Now I'm scared to go look...

[Duer 157099]

A few weeks ago I found this very cute square melamine tray at a thrift store, which looked vintage enough for me to buy it and research - it was a couple bucks.

It's stamped on back "Waverly" so I searched ebay and found similar ones, selling for $10 or so, so I figured, eh, no big deal, but it's cute and I had started using it in the kitchen and found it very useful, especially for preparing dough on, or anything where I needed a nice clean surface (it's like 15"x15"). Yesterday in fact, I had made some scone dough and had put some one waxed paper on this tray, and put it in the freezer so I could freeze them for baking later. Point being, I've been just using this tray like any other kitchen item.

So today I wanted to check ebay again to see if any more had turned up, because now I like it enough that I want more, because of how handy it has become.

OMG!! There's one listed there with a starting bid of $999 (GBP - $1954 USD!)!!!

GULP!! Turns out this tray is not just a Waverly tray, but has a Eames design on it! (It's called "Sea Things" and it's just so whimsical and cute, I love it!) There was no way to know, since it just had the usual Waverly stamp, but no other indication of the designer (now after researching, I see that it was licensed to Waverly in the 1950s)

I see that one identical to mine sold recently on ebay for about $400.

So now, I am scared to death to go examine it closely and see if my cavalier attitude about how I've been using it for these past several weeks, has done any noticable damage - scratches or whatever. That's one of the thngs I liked about this was how durable it seemed - but of course I'm afraid to look closely now, lol....

What a dilemma though! I love this, but man, do I really want to be making dough on a $400 (or more!) tray????? On the other hand, since I only paid a couple bucks for it, why should it matter to me?

[Stinky The Clown]

1. None of us likes to think we screwed ourselves out of money

I'd love to say "Aw, what are you afraid of ... just use it."

But I can't. I suspect you've done the melamine no harm. Its pretty durable stuff (which is why we still use it today in many products).

So just go look at it.

And then decide of you want to sell it or not. (Note: Most collectible prices are falling and will stay depressed for a good while, I suspect.)

[Duer 157099]

2. It's still sitting on the kitchen counter

I took a brief look and it looks fine, but I haven't done the up-close-with-a-flashlight look yet - I didn't even do that when I first got it so at least if I see something, I can forever think that it was like that when I got it (ahhh denial is such a lovely state this time of year).

But this has now triggered an Eames kick for me. In the past, I have stumbled upon some remarkable Eames era items in thrift stores (I used to have a Paul McCobb Planer group table, but sold it years ago for space reasons; and I had the quintessential chair, bentwood with black leather with ottoman, but gave it away), and I see them all the time even now, even on Craigslist. I guess I had lost interest so was mostly passing them up, but now after researching this item, I see that it is still quite a hot genre. There is one local thrift store in particular that always seems to have some remarkable vintage Danish or Eames or Miller stuff (by glance - I haven't taken the time to examine closely) - but I think now I will pay more attention. I just don't have the room to start hauling furniture pieces home, lol, that's why I usually stick with the small (kitchen!) stuff.

Now I feel compelled to go thrifting today :D (which of course is when I won't find *anything*)

I haven't decided what to do with the tray yet - I know prices are depressed now, and I know it will only get worse. But now I'm paying attention to this sector.

[grasswire]

4. I'm after mid century stuff, too

And I still see a lot of it real cheap. Even if things are depressed and will be for ten years, it still would be a good investment to snap up that stuff now and hang on to it, if a person has the resources to do so and can find the space somewhere. It's either going into someone's collection, into the dump, or will be mistreated by people who use it just as cheap disposable furniture/goods. Either way, the supply is going to shrink during the depressed years.

I've just decided to educate myself more fully about the furniture and styles and start really looking for it in out-of-the-way places. Retirement home in-house shops, church sales, etc. Even though the "retro" look is very hot in my city still, the buyers don't always know where to look for the bargains.

[Duer 157099]

11. OMG, you're not going to believe this

I'm researching the TON of stuff I picked up today (ok, so I was inspired, lol)

and I found one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mid-Century-Eames-Reed-Barton-Enamel-Nut-Candy-Dishes_W0QQitemZ380024661397QQihZ025QQcategoryZ69473QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

(the triangular one)

Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket tonight? :D :D :D

edit to add: I just looked in the completed auctions and found several more, but not at the price of the ones above - wonder if it's because there are 2, or the pristine condition, or the color. The one I found today is the yellow one, the equilateral triangular one.

http://search-completed.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=so&sbrftog=1&dfsp=32&catref=C6&from=R40&satitle=reed+barton+eames&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sabfmts=1&fis=2&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=32%26fsoo%3D2

[sufrommich]

13. Are you going to auction your tray?

If you do,could you PM me so I can put it in my watch?I love when thrift shop finds sell well.I get teased a lot by some of my friends for my thrift shop buys,but I just bought a mid century Conant Ball/Russel Wright American Modern dining room set with buffet for $278.00 at the local Salvation Army and paid my gas bill this winter with thrift store stuff I sold on Ebay.
I hope you do well with it and happy thrifting(I'm seriously addicted to it!)

[grasswire]

3. give us a link that that ebay item, wouldya?

I tried to find it with no success.

[sufrommich]

5. Here's one at auction:

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5170290

[grasswire]

7. gah!! estimated value 1,000-1500!

Okay, I'm going to start looking for one of those.

[sufrommich]

14. Unbelievable isn't it? But the hunt for

treasure sure is fun.

[Duer 157099]

9. Links:

Here's the one that is still active (but no bids, no surprise though since starting bid is $1954 US!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160236119245&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006

That is similar to mine, in that it's the black and white version, but mine is square, not oblong.

Here's one identical to mine, that recently sold:

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/755-Eames-Sea-Things-tray-with-black-decoration_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28221QQihZ002QQitemZ120251462252QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Here's one like the top one that recently sold:

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/758-Eames-Sea-Things-tray-with-gold-decoration_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28221QQihZ002QQitemZ120251462291QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I like the black and white much better than the other one, personally.

[grasswire]

12. thanks

I wonder if there is a melamine price guide out. Think I'll check on that to get an idea of what's desirable.

[sufrommich]

6. Lucky you!

Personally,I would stop using it. Go back to the thrift store and find another,cheaper tray to use.

[Duer 157099]

10. That's exactly what I did today

And surprisingly, I somehow *did* find another Waverly item, but this one was just a tourist plate, but it's one of Half Dome/Yosemite, so I couldn't resist.

I got a couple other cheapo trays for replacing this one in the kitchen, so I guess I will retire it from use ::sigh::

[Vinca]

8. Wow! I've never heard of Waverly before.

You learn something new every day. I'd have you tray on ebay within the hour.:rofl:

[sufrommich]

15. So would I! lol. nt

[Duer 157099]

16. Finally took a photo of it

[Duer 157099]

17. Oh this hurts

I had planned to try to bid on this, but was sure it would be bid up at the last minute. I was going to watch it at the end, but alas, forgot and was not home (was in a damn thrift store at the time!)

But I should have gotten this to make a pair with mine :sigh:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320260391481&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011

I can't believe it went for only $255 - I would have bid on it had I known (non-bidders remorse, lol)