If you enjoy thrifting, you probably have an appreciation for history. And if you have never attended an estate auction, you may not realize what you have been missing. Hopefully, by the time you finish this story, you will be ready to experience an authentic estate auction in person.
A Box Full of Post-WWII History
One of my favorite vintage—almost antique—scores this year was a large lot of old World War II-era paperwork. More accurately, it was post-World War II military documentation. I purchased the entire box lot for about $40.
The box was filled with fascinating material, including documents marked confidential, war-criminal search orders, lists of personnel assigned to specialized units, and memos describing the screening of displaced persons while searching for war criminals.
I know it is hard to believe, but I purchased the lot only one week after watching Nuremberg on Netflix. What were the chances? The movie caused me to reflect on the past and the world we live in today. Then, suddenly, I had pieces of that history sitting in my lap. For all I knew, people connected to the events portrayed in the film might have been named somewhere in the paperwork.
Deciding How to List the Documents
After carefully looking through the documents, I had to decide how to sell them. Should I create a few large lots or list every piece individually? I settled on smaller, related lots, and that strategy worked well.
It is true that selling each document separately might have produced more money, but it also would have taken much longer. My goal was to make a reasonable profit while moving the material efficiently. What else does a picker care about? Just kidding—well, sort of.
Are WWII Documents a BOLO?
Many of the listings sold quickly, so I think it is safe to call World War II-era documentation a BOLO—Be on the Lookout.
One individual listing lingered for a while, but it recently sold on Etsy for $35.60 with free shipping. That single document nearly covered the $40 cost of the entire box, and there were far more documents still left to sell.
I know some of the lots were purchased by other resellers, and that is fine. It used to bother me, but it does not anymore. We are in the same business; in this case, I am simply the wholesaler. I would rather move a larger quantity quickly and let someone else do the slower individual sales.
The $5 WWII Military Phonograph
I cannot believe I almost forgot the other discovery from that auction: a vintage military phonograph with a hand crank that I purchased for only $5.
This phonograph practically fell into my lap. I was exhausted and preparing to leave, but I decided to sit in the main auction area for a few minutes. The record player came up, and no one showed interest at the $5 opening bid. I thought, “What the heck?” and bought it.
As the floor runner came closer, I realized the case was military green. That changed everything. Jackpot!
From a $5 Purchase to a $350 Sale
I brought the old Army phonograph home and tested it. The unit worked perfectly. It took me a while to figure out the hand-crank connection, but thanks to my wife, the puzzle was solved.
Once it was tested, I listed the phonograph on eBay for $350. It sold almost immediately, and the buyer paid an additional $121.27 for shipping.
Always Look for Vintage Military Items
If there is one lesson I want you to take from this estate-auction story, it is that old military items can sell. Always—and I mean always—be on the lookout. When it comes to authentic vintage military collectibles, the older and more historically interesting the item, the better.
Explore more estate-auction finds and vintage-reselling stories on the Vintage Up Finds blog.
