That $15 'antique' vase from a thrift store in Phoenix gave me a rash for 3 weeks

I mean, I thought I scored big at this little thrift place off the 101. It looked like old painted ceramic with flowers on it, real pretty. Turned out the paint had lead in it or something because my hands broke out after I carried it home. Maybe it's just me but watch out for anything that looks too old and shiny at those places, could be hiding some bad stuff. Has anyone else gotten sick from a thrift find?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam_lewis1mo ago

My buddy found a 1950s lamp with a live mouse nest inside it.

clark.robin1mo ago

Oh man, I gotta push back a little here. I've been picking up old painted ceramics from thrift stores for years and never had that happen. Lead paint was definitely a thing back in the day, but it's usually sealed under glaze or something. My grandma still has old plates from the 40s she uses daily and she's fine. Could be you just got a weird reaction to something else on the vase, like someone cleaned it with harsh chemicals before donating it. The 101 has some solid spots though, I wouldn't write them off completely.

jesser791mo ago

Wait till you get a test kit and swab some of those thrift store finds, you'd be shocked how many "sealed" pieces still leach lead. I tested a bunch of my own vintage mugs and bowls and found that even glazed stuff can be bad if the glaze is chipped or worn down, which happens all the time with old ceramic. Your grandma might just be lucky or built different, but the science on chronic low level lead exposure is pretty clear and it's not worth the risk for something you bought for five bucks lol.