Make sure to give yourself a little extra time when you head out to explore the Old Clarksville Mill Antique Mall housed in Old Clarkesville Mill. The sprawling mall is located on one floor, so it is easy to navigate, but there is SO MUCH to navigate.
DISPLAYS THAT AMAZE!
Vendors here let their personalities shine, not only through their offerings but how each has chosen to display their wares. Seeing the creativity that goes into displays is one of my favorite things about antiquing, and many of these vendors here do a bang-up job of it, especially those in the front of the building.
But can you find deals in a mall full of merchants who seem to know what they’re doing? YES! Once I pulled a $30 old painting from the wall of an antique mall in the NC mountains that I later sold in my Etsy shop for $1200. Plus, as I’ve said before, different things sell better in different areas and through different platforms. Let’s take a look at these three items in the ever-popular cobalt blue color.
I paid $10 for the bottle with the embossed pattern of shells, knowing I can sell it for $24 in my coastal shop. The Blenko bottle cost $24, but I have sold this same color and style for $48 in my shop, so I purchased that as well.
The retro lamp is super-reasonably priced at $40. When I first started selling on Etsy, I sold a number of vintage lamps to folks who work on sets in television and video. If I were to purchase this lamp, I would price it at $265 plus shipping. I have no doubt it would sell. But then I would have to ship it somewhere – most likely California – and it takes a lot of time and care to safely package a lamp that needs to travel across the country. As time is something I am short on these days, I passed on the lamp, even though it is a great deal. Here’s the thing: not only do you need to know what an item will sell for, but also what you have time to sell.
It must have been my lucky day because one of the vendors was having a 25% off sale, and it just so happened that I liked their style. From that booth I picked up some more Blue Willow, a cute creamer from Japan, a pair of brass shell bookends, and a magnificently heavy brass swan planter. Good brass is another consistent seller for me, so I was very excited to find these pieces.
The impressive collections I saw at this stop included large pieces of local pottery, Pyrex, books, albums, clocks, soda bottles, and marbles. There was more to look at than a person can see in one visit, so if you live in the area, plan to stop in more than once!
The Old Clarkesville Mill Antique Mall bills itself as the largest indoor antique mall in Northeast Georgia. Located at 583 Grant Street in Clarkesville, Georgia, it’s open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (706) 839-7500 or visit them online.
Who should visit: Folks with time on their hands who enjoy viewing a large variety of items.
Score of the day: Mid-Century brass swan
Predicted profit on swan and bookends: $75
Re-seller takeaway: Sometimes you need to pass up a good deal to maximize your time. Time is money, after all!
The Savvy Picker publishes bi-monthly on Now Habersham. For more great reads and finds, click here. Also, visit The Savvy Picker website for additional tips on tracking vintage treasure.
