This month was an especially good time to find Goodwill treasures! I spent way too much but the pickings were exceptionally great in some of the categories. I was way off the three-digit figure with my average cost being only fifty times the suggested retail value.
Treasures – What a great month for finding some real gems. There were almost too many to mention in this section alone. One of my favorite names in clothing is that of the Italian Brioni. I was able to find several examples of this fine brand; a Brioni Roma charcoal suit, a Brioni Weinberg suit jacket, a pair of Brioni Cannes trousers and three Brioni ties. Another name I like is Dunhill. There was a like-new brown linen suit just my size as well as a Dunhill shirt to go along with it.
Speaking of suit coats, I also located a top of the line Ermenegildo Zegna Su Misura and a beautiful Luciana Barbera Hopsack jacket. This jacket is super soft and has the working surgeon sleeve buttons.
I had heard of DSquared before but never saw one of their shirts until this month. Now, I see why they cost as much as they do.
Gucci was well represented with a black pair of suede horse-bit shoes, a signature logo belt and a brown tie.
It is not very often that you find the once very popular Goebel Hummel figurines but there were quite a few available this month, eleven that I was able to pick up for a very good price considering what they are valued at in the latest price guides. Apparently, the grandkids didn’t want grandma’s collection and opted to let someone else have a start at a very nice hobby.
Lastly, a real treasure was the 1901 Ulysse Nardin art deco pocket watch converted to a wrist watch that I really didn’t need but was hard to resist. The Swiss company is known for their high quality and longevity. Perhaps, my son will like to pass this on to his grandson one of these days.
Suits – Two suits were located well worth mentioning. As mentioned previously, Brioni is a favorite of mine for good reason. They are recognized as one of the finest men’s clothiers and charge accordingly. You can typically find some very good examples of their line in cities that have a Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue or Barney’s. The other name that I seldom see is that of Dunhill. This suit fit perfectly and looks like it is brand new.
Dress Jackets – I’ve been much more selective as to what I will purchase and three great examples that I couldn’t resist were the black Brioni Weinberg, a very nice Ermenegildo Zegna Su Misura and a very soft brown Luciana Barbera Hopsack.
Shirts – I had a nice surprise with a couple that I had not seen before, namely the DSquared2 and the Massimo Trovato. Other names you would otherwise recognize were two from Giorgio Armani, Canali (2), Charles Tyrwhitt, Ermenegildo Zegna (3), Eton (3), Isaia, and LaCoste. I knew the DSquared2 was an expensive brand but didn’t realize the shirt I found for $5.59 originally sold for around $775.
Vest – There are certain brand names that when you run across from time to time that grab your total attention. One of these that secures my response is that of Yves Saint Laurent. You know that this item cost the initial purchaser a rather large sum of money and the quality will be there for years to come. I rarely have the opportunity to wear a vest but on those occasions, this navy vest will come in handy.
Pants – This category seldom has very many items but I was able to find four sought after name brands that represented this area very well. These were a navy pair of Armani Black Label cotton pants, a cream colored Brioni Cannes trousers for dressy occasions, a pair of black Canali Pantalone and a brown pair of Ermenegildo Zegna Z slacks.
Neckties – Eighteen ties found their way back to the house this month. These were Giorgio Armani Cravatte, Brioni (3), Burberrys’ (3), Caesar Shop, Chanel, Charvet, Dunhill, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gucci, Lanvin Paris, Louis Vuitton Paris, M.C. Escher Beetles, Massimo Bizzocchi 8.00 CM and an orange Salvatore Ferragamo. I was very surprised to find the luxurious black LV tie but it was well worth the $7.98. Missimo Bizzocchi represents the upper level of handmade ties in the world with his connections to the house of Kiton!
Shoes – Only one pair of shoes made the list this month but it was a great pair to find. I located a used but very nice pair of black suede gold horse-bit shoes and although they were two sizes too small I went ahead and picked up the $550 pair for less than forty dollars. The very next Goodwill store I visited had a like new pair of brown Gucci but they were marked way out of my range at $250. Three pair of very nice cedar shoe trees were secured for the rest of my shoe collection.
Accessories – The name of Gucci showed up again with a signature belt I was able to pick up for only $1.19. The signature belt is a bit flashy for my taste but perhaps someone in the family might like to wear it.
On a rare occasion, you will find a host of items that were brought in to a Goodwill and are marked accordingly. I was lucky to have enough in my spare account for just such an occasion when I located eleven Hummel figurines and five books on the subject. Although I spent more than I should have, I remember thinking a while back that I missed a great opportunity because I hesitated too long but not this time. While I was in college, a girlfriend whose parents were from Germany introduced me to these highly prized porcelain figurines and convinced me the real value they represented for a future investment. They have taken a nose dive lately but that just makes it that much easier to pick up some of the best examples for an affordable price.
A few other items in this category worth mentioning were the Kate Spade scarf that made it to the half-price period and a favorite brand of one of my daughters. She’s already claimed it but will have to wait until her upcoming birthday before she will see it again. Several pair of cufflinks a
nd shirt studs were located, a really nice set of floor scales and a much needed wooden shoe rack to get a number of my shoes off the floor.
March 2018 |
$720.76 | $822.06 | $36,096.06 | 50.1x | |||
Item | Company | Detail | Paid | Tagged | Retail | Color | Origin |
Suits | |||||||
8,045 | Brioni | Roma | 19.97 | 24.99 | 5,750.00 | Charcoal | Italy |
Dunhill | Linen | 18.72 | 24.99 | 2,295.00 | Tan | Italy | |
Dress Jackets | |||||||
10,720 | Brioni | Weinberg | 7.98 | 9.99 | 4,950.00 | Black | Italy |
Ermenegildo Zegna | Su Misura | 10.38 | 12.99 | 4,175.00 | Brown | Switzerland | |
Luciana Barbera | Hopsack | 7.98 | 9.99 | 1,595.00 | Brown | Italy | |
Shirts | |||||||
5,360 | Armani, Giorgio | Armani Exchange | 9.99 | 9.99 | 85.00 | White | China |
Armani, Giorgio | Luxury Collezioni | 9.73 | 12.99 | 595.00 | White | Italy | |
Canali | – | 7.98 | 9.99 | 350.00 | Blue | Italy | |
Canali | 1934 | 5.59 | 6.99 | 345.00 | Grey | Italy | |
Charles Tyrwhitt | Slim Fit | 3.59 | 4.49 | 110.00 | White | England | |
DSquared2 | – | 7.98 | 9.99 | 775.00 | White | Italy | |
Ermenegildo Zegna | Su Misura | 5.24 | 6.99 | 510.00 | Blue | Spain | |
Ermenegildo Zegna | Z | 7.98 | 9.99 | 395.00 | Blue | Turkey | |
Ermenegildo Zegna | – | 7.98 | 9.99 | 395.00 | Brown | Turkey | |
Eton | Classic | 6.38 | 7.99 | 305.00 | Brown | Romania | |
Eton | Classic | 5.24 | 6.99 | 305.00 | Blue | Romania | |
Eton | Made To Measure | 5.24 | 6.99 | 305.00 | Orange | Lithuania | |
Isaia | Houndstooth | 5.24 | 6.99 | 495.00 | Blue | Italy | |
LaCoste | Oxford | 3.36 | 4.49 | 89.50 | Yellow | Tunisia | |
Massimo Trovato | Double twisted cotton | 3.49 | 6.99 | 300.00 | Blue | Italy | |
Vest | |||||||
690 | Yves Saint Laurent | Classic | 1.00 | 3.99 | 690.00 | Navy | Italy |
Pants | |||||||
2,240 | Armani, Giorgio | Black Label | 3.49 | 6.99 | 525.00 | Black | Italy |
Brioni | Cannes | 5.59 | 6.99 | 700.00 | Cream | Italy | |
Canali | Pantalone | 6.73 | 8.99 | 450.00 | Black | Italy | |
Ermenegildo Zegna | Z | 5.59 | 6.99 | 565.00 | Brown | Portugal | |
Ties | |||||||
3,413 | Armani, Giorgio | Cravatte | 2.39 | 2.99 | 150.00 | Navy | Italy |
Brioni | Roma | 3.99 | 4.99 | 230.00 | Red | Italy | |
Brioni | – | 3.19 | 3.99 | 230.00 | Red | Italy | |
Brioni | – | 3.99 | 3.99 | 230.00 | Brown | Italy | |
Burberrys | – | 5.59 | 6.99 | 190.00 | Brown | England | |
Burberrys | – | 6.38 | 7.99 | 190.00 | Blue | USA | |
Burberrys | – | 6.38 | 7.99 | 190.00 | Red | USA | |
Caesar Shop | Caesar | 1.49 | 1.99 | 150.00 | Brown | Italy | |
Chanel | Chain-link scarf | 0.49 | 0.99 | 245.95 | Navy | Italy | |
Charvet | Place Vendôme | 2.39 | 2.99 | 245.00 | Gray | France | |
Dunhill | London | 2.39 | 2.99 | 150.00 | Blue | England | |
Ermenegildo Zegna | – | 0.01 | 1.99 | 205.00 | Yellow | Italy | |
Gucci | – | 3.99 | 4.99 | 200.00 | Red | Italy | |
Lanvin | Paris | 1.59 | 1.99 | 165.00 | Red | France | |
Louis Vuitton | Paris | 7.98 | 9.99 | 215.00 | Black | Italy | |
M.C. Escher | Beetles | 1.49 | 1.99 | 62.03 | Blue | Italy | |
Massimo Bizzocchi | 8.00 CM | 1.99 | 1.99 | 175.00 | Blue | Italy | |
Salvatore Ferragamo | – | 2.39 | 2.99 | 190.00 | Orange | Italy | |
Shoes | |||||||
580 | Gucci | Gold-Bit loafer | 39.94 | 49.99 | 550.00 | Black | Italy |
Shoe tree | Wood | 2.39 | 2.99 | 10.00 | Cedar | USA | |
Shoe tree | Wood | 2.39 | 2.99 | 10.00 | Cedar | USA | |
Shoe tree | Wood | 2.39 | 2.99 | 10.00 | Cedar | USA | |
Accessories | |||||||
5,049 | Gucci | Signature Belt | 1.19 | 1.49 | 400.00 | Brown | Italy |
Hummel | 007 /1 Merry Wanderer | 22.50 | 22.50 | 650.00 | TMK-3 | Germany | |
Hummel | 011 2/0 Merry Wanderer | 26.29 | 26.29 | 113.00 | TMK-4 | Germany | |
Hummel | 025 Angelic Sleep | 40.65 | 40.65 | 350.00 | TMK-1 | Germany | |
Hummel | 047 / II Goose Girl | 67.23 | 67.23 | 350.00 | TMK-3 | Germany | |
Hummel | 061A + 061B Bookends | 25.24 | 25.24 | 950.00 | TMK-2 | Germany | |
Hummel | 061B Chick Girl | 18.14 | 18.14 | 475.00 | TMK-2 | Germany | |
Hummel | 079 Globe Trotter | 22.50 | 22.50 | 138.00 | TMK-5 | Germany | |
Hummel | 094 /1 Surprise | 15.70 | 15.70 | 238.00 | TMK-2 | Germany | |
Hummel | 187 /A Collector’s Plaque | 29.99 | 29.99 | 113.00 | TMK-5 | Germany | |
Hummel | 187 Collector’s Plaque | 87.49 | 87.49 | 800.00 | TMK-2 | Germany | |
Hummel | 195 2/0 Barnyard Hero | 15.25 | 15.25 | 115.00 | TMK-6 | Germany | |
Hummel Authorized | Book | 5.16 | 5.16 | 29.95 | Book | USA | |
Kate Spade | scarf | 12.47 | 24.99 | 98.00 | Grey | USA | |
Luckey’s Guide | 9780896891197 | 3.74 | 3.74 | 26.09 | Book | USA | |
M.I. Hummel | 9780942620085 | 6.94 | 6.94 | 32.50 | Book | USA | |
M.I. Hummel Album | 9780883658789 | 4.42 | 4.42 | 24.99 | Book | USA | |
The Golden Anniversary | 9780942620085 | 3.85 | 3.85 | 32.50 | Book | USA | |
no name | Cufflinks | 5.59 | 6.99 | 13.79 | Silver | China | |
no name | Shoe rack | 9.58 | 11.99 | 48.82 | Pine | USA | |
Swank | Shirt studs | 5.99 | 5.99 | 29.95 | Black | USA | |
Sunbeam | Floor scales | 3.19 | 3.99 | 19.99 | Black | China |
Key Words: Armani, Brioni, Burberrys’, Caesar Shop, Canali, Chanel, Charvet, Charles Tyrwhitt, DSquared2, Dunhill, Ermenegildo Zegna, Eton, Goebel, Gucci, Hummel, Isaia, LaCoste, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Luciana Barbera, M.C. Escher, Massimo Bizzocchi, Massimo Trovato, Salvatore Ferragamo, Swank, and Yves Saint Laurent