Seeing double (triple, quadruple...)

 
I can understand owning a pair of these salt and pepper shakers. (After all, who can resist an accordion?)
 
What baffles me (not that I'm complaining) is how anyone would come to own a cigar-box full of accordion- and mandolin-player salt and pepper shakers.
 
Or a box full of fish salt and pepper shakers.
 
Or teeny-tiny boxes of teeny-tiny kittens, still wrapped in paper and straw.
 
Maybe it makes sense to stock up on towels as wedding gifts. (There are two more boxes, never opened, underneath the one on top.) I've got weddings on my mind because of Chelsea Clinton's wedding. We've been having a blast reading about it because our family has one degree of separation between us and the wedding, and I can tell you about it sometime. Anyway, we didn't get invited, so Chelsea isn't getting Mr. and Mrs. towels from us. 
 
Usually when there's one knee-hugging pixie, there's another one. Or two. Or three, or four, or five.
 
However, even in my long experience collecting Gurley candles, it is unusual to find this many at once.
 
At this point, I'd like to say a word or two about luck. I had a good day of shopping Saturday. I also had a long day of shopping: I left home a little after 7 a.m., and I got home a little after 7 p.m. So, yes, maybe some luck was involved, but a lot of time was involved, too. I'm feeling a little peevish on that subject because I also had "good luck" at an estate sale Friday and listened to a perennially lazy antique dealer complain about how he's never first on the list to get in the sale. (I wasn't number one, either. I was number six, and way ahead of Mr. Lazy. You'd think he'd have figured out by now that if he wants to be at the head of the line he has to get there earlier.)

I'll sum up by saying this: Some people make their own luck. Or as Louis Pasteur said, "Chance favors the prepared mind." Or as Thomas Edison said, genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. Not that I'm equating finding Gurley candles with inventing the light bulb. But you see what I'm saying. Generally people are more successful if they put some time and energy and thought into what they do. Which I could say to Mr. Lazy the next time I see him, but I'll probably just roll my eyes and walk away again.

 
I was thankful to find all of these pilgrims. (Have you ever seen the all-orange ones before? I haven't. I'm not sure I like them, but they're kind of growing on me.)
 
But possibly the find that made me happiest Saturday was this group of Gurley Indian candles. You may find this hard to believe, but I have never found a single one.  Which is why I didn't know their wicks were made to look like little feathers. They're the bigger size, too, which left me feeling, well, OK, very lucky.

Anyway, I have a couple more boxes of stuff to show you, and a few other things from Friday's sale, but mostly you have to come back Monday because I am doing a you-know-what. Starts with give-. Ends with -away. You catch my drift.
 

 

Comments

[Linda @ A La Carte]

I am so with you on the 'Luck' part of thrifting. There is luck involved I won't say it isn't but it's also a lot of work, I go back several times, really scan and like you if it's an Estate Sale get there early. It's work with some Luck thrown in. I will so be back here Monday. I am in love with the little pilgrim candles, when I saw them I remember having them when I was a kid. Now of course I want a pair!! Sigh...it never ends.

[Lavender Dreams]

Oh my! My heart skipped a beat when I saw the pixies! Are you going to put them in your shop? I love them! ♥

[laurie magpie ethel]

It is a little luck, but alot of perseverance thru alot of junky sales. A ton of junky sales. You did really, really well - but a very long day as well. I didn't know the indians had the feather wicks either (another tidbit to add to my brain, learned in blogland). You sure found stuff in really good condition!

[HeidiAnn]

Woweee - Green with envy, here - but also happy for you that your "Time/Hard Work + Luck" combination has paid off handsomely, once again!
Man, your finds are impressive!!

[Into Vintage]

Were you first in line at the vintage Gurley candle factory sale? So many of them and all so cute - especially the Indians. And I have a soft spot for those little kittens...

12 hours of vintage shopping sounds like fun to me!

[Whit]

Wow! 12 hours of unadulterated thrifting. If that ever happened to me, i'd think i'd died and gone to thrifting heaven. ;O)

At first i was impressed with all the wonderful goodies you found and then i finally reached the photo of indian candles. They have left me speechless. How adorable!

[Tina]

You must be beside yourself, Ms. Lucky! I love those candles, and the fish salt and peppers, and the little musicians, and...

And, Barbara, I think you're being way too sensitive about the wedding invite, it must have been an oversight. Chelsea Sooo deserves those fine towels! I guarantee she won't have a duplicate!

[Jenny S]

OH MY WORD! I have never even SEEN the indian candles! Wow, send your luck this way! The only thing I found this weekend was an amazing bedroom set for my shop at a great price, but those little things you got are the bread and butter sales I LURV!!! hehehe!

[Gail]

Barbara!
You have been super busy! And can I add that you have had some great finds!!! The pink fire king is AMAZING. The teeny tiny kitty cats would melt Miss Gina's heart! I have to say I am falling behind in blogging because I had to go back to work last week. I have enjoyed my ride as a stay at home momma but this economy finally got our family. I hope to figure out a balance of work, family, and blogging soon :) I truly love looking at all of your hard estate sale work!

[Kate]

Holy Gurley Candles!

[Sir Thrift A Lot]

I love those pixies! I've got a pair still in their original box! You've inspired me to put the pic up on my blog.

[Gina at Vintage Junk in My Trunk]

That post had me giggling about Mr. Lazy. Really, what did he expect?We like to say "You Snooze, You Lose."

Those candles are AMAZING! Love the multiples of all of them. And the feather wicks! The kitties are adorable!

[Shara @ monkeybox]

Love it all, of course. Are the big orange pilgrims new? I've seen old ones turned ornage, but it was from tar and tobacco in the air at smoker's houses. Actual orange ones are cute, tobacco ones are not.

Such wonderful things!

[Shelley Germann]

Lordy! Look at all those pristine Gurley candles! I can't believe my eyes! The indians are incredible!