Thursday, July 29, 2010

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Monday, July 26, 2010

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Mexican Straw Paintings

There is some real money to be made with these wonderful pieces of art. I am interesting in purchasing these pieces if priced reasonable.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Monday, July 19, 2010

Cameras can make for a bright picture.

To find out more about what is happenning in vintage cameras visit http://www.darylelambert.com/ and read the blog.

Leica Camera - Thanks to ogi.ebay.com

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Antiques and Collectibles Classifieds at - www.darylelambert.com




David Smallhouse


You will see listed art work by painters like William A. Slaughter, art glass by David Smallhouse, Rookwood by their best artists and many other items for the buyer's pleasure.

For this as well as our daily blog and the opportunity to join Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club, visit us at www.darylelambert.com 

Friday, July 16, 2010

Sugar Desk – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog - Rarer than a Sugar Chest




Very seldom do I write on furniture but today is the exception. I received an email from a wonderful young lady asking about a sugar chest that had been passed down through her family. The history really got me interested even though it soon became apparent that the item wasn't for sale. Here is one of the interesting things that I was able to share with her: she has a sugar desk which is even rarer that a sugar chest.



It seems that her family are descendents of J.C. Penny. The Penny family moved from Virginia to Missouri after passing through Kentucky. While in Kentucky near the end of the 18th century, they acquired a sugar desk which has stayed in the family ever since. The difference between a sugar chest and a sugar desk are the drawers on the inside. I received this information from my friend Cecil, in Kentucky.



This piece was auctioned in 1983 and was advertised as over 200 years old then. The lady that I was corresponding with is in possession of the deck because her father, who was a descendent of the Pennys, purchased it for her at that auction. Here is what is so exciting. A sugar chest will start at $4000 if it is in original condition and the price can only go up from there. A sugar desk, however, is even more rare than a chest so this piece with its provenance and age, approximately 1780's, could fetch a figure that would astonish the most discriminating buyer. Just as a side bar, this was before Kentucky actually became a state. Kentucky became a state in 1792.



All you readers now will be keeping an eye out for sugar chests and desks I am sure. But here is a little information that you will need in your search. A sugar chest or deck will usually be smaller than a blanket chest and will have a divider cutting it in halves on the inside. Don't be fooled by the dishonest dealer who makes a fake sugar chest by putting a divider into a blanket chest. The more original the piece the higher the price will be.



Do you know how to distinguish a Kentucky piece from a Tennessee piece? Most Kentucky chests are made from cherry wood with poplar as the secondary wood while Tennessee pieces are made from walnut wood. Be assured a sugar chest or sugar desk will always be a real treasure and you will have no trouble selling it for a pretty penny.


My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Doulton Lambeth Honey Bear – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – How I wish


I find it very seldom that I see something that I would really like to add to my collection but it happened today. After you have owned so many different items they all seem to look alike so it is rare to see something that really stands out to you. The reason I have to be careful in buying for myself and not retail is because my wife Vickie says that if I bring something home something has to leave.

One of my greatest pleasures doing this job is seeing what the members come up with and today Vicki [ not my wife ] really found a prize. I have owned many of the George Tinworth figures including mice and frogs but never a bear. I believe he made bears and perhaps Vicki's piece is by him. The figure of a bear with a honey pot between his legs would make a wonderful addition to my collection but I believe it will be to her advantage to take it to the market. There are two of his mice figures listed on eBay at the present time for $7000 or more.



The Doulton Lambeth Honey Bear has a pot with a sterling rim that is hallmarked and contains a silver spoon. I have never seen this piece so you know my rule, it must be fairly rare. Knowing what Vicki paid for the bear I am assured that she will be extremely satisfied with its selling price.



At the same time Vicki emailed me pictures of the bear she also shared a R. Lalique box that she had picked up. It is heavily carved and made of malachite, which has a beautiful green color that makes it look very regal. With these two purchases, I believe it is safe to say that Vicki is off to a fast start this month and it may be difficult for others of us to keep up with her.



The thing that I really like about Doulton Lambeth is that so much of it was from the 1800's. This was when the true artists were working in stoneware and you can't help but love the workmanship. Besides the bear, I would also love to have an owl Lambeth piece, so If you see one please contact me.



Tomorrow I will be telling you about the best Sugar Desk that I have ever seen along with its history.





My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today.


Wednesday, July 14, 2010

"Kewpie" Rose O'Neill – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Rare Find

I am always looking for the rare and unusual and maybe I have hit it lucky again. Remember my stop last Sunday at the antique mall where my friend, Cecil, works? I purchased 27 items and hoped one of them might really be rare. Perhaps I found it in a Rose O'Neill stick pin in what is said to be the original box. The box measures 4” and the pin itself is 3 ½".


Why do I say that it may be rare when I have never seen one like it before? You know that after you have been in this business as long as I have if you haven't seen it there is a chance that it might be rare. On the bottom of the feet it says Trade Kewpie Mark and the tag lists Germany as it place of origin but I can't find that.



Why am I writing about this small piece? It is because this one item could perhaps pay for most of my other purchases. When I looked at the eBay listings for Rose O'Neill there were three that I will share. First is a 13” doll for $600, then a set of three smaller dolls for $429 and also a 7” doll in the original box for $255. I may be very wrong but I believe the pin is rarer than the dolls because I have seen the fore mentioned dolls many times.



Here is what I am fairly confident of. After purchasing the pin for 40% off, I feel safe in saying that I will more than double my money. So here is what I want you to do. Put the name Rose O'Neill in your memory bank for future recall because it will make you money. Even the more common items if they're old will make you a happy camper.



If you would like to know more about the Rose O'Neill “Kewpie Dolls” information can be found at this site Kewpie Dolls.




I would like to answer a few questions that have arisen about listing in our classifieds. First if you get to the end of the listing and click save and get a message that only numbers can be used, you have put dashes in the telephone number. Just delete those and click save again.



Second to renew your ad, just click on the email you are sent for renewal then enter your ID and Password then click renew.






If you have other questions about the classifieds please contact either Ondre or myself.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Classifieds Work - Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Gold coin earrings sell

I don't get a list of what sells on the classifieds so the only way I can tell if they are working is by the sales I make. Happily, I can report that the gold coin earrings that I listed for $1000 have found a new home and I have other inquiries on items that I hope to report to you on soon. This is the backbone of the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectibles Club because without sales we aren't really in business. I also know that members have been contacted about items that they have listed in the wanted section.


It seems that most members are having few problems getting items listed but even I have, on occasion, run into something that didn't go just right on a listing. When there is a problem, be sure to contact Ondre or myself as soon as possible because if your items aren't getting viewed they won't be sold. I am always available to answer your questions by phone at 847-784-8544.


The inquires that I am receiving mostly ask if their items qualify for listing in the classifieds and my answer is that it is strictly up to you. I would recommend that first an item should be collectible and second, its sale price should be over $20. The price has to make it a good trade for you but you do have to take into consideration that there is a cost of $1 for each item.


Those of you who have been purchasing credits are receiving bonus credits now and we will continue to do this until the classifieds have reached a certain level and then the bonuses will be discontinued. Remember your credits last until they are used.
Renewing your ads is very simple, when the email arrives telling you that there is only 7 days left on your ad, you can click on the bottom of the email and it will send you to the renewal section where your ID and Password are asked for and then you simply click "renew".




For readers of this blog here is something that you should keep in mind. You have heard me say that very often I sell items to other dealers and still make the profit that I am looking for, so you may want to check the wanted ads in our classifieds and if a dealer is posting to purchase what you have, give him a call or email. We are all about turning our money so if another dealer can purchase from us and still make his profit it is just that much better. if you haven't posted your free wanted listings you should do that immediately.


Besides the blogs, my most important duties for the Club are going to be monitoring the classifieds to ensure that they are getting the exposure on the web that they deserve and working with members to see that their items get sold. So any questions that I receive will be quickly responded to and any suggestions to improve the classifieds will be appreciated.


It has already worked for me and now is the time to let it work for you.




My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Spiderman – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – He cast his web

Home at last and ready to get back at making the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club the best in the country. I have missed all of your emails and calls but I will be back in the saddle again today but with a very sore back. It is the doctor and x-rays for me tomorrow.


Perhaps what I missed most was my dog Katie and we got her back last night. Tom, a member of our club kept her, and I believe if we hadn't returned she would have found a new home with Tom’s family. When Katie returned she was all groomed and spent her time between Tom and our family. Tom had taken loads of video of Katie playing with his dogs and what fun she had.


But now how does all this apply to Spiderman and us making money? While we were talking to Tom about how things were going with his business, the conversation turned to Lego Blocks and to my surprise he is an expert on Legos. He sells them by the pound and has hundreds of pounds of these little plastic cubes. But it was during this conversation that things got interesting for me. Tom told a story of having traded some Legos for another item.


It seems a man called Tom about buying a quantity of blocks for his son but didn't want to pay the $800. Tom told him that for his small son the number of pieces he was inquiring about was far too many. Being convinced, the gentleman agreed to purchase a lesser amount but still wanted to talk about price. Tom asked if he had anything to trade and the gentleman said he had a large full size figurine of Spiderman that he had gotten from Blockbusters. This caught Tom's ear and the trade was made. I have written that there is always a way to skin the cat if you look hard enough and a trade is often the way. I hope that I didn't just offend cat lovers.


Searching to find the value of this figurine Tom found where the last one sold for $1500. Do I have to say more. The figurine is 18 years old and numbered, meaning there were only a few made. I wonder how many of those got thrown away?


Thinking on your feet will pay off for you in a big way and you should never walk away from a buy or sell until the deal is truly dead. If you have Legos, Tom is your guy and he can be found in the wanted section of the classifieds.


My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Gold & Silver – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog – When to show.

My question to you is, when an opportunity presents itself to you are you ready? Let’s suppose you unexpectedly ran across a large number of real bargains. Would you buy them without hesitation?


Do these seem like reasonable questions to you? Would you like to know why I’m asking? Well, as you know, I am on my way back to Chicago with very little to show for the trip as far as business goes. Yes, I stopped at several antique malls on the last day but afterwards I asked myself "why?" While I was away, I called my friend Cecil and we agreed that I would stop by on my way back through Franklin, Kentucky to say hello because he works there some weekends.


I arrived at the mall and Cecil wanted me to look at a few of the booths belonging to a lady named Dorothy who sold over $25,000 from her booths last month. Try telling Dorothy that business is slow. I picked three items that I thought were bargains and figured my day was over.


Cecil suggested that we just look at a few other booths so I followed him as he was weaving from one booth to the next. All at once he stopped in his tracks and stared at a couple of showcases. They were both filled with special items made of gold and silver with a sprinkling of pottery and other items on almost every self. But it wasn’t the items that caught Cecil’s attention - it was the note taped to the glass “40% off all items”.


Now it was time to get serious! Both Cecil and I began to make piles of items for me to purchase. First, came a wonderful royal blue porcelain vase with heavy silver overlay and large five toed dragons decorating it; next was the 800 silver waste bowl, then the sterling chocolate sipping straw (something I had never seen before). I was like a kid in a candy shop. When I finished, I had an oriental snuff bottle, several Indian silver signed pieces, a sterling cigarette case and a Kewpie stick pin in its original box. In all, I purchased 27 separate pieces that should triple my money at a minimum. The gold and silver pieces were purchased at less than the value of the metal they are made of


Always be ready to act at any time because the opportunity may only present itself once.





Saturday, July 10, 2010

Chandeliers - Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog - Light into your life

I will be leaving the Smoky Mountains tomorrow but before leaving I had to visit Kay at the Gazebo. She was one of the first dealers in Lotton Glass and we always have a great time talking about how things are going.


When I rang her door bell she didn’t answer but I did get to look through the window and there were many Lotton piece. It seems that most of them were by members of the Lotton family besides Charles. It looked as if her shop was fully stocked with other great glass and pottery pieces and when I picked up her card at the door I noticed that she now deals in Lalique and Sabino, as well as Lotton. I have to assume she is doing well and I will see her next year.


I decided to walk a block and look through the Morton Antiques Shop. This is owned by Kay’s uncle and one of the finest antiques shops that I visit. It is filled with Meissen, early American glass, Tiffany and most of the other names you would recognize. I looked at a few of the items that he had and believe me there wasn’t anything cheap. The gentleman that I ususally talk to wasn't there but his partner, who is his son, was. We started to talk about business and he said that over the last three months their business had really picked up. I asked him if there were any items that were doing particularly well and he said Chandeliers. In fact he said they couldn't keep the better chandeliers in stock for very long.


This got me to thinking because I am often offered chandeliers but usually pass on them because it is so hard to pack and ship them. Also if you break a piece on the chandelier how would you ever replace it? But after thinking back to where I could have purchased some great pieces and what they seem to be bringing in the markets today the risk may well be worth it. In fact I just completed buying an estate but passed on the chandeliers. When I return home I hope they are still there and can be added to my inventory.


The chandelier is a perfect example of what I have talked about in the past. I am not interested myself in buying 1000 items for a $1 and then selling then one at a time for $2. Yes you would double your money but the work and time be worth it, not to me. However don’t confuse that with a chandelier that might have 50 or 100 pieces to pack and ship. The difference is that the chandelier will be shipped to one person and the profits can be four or five times your cost. Now that makes sense to me. Always evaluate what your time and money are worth before you accept or reject a trade.











Friday, July 9, 2010

Meissen – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog – The value is there

I was talking to my friend, Farrad, who is a specialist on Meissen and he was telling me it is time to buy Meissen. It seems that interest has turned from Meissen, the best porcelain ever produced. I remember when just the name meant big dollars, but now I see multiple figure figurines selling for 25 % of what they would have only a few years ago.


Over the years, I have sold many thousands of dollars in Meissen figurines and other pieces of their porcelain wares and I could buy them back today for less then 50 % of what their selling price was. Our rule is to always buy the best of the best and Meissen fits that rule. If you buy a Meissen book, you will find all the Meissen marks and it will make you aware of the other marks besides the cross swords. A piece of Meissen with a later date may bring $250 while an earlier marked piece might fetch $5000. I personally use The Book of Meissen by Robert E. Rontgen.



The beautiful thing about Meissen is that often you can far exceed the doubling of your money when selling it. This will accelerate your progress in your race to the million. Most dealers can only recognize the blue cross swords on Meissen, so they throw all Meissen pieces in the same price range and that can be a real mistake.

 
John, a member, emailed me that he spotted a nice piece of Meissen at a shop where he is working and I can’t wait to get back to Chicago to see it. Here is something that can help you in your buying. Meissen doesn’t drop in price as far as most antiques with damage and professional repairs are usually acceptable, especially on older pieces. Because it is the best of the best, however, it is often faked. My suggestion is for you to look at every piece of Meissen you come across and soon the reproductions will be very apparent to you.



I have stated that our classifieds can be a great asset for you and here is why. Let's take Meissen for an example. Over the years I have acquired several Meissen customers and if you list Meissen, there is a great chance that those customers of mine will be willing to purchase your pieces. This is how we will be working together.


Thursday, July 8, 2010

Back to Business – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Prayers work

I am doing much better and have talked to my doctor in Chicago who said we will look at my back next week if things don’t go south on me before then. Thanks for all your prayers. I believe that is what made the difference.



Next week I will be revisiting some of the different types of antiques and collectibles that will make us money from now till the end of the year. It looks as if the stock market is going to work with us, and as it goes up between now and December, I believe interest will once again be focused on the top antiques and collectibles. As you know I am a contrarian, so you will be hearing from others how the stock market is going to zero but I disagree.



This is the time to turn again to artist-signed Rookwood, Grueby and Newcomb pottery. The art glass should also have excellent buys, now that the public has spoken and said that nothing will ever have any value again. I know that a lot you have been holding back on buying. Remember, however, that there is always a time to buy if the prices are right and this may just be one of those times.



Here is perhaps the greatest surprise I have for you. It may be the time to really search eBay and other auction sites for bargains. With people being timid about buying, many great pieces of pottery and art glass are going without bids and if you snipe them, you will be rewarded.



When I return home I will publish some of the listings that I believe are real bargains that you may wish to bid on. This will be a great time for you to be listing your items in the classifieds; I have heard from several members that have received calls on their wanted ads.



Over the next ninety days by working together we can end this year with a bang, so hang on for the ride.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Antiques and Collectibles – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog - I miss them

In my life I have been very fortunate and few things have been taken away from me that I care about. I can no longer say that, however, because for the last couple of days I haven’t done the things that bring me fun and profit. After I return home on Sunday, I hope to get my condition checked.



Why do I tell you this? It is because I now realize that there are no guarantees. Day after day, I have written this blog to assure the readers that they can have fun and make profit from the knowledge that they acquire. Don’t take that for granted. This experience has shown me that we aren’t in control of everything in our life, but God is.



Starting next week, I will be giving you specific information on antiques and collectibles that will hopefully inspire you in the pursuit of your treasures. I am once again going to spend more time in my personal pursuit of treasure so I can share it with you. It has been my purpose to try to encourage all the readers to pursue success, however, it seems I may have forgotten that the best way to lead is by example.



I am going back to my basics by searching for quality American art pottery and art glass. In fact, I have several customers whom I need to respond to. I also will be negotiating on a Harvey Joiner painting and you know how much I love Kentucky artists. By doing these things, I hope to once again feel the joy of personal success which I can pass on to you. This is still the greatest business in the world and this accident has brought this back to my attention. God bless and keep praying…

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

God’s Grace – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog – His blessings

Antiques and collectibles are definitely important in our business but there are far more important things in our life.

I may have suffered a serious injury to my back today while riding go carts with my son, Joshua. Hitting head on with another car that was going in the wrong direction, it literally knocked my shoes off. I was unable to move for several minutes and sharp pains ran from my shoulder to the tips of my fingers on my right hand. The attendants helped me out of the car onto the ground. I laid there for fifteen minutes while the pain subsided and Joshua called his mother who came and assisted me to the car. We considered going to the hospital but we decided to go home for the night to see if there is improvement. The pain has not eased in my back but Vickie and Josh are giving me wonderful attention by providing medicine and hot packs for my back.


As the accident happened, I saw life flash past me and the possibility of being a paraplegic for the rest of my life. All things are ultimately in God’s hands.



With the help of my family, I hope to continue my blogs for the rest of the week. Please pray for Vickie because she is worried and for Joshua because he is scared. Prayers for me should be directed to Jesus, that I would be in his hands and he would provide me protection. I am currently unable to walk without assistance but I hope in the morning that this condition will have improved. God bless.


Monday, July 5, 2010

Survey – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog – I need your help

After 3 years and a maximum effort, it is time to have a survey of where we are going as a Club. The Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectible Club has gone through several transformations but now seems on target to achieve the initial purpose of its creation. I am wondering, however, if our members really want what we are offering.



The basic framework for achieving success with the guidelines set out in my book “31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles” are completed and now the only element missing is the members' participation in the program. I realize that every member doesn’t have things at the present time to sell but if they aren’t buying and advertising to buy, all the knowledge that we share with them will be for naught. Why do I make that statement?



We now have an active affiliate program and the classifieds up and running but there has been only limited response to both. With the large number of members in the Club, it seem that the section in the classifieds called wanted (where members can list what they are searching to buy totally free) would be filled with almost every member's name and what they want to buy. This is the best way I personally know of to get customers for our members. Every member has this right and I can promise that it will help each one in their business.



So I would like for my readers to send an email to me at daryle@darylelambert.com answering these five questions:

1. Why haven’t I completed my want ad on www.darylelambert.com?



2. If I have items for sale, why haven’t they been listed on our site?



3. Will I be using the classifieds in the future and if not why not?



4. What would it take to make the www.darylelambert.com classifieds more appealing to members?



5. What other suggestions do you have that would make your membership something that you would use more often?







I personally feel that as our site becomes better known it will be real competition to sites such as Craig’s List and eBay. Bob and Ondre are working overtime to get the listing in the marketplace and classifieds picked up by Google and Yahoo which will be a tremendous plus for our listing members. With the quality of our listings the customers will come.



I will be returning home Sunday and hopefully your response will help in our future plans.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Fossils – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog – You say what?

Well I arrived in the Smokies safe and sound. After we spent some time getting our place in order, Joshua, my son, said it was time for an adventure, so off to town we went. One of his favorite things to do in Gatlinburg is to mine for gemstones so we set out to find a place where this activity is done. Before we got to our destination, however, he wanted to visit a shop that featured fossils.





To my amazement, these fossils really caught my attention and as I browsed the shop the prices also became interesting to me. It was fairly easy to pick up a specimen that was priced over $1000 or more. I continued to browse around the shop, memorizing as many of the prices as I could. This was going to be a subject I needed to research. I believe the reason that fossils caught my eye was that I often see examples of them at garage and house sales priced very cheaply. But my question was “If I buy them, is there a secondary market out there?”





As usual, I went to my old standby eBay. At first, there were listings under fossils that didn’t pertain to what I was looking for, but at about $700 there they were. A shark's tooth, crab and snail all over the $700 mark. Then around $400, I began to see examples of the ones that I have been passing up at sales and auctions. All of these were completed sales on eBay so now I know what I have to do in the future: buy them. Dinosaur and shark teeth are bringing over $1000 if they are old and large, and other fossils are also bringing premium prices.





I believe I am going to spend more time with my son because it seems that he has the magic touch when it comes to finding collectibles that fit the rules set out by the Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectible Club, that is, to buy items where you can at least double your money when they are sold. First it was coins, then flying items, and now fossils. Even in today's economy, it seems these categories are still doing well.





Do a little research on fossils; they might be for you. Most dealers wouldn’t touch a fossil so if you obtain the knowledge you may be in a game all by yourself. What could be better than that?

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Antiques on Your Trip – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Call ahead

Going on a trip? If so, be prepared when the time arrives. Be sure you have all the tools in your bag that are essential, like price guides, business cards and a jeweler’s loupe. But that isn’t all the preparation that needs to take place. Be sure that you call ahead to the dealers and others that you know at your destination and along the way.


I am on my way to the Smokies and the rules that I just gave you are the ones I follow when I am away from home. You might ask why you would call ahead and that would be a fair question but there is a reason, I assure you. By calling ahead, the dealers have time to get together items that you might be interested in or hold items back for you to see first when you arrive. This will save you time and also prevent you from searching through lots of pieces that you would have no interest in.


The next item that needs attention is the route of your trip. I get a map and circle where I know I’m stopping and then I go to the computer and search for other destinations that look interesting if I have the time. Don’t over commit time to your business, however, because vacations are usually a family outing. Even if your business is important, your family is far more important. Ask your family members if it is okay to stop along the way and I promise you this: They will only say no if that is all you want to do.


Here is where you really have the advantage on the stops you make. I usually make it completely clear to the dealers that I won’t be back this way far a long time and if we are going to make a trade it has to be now. I have found this very advantageous in making deals because "cash now talks" as the old saying goes. Dealers seem to be willing to make deals with people who are passing through because it is the only shot they have at them and there won’t be a tomorrow.


Since space is usually at a premium, don’t buy just anything and be sure you always save space for that real treasure that might be at your next stop. I have personally found items as I travel that have paid for the trip many times over. When I visited my friend Murray in California, I was able to buy several pieces. The best was a very rare Royal Doulton experimental figurine that later sold for over $5000. If you run out of space, you can always have the dealer ship the items to you.


I have made mistakes in my treasure hunts while on the road and I will share only one of them with you. I was in Florida with my family and my wife’s parents and to make me happy they took me to a flea market. I ran into a dealer who had two Weller water sprinklers, one a duck and the other I think a frog. He was head up east and needed to make a sale, so after much negotiation he quoted a price of $5000 each. I considered the offer for a long time, even browsing the rest of the show, before going back and telling the dealer that I would pass. It was only a few months later that I saw these very pieces sold at auction, one for $17,000 and the other $15,000. That wasn’t a happy day for me but it did make me trust my first opinion more often.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today

Friday, July 2, 2010

Tomorrow is Too Late – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – No going back




 Watch this one.

 

How many times have I shared with you that when something is on your mind you should settle it before going on to something else? That sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Then add the fact that if you have been dealing in antiques for over 45 years, this rule should be permanently embedded in your head, right? You probably know that I am talking about myself and warning you not to do what I did.

Earlier this week I was browsing through the classifieds and in one ad there were three large Royal Doulton mugs that were to be sold. I noticed that two of the mugs were very common but the third was the rare one called The Clown. I gave it very little attention but did make a note to myself to call the conductor of the house sale to ask more about the mugs later. The week passed and on Friday I saw the note and went to www.estatesales.net to locate the sale but the ad had already been deleted and I was unable to find the sale address or the number to call about the sale.

Why should this matter, I am sure you're asking. Here is the reason. I thought that over many years of collecting Doulton I had accumulated most of the information I would ever need pertaining to Royal Doulton. As a general rule that would be true. If you remember I wrote in my book about the Pearly Boy mug I bought for $165 and sold for $6500 because of the special decoration. But seeing these three mugs nothing really jumped out at me because on its best day The Clown mug might bring $1000 today.

Before I attempted to find the ad on Friday for the house sale (by the way the sale started on Friday), I though that it might be good to just glance at the Doulton guide to be sure of myself. The first two were mugs that I may have given $35 for but The Clown was a different matter. You see my memory served me well because The Clown was listed for just a little over $1000 but here is the rest of the story. There is a rare version of The Clown that has red hair that will bring over $5000. You guessed it. The sale that I considered attending had the red haired clown and I will never know what it sold for. The price could have very easily been $250 or much less if they didn't do their research at the sale.

The older I get the truer those old sayings seem to be. Remember this one: "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." I am sure there is someone here in the Chicago area who is smiling all the way to their bank and it could have been me. Knowledge is wonderful but there are times when knowing where to find knowledge and using resources are just as important.

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but in my case I just need to do the tricks I know over and over again. I hope that you can learn from my mistakes.


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Thursday, July 1, 2010

Gold Coins - Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Time to sell






I have given the sell signal on gold several times over the last three years and those that listened made money. I believe it is that time again, with gold still over $1200 an ounce. To show that I follow my own advice, I am listing two 1880 five dollar gold pieces mounted as earrings in 14 karat gold mounting. They will be on our site www.darylelambert.com in the classifieds today. For the readers of this blog, there will be more coins listed soon. If you have any coins to list, I hope you join us.

There is always a time to cash out of any antique or collectible and I have seen more dealers that I have known hang on to something just because they thought the value would continue to appreciate, only to have the bottom drop out of the market. First to come to my mind is the friend I have who fell in love with Beanie Babies. He bought Beanies by the gross and still has most of them. If he sold them now, rather than make a profit, he might lose 75 % of his investment. At one time he could have easily doubled his money, but now they are just taking up space.

This is how I feel about gold coins that aren't key pieces because as the value of gold declines the coins will drop equally. Now is the time to take your profits and run. I would not be surprised to see gold below $1000 per ounce by November because, as it becomes more apparent that there is going to be a huge change in Washington, the political climate will settle down and gold values will drop. Watch as the gold hawks on television push harder and harder to convince you to buy; you will then know that the peak in prices have been reached.

This is even a great time to sell gold to the smelters because they are paying 90 % of spot prices in some cases. Most gold coins have very little collector value today unless they are in near mint condition so to get such a high price relative to spot makes a lot of sense. If you are buying gold coins be very careful because there are more and more fakes coming into the marketplace.

For all those gold hawks, I have these two pieces listed at a very fair price on our site www.darylelambert.com. If gold does go to $3000, as the ads say, you will make a killing. I'm selling my gold and hope to start buying back at $850.

I hope that the readers like the changes on the classified pages and if you have any additional suggestions please email them to myself or Ondre. Our emails are listed under “staff” on the home page. One little note: if you are having trouble posting photos with your listings, it is probably because your pictures are too large. If you size them down you shouldn't have any problem.


My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club.  Join Us Today