$1,731.40 becomes $1,806.40
How much would you pay for a beautiful table lamp? $50... $80? How about $1000?
What if that lamp was by one of the most sought after makers, was over 100 years old and featured ornate detail work? Now are we talking north of $66? I took my golf cart money and bought some lights. This is the first one. Wish me luck.
Bought for $1,225, sold for $1,300
Project Profit: $1,806.40
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| Lamp features the original gas inlet from its original energy source but has since been wired for electric. |
Here's the ebay auction page to view and then buy this item at an incredible price!
UPDATE: April 9, 2012
I overpaid for some lamps. Like, seriously overpaid. Twelve Ben Franklins left my wallet for a c.1900 Bradley & Hubbard slag glass table lamp with gas inlet, a 1920 Miller ornate slag glass table lamp, and a convertible wooden high chair / rocker from the 50's. I tested the waters on the B&H lamp with a 3 day auction on Ebay. Since I can't afford to take a big hit on this one, I put a dream price up with a Buy It Now option of $1,200 and free shipping. No takers.
Remember those lamps I bought way back last year? The two that I spent 12 Benjamin's on? If not, here's a refresher:
Now granted, they are beautiful 100-year old lamps, but come on. What was I thinking? For my $1200 investment, I also picked up a freebee: a 1950's wooden convertible high chair. This item I did make a little profit on, but let's hope it's enough. I ended up selling the green Bradley and Hubbard slag glass lamp locally for $450. It wasn't as much as I hoped for but after listing it on Ebay and getting zilch there, I took a hit to get it off my hands. My only hope was in the bronze cast lamp with the tree base and curved slag glass shade. I was told by the lamp guru when I bought this that it was "most definitely" a Miller. When I was buying it I saw and read a label on the stem that said, "Lamb Lamps are best". He acted as though he hadn't seen that. Upon research at home I later learned that the Lamb Brothers were a prominent lamp company in Napanee, Indiana in the 1920's. Their lamps are quite rare and highly sought after. I was seeing dollar signs. I have it listed on Ebay right now and there is growing interest but I doubt I'll sell it for $875 like I'm hoping. If I can get close to that I'll be happy and escape this blunder of a step. On the bright side, I took the stroller and fitted it with replacement metal iron wheels and recently sold it to a baby photographer as a studio prop. I'm finding that living in a mid sized city has it's advantages to this game in that there's lots of product out there to hunt for and a matching number of people to sell to if a local sale is necessary.
This thing is awesome. I can just imagine the person who invented it back in the day: "Gee, I got this squirmy little kid who needs to be strapped down all day but I also have things to do. Oh! I know, I'll make a chair that does everything." This is a convertible high chair that starts out as a high chair, lowers on metal gears to a stroller with cast iron spoked wheels, and lowers again to a fully operational rocking chair. I'd never seen anything like it but apparently all of the antique store folks had as no one wanted to buy it from me. It didn't sell on Ebay or Etsy either, though one woman on Etsy was absolutely in love with it at $200. Ultimately, I sold it to this photographer for $75.
Bought for $75, as part of the $1200 mistake and sold for $75 = $25 profit.
The Lamb Brothers lamp is now at auction on Ebay and as long as it sells for at least $725 I'll come out even on this one.
UPDATE 2/11/2013: The lamp finally sold at auction. The seller went out of town right after the auction and it took some significant patience and prodding to get the bill paid, but I finally received payment! $810. That puts me back in the clear for this step, plus having been able to enjoy some beautiful lamps for the better part of a year in my living room.
Step Sixteen: Bought Two Lamps and one convertible high chair for $1,225. Sold for 1,300. Profit: $75.
Project Profit: 1,806.40
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