Antique Trader Blog

Christmas Memories

Karen — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:58:24 GMT

I was feeling pretty sorry for myself during the week before Christmas 1968. I was very pregnant, and because of that "condition" was unable to make the three-hour drive to be with my parents, sisters and brother for the holiday. It was my first Christmas away from home. Oh, my, I was lonesome for my family and the popcorn balls and Christmas program at church and all the other traditions that I had always taken for granted.

Wayne and I were so broke we had to scrounge to find a scrawny tree we could afford. There were only a few hand-me-down ornaments on it and there certainly was no money for gifts for each other. We couldn't even afford to have a telephone in our small apartment, so I had to walk (waddle, by then) to the nearby drugstore to make my weekly call home.

When my mom and dad got on the line I started to cry, not at all the mature, about-to-be-a-mom married woman I was telling them I was - until that week, anyway.

Well, my dad made me feel somewhat better when he said he'd arranged to have our presents shipped to us by special delivery. All the next day, every time the UPS truck stopped at the apartment building, or when the mailman came, I'd think, "Maybe this time he'll stop at our door!" But no such luck. Same story the next day - Christmas Eve. When 5:00 came and went and no special delivery had arrived I was ready to cry again.

Just then the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and there stood my dad, dressed in a Santa Claus suit, bag of presents slung over his shoulder. Behind him, down the hall stood the rest of my family. Now I was laughing and crying at the same time. They'd made the long drive, to an unfamiliar place, in the middle of winter after working all day (and for my dad, a baker, all night) to give me a Christmas! What a wonderful gift! We'd all be together after all.

That Christmas Eve was fantastic. We even had popcorn balls. We laughed and hugged a lot. And opened presents. And then, after we'd all been in bed for a couple of hours, I woke up and knew we'd have another present by morning. Sure enough, at 9:30 on that beautiful, sunny Christmas morning in 1968, our first child, our son Christopher, was born.

— Sandy

Saving pieces of history

Karen — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:50:24 GMT

As I was running errands yesterday, I ran into my daughter's school bus driver at the post office. She was mailing off a beautiful quilt she had made to one of her relatives. It was gorgeous; it had several different types of material. The most striking of the blocks were made from salvaged needle-worked linens. (I wish I would have had a camera with me so I could have snapped a pic to include here, but you'll have to take my word for it.) It just looked so right. The materials were old a new and of different textures.

I couldn't help but think what a wonderful way to salvage these beautiful pieces of fabric art — to include them in yet another family heirloom that I'm sure will be cherished for decades to come.

She said, "That's what I do." ... She goes to garage/rummage sales and picks up these old things and reworks them into something "new."

How about you, Antique Trader readers? Do any of you make something new from something old?

— Karen

Traditions

Karen — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:29:23 GMT

Never mind that Halloween candy is barely polished off and leftover Thanksgiving turkey still lurks in the refrigerator, all of a sudden it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. Every year about this time the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge saying “Bah, humbug!” comes calling when I hear that first Christmas carol way too early and see stores putting out Christmas decorations as they remove the Halloween décor.

But before long, I get caught up in the holiday spirit. I start baking cookies and looking for that perfect gift. I send old Scrooge packing and welcome the memories and traditions of Christmases past.

Most families can say they have them – traditions that make the holiday uniquely their own. Traditions have always been a part of the Sparks family Christmas. The entire clan looks forward to chowing down on my famous garlic mashed potatoes and yes, another turkey, complete with stuffing made the same way as last year, and the year before that. The meal wouldn’t be complete without sweet potatoes with marshmallows and cranberry-orange sauce.

When it’s time to exchange gifts, someone is chosen to be Santa, a much-coveted role; Santa gets to hand out the presents in any order he or she chooses. Before Santa gives out that first gift, though, everyone – young and old – must relate a memory from a past Christmas.

Then gifts are handed out and opened one at a time. Sometimes that can take an entire afternoon! Many gifts exchanged are not fancy or store-bought. They certainly cannot be found in any catalog. One year my mom gave me a tablecloth, exquisitely crocheted by her mother. It’s nearly 100 years old now. Another year she made me a quilt using scraps of clothing I’d worn as a child. She’d kept them all those years. Seventeen years ago my husband made a potty chair for our first grandchild, and our daughter already considers it an heirloom that she’ll pass on to Kayla some Christmas in the future.

Some of our traditions have lasted for many years. Some have been tweaked to include new family members. As the family grows, some traditions have been added and some have gone away, but the longest-lasting is to try to get the entire family together at least for one day. I know that as the kids grow up and start their own families and their own traditions, it won’t always happen, but no matter where we are, or how much things change, I’m confident we’ll always be together in heart.

As you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas and embrace old traditions or start new ones, enjoy family and friends who give the holidays their true meaning.

What holiday traditions do you look forward to each year? Have you been the lucky recipient of a family heirloom? Have you given someone a gift they will someday pass on to the next generation? Let us know about your favorite traditions or most memorable holiday by Dec. 10. We’ll share them with all our readers in a future issue.

P.S.: Visit the blog at www.antiquetrader.com to find out what happened on my most memorable Christmas. Nothing will ever top that one!

— Sandy

Our tradition: When it’s time to exchange gifts, someone is chosen to be Santa, a much-coveted role; Santa gets to hand out the presents in any order he or she chooses. Before Santa gives out that first gift, though, everyone – young and old – must relate a memory from a past Christmas.

Monthly antique shows good news for buyers and sellers

Karen — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:01:12 GMT

It's a tough economy, but if you have the money, whether you're in the market for stocks, real estate, or antiques, it's a buyer's market. Here's a great opportunity to exercise that fact ... and when you throw in free parking and free admission, it only makes the deal all the better. (The Dec. 4-7 show has free admission.)

Read on ...

Charlotte, NC—The Metrolina Tradeshow Expo continues its long-standing tradition of hosting one of the most extensive, exceptional monthly antique shows in the region with its new International Collectibles and Antiques Shows, beginning December 4-7, 2008.

With 98,000 square feet of shopping and more than 2,000 vendors, rare and unique treasures await show attendees at every turn, including high-end antiques, home décor items, vintage jewelry, silver, glass, pottery and ceramics, fine art, toys and memorabilia of all varieties.

Hundreds of experienced, professional antiquities dealers will travel from across the country to present the finest offerings in the Antique Village – 13 free-standing ‘storefronts’ presenting the finest quality crafts, antiques, unfinished and finished furniture, rugs and more.

These monthly shows will also feature the East coast’s largest flea market, with more than 3,000 outdoor exhibit spaces, offering one-of-a-kind items at unbelievable prices.

Guests will also find unique riches on Piccadilly Lane, where more than one hundred permanent vendors display their distinctive wares, including homemade and gourmet specialty foods and goods, as well as a variety of food and refreshment vendors to help fortify them as they shop.

Guests are also encouraged to bring their family antiques and personal treasures to the spring and fall ‘Classic’ shows, which will include professional antique appraisals and auctions similar to those found on the popular television series “Antiques Roadshow”.

Additionally, for the first time in Metrolina’s 30 years of operation, guests are offered free weekend admission, a $25 value, to the inaugural International Collectibles and Antiques Show, December 4-7, 2008, as part of the grand opening celebration weekend.

Show schedule:
December 4-7, 2008 – grand opening celebration weekend
January 1-4, 2009
February 5-8, 2009
March 5-8, 2009
April 1-5, 2009 – spring ‘Classic’ show
April 30-May 3, 2009
June 4-7, 2009
July 2-5, 2009
July 30-August 2, 2009
September 3-6, 2009
October 1-4, 2009
November 4-8, 2009 – fall ‘Classic’ show
December 3-6, 2009

Hours:
Monthly shows: Thursday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Classics: Wednesday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Tickets:
FREE for December 4-7, 2008 grand opening celebration weekend

All other monthly shows, excluding ‘Classics’: children ages 12 and under – free admission; general admission - $4, seniors - $2 (Friday-Sunday); early shopper four-day pass available - $15 (Thursday-Sunday)

‘Classics’ admission: children ages 12 and under – free admission; general admission - $6, seniors - $3 (Friday-Sunday); early shopper four-day pass available - $20 (Thursday-Sunday); sneak preview, five-day event pass - $30 (Wednesday-Sunday)

Season pass for all 12 shows, including ‘Classics’ - $45

Parking:
Free parking for all shows

For additional information, visit www.icashows.com, or call 704.663.1500.

Antique clock and watch event open to the public for the first time

Karen — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:20:51 GMT

NAWCC Chapter 59 in San Diego announces that its annual "Southwest California Regional" in Del Mar, a massive, multi-dealer sale of antique and collectible watches and clocks, will be open to the public for one day only, Saturday, November 22, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California. SAN DIEGO, CA, November 06, 2008 -- The San Diego Chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC), Chapter 59, is pleased to announce that the Southwest California Regional will be opening its doors to the public for the first time ever. The Southwest California Regional is an annual sales event for collectors of antique and vintage watches and clocks. The public will be admitted Saturday, November 22, from 9 am to 3 pm. Saturday-only admission costs $10 at the door.

"This is a great opportunity for anybody who's interested in collectible clocks and watches to come get a preview of what's available to NAWCC members," says Mark Weaver, General Chairman of the Southwest California Regional. "You'll get unlimited access to all the dealer tables, resources, and bargains."

"If you're at the Fairgrounds for the Del Mar Antique Show, come check us out in the Wyland Center," Weaver says. "Especially if you're looking for antique and vintage watches and clocks - we'll have the place filled with them!"

"And, of course, we'd love you to join the NAWCC," Weaver adds. "We'll have plenty of applications on hand."

The Southwest California Regional is a three-day event, held November 20-22, 2008, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California. The Mart, which is the sales part of the event, attracts horological sellers and buyers from all over the world, all seeking treasures and making deals over more than 250 tables jam-packed with watches, clocks, spare parts, watchmaking and clockmaking tools, reference books, watch and clock accessories, and more.

Many antique dealers attend the Southwest California Regional to replenish their inventory of vintage clocks and watches, making it one of the few major events at which the average collector can discover true "wholesale" deals on collectible timepieces. And now, this once-private event is open to the public for one day only.

"We'd love to see a lot of people take advantage of this opportunity," Weaver says. "This is the first time we've ever opened the Mart up to the public. And Saturday - it's the last day of the Mart, so dealers would rather sell stuff than pack it back up. It's traditionally been a good day for bargains."

"Come on down!" Weaver says, with a wide, welcoming smile.

The Southwest California Regional will also have a display of antique and vintage watches and clocks.

For more information about the Southwest California Regional, visit http://www.nawcc59.org/regional.html.

About NAWCC Chapter 59
The NAWCC is a non-profit organization, and Chapter 59 is the San Diego chapter of the NAWCC. It produces and manages the annual Southwest California Regional every November with its co-host, Chapter 136. Chapter 59 members come from all over San Diego County. Visit NAWCC Chapter 59's website at http://www.nawcc59.org to learn about monthly meeting times and member benefits.

A Type A(sdf) collector

Karen — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:17:03 GMT

It is highly unlikely my son, a fifth-grader, will ever have to actually dial a phone. Nor will he ever have a sneezing fit while cleaning the chalkboard erasers. Nor will he curse over jammed typewriter keys because his fingers were faster than the machine.

In fact, I’d wager his only exposure to typewriters is “history” articles like the one Martin Howard shares with us in this week’s Antique Trader.

Mr. Howard set out to collect something “off the beaten path,” and he certainly found it. I don’t know many people who collect the oh-so-heavy and clunky-to-handle writing tools of days gone by. Mainly because they are oh so heavy and oh so clunky to handle. But those who do, know they have in their possession one of the most essential pieces of machinery in history!

Although the shape, design and weight of typewriters have changed over time, and there was even some effort to rearrange the letters, one thing has remained the same: the keyboard is still an essential means for communication. In fact, as Mr. Howard notes, “The keyboard truly connects the planet.”

Look around you at all those businessmen and women typing on their BlackBerries. Look at just about every teenager out there “texting” their friends. Look at all the e-mails in your inbox.

Where would we be without those first typewriters and keyboards? How exciting it must be for folks like Martin Howard to track those down, buy them and, in his case, restore them.

I remember typing essays and reports in junior high and high school on my mom’s big Royal. Lifting that monster onto the dining room table may have been the start of my back problems! But it worked.

It typed. Not as fast as I’d like sometimes, but the letters went on the page and the papers were up to my teacher’s standards. So I really couldn’t complain. But I was a teenager, so I did – especially after we got electric typewriters in school and then, by my later high school years, computers with this “ultra-fast” keyboard.

Fast-forward 30 years and my 10-year-old already knows the “home row” and is typing with both hands poised over the keyboard. In his classroom, both the chalkboard and overhead projector have been replaced by what is called a SMART Board – an interactive, electronic whiteboard.

Let me tell you about this SMART Board. You can draw or write on the touch screen and save that info into a document. The teacher can display everything from class pictures to movies to Web sites. What an incredible teaching and learning tool!

But then again, that’s what the typewriter was and always has been. If someone hadn’t figured out a way to get type-written words on paper, you probably wouldn’t be holding this newspaper in your hands either. Those typewriters are pretty special to us writers and editors.
Perhaps I could start my own collection. They certainly would look a lot more attractive than that pile of outdated computer monitors and broken keyboards!

Antique Trader would like to know if you collect something that was significant to history (typewriters, telephones, radios, etc.) but evolved into something else we still use today — something that perhaps has transformed over time from something enormous to electronic. Use that new-fangled keyboard and send me an email at robyn.austin@fwmedia.com or post a reply here.

Until next time, keep your hands on the home row... asdf jkl;... asdf jkl;...

— Robyn

WorthPoint Corporation Completes GoAntiques Acquisition

Karen — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:56:37 GMT

ATLANTA, October 29, 2008 – Atlanta-based WorthPoint (www.worthpoint.com), a leading online source for information about art, antiques and collectibles, announced that it has completed its acquisition of Dublin, Ohio-based GoAntiques (www.goantiques.com), an online network for buying and selling antiques and collectibles.

Under the terms of the acquisition, WorthPoint founder and CEO Will Seippel will remain chief executive officer, and GoAntiques President and CEO Jim Kamnikar will serve as WorthPoint’s president. The combined company will have more than a half-million registered members and more than a million unique visitors per month.

Founded in 2007, WorthPoint offers a database of sales records on art, antiques and collectibles from hundreds of auction houses. Its rich multimedia experience helps collectors understand the value of their items. Members can take advantage of expert advice from the Company’s Worthologist team on how to preserve or sell antiques and collectibles. Members can also share their knowledge and create online collecting communities.

GoAntiques is the oldest Web antiques-and-collectibles site. It offers 650,000 items from approximately 1,300 dealers in 31 countries. GoAntiques logs about five million page views and thousands of transactions each month and has approximately 450,000 registered members. GoAntiques’ PriceMiner® guide is the biggest in the world, offering prices on 27 million collectibles and pieces of art and over 32 million images.

“The art, antiques and collectibles industry is undergoing some dramatic changes as the population ages and we face uncertain economic times,” said Will Seippel. “Combining GoAntiques’ wealth of experience in the art, antiques and collectibles market with our unmatched database of 4.5 million auction entries helps put WorthPoint in a leading position to reinvigorate our industry.”

Seippel added, “In the future, we will look to both organic growth through sales and marketing initiatives and possible strategic acquisitions to build our subscriber base.”

“WorthPoint is taking important steps to ensure a seamless transition in the acquisition of GoAntiques,” said Jim Kamnikar. “In the coming months, we will be unveiling new features and services to help people understand the antiques and collectibles they own, determine their value and how to monetize them. Members can look forward to a diverse community supporting different areas of collecting, a new Internet-auction environment and a taxonomy that will make finding, pricing, researching and selling antiques much easier.”

About WorthPoint
Atlanta-based WorthPoint Corp. is an Internet-based data-and-media company that offers a vast database of sales records on art, antiques and collectibles. Founded in 2007, WorthPoint has quickly become the world's largest social network for researching the worth of antiques and collectibles. WorthPoint helps collectors understand the worth of their items and provides expert advice from its Worthologist team on how to preserve or sell antiques and collectibles.

One of my favorite auction finds

Karen — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:49:45 GMT

Many (more than I care to admit) years ago, B.C. (before children) in fact, my husband and I attended an estate auction in Hortonville, Wis. We arrived the requisite two hours early so we could properly scope the goods for Knapstein beer memorabilia ... there was none listed in the auction bill, but since Hortonville is so close to New London – the brewery's location – there was a pretty good chance they would have some undiscovered breweriana gold.

While looking the goods over, I found a beautiful old rotary-dial candlestick telephone. It was PERFECT. I don't "collect" telephones, but I do collect interesting things. I call my home's decor "vintage eclectic" ... I just want to have interesting things to look at everywhere I look. I told my husband that I was going to buy it. And, of course, he said "Go for it!"

I don't remember if we got any Knapstein brewery items that day, but I did get my candlestick telephone. It was the very first item they pulled off the wagon when they started the auction and people weren't paying attention yet. The auctioneer called the opening bid, I jumped on it, and no one bid against me so I got it – for $15!

I couldn't believe that I actually got it ... and for less than $20, too.

We've moved since then, and most of our belongings went into storage while we remodeled our house. Now I just have to find it again ...

If you would care to share any of your favorite auction finds, feel free to post a reply here or you can visit the AntiqueTrader.com message boards and post a reply to the Favorite Finds message board thread. (Click here to go to the "Favorite Finds" forum thread.)

— Karen

You can help choose the "World's Best Coin"

Karen — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:30:58 GMT

You're right. No, they're not antique, but they are historically relevant so some of you may have an interest in this.

Here's what Coin of the Year is all about:

Once again, the public will vote alongside mint officials, museum curators, medalists, and journalists to determine the “People’s Choice” of the world’s best coinage, when Coin of the Year voting goes live November 3rd at NumisMaster.com.

Expert judges from around the world will be deciding the category winners and the Coin of the Year as in the past, but again this year, the public will decide the outcome of a congruent award honoring the ultimate in coinage design.

"We are excited to once again offer Coin of the Year voting to coin collectors from around the world," said Scott Tappa, numismatics publisher at Krause Publications. "Last year's program drew hundreds of thousands of votes from around the globe, and we're expecting an even greater response this year. What could be more democratic than letting collectors decide which coin they like best?"

The contest, which is sponsored by World Coin News and NumisMaster, will celebrate its 25th year anniversary of honoring Mints of the world who produce the most artistic, historically relevant, and innovative coinage.

"In its first year, the People's Choice Coin of the Year became an incredibly competitive award. Collectors take obvious pride in the issues of their countries and they expressed themselves strongly in their online voting. We expect voter participation to rise sharply this year."

Last year’s People's Choice winner was the Hungarian Mint, for its 50 forint coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution. Mints from Canada, France, Austria, the United States, Latvia, and Finland were among the countries also honored with awards. This year’s ceremony will again be held at the World Money Fair in Berlin, Germany during the first weekend of February 2009.

To view this year’s nominees and to cast your vote, visit Numismaster.com on or after November 3rd and click on “Contests”.

Visit Numismaster.com for more information.

Violano brings $137,500 at Showtime sale

Karen — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:44:23 GMT

From Showtime Auctions:

A rare bow front violano music player, made around 1910 by the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago and professionally restored in excellent playing condition, soared to $137,500 at a three-day multi-estate sale held October 10-12 by Showtime Auction Services at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds. The violano, serial #195, is one of only 20 still known to exist.

The sale, which saw 2,340 lots cross the block over the course of the weekend, featured all three versions of the Mills violano. It might be the first time in auction history that all three Mills violano versions were offered in the same sale. The bow front sold had a midi player with wireless system that permits the user to operate it from 90 feet away. Included were three Mills rolls and four midi albums.

The featured collector of the sale was Sandy Rosnick, the founder of the Antique Advertising Association of America (AAA) and a dedicated collector of country store tins in many categories. A top earner from his collection was a very rare Mohawk Chief cigar tin with just some minor scuffs and scratches but otherwise in very good condition. The tin, once containing nickel cigars, brought $1,800.

“Sandy Rosnick was the featured collector, but we had so many items in such a broad range of categories this was our most diverse auction ever,” said Mike Eckles of Showtime Auction Services. “We weren't sure what to expect, because the financial crisis hit the week before the sale, and things were still in is a state of turmoil that weekend. But I was very pleased with the outcome. It was great.”

A strong crowd of more than 400 people enjoyed the balmy weather and packed the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds. The Friday session was held solely for in-house bidders. On Saturday and Sunday, phone and absentee bidding was brisk, while about 2,500 registered bidders participated online via LiveAuctioneers.com and eBayLiveAuctions.com. In all, the auction grossed around $2.2 million.

Following are additional top lots from the sale. All prices quoted include a buyer's premium that ranged from 10-20 percent.

A paper sign advertising Buffalo Brewing Company of Sacramento, Calif., and depicting a nude Indian maiden on the back of a buffalo, in a period walnut frame and in mint condition, hammered for $45,100. Also, a Brunhoff light-up Coca-Cola advertising sign, inviting patrons to “Lunch With Us” and depicting a fountain glass, in excellent original condition (12 inches by 14 inches) fetched $12,650.

An original oil painting by the German-born American artist Edmond Osthaus (1858-1928) realized $44,000. The hunting scene, depicting two Irish setters and a pointer, measured 24 inches by 36 inches (32 inches by 44 inches framed). Osthaus was commissioned by the major firearms and gun powder manufacturers of the day, such as Remington and Winchester, for their posters and calendars.

A Watling Cupid trade stimulator (coin-operated, five cents, with gum vendor) in excellent condition and with keys, went for $38,500. Also, a limited-production exact replica of a Mademoiselle Zita fortune teller, in excellent working order, hit $17,050. The original was made by Roovers Bros. Mfg., Brooklyn, N.Y., around the turn of the century. The replica was manufactured by Mike Gorski.

A “Happy Jap” gum vendor, coin-operated and made around 1902, in good original condition (10 inches by 13-1/2 inches by 10-1/2 inches), went to a determined bidder for $39,000. Also, a four-gallon mechanical butter churn with no chips or cracks – a wonderful example of grey stoneware pottery – made $3,000. The piece, 35 inches tall, was made by Jos. Hamilton Mfg. of Greensboro, Pa.

A Buster Brown Shoes tin sign, depicting Tig pulling Buster in a big shoe, measuring 40 inches by 24-3/4 inches and made by American Art Works Lithographers of Coshocton, Ohio, and in overall excellent condition, climbed to $20,900. Also, a Boyce Moto Meter die-cut tin flange sign, two-sided, measuring 21-1/2 inches by 18-3/4 inches and with a bullet hole and a few bb dents, brought $18,700.

A child's sled intended as a Christmas present for a little boy in Pennsylvania in 1893 who died before the holidays, retired to an attic ever since and in original excellent condition, with a beautiful hand-painted rendering of the Finger Lakes in New York, wood with iron runners and geese head pulls, coasted to $5,775. Also, a Popeye Bag Puncher tin wind-up toy, with the original box, reached $4,125.

Showtime Auction Services' next big sale will be held the weekend of March 27-29, also at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann Arbor. Mich. The featured collector will be Fred Bahlau who, over the course of 57 years, has amassed an impressive accumulation of leaded glass windows, Nickelodeons, lamps, signs, country store, petroliana, advertising and other items – 1,800 lots in all.

Select items from other estates will also be offered. Showtime Auction Services is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, estate or collection, you may call Mike Eckles, at (951) 453-2415. His e-mail address is Mikeckles@aol.com. To learn more about Showtime Auction Services and its calendar of upcoming sales, click on www.showtimeauctions.com.

Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes: Vintage Halloween Collectibles

Karen — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:04:52 GMT

Time is running out for you to enter for a chance to win the Vintage Halloween Collectibles book in the Antique Trader Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes.

You can enter once each day, but this sweeps ends Friday at midnight!

A new prize has been selected for the November sweepstakes. Keep watching your newsletters and AntiqueTrader.com for more information!

Click here to enter the Antique Trader Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes.

Salute to service: Let freedom ring

Karen — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:15:53 GMT

It didn’t take our editorial staff long to realize that we’d struck a nerve with our recent reports on new policies at eBay.

There are new policies proposed and activities afoot that have become a concern to dealers and collectors like you. And you let us know about it. I would estimate I fielded about 150 reader responses in the form of brief statements to long letters on this topic.

Some of you said we were right on to be concerned. Others said eBay is heading in the right direction. The opinions ran the gamut. We didn’t pick and choose what we would publish. Due to space constraints, we couldn’t print them all. But we posted (published) all of them on our Web site (www.antiquetrader.com) for other readers and all members of the collecting community to read. (Links to the eBay paperless payment policy reader responses: Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8.)

For those of you who wrote in, we thank you for exercising your right to voice your opinion. What a shame it would be if we didn’t occasionally enjoy our freedom of speech. As we approach another Veterans Day, let’s think again about those freedoms established in the Bill of Rights back in 1791 and the countless men and women in service who have defended them since. They deserve our salute.

I know from my friend and colleague John Adams-Graf, editor of our sister publication, Military Trader, that veterans are often on the minds of collectors. “The area of militaria memorabilia — weapons, uniforms, medal, helmets, etc. — is growing,” he said. (For more info, visit their Web site at www.militarytrader.com.)

Although my father did not serve in the military, I had some uncles who did, along with my brother and two nephews. I have the utmost respect for them and enjoy visiting museums, watching movies or reading books to learn more about our country’s involvement in various conflicts (including our own Civil War).

The artist sketches and photographs are spellbinding, too, and I wanted to share one with you. This incredible picture, suitably captioned “the human statue of liberty” was taken in 1918 and has been circulating around the Internet and in e-mails the last few years. It is 18,000 men preparing for war in a training camp in Iowa.

As the Web site of the of the Iowa National Guard explains, the picture, formed by 18,000 posed soldiers, was taken in July 1918 at Camp Dodge, Iowa, as part of a planned promotional campaign to sell war bonds during World War I: It states: “On a stifling July day in 1918, 18,000 officers and soldiers posed as Lady Liberty on the parade [drill] grounds at Camp Dodge. According to a July 3, 1986, story in the Fort Dodge Messenger, many men fainted – they were dressed in woolen uniforms – as the temperature neared 105 degrees. The photo, taken from the top of a specially constructed tower by a Chicago photography studio, Mole & Thomas, was intended to help promote the sale of war bonds but was never used.”

Isn’t that amazing that the photo was never used? How unfortunate. It moves me to see all those servicemen standing at attention in the shape of what they are fighting for. Antique Trader would like to know if you collect militaria or something that is symbolic or honors someone?

Drop me a line at robyn.austin@fwmedia.com and send along a picture if you have one to share with other readers, or post a reply here on the blog.

Don’t forget to salute our servicemen and women on Veterans Day and every day!

Antiques: Am I one?

Karen — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:14:21 GMT

My grandchildren think I’m an antique.

I remember watching in relief as my grandparents had indoor plumbing installed in their home. No more midnight trips to the backyard. Yaaayyy! It always took me what seemed like hours to go back to sleep after a trip outside – it felt like I might have one of those outhouse spiders crawling around in the bed with me. The alternative was to use the chamber pot, something I absolutely refused to do. I had SOME dignity, even as a child.

I sewed my first doll dress on a treadle sewing machine. I managed to send the needle partway through one of my fingers.

I rode on the back of draft horses as they pulled a hay wagon that was being loaded with hay bales by the farmhand, not a machine. My grandparents had a tractor, but it was kept in the shed and used only for the really BIG jobs because the gasoline it ran on, was so expensive at 27 cents per gallon.

I remember our first television set … tiny screen and three channels. A remote? What’s a remote? Milk delivered to the back door. Stores closed on Sunday. A typewriter with a platen, a ribbon and a carriage return. What? No delete button?

My grandchildren can hardly believe some of the stories I tell of my growing up years. “Wow! Did they even have lightbulbs then?” is one memorable quote.

Some mornings I wake up with joints that are stiff and sore. I often feel like a turtle on its back as I try to sit up after a half-hour in the recliner; I huff and puff as I climb the second set of stairs. Sometimes it’s hard not to feel like an antique.

But, what makes something an antique?

An antique might be a 1945 Ford, an Early American pie safe or a wonderful painting by an Old Master. An antique could be a postcard sent from a lonesome soldier during WWI, your great-great-grandmother’s teacup, or a brooch found at an estate sale. An antique, while not necessarily always pretty or expensive, has class. Someone has seen the value in it or cherished the memories it brings. Someone knows that under what might be a not-so-beautiful exterior, it’s good and solid and they want to find a place for it in their life.

By that definition, I guess I’m OK with being an antique.

— Sandy