Antique Trader Blog - antique

What do Pere Noel and a creepy foot have in common?

Karen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:40:25 GMT

They'll both be crossing Dan Morphy's auction block come Sept. 11 ...

DENVER, Pa. – Ask any collector of Halloween, Christmas or other seasonal antiques and they’ll tell you that every day has the potential of being a holiday, whether the calendar says so or not. On Sept. 11, Morphy Auctions will offer collectors 890 reasons to celebrate in a fantastic Holiday Auction featuring rarities from several renowned specialty collections.

The first 42 lots in the sale are from a wonderful collection of Halloween candy containers and lanterns assembled over the last 20 years by Connie and Jay Lowe of Lancaster County, Pa. The rare, early German-made items in this collection are of superior quality and are completely fresh to the market.

“Having the opportunity to acquire pieces from a collection as fine as Jay and Connie’s does not come along very often,” said Morphy’s CEO, Dan Morphy. “There are so many highlights, it’s hard to predict which ones will do best on auction day.”

Surely the list of top lots would include: a whimsical foot-shape lantern (shown at right, courtesy Dan Morphy Auctions) with a great face and painted faces on five toes, a veggie man posing on a cucumber candy container, veggie and fruit male/female candy containers, and veggie Halloween man with movable glass eyes and radish arms – possibly the only known example. Other stellar lots from the Lowe collection include a veggie man with a removable candle candy container on top of his head; and an apple head with bobbing-tongue candy container.

Other outstanding Halloween collections were the sources for a rare set of celluloid Halloween nodders, mint with original box; and a delightful black man riding a pig candy container. The entire Halloween section for the sale is filled with hundreds of other lanterns, candy containers and die-cuts.

A beautiful selection of Christmas antiques includes many special pieces, such as a Santa candy container and clockwork nodder, a clockwork Santa and bear family set in a winter scene, Santa on an elephant nodder, and a polar bear.

The acclaimed Bob Lenz collection is represented by hundreds of glass ornaments (including kugels and free-blown glass examples), Japanese and German Santas, celluloid Santas, chocolate molds, and German and Russian Dresdens. Among the rarest of the Dresden designs are a Russian troika (sleigh pulled by three horses) and a battleship with four smokestacks.

The auction inventory also includes a marvelous array of Easter, Thanksgiving and patriotic holiday items from fresh to the market collections.

View more color photos of festive vintage holiday collectibles offered in Morphy's Sept. 11 sale.

— Karen Knapstein

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Heritage Auctions NYC Gallery opens Sept. 1

Karen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:36:57 GMT

NEW YORK – The eagerly-awaited new Manhattan gallery and offices of Heritage Auction Galleries will open at 445 Park Avenue (at 57th Street) Sept. 1, 2010.

The expansion of Heritage, the world’s third largest auction house, into the New York City market comes at a time when many major auction firms are contracting. The Dallas-based firm also opened a Beverly Hills, Calif., gallery and salesroom earlier this year.

“The New York City area is home to many of the top collectors and collections, and the center of the art and antique market,” said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage. “It’s a perfect fit with our increasingly expanding services, and the best possible place for us to serve the art and high-end collectible needs of our clients. I can think of nowhere else we'd rather be opening a new gallery right now than right in the heart of Manhattan's auction district.”

"Heritage is distinguished by its superb sales catalogs, unequalled online resources for buyers and sellers and transparency in how we do business. We have a non-stop auction rotation that features the very best across 30 categories including rare coins, collectibles, fine art, jewelry, comics, movie posters, rare wine, sports memorabilia and much more," explained Rohan.

The first auction to take place under the auspices of Heritage Auctions New York City will be the company’s Oct. 16 Signature® Illustration Art Auction at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion (The Ukrainian Institute), 2 East 79th Street. It will feature some of the very best illustration pieces Heritage has ever offered, including works by Maxfield Parrish, Norman Rockwell, Gil Elvgren, J.C. Leyendecker and one of the most iconic pieces of illustration art pieces to come on the market anywhere in years, Garth Williams’ original graphite and ink on paper drawing for the cover of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, 1952.

One of the most talked about features of Heritage’s new Manhattan venue will be the Heritage Window on Park Avenue, which will feature a continually rotating selection from upcoming Heritage auctions, across all of the firm’s categories.

“We expect the Window to become a regular attraction for both collectors and everyday New Yorkers alike,” said Rohan.

The offices on Park Avenue at 57th will be open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more auction news and coverage, visit the Antique Trader magazine website at www.AntiqueTrader.com.

— Karen Knapstein

Several pieces from antebellum potter Dave the Slave in Ga. auction

Karen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:53:23 GMT

If you read Antique Trader magazine, you've occasionally seen Dave the Slave pottery cross the auction block. These pieces often achieve amazing prices of tens of thousands of dollars.

Who was Dave the Slave? According to www.davetheslave.org (a website by Mud Sweat and Tears Southern Antique and Folk Pottery):

Dave the Slave was an enslaved African-American potter who turned wares in the plantation potteries of Edgefield South Carolina before the Civil War. He made pottery from as early as the 1820s to the mid-to-late 1860s.

Dave is famous mainly for two reasons. First, he had the ability to turn large pieces of pottery, forty gallons or more in size. This was an incredible feat.

Secondly, he would sometimes write on the sides of his ware. It was against the law for slaves to learn to read and write in the antebellum South but Dave could and did. Dave sometimes wrote his name and date on his pottery and on very rare occasions he would write short two line couplets or short poems.

In 2004, an Edgefield District poem jar in ovoid form with ear-shaped handles, inscribed with the poem: 'Whats better than kissing (or) wishing while we both are at fishing'; and on other side signed & dated: "Febry 10, 1840, Mr. L. Miles, Dave," sold for $140,000 at a Charlton Hall auction in Columbia, S.C. (The photo shown at right is courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com.)

More Dave the Slave pieces are crossing the block on Aug. 28 at Hawkins Auction Barn in Waynesboro, Ga. Among other important pottery pieces, Hawkins is offering: Recently Discovered Signed and Dated, Dave the Slave 4 Gal. Storage Jar, never offered for Sale to the public. Another signed and dated Dave Jar (Oct, 16th 1854). (Photo at left courtesy Hawkins Auction)

Visit http://www.hawkinsauction.us/ to learn more.

— Karen Knapstein

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‘Jewellery’ explains processes, materials

Karen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:20:19 GMT

No mere pretty little picture book of baubles, “Antique Jewellery” is a useful, compact, reference book that delves into the types of jewelry, the materials old and antique jewelry are made of, and how jewelry was once produced. The list of plates at the beginning of the book piqued my interest and made me jump right in.

According to author Duncan James, who is a lecturer, jewelry designer and craftsman, “It seeks to encourage the reader to look at jewellery more closely and carefully for the subtle hidden evidence of fine craftsmanship and design.”

If you’re in the market for old and antique jewelry, and you can identify quality workmanship, you have a better chance of getting the best value for your money. “Antique Jewellery” is a good tool to help you learn to spot fine antique jewelry while you are out in the marketplace. It offers crisp, clear images of exquisite jewelry examples, though without pricing and value information.

Just as important as the many color photographs are the many helpful illustrations (the little book holds a whopping 60 figural drawings) to teach the intricacies of finely made jewelry, some of which include gold content, hallmarks, principal decorative techniques, types of engraving tools, stone cuts and settings.

Antique jewelry is worth more than the sum of its parts. Take away the condition, however, and that antique jewelry is at risk of being reduced for the cash value of the materials it’s made of. Perhaps an understanding and appreciation of how a 200-year old piece was made, though it may now be broken or battered, might yet be enough to save it, one piece at a time.

“Antique Jewellery: Its manufacture, materials and design,” by Duncan James, Shire Publications, 2007, softcover, 120 pages, $19.95, www.shirebooks.co.uk.

— Karen Knapstein

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Precious metal coins in Friday auction are on investors’ radar

Karen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:41:17 GMT

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. – When Wall Street heads south, investors head straight to precious metals – especially silver and gold coins like the ones to be auctioned by Stephenson’s Auctioneers & Appraisers at 4 p.m. (EST) Friday, Aug. 20th.

More than 500 lots will be offered in the sale, with the great majority being the types of coveted American gold and silver coins that are so highly sought after by today’s collectors. Highlights among the gold issues are an 1899 $10 coin, as well as 1880-S, 1886-S, 1897 and 1881 $5 coins. Other important gold coins to be auctioned are 1905 and 1911 $2-1/2 coins, and 1883 $1 coin and U.S. Constitution coins.

Literally hundreds of Morgan and Peace silver dollars have been entered in the sale, including 1882, 1883, 1884 and 1890 CC (Carson City). Within the selection of half dollars are 30 Liberty head coins plus several large lots of rolled Walking Liberty and Ben Franklin halves.

The coin offering continues with Barber halves and quarters, 1875 and 1875-S 20-cent pieces, large cents, 2-cent pieces, 3-cent pieces and a lot consisting of 11 half-cents. Additionally, there are large quantities of Barber, Mercury and Roosevelt dimes; Buffalo nickels, and many mint and proof sets, including early proof sets from 1953, ’54 and ’55.

Pennywise buyers won’t want to miss the selection of flying eagle and Indian-head cents or the Lincoln cent book spanning the years from 1909 through 1940 inclusive. The book is complete and includes an example of the scarce 1909-S VDB (the initials of designer Victor David Brenner).

"This is an auction that will present excellent buying opportunities both for the advanced collector and the newcomer," said Stephenson’s owner and auctioneer, Cindy Stephenson. "Gold and silver coins stand apart from other types of popular collectibles in that they also have intrinsic value. They have a built-in hedge against inflation, since they’re both a commodity and a monetary instrument."

All items in Stephenson’s Aug. 20 Coin Auction will be available to inspect from 1-4 p.m. on auction day. The complimentary auction catalog may be viewed or downloaded online through Stephenson’s website.

For questions regarding any lot in the sale, call 215-322-6182 or info@StephensonsAuction.com. The auction will take place in metro Philadelphia at 1005 Industrial Blvd., Southampton, Pa. The venue is accessible to major interstate freeways. Those who cannot attend in person may bid absentee, by fax or e-mail prior to the auction, or by phone either before or during the sale. Please arrange for phone line in advance of sale.

About Stephenson’s Auctioneers & Appraisers:

Family-owned Stephenson’s Auctioneers & Appraisers is located near Philadelphia in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is a full-service auction company that has been in business for nearly 50 years. Stephenson’s knowledgeable, experienced staff members are known for their willingness to assist and their honesty in all dealings. The company conducts weekly and specialty auctions in a 5,000-square-foot, climate-controlled gallery, and holds on-site events if selling real estate or business/residential contents. Each auction season, Stephenson’s produces an Antiques & Decorative Arts Auction that draws worldwide interest and heavy Internet bidding. Stephenson’s is licensed, bonded and insured, and is a member of the SeniorChecked network.

Vintage costume jewelry in North Jersey

Karen — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:57:17 GMT

The NJ/METRO chapter of VFCJ (Vintage Fashion Costume Jewelry) will host the club member’s semi-annual Mini Convention, show and sale on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. This jewelry show, open to the public at no fee, will take place at the Lake Mohawk Country Club in Sparta, N.J., in the Mohawk Room.

Everything related to costume jewelry - vintage rings, brooches, pendants, necklaces, bracelets and earrings from bygone days will be on display and offered for sale. Lots of reasonable, authentic, retro treasures will be available. Exhibitors and collectors of vintage costume jewelry from the tri-state and regional area will be present.

There will be a showcase of rhinestone jewelry from the late 1940s, predominantly from the manufacturers DeLizza & Elster (D & E), the designers of costume jewelry under the tag labels of Juliana, Tara and Gloria.

A wealth of information about the hobby of collecting costume jewelry can be obtained as well.

For more information contact Joyce Simmons, coordinator for the NJ/METRO chapter at 973-729-3341 or simmonsjo@yahoo.com.

Calendar of Events

Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

Vintage Costume Jewelry Club Show, Lake Mohawk Country Club, Mohawk Room, 21 The Boardwalk, Sparta, NJ 07871.

Open to the Public – no fee

You might enjoy these articles:

• Kathy Flood interviews jewelry designer Kenneth Jay Lane
• Warman's Jewelry explores the passion of personal decoration
• Flood heads first major jewelry sale for Collect Auctions
• Collectors drawn to enamel jewelry
• Baubles, bangles and jewels of Southern belles and Northern beauties

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Ceramic Arts Studio convention Aug. 28

Karen — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:54:26 GMT

My first exposure to items made by Madison, Wis., Ceramic Arts Studio took place at an auction just last year. I was surprised when two bidders both held their numbers high, unwavering, in an effort to claim a pair of ceramic cat figures. The figures soared to $240, leaving a room full of turning heads, gasps and whispers.

It's no secret to Ceramic Arts Studios collectors why the items are valuable. During the 1940s and ‘50s, Ceramic Arts Studio celebrated the very best America had to offer. Heartwarming figurines from “the little Studio that could” brightened homes from coast to coast, during the darkest days of World War II, and the energetic, optimistic years that followed. A truly captivating history on the firm and its origins can be found over at Centennial Antiques.

For the 16th year in a row, collectors are coming together Aug. 28 in Madison for the 2010 "All-American CAS Celebration.” CAS Collectors is a group open to all those with an interest in the work. “An All-American CAS Celebration” honors the ingenuity and creativity that established CAS as an American icon, with a fun-filled get-together typical of the times.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 28th, convention attendees will visit the
Wisconsin Pottery Association Show & Sale at the Alliant Energy Center. Later, all will gather at Madison’s Howard Johnson Plaza for the convention festivities, with activities and décor centered around a “county fair” theme.

Getting the evening underway will be a social hour, and the popular “CAS On
Display Contest;” all in attendance are invited to submit entries. Abuffet dinner and membership meeting will be followed by the club’s annual auction, featuring professional auctioneer Shirley Baumann. Events will conclude with door prizes, and presentation of the 2010 CAS Collectors Commemorative.

Convention registration is $60 per person and includes all evening activities, plus the commemorative. Forms and additional information are available on the club’s website, www.cascollectors.com, or by writing CAS Collectors, 206 Grove Street, Rockton, IL 61072.

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Preserving the relics of our collective past

Karen — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:07:53 GMT

Everyone has a few items in their house they are saving for reasons only they know. Over the past few years I’ve worked hard to keep my pack-rat habits in check. However, there’s always one or two boxes full of newspaper clippings, magazines and assorted snapshots of our lives that seems to accompany us in every move.

This week’s cover feature offers a new look at what you can do to preserve the items dear to your collection or dear to your heart. Many people look at their collections as a personal, intellectual pursuit – one that their children may not be excited to inherit.

But the old quilts, jewelry, books and pocket watch in use every day is often the most cherished items passed down from one generation to another.

Congratulations!

A hearty congrats goes out to Sherri Jones of Tampa, Fla. As the lucky winner of the July Antique Trader Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes, Jones will get a two-volume set of jewelry reference books by Kathy Flood, as well as a blue and green crystal Christmas tree brooch featured on the cover of “Warman’s Costume Jewelry Figurals.”

August Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes

Make sure you visit the Antique Trader website each day to enter the August Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes for your chance to win one of four Noritake British Airways pickle plates. Enter at http://sweepstakes.antiquetrader.com.

— Eric Bradley

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Casino chip collecting club wraps another successful convention

Karen — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:14:31 GMT

The Casino Chip & Gaming Token Collectors Club, Inc. wrapped their 18th annual convention on June 26, 2010, held at the Southpoint Spa Hotel & Casino. The club reported almost 1,000 walk-in visitors despite the economy - a startling turnout.

Among the highlights were the banquet speaker, former Aladdin part owner and former Nevada Gaming Investigator Bill Zender. Also presenting at the educational seminars were Howard Herz, Charles Kaplan, Terry Shaffer and Al Moe. The presenters spoke on a number of exciting issues as pertaining to casino collectibles.

The showroom floor was crammed with dealers and collectors for most of the three days the showroom floor was open and many, many purchases were made. Next year’s convention is June 22-25, 2011 again at the Southpoint Spa Hotel & Casino.

More information is available at www.ccgtcc.com. ■

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Art Loss Register recovers Dieppe carved ivory box

Karen — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:43:06 GMT

Relying on its one-of-a-kind, international database of over 300,000 lost and stolen items, the Art Loss Register has recovered an ivory box stolen from a private residence in , while the theft victim sat rooms away.

The theft of the delicately crafted box, executed by famed French draftsman Charles-Etienne Thomas (1787-1857), occurred in December 2009.

Chubb Insurance, acting on behalf of the theft victim, was quick to provide photographs of the stolen property to the Warwickshire Police who within days reported the items to the Art Loss Register. The ALR maintains the largest international database of lost and stolen works of art. It records both public and private losses, regularly conducts searches of the database against international auctions, private treaty sales, gallery stock, art fairs and museum collections, and aims to identify then mediate the return of these items.

In March 2010, just over three months after the box's theft, the ALR matched the stolen box at a Christie's New York auction where it had been valued at $4,000 to $6,000. The name 'Dieppe' is attached to the box as it denotes the type of ivory traded in the port city in France, which served as a luxury commerce hub from the 16th through 19th centuries.

Christie's immediately withdrew the box from auction and held it until the ALR negotiated the consignor's surrender of the item. The consignor, a former US police officer, was completely unaware of the box's crooked history, and cooperated fully with the ALR and Detective Constable Paul Whitehurst of Warwickshire Police, who led the UK investigation.

By June, a mere six months after it was stolen, Chubb was happy to offer the Dieppe Carved Ivory Box back to its client, the theft victim.

Christopher A. Marinello, executive director and general counsel for the ALR, who led the case, commended Detective Constable Whitehurst for his persistence. "The theft victim was fortunate to have such a diligent officer working on his behalf. Choosing a quality fine art insurer like Chubb who painstakingly documents its client's possessions is the smartest move you can make if you ever hope to recover a cherished family heirloom after a theft."

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Doll made for Victor Hugo brings $116K, doll from Anne Rice collection brings $40K

Karen — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:06:02 GMT

Big news in the doll world this week as word emerges that auction firm Theriault's sold a doll especially commissioned by author Victor Hugo for $116,000, doubling its pre-auction estimate.

The sale also held dolls from the collection of Anne Rice, the noted American author of Interview with the Vampire and other novels. Of special note was a 31-inch Bru bébé from the classic era that was written about by the author in her novel, Taltos, described as “a bisque doll of impeccable standards”. That she was, collectors agreed, bidding her to $40,000. The entire sale was held live on Proxibid.com.

Other dolls with known provenance were also featured in the Theriault’s auction, which took place in downtown Chicago, but none were able to break the doll made for Hugo. About 1860, when Hugo, arguably France’s greatest poet and author, wrote Toilers of the Sea, he commissioned the doll from the prestigious Parisian doll firm of Huret to serve as inspiration for his heroine.

Later the doll was gifted to the daughter of his friend and she always referred to it as, simply, “the great man’s doll”. The doll was eventually given to Hugo’s beloved granddaughter Jeanne along with a doll trunk bearing the “Jeanne” brass name plate and a vast trousseau of costumes and accessories. The doll will now reside in a place of honor in an important New England collection.

Theriault's is based in Annapolis, Md., and it conducts important doll auctions at major cities around the United States; last summer’s auction in Atlanta saw a doll auctioned for a new world auction record of $263,000.

Provenance-bearing dolls included “Juliette’s Poupée”, a rare molded leather body poupée by Victor Clement that had resided in the chateau of de la Hogue-Moreau nearby Paris for more than a century before coming to auction, as well as “Miss Minnie”, a smiling poupée by Bru who had arrived from Paris about 1870 for a young American girl.

Both dolls were featured along with aged photographs of their original child owners and Miss Minnie also owned a tintype of herself taken nearly a century and a half ago. They sold, respectively, for $14,000 and $6,000.

-posted by Eric Bradley

You may also enjoy:

200 Years of Dolls, Identification and Price Guide, 4th Edition, by Dawn Herlocher
Doll Makers' Marks CD by Dawn Herlocher
Collectible Dolls, A Warman's Companion by Dawn Herlocher

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• Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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Here's to wonderful finds in unexpected places

Karen — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Sometimes a heart-stopping find appears in the most unlikely location. Last week my wife and I took a moment to stroll through a thrift store not known for its great selection of antique furniture. As a lifelong lover of old furniture, I had spent many an afternoon hoping to find some neat item to add to our house.

Shortly after walking in, my eyes got as big as Oreo cookies. There in the corner, leaning up against the wall was the unmistakable glimmer of bird’s-eye maple. Picking through the rubble of mismatched bed frames staked on top, the maple was revealed to be the headboard of a sleigh bed with legs that terminate in an empire style and detailed carvings. Perfect for my 10-year-old son, the price was a satisfying $40.

Favorite finds happen to us all the time and we’d love to hear yours. After launching the second annual Favorite Finds contest last issue, we’ve already received a number of entries.

Make sure you send your story in by Sept. 30 to Antique Trader Favorite Finds, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990 or ATNEWS@fwmedia.com.

Butter Pats Return!

For the months of August and September in Antique Trader’s online Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes we will be offering four prizes – vintage British Airways Noritake Pickle Plates sponsored by the Butter Pat Patter Association.

What’s a pickle plate, you might ask? These were used exclusively by British Airways on the orient routes for First-Class cabin meals.

This rectangular-shaped pickle plate was designed by Noritake and features a design representing a netsuke and a money pouch. Netsukes are small ivory, wood, metal, or porcelain pieces used as toggles on the end of the cord that held a Japanese money pouch. Measuring 3 3/4 inches by 2 1/4 inches by 1/2 inch high, the plate is from Noritake’s Kaiseki Set.

You can only enter for a chance to win one of these four pickle plates on the Internet at www.AntiqueTrader.com/sweepstakes.

It’s easy to join the Butter Pat Patter Association and get 10 issues of its newsletter – The Patter – all year long. Just send $22, payable to Mary Dessoie to 265 Eagle Bend Drive, Bigfork, MT 59911-6235. Every member receives a valuable transportation china premium with their membership. ■

— Eric Bradley

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• Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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So if you don't find a deal at the antique mall ...

Karen — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:33:12 GMT

... do you ask for your own?

With 72,000 square feet and 600 booths and lighted cases, the Exit 76 Antique Mall of Edinburgh, Ind., is one of the largest in the Midwest. With plenty to offer antique shoppers.

The trend, according to an article in the Indianapolis Business Journal, is that more shoppers are asking mall personnel to call up antiques vendors and ask for a better price on items they're interested in. And shoppers are usually getting a discount of about 10 percent.

Another trend: they've seen an "increase in traffic from adults ages 23 to 35" ... those who are furnishing houses and apartments for the first time.

Most of the antique malls that I've been to have a 10 percent cash or check discount on items over 20 percent, unless the item is marked "firm" ... but each mall is different, of course.

I can appreciate both sides of the transaction: buyers want their dollars to stretch as far as possible, and sellers need to turn a decent profit to stay in business.

What do you think?

Do you find yourself asking for more discounts than you used to?

If you work in a shop or mall, have you noticed an uptick in patrons asking for a "better price"?

— Eric Bradley

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• Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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• Get up-to-date pricing for tens of thousands of antiques & collectibles on Collect.com – FREE for 1 year – when you join the Collecting Insider Club!

Another mystery machine

Karen — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:31:44 GMT

One Antique Trader reader writes:

I found this item in Delaware in a thrift shop. The handle acts like a lever/press of sorts. The roller moves back and forth across the black surface. What is it? Thank you,
— M.L., Washingtonville, N.Y.

My first guess would be that this was used to hold pretty paper for wrapping Christmas presents at a department store.

If any of our readers know what this is, please send your response to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com.

A selection of responses will be published in an upcoming issue.

— Eric

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• Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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• Browse hundreds of collectibles reference books in our store.
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The web is alive about eBays traffic woes

Karen — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:05:39 GMT

The web is alive with chatter this week about eBay’s traffic woes. PowerSellers are blaming the online auction giant of changing its search functions and causing a drop in sales.

More than 5,600 replies have been logged to a forum thread titled “5 DAYS STRAIGHT, NOT 1 SALE” that was posted back in April. On the Internet, April is a lifetime ago. Still, the topic has legs. The chorus has grown louder as the economy lumbers along. If nothing else, it gives sellers a source to cry foul and learn from others.

The four biggest complaints, according to Newark, N.J. based blogger Monique Stout:

* Lack of visibility.
* Defining what constitutes a ‘Best Match’
* Buyer favoritism, and
* A slanted feedback system.

Time will tell if the lack of sales is eBay’s work on its search functions or the slow economy. However, it's clear something even larger that the economy is involved here.

According to the July 10 "Chart of the Day" carried by the San Francisco Chronicle, eBay and CraigsList have finally hit on their collision course.

Both sites had equal amounts of unique visitors in the U.S. for the first time ever, according to comScore data. It shows both CraigsList and eBay registering 50 million unique monthly visitors in May.

However, Amazon.com exceeds both of them by 20 million unique visitors.

Crucial to understanding the chart is comparing how eBay's traffic has changed during the past four years. Back in Nov. 2006 eBay was recording between 75 and 80 million unique visitors a month.

When it comes to sellling antiques and collectibles sellers, it appears traffic matters more than search functions.

— posted by Eric Bradley

Why buy a repro when you can get the real thing?

Karen — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:11:13 GMT

My eyes just about bugged out of my head.

Glancing through a mail order catalog recently there they were: More than four pages worth of “vintage charm for your home.”

A major national catalog retailer has picked up a line of reproduction “Depression-era glassware” and has it on sale for just a few bucks. The glassware is in the more popular colors of Depression glass and there are also some pieces usually found made of milk glass, such as hens on nests and assorted candy jars.

These are the pieces that it took five pages in “Warman’s Depression Glass, 5th edition,” to illustrate.

The real troubling part is that the prices the new reproductions are selling for are the exact same prices for the originals that can be found at your local shop or county auction. I some cases, the originals can be found even cheaper. An EAPG footed candy dish selling for $5 online looks very similar to the reproduction selling for $11 in the catalog.

Sure $11 isn’t much. And to most people an $11 reproduction doesn’t represent the greatest threat to the antiques business. But it’s something to take seriously.

Isn’t it funny how often dealers and collectors can be heard lamenting the state of the antique market? Yet, major retailers are turning to our hobbies to make a quick buck when times turn tough. One would think a few knock-offs here and there would reaffirm our trade, but in the case of mass produced reproductions it only hurts.

Maybe these reproductions will catch the eye of more young collectors who will then start searching out new pieces and eventually discover the real thing. Plus, the repros further open the chasm.

The trouble is, the reproductions make it all that more difficult to sell authentic pieces and educate a customer on what makes the piece worth copying in the first place.

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Wonder Woman's new costume wasn't the first

Karen — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:22:02 GMT

All the news outlets today are featuring Wonder Woman's new outfit, set to debut in issue No. 600.

Our friends over at Comics Buyers Guide (also published by F+W Media, Inc.) show the Amazon Princess has had a few costume changes over the years. It's a perspective you won't find anywhere else and totally worth visiting.

The full story on Wonder Woman's New/Old look was posted today on the CBGExtra Blog.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Star of the North Show this weekend at the Minn. State Fairgrounds

Karen — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:09:06 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Townsend Promotions, Inc., is pleased to announce the Star of the North Antique Show will be returning this weekend (June 25-27) to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Townsend promoters hear many, many positive comments from customers and exhibitors about the show as well as the location and, of course, the free parking.

The Star of the North has something to offer for every collector from beginning to advanced. You will see an exciting array of antiques in every category from Civil War, historical, political, advertising, coins, vintage toys, fine art glass, fine porcelains, flow blue china, paintings, Moser glass, jewelry, sterling silver matching service, art pottery, holiday collectibles, prints, decorative antiques, carnival glass, cut glass, Fenton glass, Cambridge, Royal Bayreuth, Royal Doulton, Nippon, hatpins, napkin rings, match safes, bookends, door stops, notary seals, postcards, ephemera, furniture, primitives, old books and much more.

New to the show – verbal jewelry appraisal services available at the show daily from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. This is in conjunction with a Vintage Clothing Show held in the Fine Arts Building and a Book Fair in the Progress Building.

The show will again be held in the Education Building which is located near the entrance of the fairgrounds and free parking. Hours of the show will be: Friday: 10 am – 6 pm; Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday 11 am – 4 pm.

Admission is $6 and is good all three days of the show – mention this news release on the Antique Trader blog and receive $1 off one admission at the door.

For show information, call 641-832-2700 or 507-269-1473 or email us at Townsend Promotions.

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• Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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• Browse hundreds of collectibles reference books in our store.
• Need pricing data? Check out Warman's Antiques & Collectibles 2011 Price Guide.
• And browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your own online ad - FREE

-posted by Eric

Question of the Week: Do packed antique stores encourage your hunt or do they make too much trouble for the effort?

Karen — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:59:20 GMT

Love 'em or loathe 'em, they are a mainstay of collecting - crowded, jam-packed antique shops full of finds (some pleasant, some not).

Let's hear it:

Do crowded, packed antique stores encourage you to hunt for what you want or do they make too much trouble for the effort?

Responses in print, from Twitter and Facebook will be published in an upcoming issue of Antique Trader and at AntiqueTrader.com.

Send replies to Letters to the Editor, c/o Antique Trader, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990 or to Editor Eric Bradley.

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-posted by Eric

This Independence Day take time to read the Declaration of Independence

Karen — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:37:08 GMT

I’m going to let you in on a practice I’ve done every Independence Day for the last 15 years or so. No matter how long the parade may be or how many roasted hot dogs and chilled beers that have been served, I always steal a quiet moment away from the family and friends.

That’s when I read the Declaration of Independence. Seriously. I’ve made it a holiday habit no different than hanging stockings by the fire or digging costumes out of the basement.

A few years ago I found a small booklet of the Declaration in a thrift store and it is stored in my office bookcase. It’s there next to a bound copy of the Constitution my parents gave me at my college graduation.

This year the Declaration of Independence – one of 26 known to exist from the original July 4, 1776, printing – was the centerpiece of a kick-off event with thousands of schoolchildren from around the country on the campus of the University of Maryland to commemorate National History Day on June 14.

This rare Declaration of Independence is one of the original 200 “Dunlap Broadsides” printed on July 4, 1776, and is now owned by Hollywood producer and philanthropist Norman Lear, who lent the document to honor National History Day’s students and teachers.

Annually, half a million students participate in this national program by creating presentations that bring primary-source research to life through table-top exhibitions, documentaries, live performances, websites and research papers.

Programs like these get children interested in history and, I like to think, an eventual awareness and passion for antiques and collectibles.

So I’m asking all of our readers to take 10 minutes to read the entire Declaration of Independence ... and share at least a few of the graspable terms with a young person in you life. In the long run, it’s good for our country and good for our hobby.

You may enjoy these articles on Americana antiques and collectibles:

    • July 2008: Rare 1823 Stone facsimile of the Declaration of Independence brings $132,000 at Swann Galleries’ June 5 auction
    • June 2010: Art Markets: World War I poster art rooted in propaganda
    • July 2009: Collection Spotlight: One man’s passion for pulp

Visit www.antiquetrader.com/Americana for more related articles.

Shop our library of Americana reference books and price guides with topics ranging from military artifacts (Civil War through Vietnam), advertising and sports nostalgia.

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-posted by Eric Bradley

Postcard reaches sender's grandson after 95 years

Karen — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:09:17 GMT

A fascinating postcard story is making news worldwide this week. Consider this a different twist on the often-reported "the-post-office-finally-delivers" type story.

The AP reports a postcard sent home by a Bosnian soldier in World War I finally reached his family after 95 years, thanks to an American collector, who bought it for $50 at a show in Long Beach, Calif. The postcard collector, Nihad Eric Dzinovic, said it was just another day searching for another item for his estimated 200,000-piece collection.

Come to find out, Dzinovic accidentally met a man named Nadir Bicakcic in an antique shop in downtown Sarajevo during a recent visit. His name rang a bell. The next day he found the card and Bicakcic. When Bicakcic looked at the front of the card, he froze.

The card showed a group of soldiers and one, third from the right, had a mustache and familiar eyes. It was his grandfather who, after returning from World War I, became mayor of Sarajevo.

Bicakcic intends to enlarge both sides and hang the copies on his wall. The original will be locked in his safe.

The full story will be in a future issue of Antique Trader.

Postcard collector? You may enjoy these columns by Barbara Andrews:

    • Recycled postcards: art or crime?
    • Real photos make fun postcards
    • The mischief makers
    • Recycling For the ages

Visit www.antiquetrader.com/postcards for more postcard related articles.

The Post Card Collection Software V-11 is our newest version of our collectible inventory software. It sports a new look, more in depth fields and more reports for the collector.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Warman's Jewelry author Kathy Flood focus of teleseminar

Karen — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:18:48 GMT

Although readers of the June 30 issue of Antique Trader will get a sneak peak of the new Warman's Jewelry, 4th edition by Kathy Flood (right), you can get a chance to chat with Kathy in an exclusive teleconference hosted by The Queen of Auctions Lynn Dralle.

Kathy will be the featured expert where she will answer questions about buying and selling costume jewelry! It will be this Wednesday, June 16 at 5 pm PDT, 8 pm EDT.

This teleseminar is free for members of members of Dralle's Queen's Court but costs $29.95 for everyone else. If you can’t make the live call it will be recorded and available as a download soon after.

For those of you not familiar with Dralle, during the last 12 years she has established herself as the poster child of eBay success stories. Starting in 1998, Dralle has overseen a strong eBay business. She has since appeared on hundreds of radio and TV programs, including NBC's "Evening Magazine" and "Inside Edition" with Deborah Norville. She was featured in the September 2006 issue of "Good Housekeeping." She has also produced and hosted a series of DVD programs entitled "The Queen's Academy." She is still an eBay power seller and sells about 600 items each month at online auction. She lives in Southern California with her two children.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Collecting and the 'happiness of pursuit'

Karen — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:18:09 GMT

One of the great things about this magazine is encountering such a diversity of people and the collections they are passionate about. One day may be pinback buttons and the next, Lalique hood ornaments. (Lalique hood ornament photo courtesy Lalique, France.)

The amazement extends into my private time and a recent feature on the often reclusive, but always intelligent, art collector Charles Saatchi, has fascinated me. He and his brother co-founded the global advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi.

Saatchi has been answering questions by readers of TheDailyBeast.com, an Internet news and commentary website. I eagerly check the site every week for another serving of idiosyncratic nuggets on how Saatchi views the world and his quest as a collector extraordinaire. Besides offering pithy responses to questions such as “What is mankind’s greatest unsolved mystery that particularly puzzles you?”

Saatchi: “Why kamikaze pilots wore helmets. Why is it called a TV set when you only get one? Why does a fat chance and a slim chance mean the same thing?

One reader asked Saatchi if he believed he had “a collecting obsessive compulsive disorder.”

His response: “My aim in life isn’t so much the pursuit of happiness as the happiness of pursuit.”

It’s under this philosophy that we offer you an excerpt of Kathy Flood’s new book, “Warman’s Jewelry,” 4th edition. It’s a departure from the other jewelry reference books we’ve offered and truly speaks to the heart of those passionate about a singular personal pursuit.

I hope you enjoy and take a moment to reflect on your own “happiness of pursuit.”

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Mated pair of Andrew Clemens sand art bottles surface ... again

Karen — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:52:09 GMT

A curious and unique pair of sand art bottles, handcrafted by Andrew Clemens (1857-1894) of McGregor, Iowa, will be offered for sale in a July 2 auction held by W. Yoder Auction and carried live via ProxiBid. Popularly referred to as the Sweetheart Sandbottles, these rare bottles have surfaced for sale no less than three times in the last five years - twice in just the last four months.

Clemens lost his hearing and speech at age 5 due to a "brain fever." As a deaf-mute he earned worldwide acclaim for his ability to "paint" images inside blown glass bottles with nothing more than a set of special tools (including a fish hook) and the patience of a yeoman. He was proud that his specially colored sand came from Iowa's Pictured Rocks area of Pikes Peak State Park. According to several online articles, Clemens created most of his work from 1880-1886 and is acknowledged as the inventor and possibly the sole practitioner of his art form. Antique Trader featured Clemens' work in a cover story in February 2008.

It's estimated that of the hundreds of sand art bottles Clemens made during his regrettably short life (he died at age 37 or 42 depending on which account you read) only about 50 bottles remain. They are highly coveted by American folk art collectors for their ingenuity and beauty. Prices range from about $500 for lesser quality examples to as much as $25,000. Four bottles are on display at the Iowa State Historical Museum in Des Moines and other bottles are documented on a fan site.

They are referred to as the Sweetheart Sandbottles, at least that's how auctioneer Wes Cowan described them when he sold the pair for $24,500 (not including buyer's premium) in February 2005. The commissioned bottles were made for Helen Wimmler, Milwaukee, and Henry Reinken, Manitowoe, (sic) Wis. (The Wisconsin city of Manitowoc is misspelled.)

Fast forward to Feb. 16, 2010. In a listing that's since expired from general searches, the sandbottles were offered by a Florida seller on eBay. By all accounts the listing shows the bottles were claimed after five bids for $19,000. The listing is for the same Wimmler and Reinken bottles, "the only 'mated pair' of Clemens sand bottle art."

For whatever reason, the wonderful Sweetheart Sandbottles are back on the market and represent one more opportunity for collectors to own a piece of peculiar folk art. The bottles are shown on Yoder's auction website along with three other rare examples included in the firm's July 2 auction. One of the three examples depicts an American eagle above a banner reading "M.W. Cole," another shows a paddle wheel boat and the third depicts a floral bouquet in an urn.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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•Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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•Browse hundreds of collectibles reference books in our store.
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Record set for Lalanne sculptures

Karen — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:53:27 GMT

VAN NUYS, Calif. – Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) announces Francois-Xavier Lalanne Singes Attentifs SI & SII, sold for a record price of $199,062 (estimate $100,000-$125,000) and was the top lot in the May 23 Modern Art & Design Auction.

The artist’s daughter, Marie, was on hand to witness the sale and posed for a photograph with one of her father’s sculptures.

The May 23, 2010, Modern Art & Design Auction totaled $1.67 million (including buyer’s premium) selling 64 percent of the 451 lots available. More than 300 people attended the auction, making it the largest attendance at a LAMA auction to date.

The gallery was standing room only and was filled with buyers from all over the world. Buyers represented France, Portugal, Israel, Mexico, and a heavy percentage from California. ■

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•Find us on Twitter and Facebook
•Visit the Antique Trader Website and sign up for our FREE eNewsletter.
•Browse hundreds of collectibles reference books in our store.
•Need pricing data? Check out Warman's Antiques & Collectibles 2011 Price Guide.
•And browse the Antique Trader Classifieds or place your own online ad - FREE!

Weekend event offers Western shopping

Karen — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:42:40 GMT

DENVER – Brian Lebel’s Old West Show & Auction fills the Denver Merchandise Mart’s Expo building this June 25-27 for the 21st annual celebration of the arts and antiques of the American West. This year’s Saturday night auction will include select items from the Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum Collection. The show features Western dealers, artists and craftsmen selling their best antique and contemporary merchandise.

This is the show’s second year at the Denver Merchandise Mart, a venue that has allowed the event to grow in size and scope since relocating from Cody, Wyo. The Old West Show now boasts 200 dealers specializing in an impressive and eclectic collection of antiques, art, apparel, jewelry, furnishings, collectibles, firearms, custom gear, cowboy trappings, books, boots and more. A gallery walk/cocktail party kicks off the weekend festivities and other special events are in the works.

Fine art offerings from this year’s auction include past and present Cowboy Artists members such as John Moyers, Bill Nebeker, Mehl Lawson, Nicholas Firfires, Joe Beeler, and Nick Eggenhofer. Additional artists of note include Charlie Russell and Maynard Dixon. Also included will be items from the Richard Flood collection. Native American artifacts include 19th century Northern Plains beadwork, Navajo silver bridles, clothing and textiles.

Additional information on the auction and show can all be found at www.denveroldwest.com. ■

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•Find us on Twitter and Facebook
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Hampshire vase stolen in Brimfield

Karen — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 23:28:40 GMT

BRIMFIELD, Mass. – Subscriber Faye D. Richards reports someone stole her blue Hampshire Pottery vase during the May 14 J&J Promotions show during the Brimfield spring antiques market. The vase was taken at approximately 1:30 p.m. while Richards assisted a customer.

The vase is a signed piece by Emma Robertson, circa 1904–10, Keene, N.H. Measuring 8 1/2 to 9 inches tall with a bulbous body, the vase is decorated in a blue glaze matte design and mottled texture. Artist’s markings on the bottom of the vase are a uppercase “M” and lowercase “A.”

The resale price was estimated to be between $700 and $1,200. Anyone having information about this item is asked to contact Richards at 860-485-1713 or 170 Scoville Hill Rd., Harwinton, Conn. A theft case, number 10-36-OF, has been opened by the Brimfield Police Department, which may be reached at 413-245-3442.

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RWCS sponsors latest Antique Trader sweepstakes

Karen — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:31:25 GMT

We’ve been very busy working up new ways for readers to interact with fellow collectors and collections. One project in particular is a great opportunity for lovers of Red Wing stoneware and art pottery ceramics.

Antique Trader is teaming up with the Red Wing Collectors Society to bring you a whopper for our monthly, online-only Treasure Hunt Sweepstakes. In exchange for signing up to receive our two, free weekly e-newsletters through the sweepstakes, entrants have a chance to win a $150 prize package through the month of June.

The Red Wing Collectors Society is one of the oldest most active, engaged and knowledgeable clubs in the United States. You can lean more about this great group of people at www.redwingcollectors.org, which incidentally is the No. 1 source of Red Wing Pottery knowledge in the world. Its famous national convention is scheduled for July 8-10, 2010, in — where else — Red Wing, Minn.

The prize package includes a one-year membership in the RWCS, which includes the official newsletter six times a year, a rare 2009 RWCS convention commemorative advertising bean pot (available only to RWCS members and limited to 3,600 pieces) AND a 2010 RWCS convention commemorative, yet to be released, that’s only available to members at the July 8-10 convention.

You can enter at http://sweepstakes.antiquetrader.com/. This is the first time we’ve ever offered such a prize package and we’re proud to partner with the RWCS. Remember, this is an online only sweepstakes.

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This issue made it all worthwhile

Karen — Fri, 28 May 2010 20:08:18 GMT

It has been a crazy-busy week this week.

We've had two publication deadlines: the June 16 edition of Antique Trader and the Summer edition of the Antique Trader Traveler. The Traveler will be available soon as a free PDF download, so you'll want to watch for that. We'll announce when it's ready and where you can get it.

And, of course, we had the Auction Extra on Tuesday, and our regular e-newsletter that went out today. Plus, we had to produce next Tuesday's Auction Exra early because of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday. [You can sign up to receive your free Antique Trader e-newsletters at www.antiquetrader.com.]

Also, the office has been abuzz with preparations for the Randolph St. Market's Chicago Antique Market. Editor Eric Bradley will be out the door shortly to hop on down to Chicago and make final preparations there.

Whew! That's a lot of commotion!

But, I tell you what: Seeing this week's issue come together really made it all worthwhile. This may be our best issue yet! Here's a look at the cover. We've got a really fascinating piece on industrial antiques as our cover feature, and Eric had the chance to speak with American Pickers' Frank Wolfe on just that, industrial antiques.

I have to admit, when Eric told me about the industrial antiques feature, I had my doubts. But I have been completely won over.

We here at Antique Trader wish all of you a wonderful and safe holiday weekend. We're planning on sharing our weekend antiquing experiences with you — and we hope you'll do the same.

... and if you're in the area, drop by the Chicago Antique Market and experience the excitement! Eric will be at the Antique Trader Appraisal Fair.

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American Pickers second season premiers June 7

Karen — Sun, 23 May 2010 20:32:58 GMT

NEW YORK - Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are once again searching the back roads, junkyards, and filled-to-the-brim barns in America for “rusty gold.” With an average of 3.8 million total viewers per episode in its first season, American Pickers, the No. 1 new cable series of 2010, returns for a second season with all new premieres beginning Monday, June 7 at 9pm ET on HISTORY.

Part sleuths, part antiques experts, and part cultural historians – Mike and Frank’s adventures bring them to small towns across the country in search of weird and wonderful Americana. Each treasure hunt leads them to fascinating, quirky characters – everyday people with stories that open a window onto American life.

As professional “pickers,” these childhood buddies comb through memorabilia and artifacts, hoping to find treasures among the trash. Sometimes they make a few bucks; and sometimes they walk away with little more than the history of an item.

The new season begins June 7 in North Carolina, where the duo comb through a collector’s abandoned outbuildings and find a 1950 Studebaker. Mike becomes obsessed with a 1934 pre-Airstream trailer, but can they negotiate a deal? Then, hoping to sell a choice vintage sign, they visit their friend and NASCAR champion Ryan Newman, who has a surprise of his own for the guys.

As their junkyard journeys continue, the pickers rummage through ramshackle school buses, a burned storage building, forgotten barns, salvage yards, and rust heaps in search of what they call “good junk.” They come across an item they’ve never seen before, place bets on what it actually is, and get a surprising assessment from the appraiser. They encounter a mother and daughter who catch the picking bug and give the guys a run for their money. And with nerves of steel, they try to strike deals with people who are often reluctant to part with their possessions.

Meanwhile, back in Iowa, Danielle Colby Cushman holds down the fort at Antique Archaeology. She spends her time getting leads, talking to sellers and doing research via trade publications and websites. Danielle also keeps the boys in line – while they keep her in stitches with their antics.

“We’re caretakers of treasures and the stories behind them,” says Mike. Traveling along with the duo, viewers will meet an assortment of American originals and watch as a patchwork of history unfolds – one treasure at a time.

Antique Trader covered American Picker's debut and its initial controversy in its February issue posted online.

Don't the coverage we gave PawnStars, American Pickers' sister show and the exclusive interview and video of Rick Harrison.

MEET THE “PICKERS”

Mike Wolfe

A lifelong “picker,” Mike has been combing through junk since the age of four. Over the years, he's earned a reputation as one of the country's foremost foragers, traveling coast to coast in search of forgotten treasures. Where other people see dilapidated barns and overgrown yards, Mike sees potential goldmines packed with rare finds and sensational stories.

Mike spends as much time as he can on the road, usually with Frank - his friend of 20 years and picking partner-in tow. "A picker's kind of like a nomad," he explains. Wherever they go, the two guys unearth hoards of unique items and spend some quality time with the offbeat characters who own them.

What exactly does Mike look for? "Anything I can make a buck on," he laughs. That could be anything from antique baby carriages and vintage jukeboxes to old cars and scrap metal. Mike's clients include interior designers, art directors, photographers and collectors – and he owns Antique Archaeology, a specialty shop that sells antiques, vintage items and more in sleepy Le Claire, Iowa. Visit Mike’s official company website here: www.antiquearcheology.com

Frank Fritz

Like his childhood friend Mike, Frank started picking early, collecting rocks and beer cans as a kid. He worked for many years as a fire and safety inspector but always had a passion for antiques, junk and anything with an engine. These days, he spends most of his time on the road with Mike, digging for treasure in barns, garages and junkyards across America.

Even-tempered and affable, he has a way with potential sellers and a knack for putting out fires: Mike calls him the bearded charmer. Frank does get a little carried away, however, by anything with an engine, and Mike often has to talk him out of buying yet another motorbike for his collection.

With their complementary personalities and shared love of picking, Frank and Mike make the perfect team. Still, since they're both out to cash in on their finds, some healthy competition always comes into play. Visit Frank’s official company website here: www.frankfritzfinds.com

Danielle Colby Cushman

While the guys are out picking, Danielle holds down the fort at Antique Archaeology - Mike's store and base of operations. She spends her time talking to buyers, packing up shipments and keeping Mike and Frank in line, while they keep her in stitches with their antics and jokes. Mike likes to say she's the glue that holds them all together. A mother of three, Danielle is always working on a new creative project, whether it's painting, designing clothes or selling vintage-inspired gifts online. She feels extremely proud of the "boys" and fortunate to work with such a talented pair.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Rare preliminary watercolor from Pinocchio on the auction block

Karen — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:10:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Bonhams & Butterfields' Entertainment Memorabilia auction on June 13, 2010 will include a wide range of collectible items related to our popular culture including a rare preliminary watercolor from the Oscar-winning® Walt Disney film "Pinocchio," 1940, by famed children's book and cartoon illustrator Gustaf Tenggren.

The painting, seen below, depicts a scene from the animated classic where Pinocchio runs into Gideon and J. Worthington Foulfellow on a cobbled narrow Bavarian street. In this watercolor, the puppet's two acquaintances are depicted as well as a quaint village with diminutive houses, which feature carved details.

After joining Disney Studios in 1936, Tenggren worked on preliminary paintings for several classic films such as Snow White and Pinocchio. His style was very reminiscent of illustrators Gustave Dore and Arthur Rackham. For Pinocchio, Tenggren painted street scenes of charming villages with narrow streets, petite houses, street lamps and townspeople going about their daily chores. Many of these paintings were inspired by a small Bavarian medieval town by the name of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany.

Rare to auction, the watercolor is expected to bring $30,000 to $40,000.

The illustrated auction catalog is online now at www.bonhams.com/us.

Preview: June 11-12, 2010, Los Angeles
Auction: June 13, 2010, 10 a.m.
Information: www.bonhams.com/us

A Gustaf Tenggren preliminary watercolor from "Pinocchio," 1940, watercolor on paper. Estimate $30,000 to $40,000.
Photo courtesy Bonhams & Butterfields; © Disney Enterprises, Inc. 1940

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Antique Trader is giving a free antique appraisal to attendees of the Chicago Antique Market

Karen — Wed, 19 May 2010 04:59:13 GMT

Own an antique or collectible?
Of course you do!

Want to know its value?
Absolutely!

Come meet Antique Trader at Chicago's largest antiques and collectibles festival May 29-30! Every attendee to the Chicago Antique Market at the Randolph Street Market Festival will giving free antique appraisals at the inaugural Antique Trader Appraisal Fair. After shopping from aisles and aisles of more than 300 vendors inside and outside Chicago’s historic Plumbers Hall, regional and nationally-known antiques experts will answer your questions on family heirlooms and rare items from your collection.

Situated under the big top tent, every attendee is eligible for a free appraisal of an antique or collectible with additional appraisals (as time allows) available at $10 each. Appraisal fair hours are limited to 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 29 and from 11 to 3 p.m., Sunday, May 30.

Among the experts scheduled to appear:

* Mark Moran, appraiser and senior editor of Warman's Antiques & Collectibles 2011 Price Guide, 44th Edition antiques and collectibles books for Krause Publications and an appraiser for PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow.”

* Brett Benson owner of Jewel Sphinx Extraordinary Objects and Jewels

* Daryle Lambert, founder of the 31 Corp., and author of the book 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles.

Among the unique “show within a show” features at the Chicago Antique Market include:

* The Indie Designer Market, the lower level of Plumber’s Hall, features the hottest young designers creating avant garde and one-of-a-kind fashion, art and jewelry.

* The Vinyl Swap Meet, where thousands of collectible records from 45’s to LP’s, jazz to rock and show tunes are availabel to buy, swap or sell.

* The Fancy Food Market, offering all types of chocolates, cakes, breads, spices, olive oils, salsa to bring home or enjoy during the event.

More Info:

Chicago Antique Market at the Randolph Street Market Festival Saturday & Sunday, May 29-30, 2010

1350 Block W. Randolph Street & inside Plumbers Hall, 1340 W. Washington Street, Chicago.

Free pickup and drop off from Water Tower Place, 835 N Michigan Ave.

Show hours

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, May 29
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, May 30

Antique Appraisal Fair Hours

1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 29
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, May 30

Tickets

$10, available at the gate or in advance online

Chicago Antique Market
312-666-1200
info@chicagoantiquemarket.com
www.chicagoantiquemarket.com

-Posted by Eric Bradley

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Antique map at auction shows early Washington before District of Columbia

Karen — Wed, 19 May 2010 04:08:35 GMT

The extraordinary private collection of more than 100 maps documenting the topographical and development of Washington D.C. history is making big news in the Beltway.

The maps cross the block Thursday, May 20, 2010 at Quinn’s Auction Galleries & Waverly Rare Books in Falls Church, Va. As part of the map collection of Washingtonian John Richman, the collection of rare maps traces over 200 years of the District’s physical progress, including the dredging of the Potomac that enabled the creation of a unified new city.

“This collection is a virtual 200-year time capsule of how Washington was established, how it looked before the District was formed, and how the aspects of some of its most important landmarks changed the landscape,” said Matthew C. Quinn, co-owner of Quinn’s Auctions. “There are maps of the City of Alexandria, the City of Georgetown, and then the newly established City of Washington. Additionally, there are maps showing The Washington Monument as it was being built.”

The ongoing architectural improvements and transformation of the nation’s most famous monuments (including The Washington Monument), The White House and other structures are documented in several maps that show the evolution of our nation’s capital. “All this history in one location, how often do you see that?” Quinn said. “It’s fascinating to compare the city’s transformation over centuries.”

Most of the D.C. maps are over 100 years old, and some are on the pricier side, like Andrew Ellicott’s late-18^th-century “Plan of the City of Washington in the Territory of Columbia ceded by the States of Virginia and Maryland to the United States of America.” Its auction estimate is $500-$1,000. But Quinn stressed that most of the maps entered in the sale are very affordable, with individual estimates starting well under $100.

“This is a rare opportunity for Washingtonians to own fascinating views of their city from over a century ago. Each map is attractively framed and ready to hang as a historical artwork in the home or office,” Quinn said. The maps have been featured on Washington-area television stations, drawing interest from collectors and Washington history buffs alike.

The John Richman District of Columbia map collection is the centerpiece of a larger selection of rare books, maps and atlases to be auctioned Thursday May 20 at 6:30 p.m. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet.

Contact Matthew Quinn by calling 703-532-5632 or e-mailing matthew.quinn@quinnsauction.com. Visit Quinn’s online at www.quinnsauction.com.

This isn't the only antique map making headlines this month. Garth's is offering the 1826 Savery-Sumner map, titled “Map Of The Western Reserve Including the Fire Lands in Ohio,” May 29.

- Posted by Eric Bradley

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Nostalgia is a powerful force.

Karen — Fri, 14 May 2010 20:56:59 GMT

Nostalgia is a powerful force.

If you read both Melody Amsel-Arieli’s cover story on Judaica and the fascinating story behind former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson’s recent duck decoy acquisition, you may see a common theme between two very different collecting areas.

The reasons people collect things have long fascinated me. It’s not so much what they collect, but why. For Amsel-Arieli, the collecting area of Judaica is deeply personal and reflects her family’s struggle and near extinction in the 20th century. For Thompson, his pursuit of Illinois-carved duck decoys reflects his admiration and respect of the state he served while in public office.

This is why we should never dismiss the reasons why someone collects. Thompson’s nostalgia for Illinois moved him to push the sales price of the Robert Elliston-carved decoy past its $12,000 to $15,000 estimate to its $40,250 sale price.

For true collectors, the object is a small part of the pursuit and joy. In most cases, it’s what the object represents that makes all the difference.
Happy Anniversary

This issue marks my one-year anniversary as your editor of Antique Trader. It has been a wonderful year and a fulfilling experience to talk with readers, work with talented writers and develop interesting projects and features on our website and in print.

Working with Online Editor Karen Knapstein, sales reps Ryan Solberg and Nick Ockwig and designer Wendy Wendt, our goal has been to diversify the magazine and provide information on the greatest variety of antiques and collectibles available. During the past year our team has completely changed the format, more than doubled the size of the magazine and has served more than 563,000 readers and more than 1 million page views on AntiqueTrader.com

The year to come will feature even more features, projects and plans. Thank you for making this year exciting and thank you for supporting our advertisers who support this magazine.

For me, each issue has been a collector’s edition.

— Eric Bradley

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Blue & White Pottery Club to convene in June

Karen — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:49:03 GMT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Blue & White Pottery Club was founded in 1981 by a handful of Blue & White Stoneware pottery enthusiasts and collectors, principally in the Midwest. The Blue & White pottery interests include Blue & White, Uhl, Blue & Gray (Utica/Flemish), Sleepy Eye, Spongeware, Red Wing, and other stoneware. The Blue & White Pottery Club now has more than 300 members reaching from coast to coast and border to border.

The principal goals of the Blue & White Pottery Club are to share information, encourage learning, and foster an appreciation of the distinct history, wide variety, and increasing collectability of Blue & White Stoneware pottery. Equally important goals are the promotion and nurturing of friendships with fellow collectors and to further the equal opportunity for all to participate in new discoveries and exciting information about Blue & White pottery.

Attending the Club’s annual convention each June is a highlight of membership; this year it will be held June 10-12, 2010, at the Cedar Rapids Marriott in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. One of the highlights of the convention is the Club Consignment Auction consisting of approximately 120 pieces of premium stoneware including Blue & White, Sleepy Eye, Red Wing, Western, Whites Utica as well as others.

To join the Blue & White Pottery Club, a membership form can be found on their website at www.blueandwhitepottery.org and you will also find this years convention agenda along with more information about convention and the Blue & White Pottery Club.

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Listen to Justin Moen talk totally rad 1980s toys on Harry Rinker's 'Whatcha Got?'

Karen — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:44:18 GMT

Our good friend and collectibles book editor Justin Moen, who just happens to write the "Talking Toys" column for Antique Trader, was interviewed by Harry Rinker on his April 25 Whatcha Got? radio show for Genesis Communications.

Justin talks about the process of putting together his flag ship title, Toys & Prices 2010, 17th Edition. This year he added a theme for each chapter but specifically focused on 1980s toys. He also reviews the grading process he uses to determine a toy's condition for pricing.

The whole radio show is great but if you want to catch Justin's intro, scroll to 30:20, or move the dial a bit more than halfway through the show. An archive of Rinker's shows can be found here. A listing of Moen's books still in print can be found here. He may be reached at justin.moen@fwmedia.com.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Check out Antique Auction Podcast

Karen — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:18:53 GMT

For the last year, auctioneer and appraiser Martin Willis and co-host Phyllis Kao have reported on nearly every facet of the antiques hobby through their independent Website AntiqueAuctionPodcast.com. Across 25 different segments, the two record and broadcast live interviews with notable personalities, dealers and artists on topics ranging from $1 million comic books to what it's like to be a real-life American picker.

Guests range from silver expert William Whetstone and company, authors of the book World Hallmarks, Vo. I to Reyne Haines, author of the book Vintage Wristwatches to artists Mark Stock and Mark McNair.

Willis has more than 35 years of experience in the auction business working in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Colorado and California, who's handled tens of thousands of antiques, collectibles and fine art pieces. Kao is a classical violinist and scholar who has recently returned to her antique roots by immersing herself in antique auctions, specializing in silver flatware and silver hollowware.

It's one of our new favorite sites and it's even available via a free subscription on iTunes so that new installments are downloaded automatically.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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EXCLUSIVE: 'Firecracker Flask' sets new world record at $100,620

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:27:25 GMT

ANTIQUE TRADER EXCLUSIVE

WOODSTOCK, Conn. – A new world record for the highest selling bottle at auction was set this morning after Heckler Auctions sold a light blue bottle, dubbed the “Firecracker Flask,” for $100,620.

The bottle is referred to as the “firecracker flask” because of the names of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson embossed on the medial ridge of the flask, along with the date of 1776. Adams and Jefferson both died on the 4th of July 1826. This flask is in commemoration of that event. This example is one of the few known in the color blue and in excellent condition. The sale price includes a 17 percent buyer’s premium.

The bottle is described as: “General Washington” and Bust – “T.W. D.” and Eagle Portrait Flask, Kensington Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1820-1840. Brilliant deep sapphire blue, inward rolled mouth - pontil scar, pint. GI-14 Exceptional color in this “firecracker” flask. Strong impression and extremely rare color. A great bottle in every way. Ex William Pollard collection, Warren C. Lane, Jr. collection.”

The auction catalog can be viewed at HecklerAuction.com.

The new record will beat the old record set by American Bottle Auctions of Sacramento, Calif., for the sale of a Bryant’s cone-shaped Bitters bottle.
That bottle sold for $68,750, a record in 1999.

A full report will be in Antique Trader's April 21 issue.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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What's with all the million dollar comics?

Eric Bradley, editor — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:35:59 GMT

It's enough to make Clark Kent smell a bigger story.

Yesterday a copy of Action Comics No. 1 sold to a private collector for $1.5 million at the auction website ComicConnect. This edition of Action Comics No. 1 is considered the Holy Grail among collectors because it features the first appearance of Superman and because it is one of the few remaining in such excellent condition.

The sale comes just two short weeks after two back to back comics sales rocked the collectibles world. In February, ComicsConnect sold a lesser quality version of Action No. 1 for $1 million. Three days later Heritage Auctions sold a copy of Detective Comics No. 27 for $1.075 million. That issue features the first appearance of Batman.

Until these sales, the highest amount paid for a comics was $317,000 for a copy of Action Comics No. 1.

So what's driving these high-flying prices? On the surface it looks like comics fans have decided to up the ante and put big money behind the best books out there.

It also looks like there's a bit of competition between auction houses to see who can lay claim as the seller of history's most valuable comic.

Antique Trader gets facelift and a new resolve

Karen — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:24:46 GMT

Well, the time is finally here.

Since 1957, Antique Trader has undergone considerable changes for its readers and its advertisers. Since founder Ed Babka first started the magazine as the first nation-wide method to trade antiques, we have been innovating year after year.

For the last few months we’ve been hard at work retooling this magazine with you in mind. This week we give you a sneak peek at our new look. We think you’ll like what we have in store.

A new size

The dimensions of Antique Trader magazine will actually be similar to traditional magazines you see on your local newsstands. The new size will be 8 inches wide by 10 3/4 inches high. The new size also helps us fit our “magazine” moniker. Also, the new size no longer needs special handling in shipping and can now be bundled with standard-sized magazines for faster service. A sample of the cover is shown at right.

This new size provides multiple advantages for our readers and advertisers:

* Improved delivery time to both coasts
* Easier for distributors and mailers to handle, reducing problems and delays
* More color pages available for both advertising and editorial
* Page counts will increase

Features

Among the new and returning favorites:

Postcard Album by Barbara Andrews
Collecting Jewelry by Kathy Flood
Furniture Detective by Fred Taylor
Speaking of Dolls by Sherry Minton
Art Markets by Mary Manion
Ask AT by Anne Gilbert
Talking Toys by Justin Moen
Talking Sports by T.S. O’Connell

The antiques market is far more diverse now than when Antique Trader was launched in 1957. Our Web site is just as much an extension of our service to you as the magazine you now hold in your hands.

We will continue to build a strong bridge between the print edition and the site. Currently, the Web site has an archive of more than 2,000 feature articles and columns from our libraries. We share this trove for free and we’re constantly uploading more.

Our Web site is crucial to following the breaking news in the business. Nevertheless, we will still dedicate our most important information in our printed editions. Your loyalty to us is important and it is never absent from our minds as we plan coverage and new features.

To that end, you’ll see more prices realized. You may have already noticed that cover stories have been accompanied by boxes showing a range of prices for the featured antiques and collectibles.

These prices come from online auctions, brick and mortar sales and from traditioal auction houses. These prices show collectors and dealers a strong cross section of values for any given item.

We are developing a system at www.AntiqueTrader.com that will allow shops, dealers and auction houses to submit sales results. This will offer readers a broad view of what’s selling and for what prices.

We certainly hope you’ll enjoy your new magazine. Thank you to those who called in or sent suggestions by e-mail. It was a pleasure talking with you and we look forward to working with you to build a special publication.

— Eric Bradley

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In Memoriam: Dr. Edmund P. Pillsbury – 1943-2010

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:30:00 GMT

Edmund P. (“Ted”) Pillsbury, Heritage Auctions' Chairman of Fine Arts and Director of Museum Services, died this morning of an apparent heart attack suffered Thursday afternoon.

Pillsbury was a well known and respected scholar of fine arts. Below is a statement from Heritage Auctions Co-Founders Steve Ivy and Jim Halperin on Pillsbury's sudden passing:

"We learned this morning of the passing of Dr. Edmund P. (“Ted”) Pillsbury at the age of 66 from an apparent heart attack yesterday afternoon after returning from lunch with a consignor. All of us here at Heritage Auction Galleries wish to express our deepest sympathy to his wife, children, coworkers and all others who knew and loved him.

Dr. Pillsbury was well-known as one of the world’s foremost art museum professionals. He earned his Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance Art from the University of London’s Courtauld Institute of Art. Among the places that flourished under his leadership are: The Yale Center for British Art; the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art in London; the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft. Worth, TX (he served as director of the Kimbell for 18 years and built it into one of the greatest art museums in the world); the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art in Las Vegas, and the Meadows Museum at SMU. He also served as an advisor to The Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Ted joined the Heritage family in 2005 and, with his dynamism, unimpeachable reputation and encyclopedic knowledge of Fine Art, made an immediate impact as Chairman of our Fine Arts and Museum Services departments. He essentially built both departments from scratch, recruiting a world class team of experts and other professionals.

His tenure here at Heritage lasted nearly five years, the longest of any institution he served other than the Kimbell, and we all expected to be working with him for many more years to come. This is such a sad day for Heritage’s 375 employees, and for the art community at large. Ted will be terribly missed, though his legacy proudly continues."

- Steve Ivy & Jim Halperin

This package is the best part

Karen — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:06:56 GMT

On our way to a family vacation, we stopped at a small country auction not far off the highway leading to our getaway.

By now, our three kids are used to such quick stops and the whining is at a minimum when we tell them there will probably be some box lots of toys to poke through.

Walking along a row of tables covered with clocks, lamps, boxes of kitchenwares, I spotted a small majolica bottle with an impish grin. The telltale signs of a majolica glaze shown through years of shelf dust. A closer look sparked my memory and visions of plump little figures dishing wise nuggets came to mind. It was one of illustrator Palmer Cox’s little Brownie creations staring up through the grime.

Cox’s Brownies are famous for being the first commercially successful pop culture figures, first appearing in 1883. The Brownie characters were based (in part) in folklore but were adapted to help marketers sell everything from breakfast cereal to cameras. The figures were so popular with collectors and children that Eastman Kodak named its handheld Kodak Brownie camera after them.

As in most purchases, my interest was in curiosity rather than value. When the auctioneer called the item a “whiskey nip,” I knew the little bottle was going on vacation with the whole family.

When we got back, the research commenced. That’s when I learned about Schafer & Vater, featured on this week’s cover. [CLICK HERE to read the article.] Although they didn’t make the Brownie whiskey nip, I became fascinated in the company’s diverse history.

According to research done by collector Don Bergsengs, Schafer & Vater used various types of clays. Items made of hard paste porcelain, soft paste porcelain, jasper, bisque, and majolica can be found. You can find the jasper in green, blue, pink, lavender, and white.

Most appealing to me is that the company made its fortune in the novelty whiskey bottles that poked fun of “the drink” at a time when Prohibition was sweeping the globe. The bottles were being sold through the Sears Roebuck & Co. catalog just 10 years before Prohibition was adopted in the United States; it was already adopted in parts of Canada and across Russia.

The bottles represent craftsmanship and work ethic and are one more example why we shouldn’t take life too seriously.

Eric Bradley
Editor

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Vintage jewelry column scheduled for Antique Trader

Karen — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:21:35 GMT

We're making good headway with the Antique Trader redesign. You'll see these changes in the April 21 (cover date) issue. If you've been following us on Twitter, Facebook and in Antique Trader magazine itself, you know that that includes much more than just revamping the look of Antique Trader. We're revving up the content as well.

I think one of the most exciting changes is the new columnists ... one of whom is Kathy Flood, owner of several online jewelry shops and author of Warman's® Costume Jewelry Figurals and the most recent edition of Warman's® Jewelry, due out in July, among other titles. She will share her passion of antique and vintage jewelry with Antique Trader readers on a regular basis, as well as clue us in on the future of the markets.

In the past, when we've run jewelry features in the pages of Antique Trader, they've been very well received, telling us that there is a lot of interest out there for the vintage jewelry field.

After all, who doesn't walk a show floor and stop — arrested, if you will — by the sight of sparkling jewelry displays. You may not collect it, but you have to admit that antique jewelry is a sight to behold!

— Posted by Karen Knapstein

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Recent graduate pays her student loan with $6,000 antique shaving mug

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:24:57 GMT

Her three year career selling on eBay just hit a jackpot for emerging antiques dealer Cynthia Kelly of Seattle. She recently sold an antique occupational shaving mug on eBay for almost $6,000.

That's an astounding price for an independent dealer considering some of the recent auctions held for occupational shaving mugs. The mug (which you can see here for a limited time) was purchased by another antiques dealer/collector in Pennsylvania, who boasts a collection of more than 200 mugs.

The shaving mug is rare in that it features a stock broker or commodities trader, busily jotting down sale prices on grain, wheat, flour and corn. We touched on these fascinating collectibles in a previous post.

This is Kelly's biggest sale so far with the online auction site. She writes: "It was also a huge surprise for me! I invested $22.50 in the mug at an estate auction and had only expected it to bring $100-$200. When someone offered me $750 to "Buy it Now" during the course of the auction, I knew I had something good.

"I turned down the offer and kept the auction running. When I saw the final end price of $5,998, I was in shock for about 15 minutes straight. The money went to pay off the rest of my student loans (I'm a young antique dealer at only 23), so the money came at a great time. "

You can see all of Kelly's auctions through her eBay store here. This self proclaimed "thrift-store junkee" also promotes a blog about her adventures (and her dog Sammy) at The Cynch.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Caskey-Lees cancels New York International Tribal & Textile Arts Show

Eric Bradley, editor — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:23:16 GMT

Show promoters Caskey & Lees are citing rising rents and a lack of dealers as the reason behind canceling the New York International Tribal & Textile Arts Show which was scheduled for late May. The show is held in conjunction with major tribal and ethnographic auctions held every spring.

Founded in 1995, the New York show was an offshoot of San Francisco's famous Tribal and Textile Arts Show; the most recent of which was very well received when it was held in February.

The New York show was to be held in the Park Avenue Armory however by early March the show had but 24 dealers signed to its roster. In a letter to exhibitors, promoters Bill Caskey and Elizabeth Lees said they faced exorbitant rents set by the new ownership of the Park Avenue Armory.

"This was a an exceptionally difficult decision for us both, Caskey said in a news release to Antique Trader, "because we are serious supporters of the ethnographic and textile fields, have collected for decades, and have, over the past two years, re-designed and re-prices all our specialty shows to help delaers and collectors through this difficult economy."

The long term future of the New York show is unknown.

Other Caskey-Lees fairs planned this year include New York Arts of Pacific Asia, which opens March 24 on West 34th Street and the Los Angeles Asian and Tribal Arts Show in November.

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Antique occupational shaving mug brings $8,500

Karen — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:17:10 GMT

Here's an interesting hobby that doesn't seem to get much attention but nevertheless brings respectable prices at auction: antique occupational shaving mugs.

We wrote on this topic a few years ago, but a major collection is being sold by W. Yoder Auctions of Wisconsin over the last year or so. The second installment is taking place RIGHT NOW over at Proxibid. It is the first day of a two-day sale that has some sweet finds.

The occupational shaving mugs were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and added a touch of individuality to a gentleman's daily shaving routine. The barber shop collectible is much sought after by collectors across many different areas.

The mug shown here represents a Civil War soldier/ veterinarian and was sold for $8,500 this morning. Click the image for a link to the auction catalog online.

The auction takes place online today here. Part two starts tomorrow morning and is carried live via Proxibid.

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JFK love letters bring $115,000

Eric Bradley, editor — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:46:57 GMT

In an age of seemingly constant political scandals, there's one celebrity whose exploits have captivated collectors and historians: John F. Kennedy.

Legendary Auctions announced today it has sold the collection of personal letters and telegrams exchanged between then-U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy and a young Swedish woman, Gunilla von Post, for more than $115,000.

The auction of the letters attracted bidders from around the globe. The winning bidder, a West Coast collector, wishes to remain anonymous.

The fourteen correspondence pieces -- eleven letters and three telegrams -- recount the long-distance relationship as it ignites and unfolds between March, 1954 and the late summer of 1956.

The story of the letters began in August, 1953. Just a few weeks before a 35-year-old Senator Kennedy was to wed Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, he vacationed on the French Riviera. While there, Kennedy met von Post, 21, a Swedish woman with aristocratic roots. The two shared a romantic evening capped by a passionate kiss.

Obviously, the evening had a lasting impact on Kennedy. Six months after becoming acquainted with von Post, despite his marriage to Jackie and increasing immersion in politics, Kennedy went to the trouble of locating the Swedish beauty in Stockholm. For the next eighteen months, the two traded intimate communications with each other, ultimately reuniting for a week-long holiday in Sweden during August, 1955.

After he returned to the U.S., Kennedy and von Post continued to converse over the phone. In her book, Love, Jack, von Post recounts how Kennedy attempted to persuade her to move to the U.S. Ultimately, Kennedy told von Post he had confided his love for her to his father and sought counsel in considering a divorce. In no uncertain terms, the elder Kennedy told Jack that divorce was impossible.

Not long after this call, Kennedy reached out to von Post again and informed her that his wife was pregnant. It was then that von Post decided it was time to move on with her life, eventually marrying on July 18, 1956. A chance encounter in New York City almost two years later was the last time the two saw each other.

The rest, as they say, is history ... and evidently worth $115,000.

McCoy art pottery keeps Cabin Fever at bay

Eric Bradley, editor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:55:58 GMT

Every so often a line from Pixar's Ratatouille pops in my head: "The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations ... the new needs friends."

So whenever a new shop opens up I try to be the first in line. Such was the case with a local shop that specializes in Art Deco and Mid Century Modern antiques and vintage furniture. It's a nice little shop tucked inside a two-story, brick building nestled in an aging downtown. Inside is a great assortment of consigned items and those resold by the shop owners.

On the first floor one can find Danish modern furniture and teak candlesticks, handsomely matched with Atomic 50s lamps and snack trays that are too cool for a thrift store but too new for an antiques shop.

I took my time and made sure to visit the basement. There on a shelf were two sleek green spheres peeking out from underneath shocks of dusty, dried eucalyptus stems poorly paired with clumps of burgandy silk flowers.

A closer look showed the bent stalks were crammed into a piece of florists foam that had been glued to the bottom of a nice pair of Nelson McCoy Art Deco vases from the 1940s. A quick rub of the thumb revealed their shiny glaze and the famous NM mark on the bottom.

The price sticker on the side said the pair were marked 75 percent off - about $5. The vases have a new home on our bookshelf - minus the eucalyptus.

Take some time to explore someplace new this weekend. We'd love to hear what you discovered.

Unusual antique and vintage table lamps - Separated at birth?

Karen — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:23:30 GMT

Those of you who visit this blog may get a little tired of me chatting about cool vintage lighting. Well, here's one more post on vintage table lamps you'll have to suffer through.

On my morning run around the Internet, I came across this neat little rusty vintage lamp. It's one of those odd items that makes you wonder about its original use.

The vintage metal table lamp features a scroll design and a pivoting bowl shade. It would look perfect in an industrial modern office, juxtaposed next to a sleek, chrome laptop.

In fact, this morning's little discovery reminded me of a French Art Deco lamp sold in January. I still haven't gotten enough of the vintage lighting offered at a recent 20th century decorative arts auction.

Although the rusty noggin found at Goodwill will probably end up selling for around $50, this gorgeous French nickeled brass and shagreen version brought brought $1,586 at Rago Auction.

Seeing them side-by-side it still makes me wonder: Separated at birth?

-posted by Eric Bradley

Chattanooga antiques market sees some promise

Eric Bradley, editor — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:10:56 GMT

I had the fortune to be interviewed by the Chattanooga Times Free Press last week for an article on the region's antiques trade. You can see the full article here. There is even a little audio on the definition of an antique.

The reporter, Tamara Best, did a great job in summarizing the businesses' ups and downs and even went the extra mile to add a few helpful hints from local shop owners and auctioneers. Some of the hints:

antique silver and oriental rugs are selling particularly well
utilize the Internet to sell
capitalize on social media
enhance their customer service, and
have a moderate rate of turnover

Each week I see more and more shop owners pop up on Facebook. This is a great way to generate some free publicity for your business.

What are some of the methods you are using to generate traffic, virtual or otherwise, into your shop? Feel free to share below.

-posted by Eric Bradley