After the Election, What Then?

Tomorrow we will have a new President, and I personally believe that the coming year will be a very good one. I also believe the Antique and Fine Art Markets will flourish. If this is true, how might we start preparing for this time?

Maximize your money by buying something of value. Remember, money in the bank next year will likely produce very little income for you because of low interest rates. Getting back to basics is the order here, and looking to what has produced the greatest returns in the past will tell us what to buy. Paintings, Art Pottery and Art Glass have proven themselves to be the greatest return on investment for many years, and this will hold true in the coming year.

Paintings have guaranteed the person who has found pieces by listed artists and bought them well, the greatest return on investment. The number of people qualified to estimate their value is smaller than any other field in the antiques field. This being true, I highly recommend you spend time familiarizing yourself with a number of listed artists you want to become very knowledgeable about. I chose artists that appealed to me and then followed their successes in the marketplace through auction results and articles written about their works.

My list includes Harvey Joiner, Carl Brenner and Patty Thum. These are all Kentucky artists, and being from Kentucky, I have been able to accumulate a list of people who are searching for their paintings. Whenever I find one, I have a ready market for it. Next, I turned to one of my true loves -- the West. When I traveled to Wyoming, I discovered the paintings of artists such as William Golling, John Borein and Ida McAffee. All of these artist have served me well over the years, and have greatly added to my bank account.

Closely behind paintings, in return on investment, comes American Art Pottery. Grueby, Newcomb, Rookwood and George Orr pottery have increased over the years many times their value, and I believe their value will continue to escalate because of the limited number of pieces that were produced. Have you done your homework so you can know the rare and unusual in these lines?

Art Glass speaks for itself, with Tiffany leading the way in value, but it doesn't stop there. Companies like Stueben follow closely behind. I believe, however, that in the area of Art Glass, the real growth in value might be in the more contemporary glass such as Lotton, Smallhouse and Satava. I’ll be writing more on these last two another time.

I’m happy to assist my readers in any way I can about getting back to the basics. If you have questions, just ask me. Leave a question in the comment box is you like, or send me an e-mail at info@31corp.com. I want this coming year to be one that people will look back on and say ”The 31 Club changed the way that business will be conducted in the future.”

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!

Halloween and Collectibles

As a child, I waited all year for Halloween to roll around, and fondly remember those nights when I took a pillowcase and canvassed the neighborhood with my friends. Knocking on doors, saying “trick or treat” and watching the adults hand over the loot filled with homemade popcorn balls, candied apples and other special prepared treats conjure up feeling I can hardly express properly. Those were such special days. I filled my sack until I could no longer carry it, then headed home to empty it. But, once I emptied it, I wasn’t yet done. I headed out for round two, especially to those houses that were giving away whole candy bars.

My costume was always homemade, because we couldn't afford the store bought kind. But that didn't matter; I was having the greatest childhood in the world. What a treat it was to run through the neighborhood by ourselves past sunset. My folks didn’t worry about us encountering trouble, because all the neighbors watched out for one another’s children.

My best memories of Halloween, however, were the ones spent before the night of trick or treating. Those days spent with my mom and dad helping us kids carve pumpkins are visions in my mind that will never fade. No matter how bad a job we did on the pumpkins, they would always tell us how beautiful they were. Usually mom would have hot apple cider waiting when we finally trudged in from the porch, and the fireplace was always ablaze. Today, on this special childhood occasion, is your house like this? I hope it is. My whole neighborhood took part in this day, and people who didn't have children, often seemed to have a better time than the ones who did. This day creates great childhood memories.

What has happened to our lives since those carefree days? I wish I knew. Today, I won't even let my son go out early Halloween night without Vickie or me being with him. Most of the candy Joshua receives is given away or thrown away, if it's not properly packaged. I ask God’s forgiveness for the way we have sat back and watched these special childhood times to be ruined for our children.

So why am I writing so much about Halloween? If you remember, I said that people collect what they remember from their past, and Halloween was usually a happy day for most people. This being so, then there most be collectibles that can make us money from Halloween. And, there are. A few of these collectibles would be candy containers of Hobo's, Jack O' Lanterns, and Roly Polys.

Witches can easily bring you $500 or more. Costumes from the past such as Boss Hogg, Fonz, Mickey Mouse, Spiderman and other creatures are always being sought out by collectors. Paper mache masks from the Mardi Gras can command prices as high as $1000. There are many more items that will come to mind as you are on the search, but don't leave Halloween items off your list of things to search for. BOO!


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!



Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

Cashing in on Superstar Mania

Some entertainers remain popular over the years, while some simply fade into the sunset. Who really knows why. The Beatles and Elvis certainly qualify as entertainers whose appeal has passed the test of time, and collectors throughout the world will always pay a good price for a rare item of theirs. This situation makes it ideal for us to make a lot of money, even though our focus might be on other items.

If you feel inclined to add these types of items to your search, there’s a few techniques that might make this easier for you. Pick out three superstars from your past and let everyone you meet know that all items about these people interest you. You might even make cards that specifically include these names on them. Cards can be easily purchased for as little as $18 for 500. In fact, you can get FREE Business Cards right here. No there’s no excuse.

Visit as many resale shops as you can and save Saturdays for flea markets, garage sales, and house sales. Make sure every shop you visit and every person you meet has your card in hand. I just heard of a woman who purchased a Beatles album for $1 or so whose value is in the thousands.

I’ve shared in a blog earlier this year about my friend, Colin, who has the largest collection in the world of items put out by his favorite group – Bones Thugs & Harmony. While this certainly isn’t my favorite, people certainly have different tastes. Over the years, by selling off duplicate items he’s acquired, his bank account has grown substantially, while his collection remains intact and has skyrocketed in value. This young man has already learned the principles we teach at 31 Club.

I've written a 220 page book that teaches regular people how to buy and sell antiques, collectibles, and fine art for profit. When you join the 31 Club for a one time charge, the book is FREE! As a member of 31 Club, you'll have the opportunity to learn all about antiques, collectibles and fine art while you're out there looking right off the bat. So, if you've simply been reading the blog, I'm here to tell you that you're missing a lot. The book is a treasure chest of inside the industry secrets that will definitely save years off your life. Take the plunge here, and come out ahead of the pack.

Today's Photo: Beatles 1st state Butcher Cover, Mono, "Yesterday & Today," from 1966 sold on eBay through Phillip Weiss Auctions for $3,500.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Recognize Today's Opportunity in Antiques & Fine Art. Buy, Buy, Buy

Rookwood Lamp by Margaret McDonald is offered at 31 Club Gallery & Marketplace

At this time, should we sell everything we own? A lot of very rich people on a TV program I watched late last night said we should. Are they right? It’s interesting to me that this was the general consensus, because I can assure you, they haven’t sold a thing. In fact, they will probably be the buying as everyone else is selling.

Take a look at Warren Buffet, a man most consider the smartest investor in the world. What’s he doing these days? He’s spending billions buying up the best companies he can find. I’d rather follow him than all those people who say the sky is falling.

So what should traders of antiques, collectibles and fine art be doing right now? The same thing we’ve been studying all year long at the 31 Club. We should be buying the best we can with the knowledge we’ve gained. We should be keeping our goals in front of us at all times, and moving forward even in the midst of this economic hysteria.

If someone is willing to sell you a Tiffany lamp for half of what its value was a year ago, buy it, of course. This is the time to take advantage of the mass hysteria sweeping the country. There’s never been a better opportunity to acquire some of the finest items at great prices. There is an old song that says a fool jumps in. That’s exactly what’s happening now. The stock market crash and burn has been the result of panic selling. People have jumped over the cliff, and many of them don’t know why they did. If you’re tempted to jump over the cliff, take a look behind you and see whether anyone is pushing you over the cliff or you’re doing it voluntarily.

Right now, valuables that have lost the least in this economic shakeout are the true artistic rarities in the Antique and Fine Art fields. I’m asking members of the 31 Club to turn around, see through the ash clouds of this economic hysteria and buy during this time. This is a great buying opportunity. The best items picked up during this time will be the ones that gain tremendous value as the economic climate improves. You cannot go wrong today buying the best Art Pottery like Rookwood, Grueby, Newcomb, and Ohr. The better Art Glass like Tiffany, Daum Nancy, Galle, Quezal, Rene Lalique, and many others will only gain in value and add to your bottom line. Fine Art Paintings that are being marketed at values far below their true value today are my personal favorites. This is a great time to look for paintings that represent artists who lived in your region. There will always be buyers for their works.

Yes, the common items so many people bought from garage sales for pennies and put up for sale on eBay might not be good sellers at this time. Then again, that’s not where we, at the 31 Club, want to be anyway. We aim to be dealing in the higher end of the market place, with items that are highly desirable and rare.

Right before leaving on vacation, I left six bids at an upcoming auction for paintings by listed artists I thought had been undervalued by the auction house. I won’t know if I purchased any of them until I return home, but my wish is that I purchased everyone of them.

Another event, right before leaving on vacation, was a call from man with twelve pieces of Lotton Glass he wanted to sell. I told him I would buy every one of his pieces. When I return home, I hope to purchase these.

As you can see, I will continue to buy the better pieces until I run out of money and can’t get any more. If I couldn’t buy now, I would get out of the business because this is the easiest time to make money in Antiques and Fine Art. You might be asking why I say that. Well, here’s why: When prices are up, the sellers think they should be getting top dollar for anything they sell, regardless of its true value. In a down market, people just want to get out at any price. That’s why you can find bargain during these times.

So, buy, buy, buy. You’ll be glad you did.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Finding a Mark on Leaded Crystal

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.

Antique Snuff Boxes: Small and Valuable Treasures Worth Sniffing Around For

Swiss Enamel & Gold Snuff Box, circa 1740. Photograph property of M.S. Rau Antiques

Papier Mache Snuff Box, circa 1814. Photograph property AAAWT,Inc.

I often tell Members of the 31 Club that money in the antique and collectible world can be made with items smaller than a bread box. Besides not taking up too much space in your home until you get them sold, you won’t be faced with transporting these small treasures back and forth, which eats away at your time and erodes your profit. Snuff Boxes and Snuff Bottles certainly qualify as items smaller than a bread box, and they can be quite valuable. Today, I'll focus mainly on snuff boxes.

Snuff, used for many centuries, is a tobacco that is ground into a very fine powder. It’s sniffed through the nose, tucked behind the lip, or tucked inside the cheek. It came in either a dry form or a moist form.

In Europe, in centuries gone by, the use of snuff was a very popular social ritual, mainly with the elite. Many a high society lady or gent would never leave home without their stylish snuff box and would often have several to choose from. They even had snuff boxes for every season. In China, snuff bottles were very popular, and the bottle stopper had a little pad on the inside of it. The process for use was the same.

In 19th Century America, some women might have smoked cigars in public for its shock value, however, there were far more ladies discreetly using snuff, which was perfectly acceptable. This was Women’s Lib 19th Century style, and it caught on.

Fast forward to the 21st Century and we find that anything to do with snuff has become highly collectible. If you find one for a collector, they'll pay you handsomely, especially for the right one.

Snuff boxes can be made from almost any material. They were often made of antler, silver, wood, brass, gold, pewter and many others. They also can be a combination of several materials, artistically decorated. Most boxes were decorated with gold or silver, often with the owner’s initials engraved on them. Many were highly decorated, and of course, these are quite valuable. Let’s look at a few values in Kovel’s Price Guide to see if your eyebrows move a little north:

A 3” Gold Enamled Box of a Harbor Scene, c. 1830 valued at $17,250. If that’s too rich for your blood, how about a Metal, Gilt, Musical, engine-turned panels sized at four inches for $14,950. These must have been owned by a very special lady or gent.

$32,500. That's the price of the snuff box shown in Today's Photo, top photo. It's at M.S. Rau Antiques and this Swiss Enamel and Gold Snuff Box, circa 1740, looks like it contains a double ivory portrait,adding to its value. This is a real beauty. When you take a look at all their high end snuff boxes, you'll have a better idea of the high quality, high end boxes out there.

Today's Photo, bottom, is an Papier Mache Snuff Box With a Print of American Victory on Lake Champlain, circa 1814. This piece will also qualify as Historical Memorabilia as it is a rare example of the War of 1812. It depicts Macdonough's September 11, 1814 victory over the British fleet on Lake Champlainthe. It's valued at $ $1,350 at aaawt.com.

Remember, we look for the higher end, rare items. As we work our way up the 31 Steps, our ever increasing knowledge of true quality and rarity will help us along the way. Please make every effort to attend antique shows in your area to see high quality items up close and face to face. The first goal is to be able to recognize quality when you see it.

Snuff was not reserved for the high society crowd. We regular folks used it, too. I can still remember the way my Grandmother would quickly sniff a little, sneeze, and then hold her dainty handkerchief to her nose. As a child, I often wondered why she would do this. Maybe to clear her nose, I thought.

Today, snuff is a dying industry. To the ladies and gents of days long gone, aside from being the socially chic thing to do then, that special little high from nicotines was what they were probably after. In those days, the use of snuff also made the dentists very happy, too. It caused many a mouth problem and surely increased the bottom line in the dentists' books.

If you're interested in "sniffing out" more information on snuff boxes, you might start by reading Christopher Proudlove's Blog on Snuff Boxes at WriteAntiques.com and Tobacco.org has a very informative timeline of tobacco that's quite interesting.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

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.”

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

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.

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Collectible Band Instruments

This vintage Mark VI Alto Saxophone recently sold on eBay for $6,400

I have just been welcomed into the reality of life with a growing 9-year-old boy who has many interests. If you’re wondering what this has to do with the 31 Club and making money, here it is: The price and value of musical instruments.

When Joshua came home from school the other day and informed me and my wife that he was going to be in the band, my first thought was – Great! Then I went on eBay and checked prices on his chosen instrument, the Saxophone.

I could hardly believe there was a sax listed for $100,000. I knew this had to be a very special one so I continued in my search. After going through about fifty saxophones, slowly, the prices dropped to $5000 and I was beginning to feel a panic. Another hundred listings and the price was down to $2,500. At this point I thought Joshua and I might be having a very intense conversation about what kind of musical instrument he might pursue. I finally got to the very end of the listings on eBay and found some for about $300. These, I figured, must really be trash. It wasn’t until later that Cindy suggested I might rent an instrument for a while to see if this was truly what Joshua wanted to pursue before investing money in a high quality instrument. She's been through this before.

I’m sharing this all with you because Joshua’s interest has uncovered an area of collecting that I’ve never delved into. As you can guess, that might soon change.

I frequently see used instruments at House Sales and Garage Sales, so after checking the saxophone on eBay, I looked into other band instruments such as trumpets, clarinets, flutes and tubas. It was the same for all of them. Even at the local auction I attend twice a month, there are always instruments sold. I promise you, I will be doing more research into this are and writing more blogs on this subject. But, while you’re waiting for me to give you more direct information, I sugget you begin doing your own homework.

Isn't it amazing that just when you think you’ve covered most of the items that will present compounding opportunities, more ideas present themselves to you. I wrote in my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions In Antiques and Collectibles the fact that knowledge comes in layers and the more of these you build, the more likely you will be successful in the Antique, Collectible and Fine Art Business. I didn’t know I would be preaching to the chorus. You see, while I have been presenting you with the knowledge I’ve accumulated over 45 years in the business, it’s become apparent to me that I may have only skimmed the surface myself.

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Caution is Needed When Purchasing Higher End Items.

Classic 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible is available through 31 Gallery & Mareketplace.

One goal we have at the 31 Club is to help our members move up to buying and selling in the higher end of the market, where the real profit is. This shouldn’t be done without caution. When you’re first starting out in this business and purchasing in the lower end of the market, you might come across items that are beyond your budget or knowledge. Using the Associates Program for these types of purchases will keep you from having to make buying decisions on higher priced items, yet still enable you to benefit monetarily.

This is important because, the more expensive and desirable an items is, the greater the chance of there being fakes on the market. Large amounts of money can be made in a very short period of time when the sale of a fake is completed. So, it’s important to know how to protect yourself when you’re buying in the higher end of the market.
Buying from the Internet requires extra precautions be taken, not just against fakes, but against those who would take your money and not deliver the goods.

The story of a man who bought a vintage Jaguar from the Internet illustrates some of the dangers you might face. You see, after calling the Jaguar seller at the number provided and feeling secure, he sent a cashiers check for the total amount. The seller informed the buyer that all the paperwork and owner’s manuals would arrive to him the next day. They never arrived, so the buyer called the seller and was assured they were on the way. Finally, after about 10 days, a box arrived, but it was filled with a pile of newspapers but no manuals. When the buyer called the seller, he discovered that the phone number had been disconnected. By this time, his cashier’s check had already been cashed.(surprise, surprise)

So what could the buyer have done?

He might have called a local Jaguar dealer close to where the seller lives and asked if they would take delivery of the car he he paid them a few hundred dollars. They probably would’ve done that. Then, you could have sent the check to the dealer to hold until the car arrived, and the dealer could register it in your name. Or, another way to complete the deal would be to fly out there to pick the car up yourself, bringing the check with you. This way, nothing is paid for until you see the item yourself and are satisfied. If the item you’re buying is over $500, taking extra precaution may well be worth the extra time and money.

I’ve had experience in this area myself. I had the chance to purchase two paintings in Florida that were supposedly painted by a well known artist. I decided to call a friend of mine who was in the auction business in that town and ask him if I could have the two paintings dropped off at his place of business and send the check for $50,000 to him. He agreed.

When the paintings arrived, he quickly photographed them and e-mailed me the photos. I sent these photos on to the authority on this artist. Almost immediately, the authority on this artist responded to me saying, “We saw these two paintings about two years ago. They were fakes then, and they are still fakes today.”

I called my friend and asked him to send me back my check and have the seller pick up his paintings. What do you think would have happened if the check had been sent to the seller? If you’re buying high priced items, I sure any local auction house would agree to accept your items if you paid them something for their time and effort.

What are some of the other things you can do to protect yourself from scams and fraud?

You might ask the seller if you could have the piece picked up. If he says, “yes,” then that has improved the chances that you are dealing with an honest person. Second, if you’ve been in the business long enough and have business references, you might be able to persuade the seller to send you the item(s) and if they are as he described, you will over-night him a check. Or, you could ask for the name, address and phone of the seller’s bank. This way you could check out the person you’re dealing with.

I did this very thing when I wanted to buy a very nice piece of Lotton Glass that was listed on eBay. The seller had no feedback and no rating so no one would bid on it. I called the seller and found out he was staying with a friend, which made me very suspicious. Strike one. I asked if he had a bank account in town and he told me “yes.”

I got the bank information and called to check the account and was told it had just been opened the day before. Strike two, right? Well, I didn’t want to give up so I asked if his banker would receive the vase. I’d be able to check out the vase with the banker and then send a check payable to the seller in his banker’s care. Believe it or not, everyone agreed to this and I profited by about $4,000.

Make every effort to protect yourself and this business will be even more fun than it is already.

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Sharing 31 Club with Others

Maxfield Parrish "Stars" 1926

Yesterday, when I saw the morning stock market flying high and lots of e-mails coming in, I thought the day started out to be just beautiful. But the best of the day came when I got an e-mail asking if I could help with pricing an item. The young lady stated she was afraid of being ripped off, and she had no idea what the value of a print she had was. I asked her to call me so we could talk further. She did.

This young lady, Julie, is a student at a college in California. She found us on the Internet. I don’t believe in coincidences, so I figured there was a special purpose for her inquiry, and hopefully, I could help. Her first words to me were, “I bought this print and it had an original sticker on the back.” I told her that was a good start, but did she know who made the print? “Yes, it’s Maxfield Parrish, and the name of the print is “Stars.”

I immediately pulled out my Maxfield Parrish book by Coy Ludwig and discovered this print was a pretty fair find. I was able to tell her that there were three sizes: Small – 6x10, medium 10x18 and large 18x30. The large one is the most rare.

I could tell she was eager to know what is was worth, so I didn’t wait long before letting her know the larger one was worth from $1800-$2500. Unfortunately, she has the medium one, which will bring in about $700-$900.

I couldn’t resist asking her why she’s looking to sell it. “I have to sell it to buy my books this semester,” she told me. My heart stopped because I could tell she was very attached to the print.

I advised her not to be upset about selling this piece and to definitely buy her books and complete college. I told her that after graduation, she’ll be able to buy as many of these as she wanted. I didn’t want our conversation to end there, and as we talked, I learned that she had an interest and Antiques and Fine Art. She also told me she had some spare time away from her studies. I introduced her to the principles of the 31 Club, and she seemed to easily grasp the concept, so I invited her to join us. I assured her that being involved with the 31 Club could help with her school expenses. I feel certain we will soon have a new member from California.

I encourage all of you who are members to never miss the chance to share what the 31 Club is all about with others. You might just end up being somebody’s angel when one is needed.

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

When Should I Restore an Item?

When you’re considering buying an item or a painting that needs repair, you might ask yourself what the increase in value will be after its restoration. While I usually recommend you allow the purchaser do the restoration, there is that rare time it makes sense for you to have a piece restored.

One of our members sent me a photo of a painting from a sales bulletin. It caught my eye, all right, and she planned to buy it. Before the sale, she contacted me again, saying the painting had some damage, but not too much. We agreed she’d bid on the piece without getting too carried away on the price. This painting soon became hers. She sent it to a restorer I recommended here in Chicago – Baumgartners, and yesterday I got to see it. Boy is it a beauty.

The artist, Jean Dominique Van Caulaert (French 1877-1979) had a listing in Davensport of $9,000. While I don’t expect this one to do that well, at under $750 restored, I believe this is a treasure. In fact, I like it so much I was thinking it would make a great addition to my own collection. But, I’m not going to do that this time. I’ve got enough for now, so look for this soon in the 31 Gallery.

While I don’t recommend you go out looking for damaged pieces, it you find a real quality piece, it might make sense if it is discounted enough. You see, when the restoration increases the value of a piece, by perhaps 5 to 7 times, that’s when you step forward and get the repairs done.

The Frederick Morgan painting I wrote about in my book was a painting I had relined. I bought it for $16,000 and this restoration didn’t reduce its value, and it sold for $115,000. It would have been very easy to have walked away thinking it was no good because it had been “fooled with”. There are times you can be proud of the decisions you make and that was one of those decisions for me.

Usually, items should be left alone. I wouldn’t want to be looking for damaged pieces and get to be known as a dealer of repaired pieces. But if the discount is sufficient and the restored article will bring many times its cost plus repair, then jump on it.

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Antique Business: Build Up Your Knowledge and Network During an Economic Slowdown

Robert Louis Stevenson

As I discussed in my blog on buying and selling in uncertain economic times, the days ahead might get a little rough. However, this gives us even more reason to bone up on KNOWLEDGE. It is our knowledge of antiques and fine art that will give us the edge we need to be successful in the coming days, regardless of any economic downturns in our country or worldwide. The best and highly desirable always sells and we need to be able to recognize it and buy it.

Network, network, network! You'll be doing yourself a huge favor by letting people know you’re in this business. By doing so, you open yourself up to the possibility of having amazing things cross your path. Whenever I’m in conversation with someone, I try not to leave until I’ve at least mentioned I’m in the Antique and Fine Art business. Your saying so might even turn up some Civil War letters written by a Confederate Soldier to his wife, as it did for one of our 31 Club Members.

The lot of 147 Civil War Letters, found by a club member and purchased through our Associates Program, found a buyer immediately through our network of private buyers. The same thing happened with the Vintage Kentucky Derby Glass. In fact, this sale happened so fast we didn’t even have the time to list the glass on our marketplace.

This time of economic uncertainty isn't a time to rest on our laurels. Be very aggressive in your search for the special pieces that will propel you to the next level. And if you find something special that's not in you're buying budget, call us to go through the Associate Program and make the 35%.

This business never becomes dull for me. I hope it is never dull for you, either. With every passing day, I’m amazed by the things that come up. I received a great phone call recently as I was typing away at the computer. “Are you Mr. Lambert,” a warm voice with an East Coast accent asked? This got my attention because most people don’t call me Mr. Lambert. She asked me if I buy things. I told her I did and asked her to tell me what kind of things she wanted to sell. “Well, I don’t know if you’d have an interest, but I saw you had a Patrick Henry Document for sale, and I have six of those.”

I turned up the volume on my phone. I didn’t want to seem too excited, but I asked her what other items she’s considering parting with. "Well, I do have an original poem that was written for a member of my family by Robert Louis Stevenson. It’s never been published.” Thump. (That's the sound of me falling on the floor.) Those of you who’ve read my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, know that it was Robert Louis Stevenson’s book, Treasure Island, that inspired me as a youngster, setting me on the path I’ve been on for almost 45 years –searching out antique and art treasures.

She has since sent me the photos of these items, plus a few others. We are at the point of evaluating them and exploring which method might be best for selling them. Now that’s exciting!

Being a history buff, there isn't anything more exciting for me than to be in possession of something that belonged to a notable figure in history. In my head, on some level, it creates a connection with that person, and for some reason – it’s important for me to feel that connection. Who knows exactly why this is so, and I'm not going to try to figure it out. There's too much treasure hunting to attend to.

I am sure there are members who have exciting stories that other members would like to hear. So, I am soliciting your stories so that we can include them on our website or in a blog. Please send them to Cindy at cindy@31corp.com

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Get Out That Silver Polish

Have you seen that the price of Gold and Silver are declining? For those of us in the Antique & Collectible business, this decline will make it possible for us to make money buying Gold and Silver items again.

For a long while, the market was adding no value for the rarity or beauty of a piece, only weighing the value of its base metal. But now, these wonderful items, that have lasted the test of time, will once again make sense for us to buy. I’m thinking tea sets, compotes, vases and even silverware at prices that are sensible enough for us to make a fair profit.

Gold jewelry may get to the point where the dealer doesn't just weigh a piece and quote you the base metal price. I think the metal will always have a value and be a component of the actual value of the item, but other factors will become important. The spread between the offer and bid will again be wider.

A friend of mine came by the house today and showed me some items her elderly aunt took to a company who advertised an event at a local hotel to buy jewelry. She attended with her aunt to oversee this offer. to buy. I’ve been aware of these, what I would call scams, for over year. My friend was smart enough to prevent her aunt from selling these fine pieces for next to nothing, and when I looked at them and she told me what they offered, I don’t believe they even offered the price of the gold. I’d recommend staying away from these types of events.

As prices decline for gold and silver, people will have fewer and fewer places to dispose of their fine jewelry. You see, these so called “merchants” will no longer be able to simply weigh for the gold and silver content and offer you very little. And what do they do with the gold and silver once they “buy” it from you? They melt it down for the metal and then they’ve made their money.

I remember the good old day when I bought a sterling tea pot for a few hundred dollars. No, the silver content wasn’t worth that, but it was produced by a famous silversmith from the late 1700’s. I knew this was a special piece the moment my eyes landed on it. Believe it or not, I called all over the world before finally selling it in Australia for several thousand dollars.

It will be fun again to do our research and look for items that can return us 10 or 20 times our investment. Still, I don't think this change will affect silver plate or gold plate much, and these items should probably be avoided except in rare cases.

I just can't resist mentioning that earlier this year I strongly recommended my readers sell their gold and silver. At the time, the price of silver was around $16. I was a little early, because it did go briefly to $20 before coming right back down. At the time I made that recommendation, I had people e-mailing me hate mail, threatening my life and questioning my intelligence for making that recommendation in writing and sending it to the news services. But, of course, these were the people in the business of selling gold and silver to the public.

I stuck to my guns and continued to write about selling silver anyway. You know, I haven’t heard from any of those people again. And now, all their customers who bought at that time have lost a great deal of their investment while the fat cats have already cashed their checks and danced into the sunset. It isn’t over yet. I predict silver be $6-$8 soon enough, and gold will be back to $600 an ounce. Then it will be time for us to load up on it.

*******

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It
We Buy & Sell It
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.


Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

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!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Historical Memorabilia: The Stakes Keep Getting Higher

In past blogs, I have suggested that you back up the truck and fill it