When I was visiting Tina last weekend, I bought this bowl at Goodwill for $2.80.
I didn't know anything about it, but it had a stamp on the bottom that said "Arabia Finland." I have heard Shannon talk about how she buys anything marked Denmark, pretty much no matter what it is. I figured, "Eh - Denmark is kinda near Finland. This might be worth something." So I bought it. When I started researching it, I saw that it was a hard-to-find design. There were NONE currently listed, and none were showing up in completed listings either. I checked Terapeak and saw a few that sold last Christmas for around $60-65, but because those listings were so old, I wasn't able to see the pictures to know for sure that it was the same bowl. I checked Google images, and only TWO came up. So I figured it was a safe assumption that I had something pretty valuable.
I priced it ridiculously high, for $139.99 or best offer, and I was hoping to get $80 for it. I figured I would probably have to wait until closer to Christmastime to get a good price for it, but at 5 cents a month, I was willing to wait however long it took. Imagine my surprise when I got (and accepted - obviously!) this offer, 2 days after listing it!!
It's going to Japan. No big surprise there. The buyer paid immediately and sent me this lovely note:
"Thank you so much for accepting my offer. It's a beautiful piece. I will give it a good home!"
What a great way to start the day!
Wow amazing find. I always tend to stay clear of the housewares section because I have so little knowledge about what to look for. After reading this I think I might venture over next time. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteArabia is a very good name. I just sold a piece myself that I found at the SA, but it wasn't worth nearly as much as yours. Great find and awesome sale! Congratulations! And what a nice buyer too!
ReplyDeleteLorraine
Oh yeah Arabia is always good to pick up! I do the same as Shannon and pick up most anything that is marked Denmark, Finland, Sweden or Norway
ReplyDeleteNice sale. Thanks for the tip on picking up items marked Denmark or Sweden. I've filed it in my mental scouting bank :)
ReplyDelete