I’m a charity shop expert – you could make £68k if you spot these five items on shelves
A CHARITY shop expert has revealed the key items which could bag you thousands of pounds.
Lucy Ward, Brand Director and vintage enthusiast at pre-owned marketplace Vinterior, has revealed her top tips to nab a bargain.
Rugs
One item in particular which can significantly appreciate in value are rugs.
Lucy said rugs can be resold for between £65k and £68k – if you nab the right kind.
Persian, Moroccan, and Turkish rugs can all be sold for a fortune.
Lucy told MyLondon: “Features to spot in a Persian rug include: high pile or flat weave, fringed edges with no evidence of them being sewn on, symmetrical floral patterns, and bold reds, blues, ivory and black colours are a staple.
“For Moroccan rugs you need to keep an eye out for purple, pink and orange geometric patterns which are clearly made from natural dyes like berries. Like Persian rugs, they can also be high pile or flat weave.
“With Turkish rugs the key thing to spot is the ‘Turkish Knot’.”
These are rugs tied with twisted yarn, usually include bold patterns including animals and flowers.
Specific joints
Another item to scour thrift shops for are pin and cove joints, or Knapp joints – a strong form of drawer joinery popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.
They’re highly unusual – and can be resold for thousands.
Joints such as these were only used for about 30 years.
Dishevelled furniture
Moreover, a popular and potentially lucrative method is purchasing cheap and dishevelled furniture items and modernising it with a new upholster.
More contemporary materials such as white Sherpa will give it a fresher, cleaner look – enabling you to sell it long for more than you purchased.
Designer names
There are certain brand names to look out for – which can be found on a printed logo or stamp.
Ones to watch include G Plan and Ercol, Lucy said.
Items with this label can sell for anywhere between £300 to £1,000.
Solid wood
Finally, there is one material every thrift fanatic should never overlook.
Lucy said: “Solid wood pieces are a great indication that a piece will stand the test of time.
“This material presents a timeless style, meaning these pieces are often easy to sell on, but also have the additional benefits of being durable and completely unique.”