Estate Agent - Netted
Article • February 10, 2012

Estate Agent

Eccentric Finds from eBay and Craigslist Curated by Bureau of Trade

No one goes to a flea market looking for a replica scrimshaw walrus tusk. You go to find one.

That’s the idea behind Bureau of Trade, a virtual yard sale that scours eBay and Craigslist for the coolest rare and vintage finds.

Curios are organized by standard categories (timepieces, bags, art, objects, etc.) but also by J. Peterman-esque groupings like The Orient and American West.

Each item comes with a concise editorial blurb; the whiskey barrel pictured here is “suitable for aging your linens” and “not suitable for doing Niagara Falls.” Daily roundups with tongue-in-cheek titles (e.g. The Look of Mormon) highlight Bureau of Trade’s emphasis on discovery with a healthy dose of kitsch. Example: a Kennedy-themed dispatch ranges from a $30,000 thank-you note signed by JFK to a $30 ice bucket from The Ambassador Hotel.

Stuff you’d never look for, but are sure happy you found.