Things I Regret Buying at the Thrift Store!

Hello Everyone, can you believe that we are only a few days from Christmas?! Today's post is about my not-so-successful thrift store finds. I have been doing some cleaning in the house, and discovered a few items that I bought with good intentions but never used.

I feel a bit dumb about the Vintage Tupperware Salt Shaker and Ketchup dispenser that I purchased at Value Village. I would say that I am much savvier of a thrift shopper today, but I think I overpaid for these - 99¢ for the salt shaker and $2.50 for the ketchup dispenser - more evidence about the silly pricing methods at our local Value Village.

I fell in love with these pale blue teacups and saucers that I purchased from the old folks' home thrift sale.

At 35¢ for each set, I can't feel too silly for this... except that I don't really drink tea out of dainty cups and saucers! The swirl pattern and delicate handles are definitely beautiful though.

I purchased this wooden rack, which I thought would be really awesome for harvesting veggies from my garden, or taking to farmer's markets. Nice thought, but in reality, I never used it.

This bag of chair webbing had a cool package and reminded me of my family's old aluminum patio chairs.

The only problem? I don't have any aluminum chairs that need to be fixed! I think this is the priciest item on my list, ringing in at $4.

My readers and lovely followers definitely know that I'm a Pyrex fiend, so I couldn't resist this Primary Blue 401 Mixing Bowl for 50¢ at the local thrift store. However, the condition is just so dull and flaky that I could never bring myself to use it.

Then there was this teapot with a bamboo handle and neat looking lid. The only problem? I've found so many great teapots that this one got pushed to the back of the line.

Of course, I can't feel too bad about these purchases. Most of them were from charity shops, and I'm sure they made good use of the money. I am planning to donate these next time I'm there; hopefully someone will snap them up!

Linking up to Flea Market Finds and Thrift Share Monday!

Vintage Melitta Coffee Tea Pot in Yellow!

I went to the next town over the other day to see what the thrifts had waiting for me. I stopped at a Salvation Army Thrift Store in the suburbs and was rewarded with this Vintage Melitta Coffee Pot!

You may remember from one of my popular posts that I found a Vintage Melitta Coffee Tea Pot in Mint Green some time ago, with the original Melitta sticker on it. You can read more about the history of Melitta at that post... these are high quality German-made products!

Don't they look beautiful together?

Some of the interesting design features of my other pot led me to identify this one as a Melitta. The pour spout has a clever indent that prevents drips when pouring your coffee or tea. Melitta was also the company that invented the drip-brew paper coffee filters. A ceramic cone that sits atop this piece was nowhere to be found, but I hope to find one in a matching colour someday!

The unglazed ceramic base was another How-To Tip on identifying Melitta pieces. Although some have a Melitta stamp on the base, this unglazed radial pattern bottom is a sure marker of Melitta. When these were sold many decades ago, there was a sticker indicating that you can set this pot on an asbestos pad and heat it on your stovetop!

I got this coffee / tea pot for a bargain price. It was supposed to be $4.99 but because one of the nibs on the inside of the lid was cracked off, I asked for a discount and purchased it for $3.99. I'm pretty excited about my purchase, despite this minor flaw.

Linking up to Thrift Share Monday and Flea Market Finds!

Vintage Melitta Coffee Tea Pot in Mint Green!

Before I jump into this terrific tale, I want to thank you all for commenting and following! I have made it easier to leave a comment by removing the "Word Verification" requirement. I hope you will keep stopping by and telling me your thoughts!

Without further ado, here is a piece I have been seeking for some time... a vintage Melitta coffee or tea pot!

The first time I saw this piece, it was through a window at a thrift shop that reserves special items for a monthly auction. It was a complete set with the matching ceramic filter, but the bidding was already past $60 by the time I came along.

The mint green colour and simple style caught my eye at the time, and I have since had this on my thrift wish list. Melitta is a German company founded in 1908 with the invention of the drip-brew paper coffee filter. Melitta is actually the name of the woman who came up with the invention, then became an entrepreneur who started the business.

The spout has an interesting hole with a ridge leading back into the pot. Apparently this is a feature of Melitta ceramic coffee pots that makes the spout drip-proof. It is actually quite clever; I suppose it guides the liquid back down the spout.

The interior of the pot is glazed and glossy. Even though it is missing the matching ceramic filter cone holder that sits on top of the pot (in place of the lid when making coffee), it's in great shape and can be used as a teapot.

The underside of the pot is unglazed; I have seen a vintage Melitta with an original label reading:  "Caution - Never put coffee pot on direct heat! Always use asbestos plate between source of heat and your coffee pot."  You won't find me putting this piece on the stovetop, that's for sure.

Interesting tidbit... This teapot is unmarked except for the faded Melitta label shown above. You see, the topper drip cone was embossed with the brand as part of the set, so a permanent marking on the pot itself was unnecessary. The $5 price sticker at the Salvation Army was placed OVER the Melitta label!! I actually believe this is the only reason we were able to come along and find this little treasure before someone else snatched it up.  =)

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

UPDATE: I just found another vintage Melitta pot in a buttery yellow colour! Read all about it here!