Banking on It

Last week I bought a metal bank at the Westlake Goodwill. I didn't really need it, but I thought it looked interesting. It's a little old-timey car.

To deposit coins, you drop them in the slot at the bottom. Getting your money out requires unscrewing four screws.

While the bank looked old, it didn't look like an antique, so I didn't think it must be worth much. However, while I was in Lynchburg last Thursday evening, I went into an antique store on Main Street and saw a similar bank. It was a different car model, but the color and the metal were the same. It was marked $20. I asked the proprietress about it; she said that it was more likely "vintage" than antique.

On Friday, I did a bit of Googling. Banthrico Inc. of Chicago made a lot of model car banks. Earlier the company was Banker's Thrift. Apparently, during the 50s (and probably earlier), the banks had keys. Since mine has screws, it must not date back that far. Yep, vintage but not antique.

I found the little car bank on eBay for $22.50 . . .

. . . and for $19.95  (although the wheels on this one don't look in very good shape). . .

. . . and for $75!

I guess I did all right by paying $1.99 for mine.

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More Catty Things

Today, on my way back from Lake Writers, I stopped at the Westlake Goodwill just to see if they had anything interesting. As a matter of fact, they did. I found this little cat plate that, according to the lable on the back, is actually a "candle plate" in the Cattitude line from Waxcessories. It's about the size of a salad plate.

It's dated 2007 and labeled  "handmade in China." I couldn't find anything about this particular plate online. I did find some other Waxcessories candle plates that varied from $6 to $8. I paid 99¢. I like it because the cat on it looks like Olivia.

I also found some ceramic cat wind chimes for $1.99. There is no identifying mark or label on them, though. I thought they'd look good hanging from the ficus.

Here's a closer look at the main cat. . . 

. . . and some of the kitties.

Also at Goodwill, I found something not cat-related—a small Emerson Creek Pottery flower pot, dated 1996, for 99¢. 

I own some other Emerson Creek stuff (the pottery is in the next county over) and I paid way more than 99¢ for a flower pot this size years ago.

I hadn't intended to buy anything today, but I was glad to find these little decorative items.

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Oneida Blues

While I was in Roanoke today, I stopped at the Goodwill at the intersection of Brambleton and Rt. 419. I rarely find anything good in that store, but today I was feeling lucky. I just happened to see a few things I maybe could use—a large wooden initial (55¢), an outdoor sun plaque (55¢), a little cat basket that I can use to hold office supplies (99¢), and a small ceramic something that looks like a coaster (55¢).

Not great finds, but cheap enough. I kept browsing, though, and found some white soup bowls with blue rims (4 for a dollar).

I can always use bowls that size and I loved the color, so I bought all six. Further down the aisle I spotted some matching salad plates. Further down, I saw dinner plates.

Hmmm. Should I get them. Why not?  I checked the backs and discovered they were microwave and dishwasher safe. Plus they were a brand name—Oneida—and they were in really good shape. I bought all they had—four salad plates and five dinner plates. My total Goodwill bill came to $6.47, including tax.

Did I get a good deal? I Googled the name—Maitre de Porcelain—and found that the pattern was one Oneida had discontinued, but plenty of it was still for sale online. Here are three screenshots:

Given the prices I found on the Internet, I guess I didn't do too badly. 

Plus these Oneida dishes look great with the Pfaltzgraff ones I bought over a year ago and some I bought last May.

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Cat Plate

At the Discovery Shop yesterday, I saw a plate I just had to have. It had just been put out. Although it was marked $4, the shop was having a special sale 25% off almost everything, so I got the plate for $3.

At home, I looked at the back and saw it was from "Cats by Nina." 

A bit of Googling turned up her website: Nina's Big Store. I checked her site to see if that plate was on it. It wasn't, but there were some similar cat ear plates:

I clicked on them and found what they sell for:

I guess I got a good deal.

Edited to add: I got in touch with Nina Lyman, who creates wonderful animal art on her website. Turns out my cat plate is a reproduction. But it's still a really nice plate.

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