{Estate Sale Temptations} In a Musty Basement

I don't think I've ever had the smell of a basement hit me as hard as the one at this sale did. It was just must and mold, but WOW it was strong.

There were tools and woodworking stuff and bottles and jars down there, probably nothing that couldn't be cleaned up and salvaged. And this hulking chest freezer with a sign warning not to open it if Polly wasn't there.

You can just see the logo at the far end. We didn't know the company that made those trucks my husband collects made chest freezers and we almost talked Polly into selling us this one. We also got a look inside -- I don't know exactly what it was, but I couldn't smell it from where I was standing a couple of feet away, so that was a plus.

The prices at this sale were high and the treasures were in rough shape. All of this wonderful vintage baby stuff was out in the rain.

Can you see the little pink metal ironing board? I kind of almost wanted to bring it home.

There's a snooty chicken crock pot. I wonder how many sizes and colors this thing came in.

Someone who collects old plastic Halloween costumes would probably love these, and I hope that person found them.

I was tempted by the dollhouse and the sewing machine, but they were up by the ceiling and impossible to get a closer look at.

If I wanted to frame those little crewel kits I've been collecting, I could've picked up a whole stack of new-in-box Jiffy frames. But I don't and I didn't.

A huge box of S&H green stamps and an equally huge box of cigarette stamps. That was one of two boxes of Raleigh Cigarette coupons I saw at different sales on Friday. Makes you wonder who saved all of that and what they could have redeemed them for back in the day...and why they didn't.

The big find of the day was this thing...

I'm told that it's a new-in-box carburetor and that they sell for hundreds of dollars. It probably fits that old truck my husband is rebuilding. At the sale with all of the treadle machines we found an air filter that probably fits for a dollar.

I guess the moral of this story is that even if the prices at a sale are completely and totally out of line they may have that one thing that you need and that they've completely and totally undervalued.

There was also this, being used as a doorstop on the rainy back porch.

I peeked behind the paper and it really did appear to be a homemade gravestone. I have so many questions about that.