Eclectic bargains abound at Rusty Mammoth Sale

MOSES LAKE — Jewelry, art, household items and old books and magazines – the pickings at the Moses Lake Museum’s Rusty Mammoth Sale Saturday were pretty diverse.

“(We sold) some furniture items and a really lovely jewelry box,” said Museum Director Dollie Boyd. “There was a lady lined up at the door this morning for that. Lots of cool ceramics and, you know, quirky things. We had a ton of costume jewelry this year, too. That took a long time to price.”

The annual event gathers donations from the community and offers them up at what may be Moses Lake’s most eclectic rummage sale. Proceeds fund the museum’s family and educational programs. The donations were more plentiful this year than in the past, Boyd said, adding that it’s the first time the displays have been set up in three rows in the foyer outside the museum. In addition, the jewelry was staged on tables inside the museum. During the pandemic, the sale was held on the lawn in front of the museum, but although the weather was beautiful this year, Boyd said they decided to keep it indoors.

“We did debate whether to put things outside, but it's just easier and more comfortable for the staff if it's all together,” she said.

The coolest thing that was sold actually went at the presale held Friday night just for museum members, Boyd said.

“It was a Lord of the Rings chess set,” she said. “All the figures were modeled after the ’70s cartoon. It’s really rare. Someone was just was looking for a cool chess set, the stars aligned and they found that one.”

One thing that added considerably to the stock was a collection of beautifully preserved magazines, including lots of Life and National Geographic, from the mid- to late 20th century, all from a single donor.

“He brought just tubs and tubs of them in,” Boyd said. “we've already sold several stacks. There's an artist in town who likes to use them for collaging, so they're going to be put to good use.”

Selena Holland of Moses Lake found some serendipitous deals.

“Lots of things,” she said. “I found a set of baby jimbe (drums) for $10. I have a ukulele I’m learning to play as well.”

Holland was going to use the instruments in her preschool class, she added.

With Holland was Cait Withers, also of Moses Lake.

“I found a scary doll I’ll use in October with my daughter,” Withers said. “We move (the doll) around the house all month until Halloween. Kind of like Elf on the Shelf, except it’s a Doll in the Hall.”

“It’s for parents like us with a gallows sense of humor,” Holland said.

Boyd was reluctant to speculate on how much the sale would raise, but she said the usual goal is $3,000. She felt pretty confident of surpassing that, she added.

“It's great to see all of our friends and museum members and everyone coming out and seeing the cool stuff,” Boyd said. “We love to spark that imagination. Someone sold a whole tub of baseball cards yesterday. They weren't super rare or anything; they were going to someone's grandson but, you know, it could start out a lifelong passion.”

Joel Martin can be reached via email at jmartin@columbiabasinherald.com. Joel is a staff writer at the Columbia Basin Herald and has worked at the paper for more than 20 years as a writer, paginator and copy editor, among other positions.