Cat Cat Village, Sa Pa | Vietnam

There’s no nice way to say it . . . Cat Cat Village is fake. It’s an entirely modern tourist trap built as a combo souvenir shop/Instagram set. Can you see ethnic minority people there? Sure. Can you buy genuine handicrafts from them? Yes, assuming you know what to look for. 

90% of the place, however, is Vietnamese shopkeepers selling junk souvenirs and costumes to Vietnamese tourists, who spend the day taking photos for social media. The costumes are about as close to what local minority women wear as Disney’s Princess Jasmine outfit is to traditional Kurdish costume.

No one lives in the “H’mong family houses,” they just sell batik outside. To add insult to injury, Vietnamese pop music blasts through loudspeakers, and every couple hours there’s a ridiculous dance show supposedly featuring ethnic minority performers doing traditional dances in traditional costume (nope, definitely not, and barely).

The village is more or less a convenience. If you are:

• too old or infirm to hike to a real village, or

• you want to pick up Western style clothes “inspired by” the craft processes of the region (rather than wear things made by and for H’mong and Dao), or

• you only travel for the ‘gram so you’re trying to get as many picturesque selfies as possible in one day

this is the place for you.

Personally, I only had two hours to spend here, and almost burst into tears when it seemed like the paths of shit shops would never end, and any good landscape shot was occupied by at least 3 couples inanely posing.

My best advice for Cat Cat village is:

#1 It’s better under the influence. The food is better, the trash souvenirs are funnier, the people taking their social media personas way too seriously seem less of a nuisance, and when you inevitably overpay for something, it bothers you less

#2 Do it backwards. The main entrance is right next door to the Sapa Sky hotel. Pay for your ticket, get a map, and then walk down the hill for 20 minutes to the other entrance and go in there. If you want to buy authentic clothes and snacks from local ethnic minority people, they occupy the far less trafficked backend of the park, probably because the rent is cheaper. 

Sa Pa Town | Vietnam

Sa Pa is a popular tourist destination situated in the Northwestern highlands of Vietnam, in Lao Cai province, near the Chinese border. The main draws are interacting with exuberant and traditionally dressed ethnic minorities, and trekking through 500 year old rice terraces and bamboo forests. 

The more athletic climb Mount Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina; the more materialistic hit all the ethnic and faux-ethnic shops and markets. Some come just to escape the heat and pollution of Hanoi, and stay in a luxury hotel for a relatively low price. Others come to rough it with the locals, butchering their own meals and cross-stitiching the day away in a wifi-free world.

Before the 16th century, the area was very sparsely populated, but there is evidence of prehistoric people: a 3 square mile area of 150-200 large stones carved with petroglyphs (called Bãi Đá Cổ, or Ancient Stone Field) spreads over Tả Van, Hầu Thào and Sử Pán communes in the Mường Hoa valley, just below the town. Archaeologists don’t know much about the glyphs (it’s been suggested that they’re pictographic, religious, related to 3 different language groups, made at different times by different groups, etc.) but believe they date to between 600 and 2000 years ago.

By the 16th century, the northern highlands became home to the various ethnic minority tribes that still live in the villages today: Hmong (over 50%), Dao (25%), Tay (around 5%), and Giay (around 2%); plus Muong, Thai, Hoa and Xa Pho (just a few households of each). These groups were pushed into what is now Vietnam from China, during a time when the border was not clearly defined. 

The hill tribe people you meet in Sapa Town will mostly be Black Hmong and Red Dao, because their tribes have the largest populations in the villages closest to town. Somewhat further away (a day’s walk or so) are the White Hmong and Tay villages. To see other tribespeople in any great number requires a 2+ hour drive out of Sapa. 

Having colonized Tonkin in the 1880s, and signed two treaties with China defining its borders (in 1887 and 1895), the French began building up Sapa Town in the 1910s. At first a military hill station, it quickly became a high society resort. Roughly two days away from Hanoi via train and carriage (these days shortened to 8 hours via sleeper bus), Sa Pa is a relatively cool, mosquito free respite in all seasons. 

The French famously lost their war with the Viet Minh in 1952, and bombed Sapa town into oblivion upon retreat. So, no colonial buildings remain. The French influence, however, lingers in two indelible ways: religion and cuisine. Most of the local Hmong, to my surprise, are Catholic, converted by the French a hundred years ago. As far as Western restaurants go, traditional French cuisine dominates, with boeuf bourgignon, blanquette de veau, and croque monsieurs more readily available here than in Hanoi.

Only in the ‘60s did ethnic Kinh people (the very dominant lowland majority, who foreigners identify as ‘Vietnamese’) begin to visit Sa Pa; only in the ‘90s (when Vietnam changed from central planning to a controlled capitalist economic model) did they begin settling in and opening tourist reliant businesses. Nowadays, the ratio of foreign tourists to Vietnamese natives of any ethnicity is 1:1 in the low season and much higher in the summer months. 

Sa Pa is currently building so much and so quickly it has sparked lots of debate about over-tourism. In town, every other building is a hotel/restaurant; all are constructed around a small, partly artificial lake/park, and every 5th lot or so there’s another hotel going up. Construction laws in Vietnam are lax, so construction noise is a nuisance from sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week. Countless tourist buses, vans and cabs clog the small and windy roads badly enough to make it slightly dangerous to walk during the day, and truly inadvisable after dark. 

In the villages, most families have built houses with cement blocks and corrugated metal roofs, abandoning their traditional wooden architecture. Buzzwords like “ethical and sustainable tourism” have become meaningless ploys to overcharge for the same standardized experiences offered by the gazillion tour companies. The supply of handmade souvenirs far exceeds the demand, and the locals are extremely aggressive about selling them, including lying (*everything* is either an “antique“ or “took 2 years to make”) and trailing Westerners for literal hours. 

Apart from the practical, ecological and economic impacts, a cultural debate is also raging: which is worse, the “Kinh-washing” that’s rebuilding Sapa as a giant luxury instagram set for Vietnamese tourists (who naturally support Kinh-owned businesses that lock minority locals out of their own economy), or the “enforced primitivism” Westerners perpetuate (by patronizing the most old-fashioned/impoverished looking people in the name of authenticity).

I’m making it sound terrible. It’s not! I spent 3 weeks in Sapa and its surrounds and really enjoyed it. 

The Cooper Hewitt + Cube Museum 2019 Design Triennial: NATURE

Fantasma by AnotherFarm: transgenic silk (injected with coral DNA to glow red) dresses

As per the website:

With projects ranging from experimental prototypes to consumer products, immersive installations, and architectural constructions, Nature—Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial, co-organized with Cube design museum, presents the work of sixty-two international design teams. Collaborations involve scientists, engineers, advocates for social and environmental justice, artists, and philosophers. They are engaging with nature in innovative and ground-breaking ways, driven by a profound awareness of climate change and ecological crises as much as advances in science and technology.

Tree of 40 Fruit by Sam Van Aken: using centuries old grafting techniques, 40 varietals are incorporated into one living tree

Choreography of Life by Charles Reilly: depicts ATP synthase harvesting the metabolic energy stored in ATP bonds

Bioreceptive Concrete Panels by Marcos Cruz, Richard Beckett, Javier Ruiz, Nina Jotanovic, Anete Salman, Manja van de Worp: a natural method of fighting air pollution

Cillia coat by Jifei Ou, Hiroshi Ishii, Fabian Neumann, Sen Dai: 3D printed hairlike structures on the coat can be programmed to provide warmth, act as sensors or aid movement

Bamboo Theatre by Xu Tiantian: with a little help from an architect, local Chinese bamboo basketmaking knowhow helps villagers build stable architectural structures for community gatherings

A World of Sand by AtelierNL: a sentimental statement about teamwork and diversity?

AIR (Avoid-Intercept-Redesign) sneaker prototype for Adidas by Parley for the Oceans: running shoes made entirely of marine plastic waste

3D-Painted Hyperelastic Bone by Adam E. Jakus and Ramille Shah: hydroxyapatite (a form of calcium found in bones) makes these implants porous, flexible, strong and recognized by the body like real bones, aiding faster bone regeneration and tissue integration with low or no immune response

The Substitute by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg: CGI animation and DeepMind behavioral software is used to recreate the extinct male northern white rhino

Project Coelicolor by Natsai Audrey Chieza: Textiles dyed with pigment producing bacteria eiiminate water waste and pollution from the process. Colors are controlled by pH, oxygen exposure and time.

Bleached (II) by Erez Navi Pana: this salt-crystallized loofah and wood stool symbolizes changing human perception of natural commodities.

Cisterns by Hiroshi Sambuichi: displayed in old city cisterns around the world, this installation transposes the experience of visiting the Itsukushima Shrine (in Miyajima, Japan) onto local environments

Biocement Masonry by Ginger Krieg Dosier: made of mixed sand, nutrients and microorganisms, these bricks are as strong as standard bricks and are grown and dried in molds, eliminating high carbon emissions typical of the standard firing process.

Warka Water Tower by Arturo Vittori: collects potable water from dew, fog and rain

Aguahoja II by Neri Oxman: made of biocomposite materials made from shrimp shells and fallen leaves, these “skin and shell” structures can be 3D printed and programmed with different mechanical, optical and olfactory properties, including timed decomposition.

Curiosity Cloud by Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler: hand fabricated replicas of different insects that would not be found together in nature are united, and triggered to flutter by human movement

Made by Rain by Aliki van der Kruijs: textiles dyed by rain interacting with their ink are “fingerprints'“ of location, date, time interval, and millimeters of rainfall

After Ancient Sunlight by Charlotte McCurdy: this petroleum free algae-based plastic raincoat is manufactured in a manner that metabolizes atmospheric carbon rather than emitting it

Personal Food Computer by Daniel Poitrast and the OpenAg team at MIT: a tabletop sized, robot monitored chamber creates environmental conditions yielding desired phenotypic expressions from plants

Visualizing the Cosmic Web by Kim Albrecht: how are galaxies in our universe related? mapping their connections with different models helps us better understand the history of our universe, or potential multiverse

Monarch Sanctuary by Mitchell Joachim and Vivian Kuan: a vertical meadow with glass facade and carefully temperature and humidity controlled interior helps replete dwindling Monarch butterfly populations

I hope against hope that some of these carbon negative and pollution upcycling technologies become standard before we ruin Earth’s habitability.

A Quiet Walk In A Rainy Garden

The formal garden in Central Park on a quiet, empty, rainy spring day:

Rockefeller Style: Inspiration & Picks from the Peggy & David Rockefeller May 2018 Auctions at Christie's

Wealth, New York City, politics, modern art, banking . . . the name Rockefeller evokes such strong associations of privilege that most people assume they couldn't pick up anything from their style. After all, what room wouldn't be improved by a Renoir or Picasso? What dinner wouldn't be beautified by a service made for Napoleon?

Looking over the Peggy & David Rockefeller auctions, though, there's a lot to be gleaned by the average decorator. The areas in which they chose to collect (apart from blue chip art and gems) are both indicative of their milieu and easy to imitate, with high quality reproductions or inspired modern products:

• Granny's antique porcelain dinner and dessert services, with hits from virtually every active region of creation in the 18th and 19th centuries (Sèvres, Coalport, Minton, Wedgwood, Edo period Japanese, Chinese export, Herend, Meissen, etc.)
• lots of coats and crests engraved on silver, almost all George II & George III, with emphasis on tea and chocolate pots and salvers/waiters/trays
• animalia in textures from Meissen porcelain figurines to vintage wooden duck decoys
• exotic souvenirs including Greek relief pottery, gilded Buddhas, Chinese watercolors, African masks, and Persian miniature paintings
• English furniture, again almost all George II & George III, with a focus on veneers and inlays in amboyna, amaranth, and fruitwoods
• Americana: hurricane lamps, naïve portaits and nautical paintings, southwestern Native artifacts
• comfy Victoriana: andirons, tea caddies, bedwarmers

The classic palette is also of note: hallway and kitchen walls are ivory; rooms for entertaining are mustard yellow, cherry red, apple green, and papered; rooms for relaxation and reflection are wood paneled. Floor length curtains with matching pelmets are the only sort of window treatment, with chintzes featuring prominently. Upholstery is the aforementioned chintz, silk damask, cotton velvet, or needlepoint. Rugs are antique Oriental carpets only.

Finally, the arrangement of objects is very classic: art and lighting is always centered, tablescapes always symmetric, lamps and side tables only come in pairs, every mantel is furnished with a garniture. Lighting comes from sconces, chandeliers and table lamps, no overheads or standing lamps. Folding screens artfully hide doors; most every surface has a decorative bowl or grouping of humorous porcelain figures flanked by a pair of table lights. Display cabinets abound, and mirrors are set up to reflect careful arrangements of objects, rather than expand the feeling of space. 

The online sale lasts a week, starting May 1st, and there are several items with estimates below $1000. If you need a special touch or conversation piece for a room, these are my picks:

In Perfect Taste: Moda Operandi Starts Selling Housewares

My heart flutters when I 'windowshop' Moda Operandi fashion, and their home decor is no different.

Today they debuted their offering of luxury housewares, and just like the fashion, it's a refined edit. 

These are my picks:

1. Anything Vladimir Kanevsky

His flowers are magical realism rendered in porcelain. Deceivingly true to life, yet fantastic in their perfection, Kanevsky's sculptures are modern high society's take on granny's precious antique Capodimonte flower baskets. Small pieces begin around $3,000; huge centerpieces range as high as $180,000.

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2. Venetian Glassware

Speaking of Italian grannies, I've long held onto a Venini blue and white ribbon handkerchief vase, despite its utter lack of stylishness. Over the past 60 years it's been downgraded all the way from cherished display object to vessel holding my facial cotton in the bathroom. I am delirious with validation that LSD herself is also a lover of traditional Venetian glass, and I think tabletop is a great way to incorporate it into modern life, beyond tourist totems.

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3. Exclusive Luisa Beccaria Home Collection

Unapologetically feminine and frilly. The glasses are great, the dishes fine but the table linens are divine. It's only available at M'O.

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4. Arjumand's World Italian Fresco Wallpaper

$3000 is a bargain to instantly get the feel of Pauline de Rothschild's bedroom, non?

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5. Frances Palmer Ceramic Vases

Perhaps my favorite thing about Moda Operandi is that it introduces me to designers and artisans I haven't heard of. Frances Palmer is a working artist in Connecticut, who has been making ceramics since 1987 but was educated in art history. This combination lends a poignancy to her best pieces, which look as if a very talented amateur spent hours upon hours sitting in a museum, copying neoclassical ceramics with limited resources. Palmer's vessels retain the elegance of their period inspirations, but have a high-end homemade feel, like true sculptor's editions.

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are you picking up any fresh decor from m'o?

Things I Always Buy At Home Goods & TJ Maxx

Ralph Lauren lamps at TJ Maxx, $75-$95 each

90% of the housewares at home goods, marshalls and tj maxx (all owned by the same company and carrying much of the same stock) are ~weird~, why? or no.

It's easy to get SO overwhelmed by the junk you can't see the gems, 

but there are certain categories of good, cheap items that are almost always in stock at these shops, that I rely on for myself and my interior decor clients.

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SHOWER CURTAINS:

They sell what seem to be private label (Hotel), licensed (Vera Wang, Cynthia Rowley, Tahari etc.), and sometimes simply last-season (Kassatex, Kate Spade) shower curtains that are reliably classy, just as high quality as what I can buy at Saks, Gracious Home or ABC Carpet here in New York, and 1/5th the price. These are all $20 or $25; at Neiman's you'd be spending $85-$300.

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classic white 100% cotton bedding:

For $40, there is always a pure white/100% cotton embroidered quilt, matelassé coverlet or waffle weave blanket available. This is one of the most popular types of bedding (or backup bedding) in most of the homes I decorate. Not only is each type of bedcover in unquestionably good taste, but pure white in different classic textures layers so beautifully. It's also washable, bleachable and therefore kid, pet, kink and breakfast-in-bed friendly. If a client wants the best and has the money, there's nothing wrong with getting the $600 Matouk or Sferra version. Most people prefer 4 or 5 of these in the closet for themselves or guests, though.

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hangers, hampers and overdoor racks:

When Home Goods opened in New York City I knew my life would never be the same, because the baskets, hampers, velvet huggie hangers, and overdoor racks I had been purchasing at the Container Store were dethroned! Sometimes they've got good options for shoes storage or drawer organizers as well, but not as reliably.

Overdoor hangers are $7 or $8, which is no cheaper than Bed Bath & Beyond, but the selection is always on trend. Basket hampers are a far better bargain, typically priced at just 10-20% of what I would pay at Bed Bath or Container Store. Sets of 25-35 hangers are $12-$17 (about 40% cheaper than Joy Mangano huggable hangers), and again the options of goldtone and coppertone metal bits are very on-trend. 

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Sheets under $50:

SO . . . cheap sheets are not my thing. Yet, I respect that expensive sheets are just not everybody's thing. If you've decided that sheets are a place where you want to conserve funds, TJ Maxx/Home Goods/Marshalls are a great place to buy them.

For  $30/40/$50/$60 they usually have Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein for about half what you'd pay at the department store; sometimes they've got Kate Spade, Donna Karan, Maurizio, other sort of higher-end of the mid-range stuff. Once in a blue moon I've seen Anichini, Frette, and Sferra. Sometimes it's still really pricey ($175, $250), but nothing compared to what you would normally pay, and it usually goes on clearance as well.

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Dog Beds and Bowls:

I'm a stickler for chic pet accoutrements! People often take out their tacky on their pets, or neglect to buy their things with anything but utility in mind, though they are constantly on show in the home. Pet boutiques are notoriously expensive, and pet chain stores have woefully little variety and even less of quality. TJ Maxx/Home Goods/Marshalls represents a good balance.

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White towels:

Pure white long loop terry towels are available everywhere. The only reason to buy them somewhere more expensive is if you want a specific weave (ie double satin hotel band, floral damask), or want to get them monogrammed at the same time. If you don't do monograms (or like to have really great ones done by a dedicated pro) and aren't hung up on a specific texture, these are great bang for the buck ($8 each, vs. $20+ at a department store). Like white bedding, pure white cotton toweling in different textures can layer up to provide extra style and convenience.

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Tablecloths:

I repeat, I AM A LINENS SNOB! Give me Porthault or give me death! But for casual events, everyday dining, outdoor events, kids' events etc., there's a place for mid-range and bargain priced linens. Kate Spade, Cynthia Rowley, Tabitha Webb and Ralph Lauren are consistently available for $15-$30, and sometimes nice imported Italian linens as well. 

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Shell and Stone Decorative Items:

Lots of their decorative accent stock seems to be imported from India. That means capiz shell, lacquered items and semiprecious stone accessories at really accessible prices. Geode bookends are usually $20-$30 each; shell trays $12-$25 and shell furniture $50-$150.

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Lamps:

The lamps here are a bit more expensive, but also more conservative and better quality than Target-- sort of halfway between Target and West Elm. I can usually find a matching pair of Ralph Lauren blue and white lamps, and can always find a great individual desk or bedside lamp. Prices range from $25-$99.

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KITCHEN: 

As a decorator (and terrible cook) this is an area that I typically don't handle. But for things that people tend to leave displayed (pans on an overhead rack, canisters on open shelving) I like to pick up color coordinated stuff. I also couldn't help but notice that they have a lot of the same brands sold at nice mid-range retailers like Macy's (T-fal, Cuisinart, All-Clad, Breville, Bodum, Riedel etc.) for discounted prices.

Of course, I have found various other gems at times, but these are the categories that I KNOW will not be a waste of my time.

What do you always buy at Marshalls/Home Goods/

TJ Maxx?

any recs for me?

My Best Thrift Shopping Tips

circa '20s/'30s silverplate rolltop chafing dish with lovely deco engraved design

thrift price: $35

market price: $150-$325

Thrifting helped put me through graduate school. 

I used to really make a business out of it, getting my route down to a science, consistently shopping it, and reselling either on eBay or to dealers at The Garage (RIP, what a great market). I no longer buy for resale, or even thrift more than once in a blue moon.

But on a beautiful day last week, I had a meeting end two hours early in a neighborhood I used to frequent (but haven't visited in a long time). I grabbed a latté and thought, why not? I found some really great stuff and couldn't help but take home a couple things. Too bad I only have one body and one apartment! I had such a soothing, nostalgic, solo afternoon, which inspired me to share my best thrifting advice with you. All these photos are of what I found just that day!

entirely hand-stitched quilt circa '30s/'40s with one old patch repair

thrift price: $13

market price: $60-$70

A FORMER VINTAGE DEALER'S

ESSENTIAL THRIFTING TIPS:

1. EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFOREHAND

This is undeniably the toughest tip to execute, but it's the most important. To find great stuff, you have to know what you're looking at. The best way to learn which antiques, works of art, and vintage clothes are valuable is to go to places that have the stuff, and learn from people who know a lot about it. I have honestly had innumerable incredible thrift finds, but after reflecting for 10 minutes or so I think my favorite finds over the past 10 years have been: a '50s Dior couture New Look coat ($50), a 19th c. Japanese watercolor ($8), an 1820s/30s French 20k gold and enamel brooch ($2 or $3 in the costume pin basket), a chicken blood jade bangle ($6), two! pre-1950 San Leucio silk bed coverlets ($32 and $18 respectively), a pre-1930 heavily hand embroidered Chinese silk jacket, definitely worn by an official or other elite ($8) . . .

and I wouldn't have bought any of these if I hadn't known the difference between:

-a cheap '90s Dior licensed coat and its label, as compared to a '50s era coat exhibiting couture level workmanship and tailoring, with its set of Dior and numbered couture labels

-a cheap 80s/90s art print with a faux finish antiqued frame, as opposed to a genuine antique watercolor with gallery framing and label verso

-modern goldtoned metal, versus antique tarnished high karat gold

-plastic, glass, or dyed marble, as opposed to jade/jadeite/nephrite

-polyester/rayon/nylon compared to real silk damask

-cheap modern machine embroidery versus priceless antique hand embroidery with rare stitch types

Museums are fantastic for recognizing quality and workmanship, though the odds of finding something of true museum quality in a thrift store are infinitesimally small. 

The absolute best settings for learning are auction previews, high-end retail shops, and trade fairs. While it may be intimidating at times, and you really might get snubbed by the help, many people showing the merchandise are kind (or bored), and would be happy to educate you at length on anything that catches your eye. This in-person experience of seeing up close and touching is priceless. Auction houses post their calendars on their websites; the seasonal Vintage Fashion Guild newsletter lists exhibits, shows, fairs and sales, as does The Magazine Antiques Calendar.

Second best are the same auction houses, dealers and retailers, but in print and online. Anyone can look at the online catalogues and results for Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonham's, Doyle, Skinner, Drouot, Tajan, Phillips, Freeman's, etc. You can usually subscribe to catalogues on certain types of sales, and they have good resale value. If you have no idea where to begin, 1stDibs is a great place to start. Check to see if the dealers there, or those exhibiting at trade fairs, have websites or Instagram accounts. And of course, watch Antiques Roadshow!

I'm sure you've seen lots of blog posts and Youtube videos where people haul the most POINTLESS things at thrift stores, or noticed that Etsy shops with subpar stuff never seem to sell anything. Education is as much about knowing what NOT to buy as about knowing a good buy when you see it.

Mid '60s Jim Thompson Thai Silk Hostess Gowns

thrift price: $55 each

market price: $500-$700 each

2. Shop in wealthy, elderly neighborhoods

Obviously, wealthy people donate better things more frequently. Also keep in mind the average age in a neighborhood; thrift stores in places where grandparents and parents pass away have better finds than areas where young people live, and the merchandise typically moves more slowly as well.

Antique costume design gouache

thrift price: $65

market price: $200-$500 (depending on the company/performance)

3. Go as early as you can

Most merchandise is put out in the morning before opening, and then little by little continuously throughout the day. End-of-day pickings are relatively slim.

4. go on slow days

Thrift stores receive and process most of their donations on weekends, when the people donating are off of work and school. That makes Monday and Tuesday the best days to go.

Antique Chocolate Easter bunny mold

thrift price: $15

market price: $100-$200

5. wear an excessive amount of perfume

Thrift stores do not clean their merchandise, and even high-end ones tend to smell. I wear a solid 8 prophylactic spritzes.

6. don't touch everything; instead, really really look

If something doesn't leap out at you as fabulous, it won't leap out to a friend, guest to your home or buyer either. Lots of people get into the terribly time wasting (and kinda gross!) habit of flicking every hanger or picking up every thing and giving it a cursory inspection. There is no need to touch every hanger on the rack; take a step back and carefully scan the rack twice. Are any textiles notably beautiful? Start there. A cheap ugly dress doesn't get less cheap or ugly when you pull it out and examine its label, even if that label ends up having a designer name. Likewise, you will very quickly learn to see the difference between sterling silver, Sheffield plate and cheap EPNS without flipping over every single tray looking for a hallmark, believe me.

circa 1920-1950 sterling silver screwback earrings

thrift price: $8

market price: $40-$60

7. bring your fully charged phone

Once you've picked out your potentials, you want to make sure you're not overpaying. Don't assume thrift prices are always low. On this most recent trip I came across a really lovely 50s etching by a well known Italian artist of the era, selling for $125, which seemed like a bargain! But when I checked the price, I learned there are actually a LOT of them around and they sell, framed, for $40-$75.

Picclick.com is my favorite site for figuring out market prices on the spot. It's a site that indexes eBay listings with a proprietary algortihm. When you type in any given search term (for example "blue and white tray"), it displays large photos of comps with their prices. Click on the ones that look most like your item, and it not only pulls up more photos and the description, but displays the popularity of the specific listing (in terms of views per day),  and value proposition of the item (based on the range of prices of the 50 closest comps currently listed), as 0-5 "star" ratings (flame symbols for popularity and dollar signs for value), with 0 being the worst and 5 the best. Finally, it shows a second endless scroll of listings that match the clicked-on item the best, constituting a refinement of your initial search. 

Here is a visual: (my original search term in picclick.com was 'blue and white tray'; this is the item I clicked on that looked most like my find)

The stats of comps helps me see quickly what my profit margin might be and how quickly I can turn the item over.

If you don't know what search terms to use in picclick:

FOR CLOTHES: Vintage fashion guild's vintage label resource helps quickly identify the era and designer of a piece; their 'fabric looks like' section helps you find the correct name for a fabric type, and their fur resource helps you discern the different types of fur. All of these have very helpful photos that you can compare to your thrifty find in the store before you buy.

An example of their label resource, search term 'Dior, Christian'

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FOR ANTIQUES: Rubylane is full of vetted, knowledgeable dealers who thoroughly describe and tag their items, and call each other out on mistakes and misrepresentations. Just typing a simple term like 'gold sconce' into the search box will bring up enough well photographed, highly detailed comps to figure out if you're looking at mid-century/Dorothy Draper style/gold leafed plaster or circa 1910/ French art nouveau/gilded bronze.

Visual results for search term 'gold sconce' show different types of related items with very different values, from different eras

FOR ART: I love Artnet! If there's a signature or gallery label anywhere on what you have, type it into the searchbox. They will show you photos of artworks, artist bios, exhibitions, plus the galleries and auctioneers that have handled the item or artist in the past. Once you see the piece or artist, click through to see current auction estimates or gallery prices, and google "(piece or artist) results" to find auction price results. Invaluable.com won't show you realized prices if you're not a paying member, but they will show pre-auction estimates from past auctions, which is fine when you're still just standing in a shop trying to decide to buy or not. Sotheby's, Christies and Bonhams results from the past 20 years are listed on their sites and show up in google searches.

Here's an example: Once, I encountered a small sculpture signed "Frink," which didn't ring a bell, and searched on artnet. Look at all the info about the artist and the current market for her work! Clicking on the specific sculpture, I immediately knew it was worth buying at any (thrift) price:

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Even if you can't figure out the artist or read the signature, if there's a gallery label from a place listed on artnet, you're onto something good: they only list legit high-end places. If it's signed and labeled clearly and not showing up there, it's probably not good, but check PicClick just in case.

Circa 1910s-1920s French gilt bronze wall lights

thrift price: $125

market price $300-$1000

8. Be Picky

I could have purchased and resold every find I've photographed here (plus the 5 others that didn't make it into this post) at a profit, eventually. Key word being, eventually. I learned the hard way years ago that the thrill of taking home a find is not worth turning my tiny apartment into a bubble wrap accented warehouse. Margins are high but turnover is very slow in the vintage/antique world, so unless you've got a lot of extra space (physically and emotionally), it's best to only take home what works for you, your family, and your home, right now. Or really small things!

'10s or '20s Venetian amethyst glass decanter with sterling silver painted overlay and original stopper

thrift price: $18

market price: $40-$60

Bauhaus bar cart with minor condition issues

thrift price: $75

market price $700-$900

circa 1920 metal plant stand

thrift price: $150

market price: $400

'40s or '50s gilt metal cuff bracelet

thrift price: $4

market price: $50

100% cotton knit blanket and matelassé heavily embroidered scallop edged coverlet, both twin size with no damage

thrift price: 2 for $20

market price: $20-$30 for the blanket; $250 the coverlet

vintage Czech kitchen canister sets

thrift price:$30 each

market price: $75- $100 each

watersnake and python purses

thrift price: $7 each

market price: $40 and $100 respectively

circa 1830-1860 North Staffordshire dinner plate

thrift price: $8

market price: $30-$40

'80s coffee cannisters and GIGANTIC Dunkin' Donuts thermos

PRICELESS

Do you have any great thrifting tips?

Should I start selling my finds on Depop?