The best thing about antiques and collectibles is learning about your new acquisition. That's the part I really like, investigating and learning everything I can about what I now hold in my hands. It may be a piece of glass, or a piece of jewelry or a simple wooden box with a label, but it's also a mystery with a story to tell. I just have to ask the right questions.
I use all the means at my disposal to find out the who, what, where and when of an item. I have a large (and growing) library of books on marks, general/specific information on several types of antiques and collectibles, general guides on a variety of items, and of course, price guides. I also use the library on occasion to find information on more esoteric items and antiquities (don't have any of those in my collection). Don't tell anyone, but I also use bookstores to get information when I'm traveling, as I don't have my library with me, when I've found something interesting that I don't know much about. Even the newspaper can hold answers to your questions, the Kovels answer that type of question every week for some inquisitive soul.
I ask friends in the business, and clients too, about the things they collect, in order to gain information on items they may know more about than I. One thing I have learned in this field; people love to talk about the stuff they collect.
And I use the biggest information source there is, the Internet! Lots of information to find there, some of it good, some of it bad, and some downright wrong! That's why you need a lot of sources of information, some things that may have been accepted as true in the past, turned out to be wrong when additional information was brought to light.
Sure you can buy an antique or collectible just because you like the way it looks, but you'll love it even more when you find out it's background information and dig into it's history, just as we find people more interesting when we ask questions and find out their history and stories.
If you're reading this blog, and have questions, ask me! That is part of what this blog is about, to inform and get informed. Over the course of this blog I will be taking items and writing about I've found out about it.
That's how collectors get started really, by finding an item that intriques them enough to want to know more. Maybe I can trigger that spark in you.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The 9 to 5 that pays the bills kept me working until after 10 PM tonight. One of the jobs to process client payments blew up for a reason known only to itself. I figure it may have been an authority issue on one of the files. Then the retry of the job failed, a file was in use by another job (it appears the prior job locked the file) but when I checked, miraculously ythe file was not in use by anyone, very weird.
I got the programs and files reset so that they can try again in the morning.
I'm going to try an informational post tomorrow, and see if I can't interest anyone in starting a new collection. I just haven't decided which collectible topic to write about yet.
We'll see what tomorrow brings, it will be a late post again, as I have an auction in the evening.
I'm beat at the moment so this is Good Night!
I got the programs and files reset so that they can try again in the morning.
I'm going to try an informational post tomorrow, and see if I can't interest anyone in starting a new collection. I just haven't decided which collectible topic to write about yet.
We'll see what tomorrow brings, it will be a late post again, as I have an auction in the evening.
I'm beat at the moment so this is Good Night!
Monday, September 28, 2009
More about what I like.....
Well, you know I like antiques and collectibles but you're probably wondering what do I like specifically. Easy question, easy answer; everything!
But I can't collect everything so I stick to a few special things.
Murano Glass from 1900 - 1990 but mostly mid 20th Century, American Art Pottery such as Rookwood, Roseville, Grueby, Van Briggle; Dishes (I love dishes! 1800's to 1970's); Depression glass; Costume and Sterling Jewelry; hardsided Louis Vuitton from the 1850's to 1980 (not the new soft stuff, too many fakes); Antique Bisque, Composition and Plastic Dolls from the 1800's to 1970; Hermes desk accessories and equestrian pieces; Cookie jars; Scandinavian Glass and Pottery from mid 20th Century; Toys (tin, iron and plastic); Furniture (small pieces, oak, cherry, pine 40,s/50's blonde). Plus anything else I find interesting!
See only a few special things! Check out my shop, www.trocadero.com/antiquesonbardwell and you'll see some of what I have, adding more as my time permits, my 9 to 5 job does keep me busy (for more than 40 hours per week, plus travel), plus running around to antiques fairs, auctions and shows keeps me busy too, so I try to find only the best I can to offer my clients.
Went to auction preview just today that has some Art pottery I'd like to get, we'll see about those as the auction isn't till later in the week.
Hopefully will have some new stuff up shortly, but like I said earlier check out the shop, you might find we have something in common!
But I can't collect everything so I stick to a few special things.
Murano Glass from 1900 - 1990 but mostly mid 20th Century, American Art Pottery such as Rookwood, Roseville, Grueby, Van Briggle; Dishes (I love dishes! 1800's to 1970's); Depression glass; Costume and Sterling Jewelry; hardsided Louis Vuitton from the 1850's to 1980 (not the new soft stuff, too many fakes); Antique Bisque, Composition and Plastic Dolls from the 1800's to 1970; Hermes desk accessories and equestrian pieces; Cookie jars; Scandinavian Glass and Pottery from mid 20th Century; Toys (tin, iron and plastic); Furniture (small pieces, oak, cherry, pine 40,s/50's blonde). Plus anything else I find interesting!
See only a few special things! Check out my shop, www.trocadero.com/antiquesonbardwell and you'll see some of what I have, adding more as my time permits, my 9 to 5 job does keep me busy (for more than 40 hours per week, plus travel), plus running around to antiques fairs, auctions and shows keeps me busy too, so I try to find only the best I can to offer my clients.
Went to auction preview just today that has some Art pottery I'd like to get, we'll see about those as the auction isn't till later in the week.
Hopefully will have some new stuff up shortly, but like I said earlier check out the shop, you might find we have something in common!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
A Story and a Complaint...
I know I should probably start with a more light-hearted first "real" post but something happened this past week that really bothered me. I went on a trip to Renningers in Kutztown, PA, looking forward to the experience as I was told this is a large 3-day show running Thursday through Saturday and the weather was going to be good. We got a late start, and this is an over 200 mile ride one-way, but we'd get there sometime around 2 PM. We arrived at 2:15 PM, and asked at the gate how may dealers were in attendance before paying our $15 per head entrance fee. We were told that there were 650 dealers in attendance that day. Not bad for $15, so we paid, parked the car and walked to field.
If you've been to Renningers you know that the Pavillions block the view of the field beyond, so you can't really see how many dealers there are set up, most keep to the front anyway. Also there is a permanent indoor flea market with dealers and food booths off to one side which promised to be interesting (the person I was with had been before and told me about it). As I walked around I was thinking the count of 650 dealers was a bit low even if it included the permanent indoor dealers, but heck the gate person probably was just guessing.
Now here is what bothered me, this was 2:20 PM on opening day (Thursday) of a 3-day show, that closes at 5 PM and dealers were packing up and leaving. It was clear that many dealers had already packed and left as we saw evidence of booths that had been vacated (trash, trampled grass, and stake holes). I paid $15 to shop what was essentially a closing store. I think even if you're not staying all three days, you could at least stay a full first day, you paid for the space.
The permanent indoor flea, which closes at 5 PM also, was not much better, most of the booths were closed (secured with plastic and clothespin doors/curtains), the food vendors were cleaning and closing up, this is at around 3:30 PM! There were a couple vendors open, a penny candy booth, a meat market, and a few other trinket vendors.
There was one very nice vendor, a lady who sells homemade candies by the pound, whom I bought a bag of nonparreils from, who offered my travelling companion and I a free peanutbutter cup sample. Thank you!
One of the most perplexing things I saw at the show was in the meat market. Does anyone know what you do with smoked pig traechea?
If you've been to Renningers you know that the Pavillions block the view of the field beyond, so you can't really see how many dealers there are set up, most keep to the front anyway. Also there is a permanent indoor flea market with dealers and food booths off to one side which promised to be interesting (the person I was with had been before and told me about it). As I walked around I was thinking the count of 650 dealers was a bit low even if it included the permanent indoor dealers, but heck the gate person probably was just guessing.
Now here is what bothered me, this was 2:20 PM on opening day (Thursday) of a 3-day show, that closes at 5 PM and dealers were packing up and leaving. It was clear that many dealers had already packed and left as we saw evidence of booths that had been vacated (trash, trampled grass, and stake holes). I paid $15 to shop what was essentially a closing store. I think even if you're not staying all three days, you could at least stay a full first day, you paid for the space.
The permanent indoor flea, which closes at 5 PM also, was not much better, most of the booths were closed (secured with plastic and clothespin doors/curtains), the food vendors were cleaning and closing up, this is at around 3:30 PM! There were a couple vendors open, a penny candy booth, a meat market, and a few other trinket vendors.
There was one very nice vendor, a lady who sells homemade candies by the pound, whom I bought a bag of nonparreils from, who offered my travelling companion and I a free peanutbutter cup sample. Thank you!
One of the most perplexing things I saw at the show was in the meat market. Does anyone know what you do with smoked pig traechea?
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Introductions.....
Good Morning, Good Afternoon or Good Evening. Depends on where you are at the moment but for me it's morning. A little about me and what I intend to accomplish with this blog.
I am a 50-something year old antiques and collectibles dealer who does shows and sells on the Internet. I started this business after years of being a "crazy collector of old stuff" (my friends description of me), that I liked. Soon the house was full, and needing to make room, lead to my finding the 26th Street Flea Market in New York City which allowed me to sell a few items to make space, buy a few items to fill it back up and connect with others who had that same love of all things old (some valuable, yes. some not). Those were the old days of antiques, I met some interesting people there, I'll tell the story of meeting Andy Warhol there, having photos taken by the camera shy Diane Keaton, and some other stories, in other blog entries. Don't want to tell everything at once!
I've been up and down the East Coast, and across the country looking for elusive items for myself and my clients, and I will relate those adventures (and misadventures) here as time allows.
I'm not just an antiques freak, I have more to my life. I've been a computer programmer for more than 30 years, mainly in IBM Midrange machines, but primarily it keeps the bills paid, with some money left over available to continue to buy what I like, and also to buy what my clients like.
The purpose of this blog? To connect to people who like antiques, people who collect, other dealers, and those who have a passing interest in the subject, perhaps even turn noncollectors into new collectors and perhaps, clients. Whatever group you fall into I want to pass along what I can, gripe when I need to, inform and get informed.
This is also a chance to allow my two worlds, high tech and no tech to collide and blend in way they haven't before. Sure, I've used the Internet before to sell and buy, email and correspond, but not at this level.
I expect this to be fun and interesting, for all of us!
I am a 50-something year old antiques and collectibles dealer who does shows and sells on the Internet. I started this business after years of being a "crazy collector of old stuff" (my friends description of me), that I liked. Soon the house was full, and needing to make room, lead to my finding the 26th Street Flea Market in New York City which allowed me to sell a few items to make space, buy a few items to fill it back up and connect with others who had that same love of all things old (some valuable, yes. some not). Those were the old days of antiques, I met some interesting people there, I'll tell the story of meeting Andy Warhol there, having photos taken by the camera shy Diane Keaton, and some other stories, in other blog entries. Don't want to tell everything at once!
I've been up and down the East Coast, and across the country looking for elusive items for myself and my clients, and I will relate those adventures (and misadventures) here as time allows.
I'm not just an antiques freak, I have more to my life. I've been a computer programmer for more than 30 years, mainly in IBM Midrange machines, but primarily it keeps the bills paid, with some money left over available to continue to buy what I like, and also to buy what my clients like.
The purpose of this blog? To connect to people who like antiques, people who collect, other dealers, and those who have a passing interest in the subject, perhaps even turn noncollectors into new collectors and perhaps, clients. Whatever group you fall into I want to pass along what I can, gripe when I need to, inform and get informed.
This is also a chance to allow my two worlds, high tech and no tech to collide and blend in way they haven't before. Sure, I've used the Internet before to sell and buy, email and correspond, but not at this level.
I expect this to be fun and interesting, for all of us!
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