The Belber Wardrobe Trunk ~ A History Part 1

I peruse Craigslist every day. Categories of interest: Free (where I scored my mannequin), Antiques/Furniture, & Garage Sales. Often times I see wonderful pieces of furniture that are being sold rather cheap... and it makes me wish I had a big, old house to fill with the old cupboards & other finds on Craigslist. Like looking at a flea market, I enjoy looking on Craigslist to see what is out there.

I have been on the hunt for an antique/vintage trunk for some time. Craigslist is filled with these listings, but I have yet to purchase an item from a singular person. I guess it's the buyer-beware stigma that is attached to Craigslist. For the most part though, the trunks listed on Craigslist either aren't my "style"/what I'm looking for or they are way out of my price range.

Last week while doing my usual Craigslist search, I came across a listing for a vintage "traveling" trunk at a somewhat local used furniture store. There was only one photo of the trunk, but I knew that I had to have it. The listing was simple - an antique trunk in need of a little tlc but otherwise in good condition. The price was listed as $35. Seeing this price point, I knew I had to jump on it. So, I patiently waited until the next opening day since the store had off hours. I meandered through the used furniture store, filled with cupboards, dining room tables, couches, chairs, and the occasional ugly painting cast off from someone's living room.

There it was, standing open against a wall, with a lamp positioned on top of it. It was perfect and for the price of $35, it was even better. I sized up the trunk and thought "Sure, this will fit in my car." A salesperson loaded it up on a cart for me, I paid the $35 plus tax, and then shifted some items around in my car. Now, I own a VW Bug. I've crammed more objects in my car than most people believe will fit. It is amazing how in college, I could almost fit my entire dorm room contents in my car. Sure, this trunk could fit.

The trunk was large. Larger than I initially thought by looking at it. It was heavy. Super heavy, easily 100lbs. The back seat was put down in my bug and the salesperson & I managed to get the trunk in my trunk. It was a tight squeeze, but it fit. Now, I couldn't see out of my back window at all, but hey... you gotta do what you gotta do for collecting. If I turned my head around in the front seat, my nose met the trunk but again... I knew what I had & there was no way I wasn't going to find some way to get this home.

What I had purchased was a vintage Belber Wardrobe trunk. A trunk with a history.

 

The Belber Trunk & Bag Company was one of many companies that made a variety of trunks during the late 1800s and 1900s. Belber Trunk & Bag Company was founded in 1891. In 1920, Belber's manufacturing facility operated out of the Larkin/Belber building in Philadelphia. 

This building was built in 1912 by the Larkin Company, who dealt in  soap and home products. They sold the building to Belber Trunk & Bag Co. in 1920. The building was composed of twelve stories, plus a basement. As described in the application for being included on the National Register of Historic Places, the building had wonderful, industrial style qualities of a 1900s place of business.... "Built in 1912-1913, the Larkin/Belber Building's fenestration reflects its historic uses, with openings for showrooms and loading operations on the ground floor, banks of massive triple 1/1 iron sash windows lighting offices on the second floor, and multi-light iron windows denoting warehousing & manufacturing on the third through twelfth floors." More detail about the building... "Along Arch & 22nd Streets, the building's tall first floor once contained large showroom windows, while service entrances are located along Cuthbert Street and in the western facade, where a rail spur formerly entered the building." The Belber Company added a cornice, rooftop sign (see photo) and a neon clock that was affixed to a water tower. The cornice, sign, & neon clock have been lost to history. The main stairway runs from the first floor to the roof. "It is sheathed in marble and ornamental pressed metal (dimpled on the walls, forming a grid pattern on the ceiling), with decorative wrought iron railings, between the first floor and the landing above the second floor, where the view of visitors to the second floor effectively ended."

The Larkin Company used the first floor as a showroom/ loading, the second floor as offices, and the subsequent floors as manufacturing and warehouse use. When the Belber Company bought the building in 1920, they basically used the building in the same fashion, except for renting out portions of the lower floors to the Philadelphia Daily News and textile/garment manufacturers. Belber produced a variety of trunks, bags, and hangers.

~ Belber Company History ~

Before moving to the Larkin building, the Belber Company originally occupied a small building in Philadelphia at 2nd & Bambridge Streets. The move to the larger building was a must needed venue change, as business began to boom. The 1920s saw an upsurge in the consumption of trunks by the middle class. Belber's trunks were seen as a luxury item, but one that a person of middle class could afford without breaking the bank. Advertising was done in magazines, classifieds, and on the building itself. When the trunk company bought the building in 1920, they employed Leroy Rothschild, a local architect, to add some personal touches to the building including the Belber sign on the roof & the neon clock, one of the first in the city, affixed to the water tower. The building was in a prime location due to foot traffic and the railroad being nearby.

"The company's workforce consisted primarily of men who built wood frames, cut and stretched leather, and affixed handles and brass hinges to trunks and suitcases on the top five floors of the building. Women made up approximately ten percent of the workforce, largely in sewing, clerical, and sales positions." In 1947, Belber moved its operations to Woodbury, NJ and a variety of different manufacturers occupied the Larkin/Belber building until 1980, when it remained vacant. As with many old buildings, it became a place for vandals, graffiti, and for the effects of time.Be sure to check out this great collection of photographs from the Larkin/Belber Building pre-condominiums. However, due to its significance in the industrial era and the details that still remain in the building, it was submitted for approval to be declared a national historic place, which it became in 2003. In 2004, Orens Brothers, Inc. bought the property and developed it into 170 loft-style units with an attached garage and commercial space. To see what the Larkin/Belber building looks like now, check out the Orens Brothers real estate listing. Rent is a mere $2,600 a month for a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom condo. I just hope that the people that reside in the condos have some sense of history about what was there prior... I hate to see history disappear.

- For a more thorough history of the Larkin/Belber building, check out the application for the National Historic Places nomination.

*the story of the Trunk to be continued*

~ Flea Fact ~
Every item has a history. From the initial idea, to production, to the market, and finally in the hands of a buyer. Learning about the history of what you are buying can be as much find as searching for the item itself.

highway robbery.

I have been going to an indoor flea market in PA since I was a kid. Sadly, the condition of the market has declined and along with that so has the number of vendors. Booths used to be packed in both buildings, but now many are empty or covered with sheets. The vendors that have stuck around are the same vendors that have been there for 10, 15 years... and some of their "stuff" has been there that long as well.

So, why do I continue to go there? Because there are some good finds to be had. Prices are okay - some in the correct range and others way off the mark. There is one booth where everything is 95cents. I'm sure that in the midst of the items in this booth are hidden treasures, definitely worth much more than the asking price. Apparently other people believe this because the seller has signs that if you ask what the price is (not believing that yes, everything is 95cents, you will be charged $3 for an item).

 I bought one of my first "bubble" frames there... I absolutely love the convex bubble glass portraits. The first one that I ever bought was of a woman, very homely and not that attractive...wearing her hair up in a bun, simple dress on, complete with a brooch necklace. The frame was in excellent condition, adorned with ornate brass edging and flowers. The price? $10. I walked away with that piece feeling like a proud picker.

(Photo property of GuidoneEtsy.. creator of mixed media art selling on Etsy.. a great way of re-using vintage items)

 Since that purchase, I have one rule when it comes to the convex bubble frames... I will not pay more than $20 for one. I am sure I am missing out on some great buys of the bubble frames that I do find for $30, $40, and $50. But, I know that I can find these frames for $20 and under... it's just a matter of waiting it out... like when I found one of a 1920s/1930s man. This was a much smaller frame than my $10 find, but the lady wanted only $5. Sold!

So, today at the indoor flea market, I stumbled upon a bubble frame of a man. The man was rugged looking, dressed in what appeared to be a cloth shirt, holding a piece of paper, and there was a faint glimpse of the chair he was sitting on. The frame reminded me of a frame that I purchased of a WWI soldier. It was the "tiger" wood... dark brown with black slivers through it. As a side note, the WWI soldier in the original pre-1920s frame put me back a mere $20. The condition of the rugged man photo was okay... there were 2 slight slits on both sides of the photograph paper, but not so much that it detracted from the portrait. The frame was chipped in the lower corner and it appeared that someone tried to cover the chip by using a black magic marker to hide it... obviously that attempt wasn't successful.

The owner of the booth wandered over and quoted me a price of $25. I replied that it was a nice piece, but no thanks. He then asked me what I would consider paying for it.... ugh. Being a beginner, I hate this because I know that I do NOT want to insult the vendor. I politely said that it was okay, but he kept insisting for me to name a price. So, I said $15. Looking back now, maybe that was too low. I assume I should have went for $20, but I just didn't feel like I wanted the piece bad enough for that price. For $15 yes, for $20 no. The man took a few seconds and replied that he do the price I quoted, but he would have to call the person that sells with him to make sure.

I walked to the booth across the way and waited... and waited... and waited... Walking back, another vendor was now with the owner of the booth. This was the man that had the booth filled with salad dressing, cereal boxes, and canned goods - this market was not strictly just for antique dealers. And that's when I heard him, loud & clear: "$15?!? That's highway robbery. That's ridiculous, absurd. Highway robbery asking to pay $15 for that piece." Well, that was it... the owner looked across the aisle at me as he was putting the frame back on the shelf and I just walked away.

I could have went back and offered $20 and probably would have gotten the piece, however it just wasn't in me. The salad dressing seller had ruined it for me. Will the picture be sold for $25? Most likely. How long will it sit there before it sells? No telling. Since this past May, I've seen the same pieces at this market sit without budging.

So what did I learn? I should have stayed there while the man called the shared vendor (if there really was even one). There probably was no shared vendor - he simply went to the salad dressing seller next door to ask for his opinion. I also continued practicing something I've learned in the past months: if I have to think about whether or not I want something, question it back & forth in my mind, I don't need it. Yes, it was a great piece. It would have looked great on my wall & I would have added to my collection. There was a hesitation there though... the extra $5 to make my offer more appealing would have set me back about 3 cups of tea from Dunkin Donuts during the week (I'm a tea drinker - no coffee). It wasn't in me to offer the extra five bucks, so then the decision was easy - I didn't "need" this piece.

On a side note, I'm pretty sure a man that bought a pile of stuff from me at a garage sale this past summer sells at this indoor flea market. I recognized him as he is hard to forget -long gray hair, a Harley Davidson bandana, riding boots, and his basketball player-ish height. I also recognized the James Dean cardboard cutout that I sold to him. My price? I think I sold it for $8. His price? $39. I'm sure when I visit the indoor market a couple months from now, James Dean will still be there, wearing the sombrero hat that was placed on his head... oh my.

~ Flea Fact ~

If you have to question yourself on whether or not you really need an item, you don't need it. Collecting relies heavily on emotions that we put towards what we collect... if you can walk away from a booth or a table at a flea market & not have that item interfere in your thoughts for the rest of the market, you don't need it.

Walk away and keep that cash in your pocket. The better find might be just around the corner...

what's in your attic?

Whenever I go to a flea market and see rows of cardboard boxes, whether on the ground or placed upon tables, I get excited. The people that display these boxes are the true junkers, the true gems of the flea market. Sure, they could have amassed this plethora of stuff over the course of their lifetime... but most likely, they are attic pickers, estate buyers, and locals at auctions. These are the people that buy lots - multiple boxes at a time, whether it be from an estate sale or a Friday morning auction. Many times,these are the best people to buy from. They have boxes & boxes of stuff and want to get rid of everything in order to unload & have room for more.Some know the contents of the boxes & others don't. Some do have low prices & others vary.

Bundling is one of the best options of buying at a box lot. I often will look through the boxes and gather my finds along the way, waiting until I am done looking to ask for a final price. Often times, this is the best option depending on the number of people looking... if it's busy, you don't want to have to waste time waiting to get the seller's attention for the price of one item. Bring your finds to the seller and ask how much... sometimes the seller will want to look at each item and other times they just take a general glance at your pile. If the price is right and one that you are willing to pay, purchase. Again, I always try to go into a purchase with a price that I would like to pay and a price that I won't pay - makes things easier when the number is stated.

Most importantly.... DIG!! Don't just stand above the boxes and glance down to what is right on top. Crouch down and actually rummage through the boxes. Get your hands dirty from the dust and dirt of the objects. Be careful when going through the boxes - watch out for any sharp objects and be cautious of the seller's items. You don't want to break anything or cause anything to chip or crack. Don't be afraid to dig - you never know what could be laying at the bottom of a box!


~ Flea Fact ~
Bring hand sanitizer/wet wipes. Going through the box lots can leave your hands less than clean, so be prepared with sanitizer or wipes to get your hands clean for further looking & enjoying the flea market food vendors!

welcome to Buttzville.

Welcome to Buttzville! Home of Five Acres flea market. I visited Five Acres on a Saturday versus the usual Sunday. I would say that in the future, pass on this flea on a Saturday and instead opt for going on a Sunday. A few of the regular vendors were there and some different ones that I hope attend more often. 

While sifting through boxes, I noticed a girl that was also doing some picking... except she was like a ravaged flea market goer. Frantically digging through the boxes, sprinting from table to table. Slow down! She had in her hand a few items, mainly cups and dishes. As I was walking away, she was bringing her finds to the seller. She must have asked him how much for the bundled items and unfortunately, I did not hear his answer. I did hear the girl's reply though: "I'm a college student and I have $40,000 in debt so I don't have money." Bad, bad form. I've bought bundled items from the same guy before and he is pretty cheap, so I can't imagine her items costing more than $5. I don't think I've ever used the college debt bit as a means of getting a cheap price and I won't use it in the future. It seems tacky to me. On the other hand, maybe this line has worked for her in the past so it's her go-to for haggling price. I don't know. I did see her later at another table with her items in tow, so she must have gotten the price she wanted.

The only find that I bought that day was a ledger from 1931. Most of the pages are unwritten on, so I will have to find a use for it. The ledger must have belonged to some sort of company - a deli or general store perhaps - because it keeps the accounts of money due to various companies such as Heinz, the Sandall Candy Company in Newark, Beach Nut Packing Company, Luxury Mayonnaise Company, and J. Crescenzi Ice Company. The ledger is mostly for the months of November and December 1931. Ice was delivered pretty much every day, costing between $3.00 and $6.00, though the quantity of ice is not listed. All accounts were paid for in cash.

Ledger books can vary in price on such sites as Ebay and Etsy. I bought mine for $2 - a bargain. Even if I would choose not to use it, it will look great on a bookshelf or on a desk. The company names written inside lend a history that seeks to be discovered.

~ Flea Fact ~
If you are going to have a haggling line to go on, I wouldn't chose announcing your debt as a way to lower a price. If you are in that much debt and can't afford to pay $3 for an item, maybe take a hiatus from flea market going until your funds can afford the items you seek.

the art of haggling.

"The Art of the Bargain" - NY Times Local

This is a great video that provides a neat insight into the art of haggling. Some great tips on what to ask, how to ask, and what not to say. Also, the video helps to understand the vendor point of view in relation to asking for a cheaper price.

Now, let me state - I rarely, if ever, haggle. Why don't I? I can't say for sure. Sometimes it is intimidation. While turning 30 soon, I still look like I could be in high school. This tends to hinder the flea market process at times, especially when I have people explain to me what an item is (when I am fully aware of what it is and its' purpose) or when they explain a historical event to me... why yes, I know why WWII was fought.. I have an MA in Holocaust studies, so I'm sure of this. But, I can rant about this in another post. My point being - vendors think I am a 19 year old that is interested in buying a WWII photograph and because they think I'm young, they deem me not knowledgeable about the item and therefore  set a price that is no where near what the item is valued for. With their mindset, the haggle will not work.

Another reason why I do not haggle is because I just do not want the item that much that I'll bother to ask for a lower price. This can work in your favor though too. Often times I'll ask what the price is for an item, receive a number, and then politely say no thanks. As I put the item back or start walking away, sometimes vendors shout out a lower price - and that's when your golden. 

Other times I don't haggle because I do not feel it is necessary A fair price is a fair price. I know that when I sell items at a garage/community sale and even though not in a flea setting, at times I do get offended when people ask for a lower price. This usually happens when my asking price is low to begin with, say $2, and the person asks if I will take $.50. That's a big jump there.

Haggling Tips:

1. Ask the right way - "Would you take..." not "I'll give you...". The difference is the first is open to negotiation while the other seems set from the get-go.

2. If you are looking at more than one item, go for the bundle. Often times you will get a cheaper price when you are buying a few things. The seller gets to go home with a lighter load and you keep more cash in your pocket.

3. Be nice. Don't offer rude comments about the condition of the item. While haggling because of a chip/crack is acceptable, don't go overboard. You are interested in the item after all. 

4. Listen to others. If I am interested in something and the seller is bargaining with another customer, I will casually listen to how their conversation goes. You will be able to have a better judgement if the haggle will go in your favor by listening to other hagglers do the same.

~ Flea Fact ~

If you don't ask, you'll never know. Even I manage to haggle when I want an item bad enough. So, go ahead and try. You'll either come home with a piece that you got at a great price or come home with a few extra dollars in your pocket, ready to be used at the next flea!