Comments on: Looking for weird old shit in NYC.

Question: Looking for weird old shit in NYC.

youcancallmeal — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:31:14 -0800

If one were looking for random army/navy surplus stuff in NYC, where might one find it?

Not talking about khaki pants and backpacks...more vintage gas masks and other weird stuff. Where in this lovely city can one go down into a dark, dingy basement and emerge with said treasures? Help! (Subway accessible much preferred.)

By: JaredSeth

JaredSeth — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:47:17 -0800

Kaufman's Army Navy on West 42nd Street sometimes has some odd stuff (WW2 maps, vintage caps, etc).
Awful Flash website...go here for just the text.

By: doift

doift — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 11:03:11 -0800

There's a shop in Astoria (Queens), on Broadway near the 46th St. R/V/G stop called something like "Sparr's Militaria and Antiques." It's very quirky, and they have quite a bit of the type of weird stuff you're looking for, and pretty cheap.

A word of warning: there are like 17 cats in there, and it smells like 17 cats. It's that kind of quirky.

By: The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew

The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 12:18:21 -0800

Here's what the google says is around. I can't personally vouch for any of them, but I think that's part of the fun of Army/Navy surplus stores. Sometimes they're a total crapshoot.

Also, not a brick and mortar, but check out Amerian Scientific Surplus' militaria section. It's a veritable treasure trove.

By: blaneyphoto

blaneyphoto — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:30:54 -0800

See also: http://ask.metafilter.com/64379/Girl-in-search-of-camo

By: lucidreamstate

lucidreamstate — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:44:47 -0800

Well, if its specifically gas-masks and other military paraphenalia then I'd recommend the Army Navy Surplus Store on Canal Street. I can't find it anywhere using Google, but that's not too surprising... The whole place smells like dust from the seventies (that's cocaine and onions). Its on the north side of the street, right around Thompson Street.

If you're looking for, say, a street light from 1939 or a coffee table made from bike wheels, take a walk along Houston between Broadway and the Bowery. There are a few make-shift flea markets there... But be warned, they ain't cheap.