It is known as the largest rummage sale in the East Bay, with offerings of everything from towels to parkas to Polaroid cameras, even stuffed animal skins.

The White Elephant Sale is the Oakland Museum of California's biggest fund-raising event of the year. Hundreds of volunteers work throughout the year to collect, sort, clean and price a warehouse full of goods both new and used.

A Palmer Twosome can be had for a cool $1,400, while a driftwood clock goes for about $10. Get a bicycle or a tricycle for less than $50 each.

Mary Agee, a Rossmoor resident who has been working for the White Elephant Sale for 36 years, is particularly excited about an arrival in the men's department where she works.

"This is solid gold," she said while rubbing her finger gently down a stripe on an old Chinese military uniform in near-perfect condition.

Compared to the mountains of Hawaiian shirts, sport coats and hunting jackets she organizes and sorts for months, the curious artifact stood out.

"It's just so lovely," she said.

Boxes of slides labeled "Indonesia and Thailand, 1962" lay near photographic enlargers fit for any darkroom. Charles Daly, who works in the camera department, spent Thursday afternoon organizing photography books in "how to" and art sections.

Past the ghostly portraits of families unknown, Kevin O'hare worked intensely to mount some of the last prints he could before the sale.

Much of the fine art was snatched up during last month's preview sale, a $15-in-the-door event that attracts collectors by the thousands to browse the warehouse for the best goods available.

But not to worry, O'hare said. Many talented local artists have donated some of their work to the White Elephant Sale.

"This one is a Mike Henderson," O'hare said, pointing to a blotchy modern art piece mounted on a dainty easel. "He's in the $5,000-plus range in the galleries."

Just $1,500 at the White Elephant Sale.

"Of course, you could get a lot of fun little stuff for under $10," he said. Sometimes, O'hare said, he hopes one of those $10 paintings is an overlooked masterpiece such as the Joseph Decker Ripening Pears painting a 29-year-old man recently sold to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., for $1 million three years after he bought it at a garage sale.

The event is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women's Board and has raised more than $10 million for the museum over the past several decades.

It will be held 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday and 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday.

The warehouse is at 33 Lancaster St. Car pooling and BART are recommended. A shuttle will pick up and drop off passengers from the Fruitvale BART station both days.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
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