Each piece is a masterpiece
Larry and Charlene Chorn met online and are celebrating four years of blissful marriage. Charlene Thorn has an eye to buy and resell vintage China and more on her online store on eBay: My.Wow.Finds.
It is not often in these modern times that one gets invited over for afternoon tea or snacks and delightful conversation. Charlene Chorn is such a host. Not surprisingly, she welcomed me into her lovely home with the table set with a fine bone China snack set that would have made the late Queen Elizabeth II quite proud.
Chorn and her husband, Larry, moved from the Genesse Lookout Mountain community to Forest Park in 2021. Chorn said, unlike most couples who prefer to downsize as empty nesters, they wanted to upsize and knew that their new home would house a treasure trove of many vintage and antique items.
Between the display of distinctive estate items and her special thrift finds, you can feel and understand Chorn’s affection for shopping and collectibles. Every week, she searches to bring special finds to resell on her online store on eBay: My.Wow.Finds. With an eye for design and beauty, Chorn curates a collection of vintage pieces, including those dating back more than 100 years all the way to modern furnishings. One example of her finds – Noritake salt and pepper shakers.
My.Wow.Finds currently has 2,600 listings and that does not include the inventory she has accumulated in her storage area in the basement. Despite wall-to-wall, stacked boxes of fine bone, porcelain and China dinnerware and serving ware, Chorn has every piece memorized and organized according to brand and country of origin.
Chorn’s most recent find is Meissen, highly coveted porcelain China from Germany. This Indian Red, four-piece place setting dates back to 1924-1934.
What started as a scavenger hunt and game of bargain shopping, now, Chorn spends four to five hours at local thrift shops looking for hidden gems and keepsakes. She says she is “not sure if it is more fun because she enjoys it or it is more enjoyable because she is having so much fun.”
While Larry does not join in the excursions, he is supportive and offers to carry in her purchases. Chorn’s infectious enthusiasm spilled over when she showed me her most recent find in mint condition: Meissen Indian Red place settings that date from 1924. The average price for a Meissen dinner plate goes for $921; the highest price can go for $275,000. Chorn has it listed for $195.
To find bargains or learn more, visit ebay.com/str/mywowfinds.
Article and photos by ViVi Somphon
