Estate Sale Finds

by Jessica Kosinski

If you are an avid collector like me, you have probably been to many estate sales over the years. My collectibles of choice tend to be various types of science fiction memorabilia with a particular emphasis on Star Wars. Several items in my now sizable collection have come from estate sales I’ve gone to over the last few decades. Of course, other estate sale attendees look for entirely different treasures. With that in mind, let’s take a peek at some of the most popular estate sale finds of 2025 so far.

Mid-Century Modern Furniture

The middle of the Twentieth Century was a time when furniture was designed to look sleek, clean, and functional. Those are traits that seem to never go out of style. These days, a lot of mid-century modern (MCM) pieces are popping up at estate sales, and buyers are snapping them up. Pieces by popular makers like Eames, Knoll, and Herman Miller tend to attract the most attention. Just remember to be careful when looking for MCM furniture at estate sales because there are many reproductions out there. Look for provenance, construction style, and materials used to make sure you buy authentic pieces.

Vintage Jewelry

My mother owned an antiques shop in New Hampshire for 19 years. One thing she still tells me to this day is to never underestimate the potential value of a random bag or box full of jewelry. She’s not alone in thinking that way either. Vintage jewelry is one of the top items people are seeking at estate sales in 2025.

You might find anything from high-quality costume jewelry to antique pieces featuring gemstones and precious metals at even the most unassuming-looking estate sales.

The trick to finding such jewelry at estate sales is to pay attention to the details. The best buys might be practically hiding in plain sight, but you also need to know what to look for. It helps to familiarize yourself with designs from different eras and standard manufacturing methods from various time periods. You will also achieve the best results if you learn makers’ names, marks, and trade markings, such as “750,” which indicates that a piece is made with 18-karat gold.

Unique Lamps and Lighting

These days, you could find an average lamp or other light fixture at your nearest big chain store or even have one delivered straight to your house, but where is the fun in that? Lighting your home using unique or vintage pieces found at estate sales is much more interesting. It’s a great way to make a statement about yourself within your space, too. For example, one of the first things people see when they enter my home is a Darth Vader lamp. Granted, science fiction décor is not for everyone. Maybe you would rather have a green-shaded banker’s lamp sitting on an old-fashioned desk or an elegant chandelier hanging over your dining table. Regardless, you are bound to find unique lighting that fits your style
perfectly if you attend enough estate sales.

Bookends

You might be wondering who uses bookends these days. After all, many people do most of their reading online. Well, book lovers like me still enjoy holding real books in our hands, but that’s not necessarily why bookends are popular estate sale finds this year. Sure, some people buy them for their intended purpose, but a lot of people are also finding ways to re-purpose them. I have personally seen them used to hold everything from napkins to mail. Word on the street is they are gaining in popularity for collectors.

Kitchenware

Many people love hunting for vintage kitchenware at estate sales. From Wagner and Griswold cast iron pans to vintage Corningware or Pyrex dishes, you never know what you’ll find. The best part is that you can sometimes get much better deals on such items when buying them in person at estate sales than you would online. Also, you get the bonus of being able to inspect the kitchenware in person before you buy it.

Barware

Another popular item to hunt for at estate sales this year is barware. First of all, there is a lot of it to choose from, so odds are you will easily find items you like. Besides that, barware has been steadily popular among collectors because collecting it checks several boxes at once. It can be fun, functional,
artistic, and often valuable. These days, the more unique the piece of barware is, the more popular it seems to be.

Art

Of course, “art” can mean a lot of different things. Maybe you are looking for a sculpture to place in an entryway or a new painting to hang in your living room. Regardless, you can probably find it at an estate sale. In fact, artwork has always been a popular estate sale find. When you look at estate sale art, especially framed art or quality prints, keep your goals in mind. Do you want a piece that has high monetary value, or do you just want something that will look good over your mantel? If you are leaning more towards the decorative end, you can often find great deals by purchasing artwork with damaged or
missing frames and re-framing it yourself.

This list will get you started, but the most important thing to remember about shopping at estate sales is that you should always gravitate towards the items you like. Sometimes, those items might fit into neat categories like those above. Other times, you might find yourself drawn towards a one-of-a-kind item you just have to have. In either case, you’re bound to enjoy the thrill of the estate sale hunt.

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Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance researcher and writer since 2001. She developed a passion for pre-1990s television and films as a child and she has never grown out of it. Recently, she turned that passion into a retro TV and film blog. Follow along with her at https://medium.com/@jkos_writing, as she dives deep into the characters, actors, quirks, and trivia that brought us some of the greatest films and shows in TV history and also discusses some of the more obscure films and shows most of us may have forgotten.