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Need Hipster Advice, I Think

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Started 2 years ago by chrisgillespie
Latest reply from JoeMitchell

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chrisgillespie
Short North/Victorian Village
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OK. So, we're going to be in the upcoming Victorian Village garage sale, and we're slowly adding more to what we think we'll put in it. If Carl has time, he's going to go thru some of his vinyl albums, and see if we can whittle that down a bit. I'm on the fence about some vintage t-shirts, tho. We have the following T-Shirts, and I wear them occasionally, but they look new. Many folks think these are reprints, and so I'm beginning to feel a little funny sometimes when I wear them (Do people think I'm just some old fool trying to look young?) Maybe it's time to sell them? If so, I don't know what they are worth. Any experience? I've tried googling and looking at ebay, and not much luck. Found one Iggy Pop for $450, but I don't know that they actually sell for that (maybe I won't sell that one in the garage sale):

The silk screening on all of these is in excellent condition (I worked at a silk screening place as one of my first jobs, and so I take good care of them). 2 shirts are getting thinner in the fabric itself, as noted:

Iggy Pop 1977 black t-shirt
The Clash "Fought the Law" 1979 white with navy blue 3/4 sleeves
1979 Devo "Duty Now for the Future" black
1980 Creem Magazine white (getting very thin)
Willie Nelson 8th Annual 4th of July Picnic white with black 3/4
Jerry Jeff Walker 1980 vacation

No Year Printed:
The Ramones - black, that shirt everyone has a reprinted copy of
David Allan Coe "Damn Near as Big as Texas" white, getting thin
Joe Jackson "American Tour Night and Day" white with royal blue 3/4

And a vintage adidas t-shirt yellow

Any thoughts? I'm really conflicted about what to do...

Posted 2 years ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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1. When is the VV yard sale? I need to get it on my calendar.
2. I want to camp out on your doorstep. ;)
3. I think Hipsters would only be interested in digging the shirts out of the dumpster at the end of the day.
4. I know none of that was any help, and this statement probably won't be either, but I'm guessing unless you happen to have some very knowledgeable vintage tshirt guru stumble by the sale who's very motivated to spend money, I wouldn't count on getting much for old tshirts at a yard sale. If I saw a super badass shirt I wanted, I can't imagine paying more than $15 for it in that setting...and that's pretty steep for a yard sale tshirt. Mind you I'm not saying they aren't worth more, but if they are...this probably isn't the venue to ask for that kinda cash.

Posted 2 years ago #
TheOtherZach
Zackass
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If you are more concerned with getting a higher price than you are with getting rid of them then you may want to consider Craigslist or Ebay rather than a garage sale.

Edit: Osulew beat me to it.

Posted 2 years ago #
JimL2

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I'd say you want to try selling these directly to a collector. Someone who will frame it and hang it on the wall, rather than wear it to a dark bar and spill PBR on it.

Look into eBay, collector forums, fan sites, etc. Your other option is to try and sniff out a memorabilia reseller, but I don't know how that market works. They'll probably not be worth as much since you wore them (no matter the quality of the paint), but I imagine you'll be able to sell them for significantly higher than you would at a yard sale.

Posted 2 years ago #
beersie1
Weinland Park
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I'd probably just put these on Ebay with a reserve price on the one's you hold near and dear.
Might be the only way you'll find people with the t shirt knowledge/ money to spend.
I've seen similar t shirts to what you have listed in LA boutiques for hundreds, but had no clue
why they were priced so much higher than similar tees from the same era.

Regardless, sounds like an amazing tee collection! Excited to check out the yard sales..

Posted 2 years ago #
chrisgillespie
Short North/Victorian Village
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Hmm..OK.

@osulew They'll never end up in the trash. I really love them. It's just, when I wear them, no one asks me about them anymore, so I figure they just think I'm buying reprints and trying to look young. I wear them because they are original and I thought a good conversation starter. If I decide not to wear them anymore (I just wore Iggy last night, but again, no comments), then I don't just want to keep them in a closet.
Oh, and the yard sale is 6/6. http://www.victorianvillage.org/

As far as ebay or tracking down a collector. Sounds like a lot of work. I'm hoping to get some money from the yard sale to buy more plants for the yard, but I don't usually sell stuff. I usually give away or donate items, but since we're getting ready to redo our kitchen, we have a lot we want to get rid of right now, anyway, so it was good timing -- and we just keep throwing a few more things into the sale. Anyway, depending on any other advice in this thread, I may just keep the t-shirts, and give them away to people who I know appreciate them (and are young enough to wear them). We'll see.

Posted 2 years ago #
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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I guess I'm not sure what you're asking in your original post. Didn't you have this same problem with your records? LOL. You'll never get "collector" value for those shirts at a yard sale, but I suppose you'll really make someone's day by selling them for cheap. Don't be surprised though if they turn up on ebay later on at a huge markup. Honestly, I'd just wear the crap out of 'em and if anyone questioned why I was wearing them I'd just say "it was a great show, you missed out".

Posted 2 years ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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I wasn't suggesting you really throw them away.
Thanks for the tip on the date...on the calendar!

Posted 2 years ago #
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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Don't be afraid to wear your classic tees based on what people might think.. Just be yourself..

That said, If you really do want to sell them, I concur with everyone else and suggest e-bay or craigslist.. If you do use craigslist, consider listing in SF, LA and NYC over Columbus. You'll likely get more for your tees that way..

Also, consider having some of these shirts framed.. It sounds like you have some great ones..

Posted 2 years ago #
The Hegemo
Delusions of Grandview
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chrisgillespie wrote >>

1980 Creem Magazine white (getting very thin)

Nice. My father was a freelancer for Creem in the 70s and 80s. I know we had a bunch of these around the house when I was a kid, but I don't know if any still exist.

And I agree with most everyone else that you won't get collector-type value for them at the VV yard sale, so if you want to sell them, try eBay or something else.

Posted 2 years ago #
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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michaelcoyote wrote >>

That said, If you really do want to sell them, I concur with everyone else and suggest e-bay or craigslist.. If you do use craigslist, consider listing in SF, LA and NYC over Columbus. You'll likely get more for your tees that way..

Agreed, I'm sure some of those coastal boutiques fantasize about stumbling onto some midwestern treasure trove of vintage rock apparel. The yard sale route, while convenient, is gonna seem anticlimactic. Unless of course you sell them to me cheaply, then I'll wear 'em all the time & you can still see them in action. I'm not particularly young either, but l lack the genetic information that would cause me to give a shit what anyone thinks.

Posted 2 years ago #
chrisgillespie
Short North/Victorian Village
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Yeah, I know you weren't really suggesting throw them away ;)

Blammo -- exactly the same issue. Some of those records will probably end up in the sale (unless hubby backs out at the last minute). I want to reduce how much stuff we have, but I don't want to be foolish.

And...I'd love to say "you missed out", but there isn't anything direct to respond to. I'm probably just insecure, but maybe I am getting old to be wearing these.

Posted 2 years ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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chrisgillespie wrote >>
And...I'd love to say "you missed out", but there isn't anything direct to respond to. I'm probably just insecure, but maybe I am getting old to be wearing these.

Don't make me come over there, make you put them on and march you around the neighborhood bars as a therapeutic excercise. I'll do it! I'm a social worker...I can help!!! ;)

Posted 2 years ago #
chrisgillespie
Short North/Victorian Village
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LOL Thanks :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Hael

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chrisgillespie wrote >>
Any thoughts? I'm really conflicted about what to do...

Keep the Tee shirts and not worry about what others think.

Posted 2 years ago #
turbo ninja
Crumb Bus, Oh.
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eBay all the way.

I had a big rack of vintage t-shirts that I tried to sell at Village Valuables last week. No one wanted the shirts priced at what I would accept for them, much less what I thought they were worth to begin with. The only shirts I sold were the cheap ones, $5 or less.

With eBay, you have the ability to set a minimum price you'll accept AND you have a huge reach. If the shirts really are rare, you won't find many Completed Listings to compare against. Use that to your advantage when you write the item description: "Nothing like it on eBay in the last XX days...how long until you see one this good again?"

Posted 2 years ago #
somertimeoh
Harrison West
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I'd like to check out these.

The Clash "Fought the Law" 1979 white with navy blue 3/4 sleeves
Willie Nelson 8th Annual 4th of July Picnic white with black 3/4

I'm not in to the whole "make me an offer" game, but if you have a price in mind, have it ready and I'll see if it fits the budget. I'd be putting these in a frame and people here can vouch for my love of all things Strummer and Willie :)

Thanks for the garage sale heads up! I was wondering if there was a big one for this side of the hood! I need stuff!!

Posted 2 years ago #
chrisgillespie
Short North/Victorian Village
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Here are pictures I just took of those 2, Somer. Only the clash tee has printing on the back.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisandcarl/sets/72157618912615202/

$100 for the pair sound fair? I rarely wore the 3/4 length sleeves, anyway....

Posted 2 years ago #
somertimeoh
Harrison West
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Yussss!! Those are badass and will look phenom in my office, wooo.

This weekend is kinda crazy, but I'm in the 'hood so I'm sure I could meet up with you before the garage sale. PM'ing you now.

Posted 2 years ago #
chrisgillespie
Short North/Victorian Village
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Sounds good. Happy they're going to a good home :)

Posted 2 years ago #