a good bargain
 
I'm an avid thrift store shopper and, usually, only purchase things I need to replace or for goodies to turn into gift items.

Fast forward to earlier this week when I dropped my favorite 10-inch skillet on the kitchen floor. Okay, it was, after all, another thrift store purchase but I really liked it. My husband had tightened up the handle a bit some time ago and it was doing well...until I dropped it. The handle was some sort of composite plastic or Bakelite and broke away at the side of the skillet. Not safe and not good to use so it hit the trash pile.

Okey dokey, now I have a challenge.

Turns out I had a doctor's appointment the next day, which was near one of my favorite Goodwill stores. Stopped in, found another 10-inch skillet with a riveted metal handle attached and an even better cooking surface...$2.00USD. MINE! By the way, a new one retails for over $50.00USD. Yeah!

Already used it three times and am a very happy camper.

Guess if I drop this one, the only thing that will be damaged will be the kitchen floor.
A pair of vice grips and you coulda kept your pan. :D
 
I love thrifting. I have discovered a lot of great finds at thrift stores. What does make me sad is that few will carry old jewelry or sterling flatware. The shops back home would not put out really spendy things but some. I bought several charms for my silver bracelet via thrift stores.
 
I love thrifting. I have discovered a lot of great finds at thrift stores. What does make me sad is that few will carry old jewelry or sterling flatware. The shops back home would not put out really spendy things but some. I bought several charms for my silver bracelet via thrift stores.

Ummmm, you looking for silver flatware? Does it need to be solid silver, or will silver plated work for you. I can make you a deal on a whole set in a "velvet" lined wooden box.

CD
 
I have entire sets of sterling and one of silver-plate, and then one of "entertainment pieces." I like seeking very specific pieces that I do not have for each of them.

For example, I would like to find ice cream forks for either Fairfax by Durgin-Gorham sterling or in the WM Rogers Memory Hiawatha 1937 silverplate patterns. I know what I will pay for them, and its not what most want to sell them for. I love looking on eBay where some have been listed for years and will be there for years more. I know that ice cream forks are made in the Fairfax pattern, and I hear that they can be found in the silver-plate Memory 1937 (but I have never seen those anywhere.) I don't believe ice cream spoons are in the Silea Tassel Braided silver-plate, but I would consider them in that too.

I also seek really unique serving pieces in silver-plate or sterling. My friend's daughter was absolutely fascinated that I had fifteen different types of fork for which to dine. She is a cutie with an interest in "fancy eating." It's fun to bring her by for dinner. The sardine forks are not in my pattern but were totally worth it. While having dinner, we both decided that I really need the oyster forks. The general seafood fork was okay....but....we need proper forks for whatever we get. :whistling

The hunt gives me purpose when I go thrifting.
 
Did you mention oyster forks before?
seafood forks.... hmmmm
sardine forks.... gah... I'll pass
Ice cream spoons?
ice cream forks???

gads - now I have to start looking.

BTW went to the only Antique Market (126? dealers) relatively near me, saw no sign of bone dishes, ceramic "pots", nor egg coddlers. Not even bastardized wanna'be's.

Something I meant to mention before. Have you ever been to a site called 'Replacements, Ltd' ?
Forgot all about it until just now. But - the prices may not be what you are willing to pay. Who know? One mans garbage, another's treasure.
 
Replacements asks a very pretty penny. I'm willing to slowly hunt as it is fun. And yes, sardine forks. And yes, ice cream forks. I have spoons to use though not dedicated to ice cream.

An antique market without bone dishes? No ceramic pots? What is the point???
 
Love it! researching says...
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The ice cream fork—a shallow-bowled, three-tined proto-spork—was a product of the cutlery overkill of the Victorian era. As table-setting evolved into a sort of competitive art, the requisite fork, knife, spoon, and napkin weren’t enough. They were accompanied by a bevy of highly specific utensils—including aspic spoons, snail forks, bonbon scoops, and, yes, ice cream forks.

Ice Cream sppons:
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seafood forks are what I've always called Lobster Forks.
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but these are also listed as seafood forks but I've always called those Pickle forks.
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these are also called seafood forks.
and there's more but not tonight.
 

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I have some 2 prong olive forks, which could be those other types. But they are not in dining room or kitchen - I use them planting seeds. :LOL: Those small 2 prongers make it easy to remove the started seedlings from the soil, and place them in new pots by themselves.
 
I have some 2 prong olive forks, which could be those other types. But they are not in dining room or kitchen - I use them planting seeds. Those small 2 prongers make it easy to remove the started seedlings from the soil, and place them in new pots by themselves.
I love that!

@dragnlaw I have the generic "lobster forks." I also have seafood forks, and fish forks, which the difference seems to be length and tine-placement, but they are in my stainless pattern (Oneida's Satin Aquarius.) I don't have the long tined forks (which look a bit like strawberry forks from the photo, but who knows.) I don't have ice cream spoons - am holding out for those styling ice cream forks. 😁 It is not in the matching pattern that I collect. (No, my silver does not all match as I inherited it from great g-ma.) My sardine forks also do not match patterns.

Here is a photo of the olive fork and the sardine fork. Yes, they need a polish. But being bougie can be so much fun. :winkiss:

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I don't allow myself to thrift anymore. I buy way too many things I can't use. Like this 1.5' x 4' painting that might have been worth something, but it's covered in some sort of clear glaze. Then there's the push button Princess phone I got. I ask you! Who buys crap like this? If I found something useful, like a stainless steel frying pan, now that would be OK. But me, I come home with the junk.
 
Ahhh, I remember your Olive Spoon. Had never seen one before. (pattern looks familiar though)

Ok, so next time you get around to polishing your silver - wrap them tight, tight in plastic/saran wrap. So they won't oxidize, well, at least not for a long time!

When silver oxidizes and then you clean/scrub away that discoloured layer, you are also removing a slight amount of the silver. (or so I've been told) So basically, the less you have to clean them the longer they will last. Especially Silver Plate! Now that one we have all known the wear and tear on, I'm sure!
 
I don't allow myself to thrift anymore. I buy way too many things I can't use. Like this 1.5' x 4' painting that might have been worth something, but it's covered in some sort of clear glaze. Then there's the push button Princess phone I got. I ask you! Who buys crap like this? If I found something useful, like a stainless steel frying pan, now that would be OK. But me, I come home with the junk.
Remember.... One's mans junk is another man's .... treasure!
 
I just received from eBay, I think, a sardine fork and a food pusher. Not in our pattern but in pristine shape.
We have all manner of specialty pieces, and I enjoy seeing them in our silver chests. Read that as in "chests," because we have many.
 

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