Lately I’ve been keeping a running list.
Not just screenshots in my camera roll, but an actual working document of vintage pieces I would buy if I were building a room from scratch. Some of them are investment-level — the kind of things you save for, rearrange a space around, and keep forever. Others are simply well-priced examples of good taste: a pair of sea urchin finials to make any lamp look that much better, one of the best coffee tables I’ve ever seen, a Western-style belt begging to make your jeans and tee look so much cooler.
I do this partly because it sharpens my eye. When you’re constantly comparing what’s available across platforms — what a similar object costs on 1stDibs versus Etsy versus The RealReal — you start to understand value in a much more nuanced way. Retail anchors you one way. True vintage market pricing anchors you another.
And because not everyone is in the market for a four-figure mirror or a rare ceramic, I’m also still pulling my monthly edit of pieces under $100 — things that still carry shape, age, and intention, but don’t require a financial recovery plan.
Below is this month’s list: all under $100, all currently available, and all incredible.
These items tend to go fast, so make sure and subscribe if you want first dibs every month.
xx,
VC
from top left: gold and black tassel handbag, $92; carved angel, $40; Paco Rabanne necklace, $99; Marithe + Francois Girbaud pale pink stretch top, $35; 1950s colorful silk clutch, $48; 2001 six-piece nude painting, $95; statement clip-on earrings, $35; Paco Rabanne pendant, $76; mid-century ceramic serving dish, $38
from top left: Alvaro Gonzalez raffia fringe thong leather sandals, $75; large wood cactus toothpick holder, $75; Toyo ceramic quails, $68; brushed silk vase, $90; 1950s apple box, $84; silk beaded necklace, $89; Art Deco silver plated sugar bowl with Bakelite handle, $39; white pillow with brick piping, $70; organic cotton table mat (set of two), $60
from top left: Villeroy & Boch X Paloma Picasso trinket dish, $45; carved fish doorknobs, $32; 1990s Leonardo Da Vinci tee, $41; Arthur Court fish butter knives, $24; 1980s Paloma Picasso bag, $65; brown lucite and brass minaudière, $55; Metropolitan Museum of Art replica footed bowls, $35; Arthur Court cast aluminum fish plate, $40; scarab choker, $88
from top left: Miaou corset, $33; Jonathan Adler tray, $63; Christian Dior candleholder, $75; Dinosaur Designs bangle, $80; Khaite gladiator sandals, $68; Jonathan Adler needlepoint face pillow, $72; Tateossian pendant necklace, $95; Elsa Peretti for Tiffany heart box, $86; Julietta moonlight earrings, $95
from top left: 1980s mixed metal earrings, $98; Ernest Fiene 1953 lithograph, $100; green incense holder, $59; western belt with abalone buckle, $95; sea urchin lamp finials, $72; mid-century German vase, $80; Joan Miró needlepoint pillow, $75; Gucci bookmark, $95; vintage copper beaded box purse, $98
I recently ordered new socks for my workouts. They are engineered to improve foot alignment and stability with a specific focus on your arch. They’re also wildly comfortable and under $30.
I also started using this mask (three times a week) a couple weeks ago and wow. It stings just a teeny-tiny bit but that’s because it’s full of active ingredients and specifically targets dark spots. I am very fair so anything (a breakout, a bug bite, a sunburn) will show up on my skin for years. This helps. A lot.
I thought this Bloomberg piece was interesting: with Baby Boomers aging, downsizing, etc., we will soon see an influx of higher-value art hit the market. But will it resonate with a younger audience?
You've always got the best eye!
New to following you, not new to thrifting! but this post got me thinking- as an experienced reseller, I’d love to hear your mindset about pricing, how long to wait before calling it quits, etc