Well, Did you know that some of the very best and most popular TOYS AND GAMES are making a comeback at CAR BOOT SALES, CHARITY SHOPS and GARAGE SALES!!!.
Like many Grandparents, I'm sure, I keep a toy cupboard full of toys, TOYS, GAMES AND ACTIVITIES for when the Grandchildren come to stay or to visit. Buying new toys and games is not only very expensive, (most of my buys are £1 or little more) but they really aren't as good in quality as items manufactured in the past!!
Added to this should your grandchildren look after them well, YOU CAN SELL THEM ON, AND MAKE A PROFIT.
Below is a few of my current selection of VINTAGE TOYS.
Besides keeping a selection for the grandchildren to play with at my home, I look out for CHRISTMAS AND BIRTHDAY GIFTS for them all. You may be thinking "Hygiene," but most can be washed in warm soapy water or at the very least wiped over with a disinfectant wipe. They may even be healthier given the chemicals in use today. Pictured below are two items I have found and put aside as presents for my two youngest grandchildren. THE TUPPERWARE SHAPE SORTER AND HUNGRY CATERPILLAR JIGSAW, must be familiar with a lot of people.
As I mentioned earlier, VINTAGE TOYS WERE MADE TO LAST. I have bought several new games of CONNECT FOUR. The grandchildren love playing it, but the plastic stands in the new ones have snapped in no time at all. However, much to my delight I found an original (c)1976 one, in a charity shop recently for £2.50, much cheaper than the new ones I have bought, and I am convinced will not snap like they have.( Well it hasn't in 40 years!!) You can see how much more sturdy it is!! Also hopefully I will be selling it on for a profit in due course.!
QUICK TIP.
VINTAGE SPIROGRAPHS, particularly those from the 1960's by Denys Fisher are quite sort after. However they should be complete with no parts missing, including the pens, although these will almost certainly be dry. They should also be in very good undamaged condition. Although a little wear and tear may be permitted on the box. If all this is as it should be you could get up to £15 at an on line auction.
SALES: I promised previously to keep you updated on my sales. They include a Snow Globe depicting D Day, a Vintage Pocket Clothes Brush and a Vintage Brass Paperclip in the form of a hand . OK, the total profit was only £7.50, and after the fees the profit will be reduced even more, but bearing in mind that the customers have paid, a not insignificant, postage on top of the costs of their goods, the profit sounds better, and it gave me a walk to the post office, and satisfied my latent gambling urge, with the online auction. It's a question of LOOK AFTER THE PENNIES AND THE POUNDS WILL LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES.
Two other items I did slightly better on were a Klimpt Night Light, bought for £1.50 and sold for £8.50, plus a hand crafted wooden drinking vessel bought for £1.00 and sold for £5.99. The Klimpt night Light as you can see is beautiful, and I was tempted to keep it.
We do need more people to recycle and buy second hand goods, toys or otherwise, rather than dipping into the worlds ever diminishing raw materials, or allowing good useable items to go into landfill.
Although I'm not sure why I'm telling everyone, as the more people buying these second hand goods, means less choice and less lucrative for me !!!!