Adventures in thrift shopping...

[badatapologies]

I have a superpower. Just the one. I cannot leap tall buildings or make flames shoot out of my nipples* or do anything else that would get me on "Heroes". However, if you blindfold me and set me loose in a thrift store, I will find something rare and cool and possibly valuable for under a dollar in five minutes or less. It's a gift, but it's also a curse: I'll bet when you pack to move, you don't have multiple large boxes in categories like "telephones" or "toasters" or "bakelite radios" or "cameras" or "waffle irons" or "Star Wars toys". I have television sets from every decade since 1948. I own three Betamaxes. I've got a hundred four-track tapes. Do you even know what a four-track tape is? I have three 60-gallon tubs that are packed solid with Legos. I can't even lift 'em. Good news is maybe I could build a human-size house out of the legos?

The lesson here is that I don't thrift shop much these days. Cash flow is not ideal and object-containment capacity is not optimal. But I had some appointments today and I decided to reward myself by spending a couple of bucks.

Result? Three sealed Game Theory LPs (including Lolita Nation).

And?

A complete tabloid insert from the July 15, 1955 issue of the Los Angeles Times. Announcing the opening day at Disneyland. With original full-color concept art, ample written descriptions of rides, themed areas and attractions, and a personal message from ol' Walt himself. On fragile 52-year old newsprint, but intact. I can't even find a reference to its existence online, let alone any pictures.

Net total for the tabloid and the albums together? $3.75.

If I could only find things that were valuable that I didn't want to keep, I could make a fortune. But I suppose that would be wrong. With great thrift-shopping power comes great thrift-shopping responsibility.

I'll scan the Disneyland pages--carefully--as soon as technology permits. It definitely brightened my day.

____
*optional sport package. as shown, $32,500. your mileage may vary. professional blogger on closed course. do not attempt.

Comments

[toddalcott.livejournal.com]

I am very jealous of your thrift-shopping skills and want very badly to see the Disneyland images. I'm betting that's something Disney doesn't even have.

Before you go thriftshopping next time, let me give you a list of things I'm looking for.

[mcbrennan.livejournal.com]

By an amazing stroke of timing, I had dismantled and packed the scanner the night before I found the Disneyland tabloid. But I'm probably going to unpack and scan it before I move, and I'll upload the images for your perusal.

Seriously, if you have anything in particular you're looking for, let me know. I have a pretty good track record with those things, and I take pride in putting arcane goodies into the hands of people who can properly appreciate them. I'm practically the "Touched By An Angel" of thrift store junk.