ASK MARTHA\Competitive shoppers get best bargains at tag sales.

Byline: Martha Stewart 

When I first moved to Connecticut more than 20 years ago, I had never heard of a tag sale. To be sure, a few neighbors in my hometown of Nutley, N.J., had held small garage sales to rid themselves of unwanted accumulations - mostly junk.

But I was totally amazed and delighted to happen upon the Starring Mansion tag sale around the corner from our newly purchased house on Turkey Hill in Westport in the early '70s. An entire family's belongings were tagged for sale at prices that, even to me - a complete novice - were tantalizingly cheap. I bought so much, and to this day wish I had bought even more.

My purchases included a few pieces of 19th-century Paris porcelain dinnerware (decorated in gold and blue with "S" monograms), a wonderful pair of carved beds circa 1850, tilt-top tables from 1800 and some other dishes and glassware that I still use and love.

After that I was hooked, and I started attending as many estate tag sales as I could, devising my own methods for coping with the crowds, the pushing and the shoving.

As I decorated my home with my purchases, I relayed to my envious friends the bargains I had found and the treasures I had discovered.

My enthusiasm for tag sales has not waned over the years - even though, as their popularity has increased, they have become much more crowded and competitive.

Good sales today are usually cleverly advertised in local papers in a section called "TAG SALES" or "ESTATE SALES." Sometimes, if the sale includes a lot of antiques and collectibles, there will be ads for it in specialty publications including newspapers about antiques.

In my area, there are two or three pre-eminent experts who price, tag, advertise and sell a home's goods for a percentage of the profits. Sales they run are usually advertised with attention-getting headlines such as: "Superior Scintillating Selection Sure to Seduce."

Over the years these sales have maintained a quality that continues to attract the premier tag-sale shoppers from the area.

There are probably similar experts and sales in your town. Check your local paper for ads.

If you find a sale that you'd like to explore, here are some tips to keep in mind:

If something you really covet is advertised, try to get to the sale early enough to be the first in line. I have arrived at some sales at 4 a.m. - only to discover 10 people already ahead of me.

Dress appropriately for outdoor sales, and take gloves, bags and wrapping paper.

Check beforehand about the accepted mode of payment. Some sellers will take only cash.

Carry little "sold" stickers with you and write your name on them. Stick them on objects you want that are too heavy to carry to the cashier. You should also let an attendant know that you want the object so someone else doesn't take it away.

Don't talk about what you want. That often encourages others to go after the same items. I lost a beautiful mirror and a pair of candlesticks that way.

If the house is large, ask an attendant for the location of the items you're looking for. That way you won't be distracted by other things.

Tag sales are usually first-come first-served, which is why it's important to arrive early. However, being the last shopper is also good, because real bargains can often be found at the end of a sale. Sometimes the larger pieces of furniture - or the most expensive items - are not sold, and they can be bartered for with success.

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Photo Tag sales are usually first-come first-served, so it's important to arrive early.