European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Flea markets can turn up not so buried treasures by Barbara Mayer the associated press having recycled grandma s quilts mom s China and aunt Hannah s Highboy americans Are scouring the Flea markets and Thrift shops to Stock up on furnishings that belonged to someone else s relatives. Recycling is the fashionable new name for a practice As old As the Hills a namely filling a Home with Good used stuff. Can you find valuable items in a Thrift shop or Flea Market you bet says Terry Kovel of Shaker Heights Ohio. Not Long ago Kovel co author of Kovel s Antiques amp collectibles Price list 1994 Crown $13 and Many other books about Antiques and collectibles was asked by a local Charity to value a donated plate. Quot it was a rare Nippon plate Worth $900,�?� she says. The moral of her Story is that the knowledgeable shopper can find great buys at secondhand outlets. Quot for the Best buys go to places that Are off the beaten track such As farm auctions in Rural areas and rummage sales held by Church and school groups a says Kovel. Quot the problem is that you need to be persistent since you can t count on finding something All the  even without special knowledge it s possible to furnish a Home at a fraction of the Cost of new items. The rewards May be furniture to hand Down to your kids a who May Well junk it at some future Yard Sale. Quot we Are still using the Sheraton style furniture we bought at. House sales in the 1950s,�?� says Kovel a secondhand shopper from Way Back. Decades ago classic 1 both Century and Early 19th-Century style pieces were prominent then came the great period for victorian items. Old Mission pieces came next. Available today Are 1950s items some victoriana and some Mission and. Lots of accessories and collectibles. Early one weekend morning Kovel shopped a Flea Market in the parking lot of her Louisville hotel where she bought a Small tin toy for 50 cents Worth $5 to $10, and a pair of Russel Wright Salt and Pepper shakers for $1, Worth about $15. Quot the interesting part a says Kovel Quot is that five people who must have been dealers were grabbing stuff right and  shopping for secondhand items is much More competitive than it used to be with Many More knowledgeable collectors and dealers after the same items. Quot for weekend sales be there Early and find out which Days the Thrift shops put new stuff out or go in every Day a says Kovel. As for the salvation army a go in every Day to see what they  though it s far from the Only source the salvation army is probably the most common recycling station in the country. There Are 1,480 Thrift stores throughout the United states and All of them Stock used furniture and other items for the Home. They Are patronized not Only by people who can t afford to buy new but by senators wives and suburbanites who could says col. Leon Ferraez National communications director at salvation army Headquarters in Alexandria a. Since the Charity organization will take virtually anything what s for Sale at any one store varies from time to time. Each store strives to have on hand a Basic Stock that includes living room dining room and bedroom furniture As Well As lamps bookshelves and Knickknacks. Ferraez claims that everything donated that s deemed usable is available in the stores. Nothing is siphoned off and sold separately to Antiques dealers. The Thrift stores that draw their Stock from wealthy neighbourhoods Are More Likely to have better merchandise admits Ferraez. For example stores in fort Lauderdale Fla the Washington area and Stamford conn., have a reputation for Good buys. Secondhand smarts help savvy shoppers Antiques experts who know the ropes about locating finds at Flea markets Yard sales and secondhand shops have advice for smart shopping. A if you re in the Market for collectibles know As much As possible about the Field says Terry Kovel author of several books about collecting. Read Price guides and any additional literature on the subject. A bring along a magnifying Glass and a flashlight to closely examine items for flaws and maker s Marks and a tape measure to make sure the item will fit into the designated spot at Home. A inspect merchandise carefully. Sometimes even dealers Are unaware of hard to spot repairs that might lower value a and get you a lower Price if you Point them out. / a Don t be shy talk to dealers about their merchandise. Often you la pick up information that will make you a More aware shopper. I a Don t be afraid to negotiate. Most Flea Market dealers expect it. A expand horizons. A single earring might make an attractive Lapel pin merely by gluing it to a ready made Sinback. A ask for a receipt listing age condition and origin of any item that costs $100 or More. They say there is a customer for everything. However Kovel suggests steering Clear of items in need of substantial repairs. A do not buy anything that needs to be repaired by an expert. Sometimes the repair can Cost More than the item is Worth. A do not buy chipped cracked and or broken dishes. These flaws lower value by 80 percent. A do not buy items that have been repainted unless the Price is quite Low or the value is less important than the Appeal of the piece As is. Mary Randolph Carter author of american junk Viking $29.95suggests shopping for a pile of things before beginning the nagging process. A dealer is Likely to be More amenable to bargaining on a group of items than on a single item. And she has advice for a Day on the Flea Market circuit take moist towelettes to wipe Grimy hands and tissues to dry them. A cooler with bottled water juice and snacks makes a Long Day of shopping less tiresome and minimizes the need to waste time stopping for food. Carter says she carries junk food appropriately on her junking expeditions. Dress in layers for a comfortable expedition. Avoid wearing a heavy coat and Don t carry a pocketbook. Stash credit card Driver s licence and Money in pockets. Carter uses one of those fishing vests with lots of pockets. A Barbara Mayer Columbus Day weekend specials. A 2 overnights october 7-10 Loire castles $249 Poland $249 Copenhagen $249 Budapest $249 Prague Karlsbad $199 Normandy $199 Venice Florence $209 Amsterdam $189 Paris $159 Paris euro Disney $249 3, 5 or 8 of nights $299 up 3 or 5 of nights $179 up Italy save $20 per person toil i this Coupon i any 2 or More o nigh i Lour of Columbus Day Mack crids save $10 a it a any i  or 1 o night i Coupon through oct 3rd i l a 1 Book today and save for detailed information please Contact your nearest itt or Sato office or Call top Tours at 063154051 from 9 . To 9 . Heidelberg officer amp civilian women a club on behalf of the 26th area support group october 1994 Friday 7th 12 . To 9 . Saturday 8th sunday 9th monday 10th 10 . To 8 . 10 . To 8 . 10 . To 6 . Howell 4 associates. 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