Depends if I'm buying to make something to sell or if I'm going to keep it for myself...if for myself, then sometimes I splurge at the "perfect expensive" piece! I'm worth it! Tee Hee! Jeanne S.

vases for 50 cents, if I'm lucky..I have spent $1 for a lot of them..
$2.50 is my norm, for regular tea pots..
upwards of $5 for silver tea pot alone...$7 or $8 for the 3 pieces..sugar and creamer..
dinner plates used to be 4 for $1 but they got wise and started selling them in piles that match, for $5...
sliver plate ware seems to be about $1 each these days, unless someone doesn't know the value..then they're dirt cheap...
sometimes I get them free, at our local clothing bank..

oh shoot...you said for totems..sorry, I got carried away..
saucers, can be $ .59 cents at GW..
dishes, $ .79
cups...$ 30
vases, like I said..between $ .50 and $ 1.00
garage sales, many times they're in the free box..
and bling, can be in bags of beads and jewelry for $5 at GW...

that's my limit...I don't do retail...at all...........

Depends on where you live! Out here teapots are usually $5 to 8.98 so expensive making those cute t totems! Shallow bowls for birdbath are $2.98 up (mostly up!) Centers for plate flowers if you can find are 79 to 99 cents each then the saucer or sandwich size plate is 99 to $1.99. Our GW in San Fernando(nearest 1) has very little glassware anymore, I think they made deal with antique shop owners or else sell it online. Mostly clothes & books now & never have any sales that I have seen, used to go to the 3 shops about once a week but SA moved out & GW less stuff I like & other 1 just moved into shop next to where it was & some things are good, some not,poor lighting. I'm not tall enough to spend lot of time trying to see what they put on the shelves over the clothes, there old location I could see without having to search with my hand, hard telling what you might come up with, sticky soda (yes they actually sell it in a machine in the store)etc. Cassettes & CD's have disappeared & I got some great cassettes for 19, 29 & 49 cents. I like the old songs from 50's & 60"s or some earlier. Well, I suppose you could use a cassette case on a totem, boy am I off subject! Looooong week but my dad is doing better!! Jan

Thanks. I was just wondering what you would be willing to spend on that perfect totem piece. Mostly, I enjoy the thrill of the hunt - seeing what fantastic piece I can discover for next to nothing. Most of the things at the GW here, are around $2-$7 for your basic bowl or plate. But if I saw some gorgeous piece of glass that would make my totem sing - and it cost $20, would I buy it? Would you? Have you ever caved and paid over, say, $20 for one 'killer' piece? Do you have limits?

I just moved from OR to NH. Much more of a selection in the OR GW stores and the prices were lower. Here in NH, they don't have much stuff and the prices are quite a bit higher. I like to stay under a dollar for pieces unless, as others have said, it is really a great piece. I brought lots of glassware with me from OR and am now really glad that I did. My inventory should keep me busy for a while without having to go look for more around here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rachel's totem link

Well that link didn't work!!!

http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv123/rafritz/garage%20closets/totems/

Maybe this will :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Rachel's totems

I have a limit of $5 for real bling!! But usually find it way cheaper at garage sales. I have some nice rooster stuff I collected(amber colored glass roosters(collectable) that I put out in the garden where I enjoy them mmore!!! One rooster I paid $20 for, but he can collect dust outside now, and God gives him a rinse every once in a while!lol!When the sun shines thru him...Zowee!!

I like to stay under $1 most of the time.
Once in awhile I will go more, if it is for ME
and not for sale. Even then, $2.50 would probably
be the Max, unless it was REALLY sprcial.
$20-never!

I agree with Sunnyca...it does depend on where you live. I live near Wash, DC and sometimes I wonder how in the world people can put the prices they do on things. That being said, I like to keep the price for pieces under $4.00...I have found lots for .50 and $1.00 too. But, around here, folks think that if it is a color, then they can charge more. I have indeed bought a couple of pieces that I paid way more for than I should have, but they just CALLED to my inner magpie...and I HAD to have them! I ended up not using them for a totem, but I do use them inside as table decorations,etc. And, I still LOVE them...even if I did pay too much.

$5 hurts me, it has to be super, super, super special! I usually will put things back even if they are over $2. $20? I doubt I could do that. I LOVE peacocks, and I've found these mosiac ones with the springy necks, pre-made, of course, and I wanted them soooooo bad, but wouldn't pay the $25 for them at half price! Waited until they went 75% off and nabbed one. I think I'd be too worried about spending that much on one piece and then it possibly getting broken outside, or more likely my dropping it and breaking it. :) A huge part of my fun is getting an unusual piece and getting it cheap :)

Here is my rooster when I first decided he could live outside, he has been on the other side of that patio in the background for 5yrs now, he's so much more appreciated than when he lived in the house above the kitchen cabinets! Especially in the winter!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:155938}}

I have $20 in total to make this 3ft tall totem!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:155940}}

I like to spend 50cents to $1 for glass pieces. Would I spend $20 for a totem piece? Maybe, but it would have to be something that cost at least 3 times that new. Maybe a large piece of true red glass. I have an unfortunate tendency to break things so even for inside i dont't spend a lot on glassware.
Rafor, if you ever go to Claremont (which is where I was born and I still visit Mom and friends there,) there are some good stores there with better prices. I could e-mail you about them.
Calamity I love both your totems. The rooster makes me rethink my idea that "nicer" stuff should be inside. I can definitely see that he will get more appreciation in the garden. And the blue one is out of this world. I might have to attempt to copy it.
Kathy

Interesting thread. I went to a totem sale today. Prices ranged up to $225 for a totem that was made of about 8-10 pieces. Quite a mark-up if she follows all of our buying price limits!

Rafor- Thanks for that information. Did you come away with any new design ideas?

What was the average price of the totems at the same. What was it that made some of them so expensive?
Thanks,
-Sprout

Rachel, Wow! $225! That was the sale in Concord. Did they seem to be selling? What was the venue like?
We all want to know.
Kathy

Kathy, her garden and setting were very nice. And she displayed everything very appropriately throughout the garden. I saw sold stickers on 3 of the very small totems ($45-$50 ones). I was there rather early in the sale, so don't know how she did the rest of the day. I often think that people ooh and aah over this type of thing, but only a small fraction actually buy (especially at those prices!!). A lot of times I think it's people like all of us who go to these looking more for inspiration and ideas than to buy. I may advertise my things and say that my prices are half of hers!

Glad you went, rafor! I especially like the chicken totem also...so, anyone, who finds a source, please post on here! TFS your trip! Jeanne S.

I LOVE your totems!

$5 is my max for a really nice piece.
Went to Hobby Lobby yesterday- talk about RED glass!

There was a HUGE mamba jamba Red vase, I held my breath as I carefully turned it over- $50.
Well, it was a half off sale...
and there was NO way I would spend even $25 for it.

I am very lucky to have a GW Outlet..all bin goods is 35¢ each. I can usually always find several pieces to use.

I never go to GW, way overpriced! We a have a god's storehouse which is a whole lot cheaper. My favorite is yard sales where you can argue price, I am Cheap! Any where from a nickle to a quarter is a great price. I never pay over two dollars for a item. I have a 8x8 storge shed filled with glassware and half of another shed filled. It's the Hunt I love!

uglyoodie- I'd love to know if your Goodwill Outlet is as crazy as ours!
I call it a circus down there- they actually have to kick people out for being disruptive!

mjowest- that sounds really strange. Why are they disruptive? Are they fighting? Ours is really quiet, but busy. Not much glassware at that one, though.