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 Friday, October 23, 2009
Dec. 12 sale features the lifetime metal mesh, vintage celebrity couture collection of Dennis & Terri LaMothe
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
 IOLA, Wis. – Collect.com Auctions will present more than 400 lots of
the Dennis & Terri LaMothe metal mesh collection in an Internet,
absentee and phone auction closing Dec. 12. The LaMothe Collection is
the largest assortment of metal mesh – mostly produced by
Massachusetts’ famous Whiting & Davis Co. – ever to come to
auction. It includes classic mesh handbags and iconic celebrity memorabilia from Cher and Lisa Hartman Black.
Lifetime collectors, the LaMothes spared no expense in building their
comprehensive collection of metal mesh. “We did all kinds of crazy
things,” said Dennis. “We started buying collections here and there —
amassing them. We like to joke that our kids grew up at the auctions
because we were there three, four, five times a week.” Added Terri:
“Our one rule: They had to be in the best condition we could afford. We
didn’t buy just to buy. We bought the very best and traded up.”
 Throughout the better part of their married lives the two were well
known as powerful, committed buyers. At one time the two employed
between 20 and 30 pickers to scour the nation’s auctions, antiques
shows and private collections for the best examples of Whiting &
Davis, Mandalian Co. and other dazzling antique and vintage mesh handbags.
“This collection is just stunning in so many ways,” said Steve Bloedow, director of Collect.com Auctions.
“The quality, the quantity, the variety — you just don’t find
collections like this. With so many lots available during the online
bidding, there is something for every collector — from jewelry to
fashion, even gloves owned by Cher. The entire collection will impress
anyone who views the lots.”
 It was the LaMothes who the Whiting & Davis Co. contacted to create
a 110-year retrospective on the firm’s best examples for its
anniversary celebration. The company gave the couple exclusive and
unfettered access to archives. As such, the sale contains more than 250
lots of stunning mesh handbags.
The LaMothes took special pride in collecting unique pieces such the
Whiting & Davis handbag decorated with enameled metal mesh in a
shimmering likeness of Clark Gable (estimate $2,500-$3,000). Other
specialty handbags
include Mickey Mouse ($500-$1,000), Charlie Chaplin ($2,500-$3,000) and
a special commemorative produced for the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair
($1,000-$1,200).
The auction will feature a comprehensive selection of Whiting & Davis’ highly desirable “El Sah” mesh handbags,
including a circa 1920s example still retaining its delicate compact
built into its gold tone metal handle (estimate $250-$350). The auction
also features classic plain, enameled and colored Whiting & Davis
lines such as Poiret, Gloria and Baby Peggy handbags. In addition to being the most complete collection of Whiting & Davis handbags,
the collection is a shimmering cross-section of American vintage
couture, including celebrity memorabilia including a pair of mesh
gloves worn by Cher during the height of her late 1980s comeback tour.
 The auction contains more than 100 selections of vintage fashion and
couture. For example, a pair of silver-mesh gloves by designer Michael
Schmidt from the personal collection of Cher is expected to make $750
to $1,500. The gloves hail from Cher’s late 1980s revival as she
produced hits such as “If I Could Turn Back Time” and used mesh in many
of her outrageous costumes. The lot includes a certificate of
authenticity by the Walt Disney World Co. A dazzling red mesh top once
owned by Lisa Hartman Black, actress and wife of country music star
Clint Black, is expected to bring $500 to $800.
Besides producing its iconic mesh handbags,
Whiting & Davis was one of the first companies to produce a
prolific line of costume jewelry. As one of the oldest costume jewelers
in the United States, its lines are of the kind currently enjoying a
rise in popularity. The auction features a large selection of mesh
necklaces and neckties, belts, bracelets, earrings and rings. Pieces
are heavily influenced by Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Victorian revivals
with huge, raised relief bangles and high quality intaglio cameos. Many
retain the original Whiting & Davis cards and tags.
 A fully illustrated catalog for Collect.com Auction’s Dec. 12 sale of
the Dennis & Terri LaMothe Collection, plus additions, will be
printed in the Nov. 25 issue of Antique Trader magazine or available by
calling 888-463-3063 after Nov. 11. An online catalog will be viewable
through the Web site www.Collect.com/Auctions.
All absentee forms of bidding are available through www.Collect.com/Auctions or by calling 888-463-3063, fax 715-445-4087 or e-mail at auctions@collect.com. The Dec. 12 auction features a 17 percent buyer’s premium. Visit Collect.com Auctions online at www.Collect.com/Auctions.
Photos courtesy Collect.com Auctions.
— Posted by Eric Bradley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • Find us on Twitter HERE.
• Find us on Facebook HERE.• Visit the Antique Trader Web site HERE. Sign up for our FREE newsletters!• If you really like what you see, get your very own subscription to Antique Trader HERE.
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Antique News | Antiques Auction | Antiques News | Auction | pop art | Vintage Fashion
Friday, October 23, 2009 4:41:00 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00) 
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009
From the Editor: The collector’s quandary
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
There are several methods to liquidate a collection, ranging from an
auction to an estate sale to selling to another collector. One method
that’s come up recently in two high-profile cases involves the role of
museums.
K*B Toys
co-founder Donald Kaufman and his wife, Sally, who assembled what will
forever be known as the largest collection of automotive toys, considered a museum but decided collectors would take care of the items as their cherished objects.
So, too, did Dennis and Terri LaMothe consider a few museums to house
their landmark mesh handbag and vintage couture collection.
When the Orlando couple interviewed a few museums, nonewould guarantee
the collection would not be sold in the future if the museum ran out of
space.
Both instances are examples of the quandary collectors may find
themselves as they try to liquidate their collections. For both the
Kaufmans and the LaMothes, the natural obligation they felt to preserve
the history and years of research they invested in their collection made a museum a logical choice.
Museums are indeed the backbone of a country’s heritage and play an
active role in the current hobby and research. Imagine how shallow and
poor America would be without the Smithsonian Institution. What would
the scholarship of American folk art be without the work of Winterthur
or New York’s American Folk Art Museum? But museums can also be subject
to politically charged boards, poor collection-care standards and vulnerable to economic downturns that decimate endowments.
Personally, I have always viewed collectors as a type of historical
militia, a force comprised of ordinary people who share knowledge and
preserve precious objects. Collectors are constantly engaging in new
research and sharing this information in new ways.
As collectors from all levels now take stock to downsize, they face a
world of decisions. These decisions are deeply personal — there is not
a single solution that fits everyone.
What do you think? What role should America’s museums play as a growing number of collectors dispense with their collections?
Post a reply here on the blog, HERE on the Antique Trader message boards, or send a reply to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com.
Eric Bradley
Editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Find us on Twitter HERE.
• Find us on Facebook HERE.• Visit the Antique Trader Web site HERE. Sign up for our FREE newsletters!• If you really like what you see, get your very own subscription to Antique Trader HERE. • Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
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Antique Blog | Antique News | Antiques | Antiques Blog | Antiques Blogs | Antiques, blog, question of the week | Auction | Historic Preservation | Vintage Fashion
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 3:21:56 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, October 16, 2009
Antique article shortcuts
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Here's an easy way to get your antique news: click on the links below to read the articles:
Antique Trader breaks new ground with new “Collecting Depression Glass” online seminar
Portraits and pistols earn top prices at Garth’s
 Liberace’s cousin’s estate draws standing room only
This Emilio Pucci designer dress with matching panties was sold at Liberace's cousin's estate auction in Wittenberg, Wis. Photo by Eric Bradley.
Brimfield completes Fiftieth Year Celebration
Jenkins Shows draws 20,000 for Springfield Extravaganza
Toy world mourns passing of Donald Kaufman
Depression glass collecting continues to evolve
Art Markets: Gallery label prompts investigation of attic find
Ask Antique Trader: Cheers! Robj liquor decanters worth $900
Posted by Karen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Find us on Twitter HERE.
• Find us on Facebook HERE.• Visit the Antique Trader Web site HERE. Sign up for our FREE newsletters!• If you really like what you see, get your very own subscription to Antique Trader HERE. • Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your FREE online ads HERE.
antique | Antique Blog | Antique Glass | Antique News | Antique Show | Antiques | Antiques Auction | Antiques Blog | Antiques Blogs | Antiques News | Antiques Show | Auction | fine art | Toys | Vintage Fashion
Friday, October 16, 2009 8:57:56 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, July 16, 2009
January Pier show added to Stella 2010 antiques show calendar
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
After a two-year hiatus, Americana & Antiques at the Piers has recently returned to the calendar of events produced by Stella Show Mgmt. Co. designed to coincide with Antiques Week in New York, the 2010 show is scheduled for Jan. 23-24, 2010.
“We are very pleased to have this show again,” said Dorothy Stella, president of Stella Shows. “It has been sorely missed by our exhibitors and our customers. The piers were not available in January for several years. Now that dates have changed, we can have Pier 92 for Antiques Week in New York again.”
There is a wide variety of antiques events on the Stella Show Mgmt. Co. 2009/10 calendar including Antiques & Design in the Hamptons, Aug. 14-16; Country Living Fair, Sept. 18-20; the Modern Show, Oct. 16-18.
antique | Antique Blog | Antique News | Antiques | Antiques Blogs | Antiques News | Antiques Show | fine art | Folk Art | Modern | Modernism | pop art | Vintage Fashion
Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:34:53 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, May 01, 2009 Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Brand new issue of Antique Trader headed to press
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Another great issue of Antique Trader that we're really excited about. Here's a peek:  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ • If you really like what you see, get your own subscription to Antique Trader HERE.
• Learn more about Antique Trader HERE.
• Reference books available about your favorite collectibles HERE
• Antique Trader message boards HERE.
• Browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your free online ads HERE.
Antique News | Antiques News | Antiques publications | Antiques, Atlantique City, Antiques Show, Antique Trader, Collectibles | Vintage Fashion
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 4:55:44 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Tuesday, April 07, 2009
FREE online classified ads
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Collect.com offers free classified adsEveryone wants to get something for nothing, and now that's possible, thanks to Collect.com’s free classified ads.
“The classified ads are completely free — no gimmicks, no strings
attached and no limit to the number of classified ads that can be
placed,” said Dianne Wheeler, the community leader for collect.com.
“This is a great way for collectors to sell the items that they don’t
love anymore — and shop for new ones that they will — without pricey
consignment fees or drawn-out bidding wars.”
Placing an ad is easy. Just visit www.collect.com, click on the collectibles area that applies to your item ( Comics, Music, Sports, Militaria or Antiques and Collectibles),
and add in the details. The Ad Wizard walks you through every step of
the process, including writing the description and adding a photo of
the piece that’s for sale.
The free classified ads are the first of numerous improvements that are
scheduled to come to collect.com this year, Wheeler said.
Produced by F+W Media, the world’s largest hobby and collectible
publisher, Collect.com is an online community where collectors can
discuss and display their finds, keep tabs on the value of their
collections, connect with buyers and sellers, read about the latest
hobby news and more.
CLICK HERE to sell your collectibles (or post a wanted ad) with Collect.com free classified ads.
antique | Antique Blog | Antique News | Antique news odd | Antiques | Antiques Blog | Antiques Blogs | Antiques News | Antiques publications | Ephemera | Folk Art | green living | Historic Preservation | kitchen antiques | Postcards | Toys | Vintage Fashion
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 4:52:03 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, April 03, 2009
Features, features, and more features
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
antique | Antiques | Antiques publications | Ephemera | Folk Art | Postcards | Toys | Vintage Fashion
Friday, April 03, 2009 7:53:22 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Chicago Antique Market schedule
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Visited their site this morning. Looks fabulous! Another way to enjoy the weekends during the summer: Chicago Antique Market schedule: Show dates: Saturdays & Sundays: Opening weekend: May 23-24, 2009 Memorial Day June 27-28, 2009 July 25-26, 2009 August 29-30, 2009 September 26-27, 2009 Show hours: Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $10; students $5; children free. For more information: http://www.chicagoantiquemarket.com
antique | Antique Glass | Antique News | Antique Show | Antiques | Antiques News | Antiques Show | Antiques, Atlantique City, Antiques Show, Antique Trader, Collectibles | green living | Historic Preservation | Vintage Fashion
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 8:36:57 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Five days of quality vintage bling in Vegas
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Bally's Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is the new site of The Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, which will be held
May 28-June 1, 2009. More than 350 exhibitors, comprised of renowned dealers in the antique jewelry and watch industry, will be showing their wares.
 They will exhibit rare and unusual historical antique and vintage
pieces, gemstones, and antique watches from famous brands including
Cartier, Rolex, Tiffany, Patek Philippe and more.
The Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch show is an annual event open only to the trade; a valid ID and business card is necessary for entry. Show hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. May 28-May 31, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday, June 1. A one-time admission of
$15 is valid for all five days of the show.
For more information visit www.dmgantiqueshows.com. If you're going, drop us a line and give us your impressions. We'd love to hear from you!
antique | Antique News | Antique Show | Antiques | Antiques News | Antiques Show | Antiques, Atlantique City, Antiques Show, Antique Trader, Collectibles | Vintage Fashion
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 8:08:04 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Thursday, February 26, 2009
What size is this — really
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
As I read "Vintage clothing and accessories have teen prom appeal" (from the last Cotton & Quail Antique Gazette), it made me think of when I was a teen. All I wanted to do was be like everyone else to fit in. Now, it seems like teens want to be different to fit in. Does that make sense? Think about that: You have to be unique to be like everyone else. Hmmm.
A much simpler train of thought led me to the question of sizes. I found out years (oh so many years) ago that formalwear sizes run smaller than "regular" sizes ... or at least they seemed to for me when I was dress shopping. Perhaps it was merely my state of mind: That can't possibly be my REAL size! Anyway, sizes are different now. There's no question about it. Sizes vary between manufacturers and between time periods. I fairly recently resurrected several pairs of jeans from my attic; after "outgrowing" them several years ago, I am now wearing them again. For the sake of discussion, I'll even use the real numbers. They're size 18. "Santa" brought me a few pairs for Christmas, and they are size 12. Here's the deal: the size 12s fit the same as some of the size 18s. They're made by the same manufacturer ... at least they're the same brand. You would think that there would be a much more noticeable difference between a size 12 and a size 18. Has anyone else had similar experiences with clothes? I must recommend that whether you're buying vintage clothing to wear or new clothing, always try them on. Of course, if all you're going to do is display your vintage collection, it doesn't matter if it's your size ... right? And speaking of fashion, as I was watching the pre-Oscars red-carpet action, I couldn't help but notice Penelope Cruz in her vintage gown. She was absolutely stunning! I'm
not a fashionista. My 7-year-old cares more about fashion than I do. My
normal uniform is jeans and a T-shirt. But I couldn't help but notice
how striking Cruz's gown was.
— Karen
Vintage Fashion
Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:21:03 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Friday, January 02, 2009
Antiques Roadshow's 13th season launches with high-ticket appraisals
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Happy New Year everyone! I hope the new year finds you all healthy and happy. Personally, it's been a tumultuous week for me. 2008 ended as low as it could have, but 2009 is looking very promising. Enough about me. On to the world of antiques! According to a recent news report, the Antiques Roadshow, which launches its 13th season this month, found some extraordinary items at its Palm Springs taping. Remember the little black dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in "Some
Like it Hot"? Well, it turned up in one of the Roadshow appraisals. (SPOILER ALERT) ... and it's valued between $150,000 and $250,000. But that's not the most valuable item ever appraised on the program. That honor goes to a 1937 painting by abstract artist Clyfford Still. Received by the current owner as a housewarming gift, it's currently estimated at (*drumroll, please*) $500,000. The Palm Springs episodes were taped last June, and will be aired beginning January 5th. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/index.html for the full schedule and more information. — Karen
Antique News | Antiques News | Antiques Show | Vintage Fashion
Friday, January 02, 2009 10:12:24 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Sunday, December 14, 2008
NJ collectibles auction with potential
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
This looks like it might be a fun collectibles auction ... after all - you don't see a mesh belly dancer outfit listed in many auction bills. What a great way to start a new year! We will be holding our annual New Years Day Antiques and Collectibles
auction Thursday, January 1, 2009 at the American Legion Hall,
Meadowbrook Lane, New Egypt, N.J. 08533. Auction starts at 12 noon, preview at 9am.
Partial listing of antiques, collectibles and decorative accessories:
Victorian Fish Knife and Fork serving Set; Victorian gold filled with
10k & cameo slide chain; Victorian sugar shaker; Marx b/o train in box; Effanbee vintage fairy
tale character dolls in boxes; vintage advertising labels, Belly Dancer
mesh outfit; slot cars + trucks; NASCAR posters; 4 Kiss Dolls: grasshopper planter; Saks Fifth
Ave. decanter; vintage figural cookie jars; sterling jewelry; lots of
costume jewelry; Victorian painted pitcher; vintage cocktail ware; Weller teapot; Religious lot of
vintage rosaries, medals; Catholic Last Rites kit; vintage wire frame
glasses with cases; sterling candle holders, sterling compote, Whiting & Davis mesh purse,
graniteware deep oval roaster; 1964 World's Fair paper; several
scrapbooks with vintage greeting cards; 1,000's of non-sports cards, Marvel Comics, Hulk, James Bond etc; Depression glass, lots of assorted glassware, stemware, china, pottery
and porcelain. U.S coins, silver dollars, proof and mints sets etc.; Collection of classic
automotive repair manuals 70's and 80's - muscle cars, classics,
original shop manuals; vintage paper from central NJ towns, deeds,
cancelled checks, tax bills, etc; early 60's bread storage basket;
automotive tools; glassware and knickknacks from the 50's; framed
prints; vintage photographs and photo albums; vintage pharmaceutical
bottles and other bottles; milk bottles' Mickey Mouse items; assortment
of vintage military items including ammo magazines, WWII flares, belt
knife, canteen, first aid kit, luger holster, WWII destroyer paperwork,
early wood ammo boxes, trench art shell, several WWII boxes with flares
etc. WWII machettes, WWII compass, weapons parts, repro WWI trench
knife; 1990's Exxon Race car, old roadmaps + travel pamphlets, old N.J.
license plates, Victorian vase, Hermes bag, perfume bottles, vintage
purses, vintage lipsticks & compacts, advertising collectibles,
vintage paper and old postcards, country and kitchen collectibles;
loads of small collectibles; toys, pictures, prints; lamps, assorted
furniture, decorative items, old tools, odd & unique items, loads
of nice tray lots of all types of goodies. Loads of other neat stuff
and undiscovered treasures. Consignments need to be brought in December
31st. 9am - 5pm. No box lots or low end this sale. You never know what
might show up here. 10% Buyers premium. Lots of seating, non smoking,
snack bar. Dec. 31 and day of sale only 609-758-8131
Directions: NJTPK Exit 7A to I-195 East to 6 Flags Exit; Rt537W go west past Great Adventure to Rt528 (3rd light) turn left go to Meadowbrook Lane (Across from Agway) turn left.From Rt 206 go east on Rt 537 to Rt 528 turn right go to Meadowbrook Lane.
Antique Glass | Antiques Auction | Auction | Vintage Fashion
Sunday, December 14, 2008 7:01:44 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A question of value
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
 How much is it worth? In a collectibles-related career like mine, I hear this question almost daily. Whether the collectible area in question is baseball cards, books, ephemera, stamps, toys, or antiques in general — no matter what the collecting interest is — it’s a frequent query. My friend “Anne” (I’ve changed her name because she’s very shy) has several jewelry armoires filled to overflowing with old jewelry. Of the pieces that I’ve seen, none would be considered “valuable” in the monetary sense by anyone other than her. There are many broken pieces, many pieces that are pitted and missing parts, and even odd bits and fragments that she either can’t or won’t part with. To her, though they are mostly made up of steel, plastic, and rhinestones, they are valuable, and she handles them all with reverence. You see, they are most of what she has left of her mother’s and sister’s estates. Her mother and sister — her sister, especially — were costume jewelry fanatics. Her mother would spend weekends visiting garage and yard sales, picking up “gems” literally for nickels and dimes. Her sister always seemed to have an outstanding order with her Avon representative. And, of course, they frequently received costume jewelry as gifts because everyone knew they liked the wearable bric-a-brac.  The result is Anne’s massive collection of Avon, Hobe, Sarah Coventry, Coro, Park Lane, and of course dozens and dozens of other marked and unmarked pieces, many neglected and most “out of fashion.” All together, the monetary value of her collection is probably slightly more than the proverbial “hill of beans,” but when she looks back through old family photos, and spots a certain piece of jewelry adding that finishing touch to her loved one’s “outfit,” it adds another dimension to her memories and a stronger connection with the past. How much is that connection with loved ones who are no longer with us worth? I have many antiques from relatives who have passed. Some I have purchased; others were given to me. Are they valuable? In the monetary sense, some are, but most are not. But they are all invaluable to me because of that connection with the previous owners. The connection with the past: Isn’t that one of the reasons we love antiques so much, and what gives many of our own antiques added value? This week, Antique Trader wants to know: Do you have an item that is valuable only to you, or that you are simply not willing to part with?Let us know by emailing robyn.austin@fwpubs.com, or you can post a reply here.
antique | Antiques | Antiques, Atlantique City, Antiques Show, Antique Trader, Collectibles | Antiques, blog, question of the week | Vintage Fashion
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 8:49:05 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, April 03, 2008 Sunday, March 30, 2008
Atlantique City Day 2
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Howdy folks. We made it through Day One of the March 2008 Atlantique City Antiques Show and, if I may speak for the staff and crew of Atlantique City - and I reckon that I can - Day one was pretty fantastic.
By the 9 a.m. early opening we had at least 2000 people lined up outside the door, many of them grabbing copies of Antique Trader and our various publications at the show, and the trafic flow was steady all day. While official numbers aren't available yet, I'd say we had at least 5,000 people come through the convention center and they seemed interesting. Quality is high, and uniform, and we heard some good comments from dealers.
The appraisal event went very well, too, highlighted by a superb Judy Garland dress, straight off the MGM lot, that ended up in - of all places - Milwaukee, WI. We have to wait and see if the pics cvame out, but I'll post them if I will.
At the end of the day we also hosted a gathering to fete Ellen Schroy and thank her for all her hard work - 28 years worth - on the Warman's Price Guide. Nice stuff, and Ellen is a great lady. She'll be missed on Warman's, but it's a good opportunity for Trader to get her byline in the paper, as we did with the 4/9 issue.
Sunday is usually a bit slower at shows, but there can be some serious buying going on, so we're keeping our fingers crossed for our dealers and ourselves, for a good day today, a smooth load-out tonight, and a nice easy flight home tomorrow morning. Last October we got delayed in Philly for 12 hours. Yuck.
Looking forward to getting home, getting back to work and regular blogging, and seeing my family. I love the East Coast, and have a lot of good memories from these shows and my childhood summers spent here, but I want to get back to Stevens Point, WI - wide open spaces, nice people and great beer - and get back in the swing of day-to-day life and work.
See you there.
antique | Antique Blog | Antique News | Antique Show | Antiques | Antiques Blog | Antiques Blogs | Antiques News | Antiques publications | Antiques Show | Antiques, Atlantique City, Antiques Show, Antique Trader, Collectibles | Ephemera | fine art | Toys | Vintage Fashion
Sunday, March 30, 2008 7:04:22 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Saturday, March 29, 2008
Atlantique City - At last!
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Howdy!
After a long week of vacation last week - agonizing, as you can imagine, spending so much time with my lovely wife and daughter in Phoenix and Las Vegas - I got into Atlantic City last Wednesday night. Travel was 13 hours from Vegas, with a few nighmarish waits in TSA lines at all airports.
It's time for good antiques and the Atlantique City Antiques Show.
We have spent two exhausting days getting the show ready, but as I write this morning, the show floor at the Atlantic City Convention Center looks beautfiul, there is a crowd of 2000 people waiting outside the door and we are hoping for a good show. We know it looks good, and quality is ubiquitous. Now we are waiting for the buyers.
The weather here is a bit chilly and overcast, which means good weather for antique buying, and the attitude seems to be optimistic, which is half the battle when there are such problems with the economy. I don't, however, have to tell any Trader readers that.
What I can tell you is that I'm excited for the opening of this show, proud of the hard work we've done and ready to see this thing come off a success.
If any of you out there are coming today or tomorrow, or go this weekend and read this later, give me a holler and let me know what you think.
I'll post more later today, hopeufully with some pics, but no promises...
antique | Antique Blog | Antique News | Antique Show | Antiques | Antiques Blog | Antiques Blogs | Antiques News | Antiques publications | Antiques Show | Antiques, Atlantique City, Antiques Show, Antique Trader, Collectibles | Ephemera | Fenton Glass | fine art | Modern | Toys | Vintage Fashion
Saturday, March 29, 2008 6:52:14 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The fashion of the "Queen of Mean" at Leslie Hindman Auctions
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
In about two months, Leslie Hindman Auctions will auction off the clothing collection of one Leona Helmsley, may she rest in peace... Hopefully somebody in her new location will sport her a glass of ice water now and then. Helmsely's clothes are sure to be very fashionable, all very well made and all simply reeking of the bad vibes the woman made her bread and butter. I lived in NYC when she went to prison, and can tell you that she was, easily - and still may be - one of the most reviled characters in the history of the city. I'm a big fan of Leslie Hindman and her auction house, and would want to auction off this collection if the chance came my way - it interesting to note that it's not a NYC firm doing the sale - but I just can't say I would want anything that touched Helmsley's skin, or her closet or one of her houses, to be anywhere near me. The woman simply emanated meanness. I wrote about her after her death at the end of January after Christie's announced it would auction her furniture:
A ‘Queen’s’ legacy on the block
It was a bittersweet moment.
This morning, without ceremony, the e-mail from Christie’s Auction House entered my inbox. I get several a day from the venerable shop, so it was a good hour or so before I actually clicked on it and opened it up.
There it was. Throughout 2008 Christie’s, over the course of several sales at its Rockefeller Center location – conspicuously not saying it was proud to announce – will auction off the estate of Mrs. Leona Helmsley, the Queen of Mean. The legacy of one of the most reviled figures in the history of New York City will finally be dispersed to the four corners.
Helmsley once was famously quoted as saying, “We don’t pay taxes. Little people pay taxes.”
She denied ever saying it.
She never, however, denied smashing a teacup at a lunch with lawyer Alan Dershowitz. It seems a bit of hot water had spilled from cup onto saucer. This so enraged Helmsley, Dershowitz related, that she threw it to the floor and demanded the waiter fall to his knees and beg for his job.
She also famously fired one employee, with a casual flip of a hand, while being fitted for a dress. She fired hundreds of employees for the slightest indiscretion.
The stories about her in the city were myriad. She was endlessly lampooned on television, harangued by the paparazzi and the tabloids and mocked by comedians in nightclubs and comedy shows. It was a bonanza to any “little person” when, in 1989, under the prosecution of then-U.S. Attorney Rudy Guiliani, Helmsley was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to 16 months in prison, plus another two under house arrest.
Legal observers speculated that Helmsley’s personality and wealth alienated the jurors.
Hmmm… You think?
A woman worth well in excess of $2 billion – at the time – who routinely stiffed contractors, never tipped at restaurants and sued her dead son’s wife until she was broke… Sounds like a peach to me. Why would the jury be alienated by such sweetness?
The year that she was convicted, 1989, I can remember that the most popular NYC costume that Halloween was Leona in black and white stripes. In the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade there were probably more than 200 Leona’s re-enacting her famous collapse in front of the Manhattan courthouse. It drew hearty cheers each time.
I don’t need to pile on. In fact, I’ll even point out that she was actually quite generous in her contributions to hospitals and that she established a fund of well more than $5 million to aid the families of firefighters killed in the 9/11 attacks.
Now the epic possessions of Queen Leona’s empire – mostly high-end fine art and furniture – will go to the highest bidder. All those things that she so highly coveted, that surrounded her to the bitter end, will go back onto the market.
Will they be worth more, or less, for having belonged to her? We’ll see. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to sit my daughter’s picture on a desk she once used, or my keister on a couch where she once snoozed.
Good thing I can’t afford any of it anyway. “Little people” rarely can.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008 9:50:36 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Antique Trader 3-19 preview, comin' at ya'
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Here's a first look at our March 19 issue, a special for the Atlantique City Antiques Show, which is owned by Trader's parent company, F+W Publications. It'll be a glossy front with an extra 5,000 copies distributed at AC on March 29-30, 2008 at the Altantic City Convention Center. I'll be there. If you are around and want to say hi, please do... 
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008 1:45:09 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Is eBay trying to fill a leaky bucket?
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
I like this story about eBay after Whitman on the Forbes Magazine Web site, even if it is a bit too much re-hash and a bit too much corporate speak.
The writer, from Wharton College, outlines some interesting options that eBay and CEO-elect James Donahoe might take to shore up some of the problems it has right now. The article is, however, stictly from a business perspective and fails to approach the human side of the story, which is what we all know is going to drive the future of the business. There still seems to be a disconnect between the corporate side of eBay and Wall Street to the nuts and bolts dealers who live and die in the trenches of online auctions. One of the main thing I took away from the above article was thatr eBay will be looking to make inroads into Asia in order to beef up its revenue and return to the glory days of bazillions of dollars. Interesting philosophy, but if a bucket is leacking water from a hole, and you simply fill it at the same rate, there's certainly no net gain and - eventually - you're going to run out of water.
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:34:34 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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Thursday, February 07, 2008
Probably not the best news for the antiques biz...
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
I have been criticized for reporting the negative before, but I'm a journalist first and the story is the thing. To ignore this news, and not analyze what it might mean for our business, would be irresponsible. The overall January sales figures, as reported on Yahoo, by Reuters, were not too good.
 That includes a lot of factors, especially big box stores like Wal-Mar and Target, and a lot of the items people aren't buying are things that they shouldn't be buying there anyway - art, furniture, etc... A January lull is no big surprise to the antiques business; after the holidays and the lull in mid-level and flea market shows - a lot of high-end happens in the Winter, and you can't really count the health of The Winter Antiques Show or The American Antiques Show as truly reflective of the real health of the antiques economy - there is a lot of space. General line buyers are going online to auctions, or checking out shops or small shows nearby. There are schools of thought that will consider an economic slowdown healthy for antiques, and I don't disagree with them. I do also know that when the economy gets bad - remember 2001? - the antiques business is one of the first to feel the lack of discretionary income, and one of the last to benefit when people come out of the stupor. The above report, along a reported and well-documented contraction of the jobs market last month, don't add up to prosperity. No one wants to say recession, but the laws of economics are fairly immutable.
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Thursday, February 07, 2008 12:46:09 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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VBOE not on EBAY
Posted by Antique Trader Staff
Since it was mentioned in the 2-20 Trader, and on this blog earlier this week, here's what Specialist Auctions has released about its sale to compete with eBay. I understand well and good that this is a press release from the company and they are representing their best position on the subject. I feel, from an editorial standpoint, that it bears looking at because it is one of the most public counteractions to eBay's recent changes. Here's how they put it: " SPECIALIST AUCTIONS TO GO HEAD TO HEAD WITH EBAY DURING “VINTAGE BLOW-OUT SALE”
VBOE on Specialist Auctions February 14 – February 21, 2008
In an effort to attract both unhappy Ebay buyers and sellers, the rapidly expanding UK-based site Specialist Auctions (www.specialistauctions.com) announced plans to compete directly with a long-held tradition of Ebay vintage clothing sellers: the popular “Vintage Blow Out Sale.” During this sale, many vintage items are sold for $19.99 or less.
Specialist Auctions is calling its sale “VBOE,” and VBOE is rapidly catching on. Numerous Ebay vintage sellers, some of them Powersellers, are signing up on Specialist Auctions in order to take advantage of the event, which, like VBO, runs from February 14 through February 21, 2008. Many vintage items will be also be offered for $19.99 or less.
During VBOE, buyers will be able to pick from a huge variety of vintage clothes, hats, accessories, jewelry, and more. Just like on Ebay. And Specialist Auctions is also offering collectibles, comics, in fact, anything that dates before 1989.
The recent changes at Ebay have prompted calls for a boycott starting February 18 and lasting at least a week. By moving to sites like Specialist Auctions, sellers can sell with a clear conscience—and not be held hostage to payment method Paypal, an Ebay subsidiary that recently announced it could put a 21-day hold on payments, even if the item was shipped to the buyer. Sellers on Specialist Auctions accept a wide array of payment options, including Google Checkout, Western Union, money orders, and bank transfers. Not only that, the only charge to sellers that Specialist Auctions asks for is 3% of the sale price of an item—no matter how high or how low.
So if you REALLY want to shop victoriously, shop at Specialist Auctions during VBOE!" I trust you can decide for yourself.
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Thursday, February 07, 2008 10:49:25 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)
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