Daryle Lambert: Surprises never cease

Thanks to www.americaremembers.com


This story will take you around the bush but I think that you will enjoy it. I love to share with you when I see items that I have never seen before and this story is about one of those items that I will never forget.

I have been on a quest to understand the bible better and this journey has taken me to some very exciting places. Not long ago I shared that I was troubled by some of the conclusions that I had come to in the bible and this friend of mine by the name of Jerry must have begun to worry about me. He would suggest this bible study and then another until I finally said that if I attended the one that he was sharing with me now, would he join me? His answer was “yes.”

So two Sundays ago, after my regular services, I attended an evening Sunday night service with Jerry. Being new in the church we had several people approach us including the pastor, welcoming us to the service. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there but as I was leaving the pastor asked where I lived and what profession I was in. After I told him I wrote a book about antiques, he seemed to be very interested and asked if he could call me. I assured him it would be welcomed and we left it there. In just a few days the phone rang and this gentleman said “ How are you? “Not wanting to act like I didn't recognize him I said “ Fantastic.” “This is the pastor and I was wondering if we could get together?” I said, “Sure, anytime that is convenient with you.” Well I met him still not knowing what he had in mind and wondering if Jerry had talked to him about what I was going through.

When he arrived it was lunch time so I invited him for lunch at a local restaurant and we spent about an hour just talking about his new church and how he had come to Chicago from Nashville to start it. I informed him that I had a meeting in about ten minutes so I needed to return home and he said “fine”. By this time my mind was racing about a mile a minute but as he let me out of the car he said “I want to show you something that I would like for you to help me sell.” Going to the back of the car he opened a gun case and my eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing. There was the most beautiful rifle that I had ever seen. He called it a border rifle. This piece had the most fantastic stock that I had ever laid my eyes on and there were four Indian beaded straps around the stock. On the butt was a metal badge and a leather cover. I had never seen anything like it and, guess what, I only had a matter of seconds to see it because my other appointment was arriving. The pastor said we would get together again and talk about how to sell the rifle but I won't sleep well until we do.

I hope you can tell how much fun and excitement I have by being in this business and sharing the experiences with all the members of the 31 Club. I just wish that more people could find the “31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles” and have their lives enriched like mine has been by writing it.

Learn to Grow Your Bank Account Trading in Antiques & Collectibles. Register for the 31 Club. Daryle's 220 Page Book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your Membership.
Plus You Get FREE MENTORING with Daryle.
Join Today!

Collectible Calendars and Paper Advertising Pieces

Example of Maxfield Parrish's Work

Sometimes we try too hard searching for antique and collectible vintage treasures when they might actually be right under our noses. At sales I attend, I watch people running to and fro, their eyes focused only on the pieces prominently exhibited to draw attention. The truth is, the items displayed in the most prominent places are the ones most likely to be overpriced. I have found more treasures tucked away in closets or left in the basement than I can shake a stick at.

$25,000 Worth of Collectible Paper Items Found in Dumpster After the Sale.

At a house or estate sale, very few of the buyers go searching for paper items. Usually, paper items are found in boxes or spread on the floor of the basement or garage. Often, this is where I’ll spend most time at a sale. Remember the dumpster diving story where I found $25,000 worth of paper items in a dumpster after everything in the house had been picked over? Among the valuable items I pulled out of the dumpster, after having been given permission to do so, were Winchester Rifle and Ammunition Posters. Right there in the dumpster!

If you know what’s a valuable paper collectible, you can cash in while others are fighting for overpriced items.

I found a Maxfield Parrish Calendar priced at $350 at a house sale. The owners agreed to sell it to me for $250, and even back then, I was able to sell it for over $1,500. Maxfield Parrish was a popular illustrator from the early 1900’s, during the Golden Age of Illustration. This period of time is noted as having excellence in book and magazine illustration, and Parrish was tops. Parrish had been a student of Howard Pyle, along with other top illustrators of the day; N.C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover and Edwin Austin Abbey.

Parrish was commissioned to do work for popular magazines in the 1910’s and 1920’s such as “Life” and Heart’s Collier’s. His illustrations were made into posters and calendars, so it’s wise to become familiar with his work. Do a little research and capture his style in your mind, so when you see something that looks like one of his works, you’ll know to check it out.

Many of Parrish’s original prints, calendars and posters can still be found for very little money, in mint condition, and in their original shipping tubes, if the seller hasn’t taken the time to look into the tubes. They often don't. Kovel’s Price Guide lists several Maxfield Parrish Calendars, some approaching $5,000.

The Right Advertising Calendars Can Be Valuable, So Know What to Look For

Other types of Calendars are also quite valuable, and they don’t have to be large for you to return a fantastic profit. Small calendars with the right advertising can fetch over $2,500, even if they are as small as 4x8 inches, as did the Coca Cola calendar I found many years ago.

As a general rule, the most valuable pieces are dated before 1950, but there are exceptions. A Dr. Pepper piece from 1953 is listed at $412, but in today’s market I truly believe it can command a higher price. Age alone shouldn’t be the basis for valuing these items. There are many other calendars out there from the 1800’s still selling for under $100.

Sporting Calendars and Hunting Calendars are advertising pieces also highly sought after. Examples of these are hunting equipment calendars with guns and dogs in the scene, fishing equipment calendars or prints of fishing scenes will help fatten your wallet. Calendars with pictures by well known artists, like Parrish, will command top prices. Many of these will be from the 1920’s – 1950’s.

Soft Drink or Soap Calendars with beautiful graphics are a cinch to bring big bucks. So can Calendars advertising Ice Cream Shops or Drug Stores, Men’s Clothing Stores or Women’s Dress Shops. When I’m looking through boxes or closets, I’m looking for big dollars, while to most others, it appears I'm wasting my time.

Our 31 Club Member, Cecil, taught me the value of paper collectibles when he showed me Travel Posters worth up to $5,000. These, along with a Maxfield Parrish Calendar, were practically given to him. Thank you Cecil. I have now passed your knowledge on to others so it will help them, as you helped me.


Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership.

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.