Goodwill Shopper Finds Vintage Fire-King Milk-Glass Mugs For $1.34 Each, Then Spots A Handmade 1986 Piece She Says No Big-Box Store Can Replace

Some thrift store finds are worth grabbing the second you see them. At a Goodwill in Kansas, @lifeoflonny spotted a full set of vintage Fire-King milk glass mugs for $1.34 each, and then a handmade piece dated 1986 that she says you cannot find at a big-box store.

She started her haul at the Goodwill in Overland Park with high hopes for new carts. Within minutes, the cart was filling up with mid-century charm.

A Skunk Planter, Siamese Cats And Strawberries From Fitz And Floyd

The first things to catch her eye were a little skunk planter that looked very 1950s to her at $2.95, and a set of Siamese cat salt and pepper shakers that looked mid-century modern. The shakers still had their stoppers and no chips, and cost $2.86.

She also grabbed strawberry shakers marked with the FF of Fitz and Floyd at $2.86, plus a hand-painted pitcher for $1.34 and a bunny pair for $2.86. A chipped leather wallet was passed over, and she left a pair she thought might be Home Interiors.

“You’re Not Going To Buy Anything Like That At Hobby Lobby Or Walmart”

Then she spotted something that looked quilted. It looked hand-painted and handmade, with initials at the bottom and a date of 1986. It was double-sided, and she pointed out you could stick a battery-powered candle up under it.

It was $4.79. “You’re not going to buy anything like that at Hobby Lobby or Walmart or anywhere like that,” she says. “I can’t leave it.”

The Full Set Of Fire-King Milk Glass Mugs

Her biggest moment came in the mug aisle. “Do you guys see them?” she asked. “The vintage Fire-King milk glass mugs.” They cost $1.34 each, and she found a full set with a rose, a tulip, a daisy and a violet.

The mugs were in beautiful condition, and she guessed they were from the 1960s or 1970s. She even dreamed of finding a metal tree to hang them on. They went straight into the cart.

Snap-On Glasses For Her Son And Amber Bottles For Fall

She found sandblasted highball glasses with a double-banded rim and the Snap-on logo, USA. They were $2.86 each and in good condition, and she said her husband owns quite a few Snap-on tools. She bought them for her son, and if he does not want them, she will list them online.

Vintage amber beer bottles from Michelob and Barrel Beer were $2.95 each, and she loves amber glass this time of year. A modern glass piece for $7.70 would look pretty on a console table filled with candy corn.

A Hearth and Hand vase at $2.95 caught her eye, and she thought it would be great with hydrangeas. A botanical print was $4.93, and a pair of silhouettes in a black beaded frame was $2.95 each. She thought the frames made them worth it, even if they are reproductions.

Holiday Dishes, Halloween Plates And A Hammered Copper Cauldron

The serveware aisle was loaded with fall and Christmas pieces. A set with an autumnal palette, probably Temptations, was $7.70 and would be perfect for Thanksgiving. A gravy boat with an underplate in a large squirrel pattern was $4.79, and a green stoneware piece marked Roma Inc. Made in Italy was $4.92.

She picked up Royal Stafford Halloween plates made in England for $1.99 that she thinks would look great mixed with ironstone on a plate rail or hutch. She passed on a hammered-copper-style cauldron at $20 and wicker ghosts at $10 each, and loved a set of 60 illustrated cocktail cards.

A Second Trip Turns Up Fall Decor

She returned on October 9, when it was 86 degrees and the store was a madhouse. She grabbed a pumpkin for $2.99 because somebody was taking all of them, and found a handmade trinket box for $2.99 and a seashell for $3.99.

She was drawn to a green tray at $5.99, a brass-tone letter holder from Target at $2.99 and a metal jack-o’-lantern she liked for $4. A soup tureen with its ladle was $4.99, and a lead crystal piece marked Poland was $9.99.

She also found Santa light covers that look unused for $4.49, a duck Jell-O mold for $7.99 that she thought would suit a gallery wall, and an alabaster trinket dish at $5.99.

Back Home, A Metal Jack-O’-Lantern Gets A Makeover

At home, she toned down the bright metal on the jack-o’-lantern with burnt umber acrylic paint, using a dry brush technique. She hung it from the rusty metal scarecrow she bought at an estate sale a couple of months earlier, along the garden shed.

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” she says. “Isn’t that just the truth?”

How To Thrift Like A Pro

Look for maker marks. Fitz and Floyd, Royal Stafford and Roma stamps told her what she was holding.
Check for chips. She looked each set over for damage before buying.
Handmade beats store-bought. A dated, signed piece is something you will not find at a big-box store.
Look at wear. The Fire-King glass pieces showed paint loss at the rim, a common sign of dishwasher use.
Have a backup plan. If a find does not suit a family member, she lists extras online.

Vinyl and Velvet