piece of goods

plural pieces of goods

1. obsoleteslangA person, especially one with undesirable flaws or other notable characteristics.

   Now that you're inviting Mr Dutch Vangoor to dinner I can give a straightish guess. You needn't trouble, sir. I'm keeping an observant eye on that identical piece of goods myself.

   1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries

   1 more example

   'Well, upon my word,' exclaimed the father, taking the pipe from his mouth, and staring aghast at his daughter in a stupor of indignant surprise, 'you're a pretty article; you're a nice piece of goods for a man to bring up and waste his substance upon […]

   1871, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Fenton's Quest

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see piece, of, goods.

   Usually a silk salesman, a man is accustomed to take his piece of goods and handle them, and roll them out and show them to his customers, […]

   1889, N.Y. Supreme Court General Term, page 34