Buy Tchotchkes At Yard Sale, Make Up A Story About 'Em, Sell Both On eBay

Have you ever picked up something at a yard sale and wondered where the heck it came from? Like a disturbing clown painting that the owner has a hard time parting with, or a queer Hummel knockoff. The bloggers at Significant Objects seem to have.

A pack of creative writers get paired with a cheap chotskhe bought at a thrift store or yard sale, and then they make up a story about it. The stories get posted on the blog, and on eBay where they’re sold along with the actual items. The writer gets the money, and the winner gets the object and a copy of the story.

The project is a sort of rumination on what it means to own a thing. An object can be bought and sold, and imbued with significance by its owner. Even though that exists mainly in their mind and memories, a story about an objects provenance can get passed from owner to owner, and from the story holders to the object tourists. What if the story is completely made up? The legend because less, and yet, something more. Frivolous, sure, but also fun, and a little bit magical.

Significant Objects [Blog]
shop.ebay.com/merchant/significantobjects [eBay store]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.