You may have received the email that has been going around about the people remodeling their home and finding a Sears catalog from the early 1970s.

Well, I just purchased a 1974 Sears Catalog at an auction and have had a blast going through it. My youngest daughter has just about broken ribs laughing at how we used to dress “way back then.” You know, it doesnt’ seem like it was all that long ago.

Read the rest of this entry »

I love museums, especially small out of the way museums with exhibits that show what life was like in the area in years past.

There are several wonderful online virtual museums that I just love to browse through. Some have a single focus such as Vintage Office Equipment and others are general with a broad scope of items. Folks have also spent a great deal of time putting these sites together for us to enjoy.

If you want to spend some good quality time browsing a museum from the comfort of your sofa take a look at these. And if you have an online museum please leave a comment and I will get it posted.

• Vintage Office Equipment, including vintage ads, photographs and catalogs.
• IEEE Virtual Museum of all things related to electricity
• Liberty Bell Museum
• Don Quixote Virtual Museum
• Red Cross Museum
• Airsickness Bag Museum - I kid you not, and there are some right pretty throw-up bags too.
• Virtual Absinthe Museum - I have never had the pleasure of drinking Absinthe but after visiting the virtual museum I am going to relish the first opportunity I get.
• Synthesizer Museum
• The WetCanvas! Virtual Museum – This virtual museum has mainly biographies on artist, very informative.
• Museum of Computer Art – there is some strange stuff here
• Collins Radio Virtual Museum - These are ham radios… I think
• The Virtual Beetle Museum - As in VW
• The Mediaeval Sword Museum - Antique Swords
• Antique Clock Museum
• Beatles Museum – The band
• Toaster Virtual Museum – A great selection of antique toasters with descriptions and photos
• Antique and Vintage Greeting Card Virtual Museum
• Museum of Talking Boards - As in Ouija Boards

These are all of the Virtual Museums I have time to list but if you “own” a virtual museum please post it in the comments section and I will be sure to come and visit.

Happy Learning!!!

If you want the value to insure an item I recommend getting a written appraisal. This way if you do need to make a claim on this item you already have the appraisal in place. If you want to find the sale price of an item then you will need to do some research.

 

Get our and visit some antique shops and see what the same or similar items are selling for in your area. This is especially helpful if you are planning on selling through the local newspaper.

 

If you are going to sell your wares online you need to research what you have so that you can write a good description of the item. There are books on just about every type of antique and collectible so your first stop should be the local library or large chain bookstore.

 

Once you know what you have you can then look online and see what others are selling the same or similar items for. If you are going to sell your wares on eBay look and see what it is selling for there. Don’t look at what folks are asking for a particular item, look at the closed auctions and see what prices the item has brought in the recent past. Some of the large live auction houses will post their closed auction prices. These prices include the buyer’s premium which is a cost the auction house charges the buyer on top of the closing auction price. The buyer’s premiums have gotten out of control and some houses charge as much as 40%

 

You can always look in published price guides to get a “guide” on what something might bring but remember that price guides are simply that…. Guides to prices. This is often referred to as “book value.” I am a tad cynical about book values and feel that price guides are simply a means of running the price up on a particular line of antiques and collectibles. 

 

I get at least 20 requests a day from folks looking to sell their antiques, collectibles, memorabilia and assorted other items. They are usually asking me to purchase these items, and on a very rare occasion I have purchased from such solicited requests, but for the most part I do not.

  

Why, you may ask.

• The request is not accompanied with a selling price, including shipping. It is not my place to make an offer on these items. The seller needs to know how much they want.
• Those that do come with a selling price as asking me to pay the retail price for the item. This is not feasible. I pay wholesale otherwise I cannot make a profit. This is my business, how I pay bills, and if I cannot make a profit I might as well just hang it up. If I am selling an item for $12.00 I cannot pay $12.00 plus shipping for the same or similar items. This is not good business sense.
• The last time I made a purchase, sight unseen other than the submitted photos, when I received the set of dinnerware most of it was chipped and broken. I had repeatedly asked the seller about flaws and she adamantly claimed there were none. Therefore, most of the dinnerware was unsellable and I lost quite a bit of money on the deal.
• Finally, I love to go to auctions and sales to purchase wares for my online antique shop and buying blindly does not afford me this opportunity.

So, what is the best way to get the maximum for your antiques, collectibles and memorabilia?

• Selling through your hometown newspaper is still the best place to start, run a classified ad. Place your ad so that it will run for at least one Sunday and I will almost guarantee that it will sell. You will still need to do your homework to find out what the best price is but this method will bring you the most money for your item. Cost – about $25.00 for a good ad running for one week.
• Most areas have at least one consignment shop that sells a little bit of everything. Where I live we have several and I sell antique furniture through one with great success. They do charge 50% but I am able to set the price that I want to get and whether or not I will take less on the item. Most of the shops take in small items as well as large furniture pieces. Be sure to read the contract that you sign, and if they don’t have a contract ask for something in writing specifying the percentage that they take. Just look in the phone book for Consignment Stores or Shops. Cost – 40% – 50% of the sale price.
• Live auction houses are a good way to sell items especially if you have something of significant value. Auction houses often hold auctions in one particular category of antique or collectible these are heavily advertised so that they bring in bidder’s that are interested in the collection. They also have auctions with a hodge podge of goodies. Some towns have local weekly auctions, these are fun to sell at as well as attend. Some will allow you to set a reserve but you then run the risk of the item not selling. There is no way of knowing what your item will bring at auction but if you are just looking to get rid of a houseful of items this is a great way to do just that. Cost – 10% – 40%.
• eBay stores are a growing small business opportunity and most areas have someone who will sell your items on eBay. You simply drop the item off and they take care of writing the description, taking the photos, packing and shipping. When your item is sold they mail you a check. Once again, be sure that you understand the fees involved. Some places charge a per item fee as well as an end of sale percentage. Be sure that you have these fees in writing before you leave your items with the business. You can set a reserve price, this is the minimum amount that you will take for the item or you can just take your chances on the eBay Gods and let fate take control. eBay is a fickle selling venue and you can never be sure what an item will bring or even if it will sell. Costs – varies from business to business.
• Sell the item yourself on one of the online auction sites. It is not difficult to do but you do need a digital camera to get photos of your item posted with your auction. You need to write a very detailed description, including all flaws and defects but highlight the wonderful characteristics of your wares. Take good quality photos. Remember, shoppers cannot touch the item you are selling so you need to allow them to “touch” it through your photos and words. Cost – about 12% of the selling price in auction fees.
• You can sell your items through an online antiques and collectibles shop through consignment or direct posting. I offer an online consignment where for a small fee you send me photos and a description, I post the item to my website and you take care of customer relations and getting the item to the consumer. I have several regular sellers’ using this method on my antique shop site. I have been offering this service for 4 years and have noticed more and more online shops starting to offer the same service. Just be sure that the shop you pick is established and not going anywhere once you get your items online and have paid the fee. Cost – $5.00 – $10.00 per item.
• Online classified ads such as Craig’s List. The service is free and you can advertise it in your local area. I am not sure how many people actually make purchases through this venue but it is similar to placing an ad in your newspaper. Live Deal is an online classified ad service with a small fee if your item sells.

As you can see there are a great number of methods to get rid of your items. Some require more effort on your part than others and some will bring you more money than others but choices abound.

  

I don’t recommend selling to a dealer unless they are actively soliciting for specific items and please always include a dollar amount when you do ask them to purchase your wares.

 

Next I will tell you how to find the value of your antiques, collectibles and memorabilia.

 

 

My adorable, sweet husband took the day off of work on Valentines Day and took me shopping. How wonderful is that?!?!?!

 

On our outing I found an 1866 copy of Dr. Chase’s Recipes or Information for Everybody. This antique book was among the most popular publications of the 19th century, claims were made that it was second only to the Bible in total sales. It went through dozens of editions, in at least two languages (English and German), with publishers in three countries (United States, Canada and England).

 

Our early Pioneers relied on this book as they made their way west building sturdy homes, raised animals, grew crops and birthed babies. This book instructed them all along the way.

 

This books chapters are called “Departments,” the index is fifteen pages of tiny type, a few of the topics covered are; Departments of and for Merchants and Grocers, Saloon-Keepers, Medical, Tanners Shoe and Harness Makers, Painters, Blacksmiths, Gunsmiths, Jewelers, Farriers, Cabinet-Makers, Barbers and Toilet, Bakers and Cooks, Domestic Dishes, Miscellaneous, Whitewash and Cheap Paints, Coloring, Interest, and a Glossarial and Explanatory section.

 

I stayed up until 4:00 a.m. reading most of this antique book and I think that part of the appeal of Dr. Chase was his frankness. He does not beat around the bush on any topic. He has an answer, blunt as it may be, for everything.

 

“Advice To Young Men and Others, Out of Employment.” – “First let me ask why are so many young men and other persons out of employment? The answer is very positive as well as very plain. It is this – indolence, coupled with a determination that they will do some great thing, only. And because that great thing does not turn up without effort, they are doing nothing.”

 

Go get ‘em Dr. Chase!!! He goes on to say, that few people every achieve greatness, even after years of working at it. Yet these folks want to just jump right into it without working up to it. This is very relavent today.

 

He goes on to say;

 

“At this point, then, the question would arise, what can be done? and the answer is equally plain with the other. Take hold of the first job you can find, for it will not find you. No matter how insignificant it may be, it will be better or than longer idleness; and when you are seen doing something for yourselves, by those whose opinions are worth any consideration, they will soon offer you more and better jobs; until finally you will find something which agrees with your taste or inclination, for a life business.”

 

Dr. Chase then cites a poem titled “The Excellent Man”;

 

“They gave me advice and counsel in store, Praised me and honored me more and more. Said that I only should ‘wait awhile,’ Offered their patronage, too, with a smile.

 

But with all their honor and approbation, I should long ago have died of starvation, Had there not come an excellent man, Who, bravely to help me along began.

 

Good-fellow! he got me the food I ate, His kindness and care I shall never forget; Yet I cannot embrace him – though other folks can, For I, myself, am that excellent man!”

 

This must have been a subject near and dear to Dr. Chase as he goes on for 6 pages about the unemployed. I wonder if we could get this “department” in todays public schools?

 

Please indulge me as I quote another piece of this book. This one is “Grammar in Rhyme,” my granny taught me this when I was little and I had since forgotten it.

 

1. “Three little words you often see, Are articles – a, an and the.

2. A Noun’s the name of any thing, As school, or garden, hoop or swing.

3. Adjectives tell the kind of Noun, As great, small, pretty, white or brown.

4. Instead of Nouns the Pronouns stand – Her head, his face, your arm, my hand.

5. Verbs tell of something to be done – To read, count, sing, laugh, jump or run.

6. How things are done, the adverbs tell, As slowly, quickly, ill or well.

7. Conjunctions join the words together – As men and women, wind or weather.

8. The Preposition stands before a noun – As in, or through a door.

9. The Interjection shows surprise, As oh! how pretty – ah! how wise.

The whole are called Nine Parts of Speech, which reading, writing, speaking, teach.”

 

I will be posting more from Dr. Chase’s book as time goes by. Be sure to watch for it.