Antique

Antiques and Halloween a perfect match

2008-10-08T23:07:00Z

You can find more by Auctionwally at The Examiner.com

You only need to see the set of the Addam's family, or the Munsters to know that antiques are an integral part of all that is scary, spooky, and well, Halloween.

From the Gothic decor of a Victorian living room, to the wrought iron spiked fence around your neighborhood's haunted house, antiques and Halloween mesh together like the fabric of a spider's web and it's victim.

If it's old and weird, it will probably sell. If it's old and REALLY creepy, it will probably sell very well!

Since it's the season, I'll be doing multiple articles throughout the month on Halloween and it's tie-ins to the collectibles market.

For this piece, I'd like to look at some of the Halloween antiques & collectibles that actually have a Halloween theme, rather than those which just fit in well with the holiday, such as cattle skulls and cast iron gates with Gothic embellishments.

Values of antiques depend on several factors. Scarcity, demand and age. Early Halloween collectibles by defintition have the age, but are also very rare and in demand. There are a lot of Christmas and Easter collectibles, but All Saint's Day Eve is another story. The actual institution of Halloween as a North American holiday began in the 1800s, but was nowhere near as publicly acceptable as Christmas or Easter, so of course this meant that much fewer Halloween souvenirs were produced.

Let's look a little at the history, before we get to specific items and prices.

From Wikipedia:

Halloween has its origins in the ancient festival "Samhain", which is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in the Gaelic culture, so Halloween is essentially an Irish born tradition.

Traditionally, the Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter animals for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, now known as Halloween, the boundary between the alive and the deceased dissolved, and the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops.

The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, into which bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits, to either confuse or placate them.

What to know, and what to look for:

German Jack o Lantern sold for $206.00

Almost anything pre-1970 made of paper, but the golden period for these collectibles is from 1910-1940
Especially popular are the dark burnt orange and black paper mache and textured cardboard items from Germany. The clown with the pumpkin in the first photo upper right, is a 4 inch tall decoration which I sold last year on eBay for $75.00
Halloween postcards are red hot. Look for pumpkin and vegtable people. It's not uncommon for some 1910 Halloween postcards to bring more than $100 each!
Early pressed steel noisemaker toys do well.
Costumes from the 1960s in the original boxes are better than AIG stock right now!

No wonder kids had so many issues back then! Sold for $46.00

These paper mache Jack O Lantern candy holders came in so many different styles and contortions that it's hard to find two that are exactly alike.

Insert photo caption or credit here

Here's another great thing about Halloween collectibles, while other seasonal items sell in their top price range in during pre-season peak, Halloween collectibles will bring great money all year round!

The good stuff is so rare, that the enthusiasts are just as willing to pay top price any time from Nov. 1st to Oct. 31st.

In my early picking days, I met a very interesting woman named Pamela Apkarian-Russell, aka the Halloween Queen. She has published more than 10 books on Halloween collectibles and it's tradition. She also runs the Castle Halloween Museum and Shop.

CASTLE HALLOWEEN MUSEUM AND SHOP
Old Boggs Run Elementary School
577 Boggs Run Rd.
Benwood, WV 26031
Phone: (304) 233-1031 Map to Castle Halloween

Click here to go to CastleHalloween.com

I'm happy to say that she has agreed to be on my next edition of The Auctionwally show, next Monday eve at 9pm EST.

So stop by for a haunted evening, ask questions, or just to do a little lurking as you learn more about these mysterious collectibles.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to stop by next Monday evening, or I'll send the Pumpkin Man to come get you, and you don't want that ... do you?

Click here to find out more.

For more info

Price report on live Oct 4th antiques auction

2008-10-05T17:47:00Z

Find more antiques articles from this author here.

There was a lot of interest in the Groton MA antiques dairy farm auction and the video story I'd done on it, so here is a follow up report with some hammer prices.

It's was great day, with the weather cooperating which made for a pretty good turnout. Folks were generally in a good mood despite the current economic situation.

I saw some familiar faces from my auctions past and many new ones. We all agreed that we were happy to be in a business that had a lot of activity in a time when many businesses are either stagnant or going back wards.

For the new people attending, I knew there was one question on their minds. "Is he really going to sell absolute, without reserve?" That concern was addressed immediately as the auction started with low asking prices, and ended in nearly every lot being sold.

Worthpoint.com was well represented again by Dan Borsey who shot complete video footage of the auction while managing to bid on many of the antiques himself! When the video for the auction comes out, I'll post a link to it here.

You may want to tune in to the Auctionwally Show this week as I'll be covering the auction and hammer prices a more in depth there. See the links to that on the bottom of the page that will take you to the show episode.

Here are some of the hammer prices which include the 10% buyers premium.

1861 granite will cistern 4.5ft.x4.5ft. $1,595
16 - 8ft enamel advertising signs $75-$360 each.
1880s buckboard work wagon $600
1880s buckboard town wagon $825
1880s Victorian Cutter Sleigh $770
antique automobile radiator cap, shape of Griffin - $50
Buckeye model 17E incubator - $27.50
stack of 23 golden age comics incl. Superman, Lone Ranger $55.00

...we'll have a lot more prices and information from this auction on ep. 32 of the Auctionwally Show

We had two styles of 8 foot enamel signs that I thought went very well. There was this one to the left and a "Toasterettes" sign by the same sign company. We had a total of 16 signs which sold for between $75 and $360 each. The difference in prices was due to condition.

Sold for $600

This beautiful buckboard work wagon sold for $600 with the buyer's premium. In the condition it was in, I felt that was a little on the low side. The buyer of this purchased the buckboard town wagon, a good indicator that these were hammered at bargain prices.

Buckeye mode 17E Incubator, $27.50

This antique incubator sold for $27.50.

Stack of 23 Golden Age comics $55.00

A stack of 23 Golden age comics sold for $55.00, the lot included Superman, the Lone Ranger, Zorro and others.

And the end of the day, nearly everyone agreed that antiques, when purchased at fair prices, were probably the safest investments available right now.

As mentioned earlier in the article, I will be giving a much more detailed price report of this auction on ep 32 of The Auctionwally Show which airs Monday evening at 9pm Eastern time. There's a call in # for those interested in asking questions.

If your not able to catch the show as it airs live, no worry, it's also archived as a podcast and can be downloaded onto your PC or mp3 player, so you can listen to it at your convenience.

For those of you who would like to see the story of the items in this auction in the pre-auction video by Worthpoint, click on the link below.

We expect to have the video of the auction itself available soon, so please check back here at the Examiner.com to view that.

For more info: The Auctionwally Show To see the pre-auction video produced by Worthpoint, click here.

The story behind an antiques dairy farm auction

2008-10-02T21:27:00Z

Click here to see a video of this auction.

An antiques estate auction is an event in which a crowd shows up to purchase an entire family's history in a few hours. When put in that light, it can seem like a very sad ordeal. As an auctioneer, I prefer to think of an estate auction that I put together not as a last hurrah but a new chapter in that family's story.

Done right with respect, a well-built auction pays reverence to a family through its accumulated property. Some family members stay away on auction day because the emotional attachment to the things being sold is just too much to deal with. Many times family members look upon the proceedings in delight as they witness a fresh enthusiasm for the wonderful things they grew up with.

Often times during preview you'll hear things like, "I used to push my sister around in that wheelbarrow. I'm so glad someone else is going to enjoy it." Since not everyone is privy to such conversation, I thought it might be fun to re-create some of the daily uses and possible scenarios behind the antiques in an antique dairy farm auction I've been contracted to sell, that of the Duncklee Dairy Farm in Chelmsford MA.

The auction is to take place on Saturday afternoon, October 4th on the grounds of PC Myette's Inc., a power equipment and landscaping outfit located at 120 Boston Rd. in Groton, MA. Since the auction consists of the contents of a dairy farmstead, you can imagine there are several of the old galvanized milk cans that were used to store and transport milk.

Back in the day they would be driven into town for distribution of the milk. Perhaps one would be set aside for the family's consumption. Today, these cans adorn the doorsteps steps and porches of the U.S. There are thousands of them throughout the country painted with everything from seasonal scenes to the proud American Eagle.

Of course the dairy farmer would need a way to transport these heavy cans full of milk into town. On this farm they had a wonderful buckboard work wagon. This particular wagon which I'll have the pleasure of selling is in 100% original condition.

It is has been so well cared for that the only thing needed to use it today is a team of horses. (You'll have to provide those if you win the bid, there is no livestock being sold at this auction.) This particular wagon is in "the old blue" paint, and has a dump body and a locking tailgate. This was the pickup truck of the 1880s. Every pickup truck needs an emergency tool kit and this one is no different with such a toolbox built in under the driver's seat.

The wheels, being built around heavy duty Moline hubs indicate that this wagon was made for work! This blue beauty likely served as a recreational vehicle as well, doubling as the family station wagon. I can just about hear Ma calling for the children to pile in for a picnic outing on a rare day off from chores.

But wait... this was a hard working family of some means, and we are happy to say that there are two buckboard wagons to be auctioned on this day without reserve! What was the other wagon used for? At a distance you might mistake them for identical models, but up close, it's plain to see that this second wagon is a "Sunday go to Church" vehicle. The lines are more elegant, and its original stenciled paint job, which it still proudly displays, indicates that this was a fancier mode of transportation, geared more for social visits.

The wheels of this wagon are a bit thinner and there are passenger rails alongside the bed. There are steps mounted under either side of the driver's seat, and you can imagine the gentleman farmer taking his wife's hand to guide her on board to take her place beside him. Perhaps already in the back are children in their Sunday best, fighting down cowlicks and trying to hide a smuggled frog in need of redemption.

Mother may remark on the glorious day, and Father might ponder how lucky he was to only have to work 12 hours a day to maintain such a fine life for his family. Things were good, thanks were in order. Heading out of the drive we see on the side of the barn a large enamel sign for Cape Cod Cookies.

The print on the bottom of the sign boasts, "48 cookies for 25 cents!" This enamel over steel sign is itself is a work of art. It was manufactured at the turn of the century by the Salto Enamel & Novelty co. It measures a whopping 2x8 feet! I consider myself lucky to find one of these types of signs per year. We have at least 8 of them in this auction, and the consignor promises another 6 for the day of the sale.

Apparently they're buried in the barn somewhere. There are at least 3 different styles from the same company. After Sunday church services the family of course would have taken the rest of the day off. This family, as so many of the time did, gathered around an upright piano as the musically adept sat in the talon and ball, spindle back Mahogany music chair with the adjustable seat. How many children dizzied themselves into an "illness" on such chairs to get out of piano class, may never be known.

Today, these music chairs are a staple in the antiques market, I think this one will do well as it has it's original finish and is right and tight all the way around.During intermission, Mother would serve some of those Cape Cod Cookies, and at a price of 25 cents per batch of 48, I'm sure there were plenty to go around! If it was a hot summer day there's a good chance that Iced tea was served in the stoneware dispenser embossed with the Salada Iced Tea logo.

I've not seen one of these before, but we'll have it pass the auction block on October 4th. Let's see what it brings. It's Sunday and that means no "work", but of course there are still daily chores that need to be completed to keep the household running. Animals need to be fed and watered, barn doors are to be buttoned up, and anything about loose in the yard would be tidied. After the "light chores are completed" the family would sit down for supper and give thanks for having each other and enough to eat.

This family sat at a large round solid wood table which we'll be selling. After supper, things like pie plates and the iced tea dispenser would be tucked away in the beveled paneled, solid cherry cupboard that will cross our block. It's 4ft tall and in excellent, original condition. The children were likely wiped out by this time, and the little ones probably had to be carried off to bed as they were already asleep.

A tall headboard Victorian Oak bed would comfortably hold Mother and Father, while an early cradle stood by their bed for the newest member of the family. The other brothers and sisters were safely tucked away under handmade spreads, talking about Monday morning prospects, and adventures that surely lay ahead.

Of course, this is a fictional scenario, built on likely events of the times, so though we can't be sure how much of them were carried out just like this, we know some of them were.

Here is what I do know for certain: * All of the antiques I mentioned in this story are actually in this estate auction, as well as hundreds of other antiques lots.

* Almost everything in the sale is in original condition.

* Everything in the sale will be sold "absolute, without reserve!"

Won't you come join us for an old fashioned Yankee Auction? They're a lot of fun!

The Auction will be held October 4th, 2008 at 1pm at 120 Boston Rd, Groton MA on the Property of P.C. Myette's

call 978-355-2094 or visit www.auctionwally.com for pictures and details Auction license #2621

Will You Recognize Works by Crossover Artists?

2008-10-02T15:00:00Z

Will You Recognize Works by Crossover Artists?

Louis Comfort Tiffany, the King of Glass, whose glass window works might fetch over $1,000,000 also made pottery and painted canvasses. Glass Master, Emile Galle, also painted, as did Charles Stewart Todd, one of Rookwood Pottery’s leading artists. So, why is this important for us to know? If we can connect a name with items that most people don’t usually associate with a particular artist, there can be some real money to be made.

An artist can be talented in more than one area. This can be a sculptor who occasionally painted or a painter who occasionally sculpted. An artist who works in glass might have loved to make furniture or loved to paint. Few people realize that Louis Comfort Tiffany was also a potter whose works are highly sought after, and his paintings can also bring a pretty penny. It might amaze you to know that in 2005, an 18x24 inch of Tiffany canvas board sold for $156,000. I didn’t even like it, but there was one buyer who was willing to pay that price to add it to his or her collection.

Emile Galle, one of my favorite glass artists, was also a crossover artist. While his glass vases are sought after by collectors all over the world and command prices right up there with Tiffany, he also painted. And these can be quite valuable as well.

You might not recognize the name Charles Stewart Todd unless you were familiar with the top artists who worked through Rookwood Pottery, but I recently discovered he also painted canvasses while I was checking out a painting at an auction house. It was signed CWT, and I wondered if it could be the same as the potter whose work I keep an eye out for. As most my readers know by now, I’m originally from Kentucky and I keep an eye out for works by Kentucky artists, and Charles Stewart Todd came from a town close to my hometown. All it took to get the answer to my question was to read the sales flyer and yes, it was the same artist. You can be assured I’ll be watching this auction with extra interest.

You might want to check out a few of the Rookwood artists to see if they worked in other areas. Most artists are better recognized for their work in one field rather than the other. Even so, when they have dabbled in another field and you’ve found an item of theirs in a category they aren’t usually known for, it can be gold for you.

Today's Photo is an example of a painting by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

LINK:

Look at Tiffany Pottery Photos Here

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Researching Artist's Signature Pays Off

2008-10-01T16:12:00Z

Diego Rivera

If you came across a quality painting with only the initials “CC” signed, would it be worth your while to find out if this might be something of value? On the one hand, the time researching might pay off handsomely, but on the other hand, the time spent researching might add nothing more than another layer of knowledge, possibly to be used next time around.

This is the way it is in the Fine Arts business. You’ll often find signed paintings, but can’t decipher the signature. It may take you a lot of time researching and there’s a chance you’ll come up empty handed. But, the rewards of finding something valuable are fantastic. I found a painting one time that I knew had to be painted by a talented artist, but I couldn’t read the signature. My only solution was to go through the entire set of signature books I had, so I decided to do this. About halfway through the first book, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I found a direct match. At this point, I still didn’t know the value of my piece, but once I saw this artist’s signature in the book, I knew he was a listed artist and I could track this down.

I grabbed my Davenport’s Art Price Guide and quickly look him up. I discovered that the $150 I paid for this painting had been well spent. The least expensive of this artist’s work brought $5,000 while his top sale was over $82,000. I soon sold this painting for just over $12,500. If I had paid myself $200 for the time I spent researching, my profit still would have been over $11,500. Not bad for a little work.

Remember, we are looking for things others miss, and often the point where they walk away is when there’s a signature that isn’t clear. How many people do you suppose looked at that painting and thought that it just wouldn’t be worth the effort to research it.

There are other things people walk away from in the art world. For example, many famous artists used only initials to sign their work. If you don’t have a book on these monograms, then they’ll mean nothing to you. I use the American and European set of books called “Signatures and Monograms” by John Castagno. If you can find these used on the Internet or through Abesbooks or Amazon, they could be like gold to you.

In these books, you’ll also learn that artists often painted under more than one name. A woman may have painted under her maiden name, as well as her married name. These books also contain sections on indecipherable signatures and the symbols some artists used on their paintings.

You will also find where artist often painted under more than one name. A lady for instance my have painted under her maiden name and also her married name. They also have a sections in these books on indecipherable signatures and symbols that some artist used on their paintings.

Back to my original question – if you found a painting marked “CC”, would you take the time to research it? If you did, you’d discover it was painted by the famous artist Jean Baptiste Camilla Corot, and it would be very valuable. If a painting is signed, “Picasso” most people would pay attention, but if it had the initial D with the number 32 after it and you researched it, you’d know it was by Diego Rivera and it was time to snatch that up. And what if you could buy one of these for just a few hundred dollars, because somebody didn’t know what it was. The record for one of Rivera’s works is over $1,500,000. Like I said in my book, let’s spend our time where the money is.

One of our members just emailed me about a painting she purchased for $1200. If it’s genuine, it’s worth over $28,000. I have my fingers crossed for her. And presently, I’m researching a painting that could very easily be worth $65,000 or more. I’ll share the results with you when I get them, and it wouldn’t hurt to have your fingers crossed for me, too.

There are other sources of looking up artists, such as AskArt.com, ArtNet.com and ArtPrice.com. These are subscription based services. If you're a member of the 31 Club, rather than subscribing to these yourself, you can give us a call and we'll check the name and prices for you. That's just one more advantage of being a member.

Finding Marks on Leaded Crystal. Lalique, Steuben, Baccarat

2008-09-27T20:26:00Z

This Lalique Bird Vase of one of four affordable Lalique Vases in the 31 Marketplace.

Before you invest in good leaded crystal glass, it's a good idea to handle many high quality pieces and become familiar with the weight and designs of the better ones. It's easy to get fooled today, and we don't want to let that happen to us.

Good leaded crystal can have marks, and it's a good idea to become acquainted with them. Often, all clear glass looks alike, but it isn’t. In your study, these differences will become apparent.

It would seem easy to say, all that's necessary to recognize this quality glass is to look at the bottom of each piece to see the mark. But truth is, there's an influx of what I call "copycat" pieces on the market today, and unless you're familiar with marks, you could be fooled.

Some of the best cut glass that was ever produced is marked. At a house sale, I often have taken a piece from one room to another trying to get just the right light on a glass item so that I could pick up that faintest piece of a mark, such as a Lalique, Steuben, or Baccarat mark, and even cut glass. I've often had difficulty finding one.

These companies usually marked their pieces by acid etching the mark or by signing them with an electric marking process. Often these marks are almost invisible to the naked eye with out proper lighting or magnification.

Once at an estate sale, I spotted a huge frosted glass frog sitting on a card table. I must have picked it up and put it back when I couldn't find a mar on the bottom, just like scores of other people did, during the day. I searched the rest of the sale a while and didn't find anything, but my mind wouldn’t let me forget that frog.

I went back to the room where the frog was and examined it once again from top to bottom. Even though this frog seemed so special, I still couldn't come up with anything. I put it back and headed to my car. Before I opened the door, I stopped dead in my tracks. That darn frog was bothering me, so I went back into the house, picked the blasted thing up and told myself I was going to find that mark or it's going to kill me. Believe it or not, there it was, as clear as day -- "Lalique." I immediately took it to the check out and the woman told me $25. I paid very quickly, before I could crack a smile or bust out laughing.

Once I started the research, I discovered that this little frog was quite valuable. I put it on eBay. It was hard to wait so many days for the auction to end, but it finally did and I netted $625 for myself.

There are a lot of people that don’t know the rare pieces made by these companies from the common ones. When you do, it will give you a tremendous advantage over them. Stay with the best names in the clear glass, because the copycats, as I have called them, have very little value in the secondary markets.

A lot of glass is also overpriced, and this is where discipline is needed. Don’t ever over pay for anything you buy, even if you can make a small profit. At the 31 Club, we set our goals at doubling the price we pay for each item, at the very least. And remember, look carefully for a mark. Make sure you bring a pen light and have a magnifying tool with you. And -- become familiar with those rare items that may not be marked.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can register for membership in the 31 Club and start becoming an expert buyer and seller.

Before you invest in good leaded crystal glass, it's a good idea to handle many high quality pieces and become familiar with the weight and designs of the better ones. It's easy to get fooled today, and we don't want to let that happen to us.

Good leaded crystal can have marks, and it's a good idea to become acquainted with them. Often, all clear glass looks alike, but it isn’t. In your study, these differences will become apparent.

It would seem easy to say, all that's necessary to recognize this quality glass is to look at the bottom of each piece to see the mark. But truth is, there's an influx of what I call "copycat" pieces on the market today, and unless you're familiar with marks, you could be fooled.

Some of the best cut glass that was ever produced is marked. At a house sale, I often have taken a piece from one room to another trying to get just the right light on a glass item so that I could pick up that faintest piece of a mark, such as a Lalique, Steuben, or Baccarat mark, and even cut glass. I've often had difficulty finding one.

These companies usually marked their pieces by acid etching the mark or by signing them with an electric marking process. Often these marks are almost invisible to the naked eye with out proper lighting or magnification.

Once at an estate sale, I spotted a huge frosted glass frog sitting on a card table. I must have picked it up and put it back when I couldn't find a mar on the bottom, just like scores of other people did, during the day. I searched the rest of the sale a while and didn't find anything, but my mind wouldn’t let me forget that frog.

I went back to the room where the frog was and examined it once again from top to bottom. Even though this frog seemed so special, I still couldn't come up with anything. I put it back and headed to my car. Before I opened the door, I stopped dead in my tracks. That darn frog was bothering me, so I went back into the house, picked the blasted thing up and told myself I was going to find that mark or it's going to kill me. Believe it or not, there it was, as clear as day -- "Lalique." I immediately took it to the check out and the woman told me $25. I paid very quickly, before I could crack a smile or bust out laughing.

Once I started the research, I discovered that this little frog was quite valuable. I put it on eBay. It was hard to wait so many days for the auction to end, but it finally did and I netted $625 for myself.

There are a lot of people that don’t know the rare pieces made by these companies from the common ones. When you do, it will give you a tremendous advantage over them. Stay with the best names in the clear glass, because the copycats, as I have called them, have very little value in the secondary markets.

A lot of glass is also overpriced, and this is where discipline is needed. Don’t ever over pay for anything you buy, even if you can make a small profit. At the 31 Club, we set our goals at doubling the price we pay for each item, at the very least. And remember, look carefully for a mark. Make sure you bring a pen light and have a magnifying tool with you. And -- become familiar with those rare items that may not be marked.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can register for membership in the 31 Club and start becoming an expert buyer and seller.

Windmill Weights as Folk Art

2008-09-26T16:30:00Z

Windmill Weights as Folk Art

After I posted yesterday’s blog about the Whirligigs sought after by collectors, I guess my mind started going back to the days I spent growing up on a farm. Before I knew it, I was researching Windmill Weights. Maybe windmills were on my mind because of the need for this country to find new energy resources. Maybe the windmill images from the T. Boone Pickens commercials were forward in my mind. Only the Good Lord understands the intricacies of my mind. But, boy! I’m glad I did the research. I always thought windmill weights were in the form of animals, birds, moons, or stars, but I was mistaken, and I got quite the education on these folk art collectibles.

In case you're not as old as I am, I'll provide a little background info to understand the historical interest in windmill weights. Yesteryear, in parts of rural America and other parts of the world, many farms used windmills to capture the power of the wind to pump water out of wells for use on their land. Windmills also provided the energy to pump well water to fuel the early locomotives. Grain, especially in Europe, was ground by the energy provided by windmills. These windmills had many moving parts, of course, and a windmill weight was one of them.

Today, these weights are very collectible, valuable, and make great folk art. And there are lots of collectors who'd be grateful if you found a real beauty for their collection.

There are four different kinds of windmill weights – the Tail Weight, the Governor Weight, the Spoke Weight and the Regulator Weight. The Tail Weights are the most decorative of all.

There are hundreds of windmill weights to find, and they are still out there in the old barns and sheds. And some are quite valuable. Many of the weights you’ll find are painted, but I learned that this was usually done after the weight had out-lived its usefulness and later became a piece of folk art.

Many times paint is used to disguise a reproduction, however there are many ways to distinguish the real thing from a new reproduction.The best way is to look for rust. When these weights were used, they picked up sand in the rust, and this is what made the finish on the older weights. Watch for holes in the weights. They shouldn’t be straight up and down on the real ones, rather tapered. Any damage can quickly reduce their value.

I was fortune enough to run across the book, Windmill Weights, by Rich Nidey and Don Lawrence. I took a look at a site with some info on their book, and boy – what a head full I got.

I know you’re waiting for some price examples, so here they are:

A Black Bull with white writing, 18X24 inches, $920. Horse standing,white paint,16 X 17 inches, $920. Rooster, writing, Power & Pump Co. , 13 inches, $1495. ARooster by the Elgin Co., 15X19 inches, could bring you over $5000 today.

Today's Photo comes from Ames Hill Antiques and this 15 inch star weight made by the U. S. Wind Engine & Pump Co. Batavia, Ill. c, 1890. is mounted on a tiger maple stand and has provenance to a Minnesota farm. It's priced at $2250.

I think you’ll agree that these nifty items are worth looking for.

There is an endless stream of items people collect, and if we find them for collectors (or for ourselves) our coffers will be filled. An old saying I recall says, “Go where others have feared to go.” 31 Club says, “Look where others have failed to look.”

What is it?

2008-09-24T18:23:00Z

Can someone tell me what this is, my Mom died 2 years ago and it was in her things, she bought it at an estate sale. It is stamped on the bottom if you need more pictures let me know. The pictures are of each side front and back the top, the lid, and bottom with the stamp. It is in perfect shape and is white and blue, you'll find the pictures on my page, Please help, Marcella (celladoll)

A What? A Whirligig? -- Folk Art

2008-09-24T16:08:00Z

It's a What? A Whirligig?

If I told you a whirligig could bring in some big money, would you know what a whirligig is and how to spot one?

I always teach that the money in this business is made in the rare. The rare and desirable will keep your money turning, and a whirligig falls into this category.

So what is a whirligig? Think motion. Think action. Then, consider our past as a farming culture. When we were mainly farmers, birds in the fields, pecking away at crops was a real problem. Farmers needed something to scare off the birds without having to constantly have someone on the lookout who could to run out into the fields and wildly flap their arms to get rid them. Enter the whirligig. It’s a type of interesting and creative folk contraption made by a farmer on his time off from the fields, to solve the bird problem. Many will call it a toy, because it brought much delight to children, as well as to adults, but this contraption was designed with a purpose.

Most of these interesting contraptions are made of wood, but they can be made of almost any material. They have moving pieces, and when the wind blows on them, it creates an action. They might remind you of windmills -- folksy windmills.

I have seen figural whirligigs whose arms spin and the head moves. These are rather simple, but there are others depicting a person sawing a log or a woman churning butter. With these, you are beginning to touch upon the higher dollar whirligigs. They weren’t actually meant to scare off the birds, but rather to enjoy. These are the ones whose dollar value has escalated so much. The number of these pieces that have survived till now is limited. To the avid collector of these artistic creations, the hunt for them is a labor of love.

Unlike items like duck decoys, whose value escalates when it is signed by a particular artist, whirligigs don’t have to be signed for them to be valuable; the value is in the design.

Here is an example of some whirligig values: Two men turning a fan, articulated limbs, 13X18 inches, valued at $690. 20th Century 12” man wearing black jacket and blue trousers,$1380. Policeman, one arm and band leader the other arm, 20 inches, wooden, $3300. And, a man wearing a pealed hat, blue jacket, and red vest, 21 inches, $6325.

While there are reproductions, a close look will tell you the differences. Look for signs of new paint, modern screws, no patina, poor workmanship and materials not of the time.

There are so many items that have the potential to bring big money, but first we have to know what to look for. If you come across one of these during your hunt, I hope this blog will come to mind. And, if you’re successful in buying it, you might just keep a whirligig for a while before selling it just to amuse yourself.

Today's Photo comes from Marquisauctions.com.

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Flying without a net, Oct Absolute antiques auction

2008-09-19T14:41:00Z

Some people would call me crazy for doing this, and to most old school auction goers, this is how an auction should be run. The auction posted below has NO MINIMUM BIDS and NO RESERVES!

Contents of Chelmsford MA Dairy Farmstead

to be auctioned
ABSOLUTE WITHOUT RESERVE!

Click here to see more photos.

From antique buckboard wagons to an adorable two seater Victorian sleigh, this authentic country farmstead auction will be a bonanza of early Americana!
It's 100% fresh to market and has not seen the light of day in many years.

The auction is so huge, the contents had to be transported to the grounds of my client, PC Myette's inc. a landscaping company.

The auction will be combination of walk-a-round style and seated. It will be outside AND undercover.

Please bring your own chairs and come prepared for a long day!

Auction

Antique Farmstead
Saturday, Oct.4th, 1pm

                         (preview 10am-1pm)

         120 Boston Rd.(119) Groton MA 01450 on the grounds of PC Myette Inc

This will be an ABSOLUTE auction without reserve. Starting at 1pm we will be auctioning off the contents of a local Chelmsford MA Dairy barn which will include wagons, sleighs, farm equipment, antique furniture and accessories, here is a partial list of this jam packed auction:

A late 1800s buckboard wagon w/ old blue paint excellent cond., another antique “go to town” wagon with the original stenciled paint, also in excellent cond., extra wagon wheels, 2 seater Victorian horse drawn sleigh excellent cond., at least 8 large 8ft by 2ft antique enamel signs featuring Educator Cape Cod Cookies by Salto Enamel & Novelty co., Early metal Whiz Chemical co. sign, Bradts Soda Biscuits Box, 14 foot logging sled w/ old blue paint (1 runner need repair), organic mulcher, hay flipper, hay rakes, large mill wheels & rollers, wheel tillers, disc harrows, antique child’s wheel barrow, 15 drawer oak desk, oak commode, Poulin chain saw, 1960 IH Cub Cadet Lawn tractor model 100, grinding wheel & stones, 2 seat horse drawn trotting surrey, plenty of early milk cans incl Winchester NH dairy, Whiting dairy, tin sifters & measures, early wooden barrels, antique buggy jack, early tool box, lots of hardware including old hinges, pulleys, block & tackle, large gaslight lamp post top, large Charbroil No. 240 outdoor grill, buck saws, scythes & other hand tools, Ox yokes, antique books, paper & ephemera, stack of old comic books from the 1950s & 60s, nice condition including: Superman Nos. 72& 83, Dell four colors Tarzan, Disney etc, Boy Illustories, Man Comics, Racket Squad, Jumbo Comics, Zorro, lots of records, lps, 45s, 78s incl: Chuck Berry ep5119 on Chess Rock and Roll Music, The Platters, the Everly bros, Duane Eddy and much more the collection is in exceptional condition, Regal portable Victrola, collection of mini-license plates,stoneware jug from PH Donohoe & co. Liquors & Wines of Lowell MA, sets of snow shoes, horse saddles, leather strapped oak slat trunks, fur coats, a pile of linen, lace and fancies, Victorian Oak stands, Mahogany stands, a Mahogany desk, ball and talon foot piano stool in Mahog., an upright piano, 4 foot tall early country paneled cupboard, unusual twisted column Mahogany pedestal, large antique bell jar, several antique rocking chairs of Mahog. Oak , Wicker chair, antique silver plate, old photos, early steam gauge by Welch bros of Lowell MA, New Era check writer, collections of prints and other artworks incl: a huge engraving of Niagra Falls signed John A. Levitt of Boston MA dated 1893, Victorian era panoramic views, woman shepard in fields, religious prints, Victorian fancy cradle and early country plank side cradle, porch swing, several chests of drawers with mirrors, Victorian sleigh robe, country bins, wheat thresher, saw blades, 48 star flag, 1861 well cistern, and MUCH more.

Come prepared to stay for the day, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CHAIRS, this will be a combination of a Walk-a-Round and seated auction. It will be outdoors AND indoors and all items will be sold rain or shine! The sale will be catered.

Terms: 10% buyers premium, cash, checks, credit cards accepted, you must have a proper ID to get a number, no exceptions, storage and trucking is available.

To see photos and more details go to www.auctionwally.com, click on the link in the upper right on the page. OR call 978-355-2094
Walt Kolenda Auctioneer, MA auction license #2621

              Check out this online social network for antiques dealers

Antique Business: Staying A Step Ahead of the Times

2008-09-18T21:21:00Z

31 Club.

c. 1920s postcard of Eskimos hunting for walrus in a skin omiak, or canoe. From VintagePostcards.org

I have to confess, I to am a little enamored by Sarah Palin. I think she should make all women proud, even if they don’t agree with her. But, let’s focus on the Eskimo heritage of the First Dude of Alaska, Tod Palin. You see, if we’re going to stay a step ahead of the times in the Antique & Collectible business, his Eskimo heritage may very well be relevant to us. There are many works of art and collectibles that have originated in Alaska by her native people.

I was tremendously interested in Native Alaskan studies when I was a young man still in college, and I did an extensive study of their ways. I can say without hesitation that the Native Alaskans a sturdy breed. They have to be in order to handle the weather conditions in Alaska. Due to their way of life, they have to make decisions that most of us will never experience. Natives living the true native life, spent most of their time just providing food for the family, even today. But, out in the rugged landscapes of Alaska, the native way of life is not without its art and decorative wares.

Since there are mostly nature and animals in those landscapes, you might figure that most of what the native people living in the true native traditions have comes from nature and animals. You’d be right in your thinking. Many items were made from animal skins, bird, and fish. Seeds dyed with colors from native plants was often used as bead work.

Walrus was a favorite animal to make items from, and items are made from various parts of this animal. The bones and tusks, as well as hides, were used to make implements that served their daily needs. Today, there is a healthy group of collectors that search for the items used by the native people of Alaska in days past.

Here is a short list : Baskets made from the hides of Moose and Caribou, often adorned with ivory can bring from $750 up. Native Dolls are always a real treasure. The ones that truly represent native life can bring $2500 to $10,000. Cribbage Boards made from ivory will always be winners and can often exceed $1000. Drums, Harpoons, Knives, Sculptures and just plain Tusks are other items appealing to collectors. All of these items can help you work through the 31 Steps in your “Million Dollar Race.”

An episode of the Antique Road Show once featured a helmet from a region in Alaska a woman brought in for appraisal. “I just wanted to bring in something, but I know this probably has little value,“ were her words to the appraiser. Little did she know this helmet would steal the show. It had all the experts examining it, and if I’m correct in my figure – it was estimated at $250,000. If it were me, they’d have to carry me away in a stretcher!!! It's hard to remember all the things that come across your path, but I’m thinking that later, I remember there might have been a little controversy over that appraisal.

In the world of Antiques & Collectibles, there are so many things you could be knowledgeable about, but you can't know it all. Native Alaskan items is one more layer to place in your memory banks. Bringing this area to your attention today might be the little nudge you need to do some research before passing by an item that could possibly be native Alaskan. Or, it could inspire you to learn more and seek out these items. Learning about the different tribes, their history and customs, as well as what differentiates each tribes art and wares is a fascinating study. A good start is the book, Crossroads of Continents: Cultures of Siberia & Alaska. The hardcover book starts around $18, and their are inexpensive used soft cover books available.

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The Advantage of Knowing Your Buyers and Making Private Sales

2008-09-18T20:58:00Z

Even in uncertain economic times like these, good customers are looking to increase their collections.

Having a buyer in mind before we buy an item greatly reduces the time it will take to sell it. When our time in the Antique & Collectible Business is spent servicing past customers, we won’t have to give away our found treasures at low prices. If we can find the right items for them, we’ll be able to turn our money quickly and keep it circulating. This should be one of our main goals.

At least 75% of the sales in the higher end Antiques and Fine Arts are made between private individuals.

Since I introduced Lotton Glass as the “next” Tiffany, many people have asked me to call them if I ran across a nice piece of this wonderful glass. Well, this happened two days ago. One of our members let me know he wished to sell a very special John Lotton 15” vase. I knew of a customer who just might be interested for the right price. Bingo. Another sale made and everyone is happy.

As the 31 Club grows larger, private sales between members will increase.

In private sales, the seller will receive more money for items, and the buyers will pay less. That works for me. How about you? I think we’ll have a large number of very satisfied customers.

The average sales price for items sold in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace is beginning to increase.

We are seeing more sales averaging $3,000 – $4,000 thousand and fewer items selling in the lower prices. You’ll make more money dealing in higher end items, and if you read yesterday’s blog, you’ll understand just why the higher end more rare items are where we want to be, especially in uncertain economic times.

Members Are on the Hunt for Great Items

Right now, I can mention several items that there have buyers just waiting for members to find the right piece for them. These include paintings by Carl Brenner, Patty Thum, Paul Sawyier, Pauline Palmer and Harvey Joiner. (By the way, we are working on acquiring one of Joiner’s paintings that’s presently in Canada.)

Customers of ours are looking for more great glass by Charles Lotton and John Lotton. A customer is looking for three Springfield Rifles to present to each one of his sons. George Ohr Pottery and Rookwood Pottery have buyers waiting for the right piece at 31 Club.

Utilizing the 31 Club Wish List in combination with the Associates Program will catapult your profit making ability.

Let’s see how this works: The Wish List gives you the opportunity to advertise the items you want to buy at no charge. Free Advertising. Say you’re wanting to by Rookwood Pottery, but you’re only able to purchase $300-$400 items. Along comes someone who sees your list and that you buy Rookwood, but they have a rare piece and want $2,000 for it. You know you can sell it for double that or more, but you don’t have the $2,000 to buy it. Are you going to throw away a perfectly good buy? No.

That’s when you use the Associates Program. We buy it, we sell it, and you get 35% of the net sale. Let’s plug some figures into that. Say we netted $4,500 when we sold that Rookwood vase you called us about. You’ll have made $1,575. And you never invested a dime or did anything to sell it. Now, add a zero onto all those figures and see how you feel. Think about this very hard and imagine the possibilities. I’ll be glad to hear from you when this hits you over the head. When it does, feel free to share your excitement with me at info@31corp.com or call me at 847-784-8544 if you have questions.

Now, go take on this fine day.

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Top ten ways to get the upper hand at yard sales

2008-09-18T15:40:00Z

Autumn is here, and it's a busy time for yard sales, flea markets etc. These events are all great ways to get items to resell but the best things get snapped up fast and these sales can be very competitive.

Here are top ten tips to get the upper hand when buying. Don't take them too seriously ;)

Get up early enough to switch the signs around, if your competition can't find the sale, they aren't competition anymore, now are they?
If you can get to the sellers before they've had their first cup coffee, you are ahead of the game.
If possible, bring a small child to offer a quarter on everything. Train them to go after vintage Barbie dolls and GI Joes.
Practice holding your heart with a faked shock look on your face when you get a price from a seller.
When you know there are enough people within earshot, I find this phrase helps. "How much is this Flow Blue cream pitcher with the furry spider inside it?"
Here's another helpful phrase, this one is a twist on an old cliche. "My Gramma used to have one of those, in fact she had it right in her hands when she died."
Remember that small child mentioned earlier? The little imp can be used to distract other buyers by throwing up, crying, etc.
Pull out a hand full of change before asking how much a big ticket item is.
If it means getting in the basement or attic, inform the sellers you buy EVERYTHING if it's the right model or style, old tires, National Geographics. You never know what else you'll see when you get in the house, the trick is to get your foot in the door.
Be so damn nice that people will have a hard time refusing low-ball offers.

While this article was written in humor, I have actually seen each of these techniques used in action! Please feel free to comment with your favorite yard sale absurdity!

Thanks for reading,

Selling on eBay and elsewhere,old paper items - ep30 The Auctionwally Show

2008-09-16T17:53:00Z

The Auctionwally Show has a new live air time. 9PM EDT, Monday evenings.

Episode 30 of The Auctionwally Show will feature information on how to sell antique paper on eBay and elsewhere online.

Auctionwally and Mitzi tear into the details of one of the fastest growing areas of collectibles, old paper. We'll cover collectible magazines, postcards, movie posters,handbills,old newspapers,Valentines etc.

We show you where to find the best stuff, how to recognize it, which keywords to use when selling it and how to sell it multi-channel. Kick back as we look at how everyone from Etsians to eBayers are making money stuffing envelopes, BUT in a good way!

Click here to listen to the show

Don't forget you can call into the show live at 1-646-378-1561 if you want to plug your site or ask a question. And if you miss the show as it airs live, you can listen to any of the back episode by clicking here.

eBay, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

2008-09-16T17:37:00Z

The author writes a column at the The Examiner.com a national online newspaper, as the paper's Auctions & Antiques expert. Click here to read that column.

I've been an eBay seller going on 10 years, I love what the company has helped me do with my business and it's largely responsible for the success of my Internet presence. One could argue that I owe eBay a lot.

I've paid back a lot over the years, and not just in fees. I wrote pro-eBay articles and talked up the company in my podcasts. In short I was as much of an evangelist for the site as anyone. And I do hope the company can get back on track, but I have to ask:

eBay, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?

I just got an an automated call this morning from eBay, "seller Auctionwally, eBay would like to make you aware that it is making more new changes to make listing more affordable and instill buying confidence in eBay." Uh-oh.

eBay, for the past two years you've rolled out a multitude of controversial changes that have made people who sell unique items, such as antiques dealers, furious. You've confused those that sell new stock, and sent a stampede of booksellers over to Amazon.com out of frustration at their items not showing up in well in your search engine.

Nothing stays the same, I realize that. But those of us who sell online are bombarded with changes we can barely keep up with.

To roll out an enormous amount of changes is risky practice at best, to roll out so many CRITICAL changes, is risky and confusing to all who would use your site. To roll out so many changes and announce that more changes are coming after your base is begging you to stop, is risky, confusing, and smacks of desperation.

Let's look at other changes and what I see as the problems with them.

You've stripped one of the core features that eBay was founded on, the duel feedback system. When you did this, your response was, "Well everyone else has only buyer feedback." Exactly. The results, sellers are disgruntled and look for other platforms to sell on. There are none as good as eBay. Not a big loss yet.
Last year you announced a fee decrease for sellers,..Yippee! The results, it was a PR nightmare for your company when sellers found out that you were only decreasing listing fees, and taking more on the back end, in effect, rewarding those who list junk that doesn't sell and whacking successful dealers with higher commission fees. I personally didn't mind the higher commission fees, but it looks like the move is clogging up eBay's search engine with junk. And don't try to sell a fee increase as decrease, we're not stupid.
You put in place a very complicated DSR (detailed seller rating) system that no one, even eBay by it's own admission, can figure out. This tool has had major crashes and has not been able to accomplish it's goal. The results: Everybody says, "Huh?"
After much user angst and public outcry, the leaders in your company, John Donahoe and Lorrie Norrington, announce that we should get used to changes, more are coming and we won't recognize eBay in a year from now. The results:. More eBay sellers leave the site, and still don't find a better platform to sell on. BUT, sellers start building their own sites! They are taking what they've learned from eBay and using it to brand themselves. They're using sites like Worthpoint.com, EveryplaceIsell.com , The Vintagelist.com and The Auctionwally Network to get advice on how to become independent sellers.
eBay announces that in the near future, it will only accept electronic payments. OUCH! The results: eBay gets a two-fer on this one, they manage to tick off sellers AND buyers! Not only is there blowback about having to cowtow to PayPal, but there is potential for a disaster as sellers with a huge ammount of listings have to scrape other payment options that may be referenced in each description. While it's true that a seller can change payment options with a flick of the switch, they will have to delete manually any reference to those options if they are in anyway referred to in the item description. For example, I have in my desrciptions the following statement, "A check or money order will need to clear before shipment." This statement is a violation of this new policy and will have to be scraped from every listing, or I lose the listing. What about the poor sap that has 100-500 store listings they have to edit?!
eBay announces yet another price change is in the works, I'm not kidding. They say the new fee structure will encourage sellers to list more items with the fixed price format. The results: The blogosphere lites up with rumors and speculation that eBay is doing away with it's eBay stores. Is there any truth to this? Who knows, but it could very well be as the company has gained a reputation for being a loose cannon with it's willy-nilly site change attitude.

Don't get me wrong, I still sell on eBay, I will always maintain an eBay presence and wish the best things for it. But I'm an old school Yankee Auctioneer, you can't hardly shut me up once I get going, (ask my poor wife about that).

The way I see it, I have a responsibility to call 'em as I see 'em. I'm a passionate evangelist for brands and services that go above and beyond, but I'll never stand by and cheer lead for any one that so obviously seems to work against its users' best interest.

I often get asked, "Who do you think will beat eBay?" I reply, "eBay is the only one that can beat eBay, and these days it looks like they're doing a pretty good job of it."

Thanks for reading,

PS, You may find it beneficial to join The Auctionwally Network