$2.48 thrift shop buy: Declaration of Independence

Parent Cafe
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<p>This is for the bargain hunters out there - who knows what hidden gems you can still find at thrift shops these days:</p>

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<p><a href=“http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS07/70222030/1009http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS07/70222030/1009[/url]”>http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS07/70222030/1009http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS07/70222030/1009&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>A great find. That money will probably be just enough to pay college tuition for one kid in a few years.</p>

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<p>darn. That was my retirement plan.</p>

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<p>curmudge—ah well, back to selling the farm on ebay.</p>

5

<p>Sigh. When I shop at junk shops I end up with…junk…</p>

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<p>Double sigh … me too, katliamom - my mother’s big bargain hunting retirement dream was to make it big on the Antique Road Show…</p>

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<p>my mother’s big bargain hunting retirement dream was to make it big on the Antique Road Show…</p>

<p>If you are a frequent watcher I’m sure you’ll remember a couple of my appearances: the Ming dynasty toilet roll dispenser or the pre-columbian fondue pot? The Remember the Alamo-rama triptych by Degas? The Shaker highboy made from particle board? My velvet painting of fat Elvis playing cards with the poker playing dogs?</p>

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<p>Twenty years ago we held a garage sale and put up two old, very old, ugly end tables that my sweetheart had inherited- for about 50 bucks. Some guy came in and basically rushed the sale, hoisted them up and ran down the driveway with the tables on his back. I KNEW something was up. Meanwhile we’re sitting here with very pretty Target knock downs. But they Match!!! (so said 20 something year old new bride)</p>

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<p>In 1979 (when I was 21) I used to go to this small jazz/blues club in West Los Angeles and groove to the live tunes. The place was filled with these beautiful framed “posters” of beautiful, if not pouty, women. Provocative to say the least. Very art deco looking pictures. One day the place just didn’t open again, and a public auction was held to sell everything in it. My best friend and I went to see what we might be able to afford. I went so far out on a limb and bought a framed poster for $75. This was huge, as my monthly rent was only $125. My friend bought one for $35. Our other friends thought we were crazy and my parents were furious at my extravagance!</p>

<p>Fast forward 2 years when we started seeing this artist’s work all over Los Angeles. I saw a gallery with one of his “posters” in the window, and went in to ask about him. He was based in Santa Monica and was an artist for Playboy among other things. I shared with the gallery manager about my “poster” and how I acquired it. I put my name on a mailing list. A few weeks later I was contacted by the gallery and invited to an unveiling of this artist’s latest piece, and to meet the artist. I was 24 and very green. But I took my best friend and we went. The party was at his gallery, and filled to the brim with “beautiful” people (and they really were beautiful!). I saw the gallery manager that invited me, and she ushered me to the artist, and asked me to share my story about the “poster” I had. It turns out it is a hand-pulled silk screen, one of only 5 ever made. Even he didn’t own one. He offered me $10k for it, and I said no, because I “really like it, which is why I bought it.” We stayed in touch and I was invited to many openings and gallery exhibits, and each time he tried (unsuccessfully) to buy that piece back from me. </p>

<p>On Valentine’s Day, 1984, he died of a heart attack while taking a break from a charity aerobics event for the Heart Association (ironic, no?). His publisher immediately contacted me and offered me $25k for the piece. I still said no. </p>

<p>I still own the piece along with a dozen of his “commemorative” serigraphs which were sold after his death. I am contacted at least once a month by collectors and his family (his wife is an artist) trying to get me to sell it. I will not, because in real life, I love the piece. </p>

<p>Oh, as for my friend’s piece. Hers was one of 50 pulled, and at some point she sold hers for around $5k.</p>

<p>BTW, the artist is Patrick Nagel, and if you look at his work, you’ll probably recognize his stuff <a href=“http://www.patricknagel.com/html/gallery.html[/url]”>http://www.patricknagel.com/html/gallery.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>my first thought exactly!</p>