Daryle Lambert: Collectibles from days gone by

Thanks to Flicker

I don't know about you but here in Chicago you are limited on what you are going to do today. There is twelve inches of snow on the ground and it is colder than the look that my wife gives me when I am wrong. Fifty years ago on a cold Sunday afternoon many would turn to the movie theater but today with all the movies on television and pay-per-view, why go out in the cold? Yes, we are becoming stay at home couch potatoes!

The reason that I have decided to discuss movies and items associated with them today is that many of the collectibles of past years will soon only be a memory. With every passing day, the movie industry is changing the way it operates. Stars now are instant sensations and they don't have to go through many years as understudies like stars of the past. This means that few stars today will have a long history in the industry so the items associated with these instant stars won't last long. Who wouldn't like to have a signed picture of Humphrey Bogart or Greta Garbo. I can only dream of Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin sending me their photograph with a personal message on it. Most of the stars today are just pretty faces with a little talent that hasn't been honed over many years like the stars of the past.

Why is this important you may ask? The reason it is important as far as collectibles are concerned is that the instant stars usually never establishes an identity or a following that will be there for years. To be remembered, it takes time and a audience that follows the star's career and can associate themselves with the person. Autographs, costumes, lobby cards and posters from the great movies of the past can sell today for unbelievable money. In fact, I remember the story of the person that bought the old movie house and found the walls had been filled with old posters of the movies shown at the theater. The article said that the owner would never have to work another day in his life. I love stories like that because it may be my time next, wouldn't that be fantastic?

Lets look at a few examples from Kovel's price guide. Charlton Heston's costume from Ben Hur could easily fetch $10,000, while a dress owned by Marilyn Monroe would begin at $15,000. Clothes worn by Elvis and the Beatles would start at $100,000 and go up from there, now those are some fancy rags. Kovel's usually lists items that could possibly be found by the average dealer, however, they seldom list the really expensive items that bring huge bucks at auction. These aren't out of the possibility of being found by you and you read every day where someone does hit the jackpot by discovering something that is mind boggling.

Almost everyone is acquainted with the values of movie posters but just in case, look at these prices. Creature from the Black Lagoon was produced in 1954 and its poster is listed at $7,000 but I believe that at the right auction it could bring many times that amount. The same could also be said of a poster from the movie Dangerous with Betty Davis from 1936 listed near $10,000 but I think I would be tempted buy it up to $20,000. There are many more examples where posters bring $100,000 or more but what I am getting at is that movie memorabilia is eagerly sought after by the collector so be sure to keep these items on your radar screen.

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!

The People Have Spoken

Now is the time for all Americans to unite behind its government. No, my candidate didn't win but I hope America did. The world will now wait to see how this country reacts to the election. If we stay divided our enemies will take advantage of our division. Each election gives a new President the opportunity to take this country in the direction that they think is best for it. I sincerely hope that President Obama will lead the entire country in a direction that will be best for generations to come.

In past blogs I stated that Obama as President would make this the most exciting time for political memorabilia since Washington and Lincoln. I will wait to see if that prophecy comes true. I hope that my readers took advantage of this opportunity because prices for this year’s campaign items will sky rocket over the next several years. These collectibles will not only be sought in this country but around the world. Look for the best of these items and your reward will be unbelievable.

The difference between collectibles that come and go are that they rise or fall based on a whim but political memorabilia is part of history. Children for every generation to come will see items from this election in museums. As such, these items will have to be purchased by museums and the competition for unique items will be fierce. There will be no lack of buyers for the rare and unusual items that represent Obama's life and his journey to the Presidency of the United States.

This will likely be my last blog on this particular subject but I think you will be kept well informed on the progress of political items by auction house results and completed e-bay sales for the items that I hope you have been accumulating over the past few months.

Now it is time to begin searching for the next great thing to bring to you. One of the best things about being an antique and art dealer is that the markets never stop and there are always new items that become of interest to people each day.

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.

Antique Circus Art & Collectibles

Vintage Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Poster sold on eBay for $199.50

Yesterday, as we drove up to a large building to take the kids to the circus during our vacation, I felt the excitement coming on. I could see pictures in my mind from my youth of the circus train pulling into town while everyone was gathered to see the animals taken from the train. At the circus site, I could see the elephants helping to raise the large tents, while clowns and stilt walkers were everywhere. Indeed, the air was alive with the anticipation of things to come when we purchased a ticket allowing us to enter the world of the circus. Walking through the sawdust and taking my seat on the wooden bench, I remember the feeling of electricity pumping through my body when the large animals were released into the main tent and the lions and tigers began to roar. This was, indeed, a child’s dream come true.

But, somehow, taking the kids to the circus yesterday wasn’t the same. We entered a large building with clean floors. What happened to the saw dust, I wondered, as we found our place and sat upon cushioned seats. I didn’t feel the excitement I felt as a child attending the circus with my family.

You might be wondering what this all has to do with the Antique and Collectible Business, and I would wager that if you are over forty the things that I just described brought back memories for you that had been long forgotten. Many people keep these memories alive by collecting. And that's where we come in.

There is a long trail of items that quicken one's memory of the circus, and these items have been sought after for as long as there have been circuses. This is why I suggest you add these items to your search list, because they can create tremendous returns for you.

Some of the items I’m taking about are old advertising posters and banners. At the time, these were items you couldn’t purchase at the circus, but they have come to represent the best reminder of what we are missing in the present day circuses. The graphics of these masterpieces were true works of art, and even if you’re not a collector, you can’t help but appreciate their beauty. On today’s market, often these items will often bring thousands of dollars, and believe it or not, they are still available to be found.

One of my dad’s business partners was married to a trapeze artist with the Barnum and Bailey Circus, and he took me to their farm for a visit one day. I was near heaven when I saw all the posters and banners showing the different acts plus all the wild animals. But the best part was when we entered their barn. There sat a huge circus wagon that looked to be new. I was allowed to jump up on it and sit in the driver’s seat and had the thrill of my life.

Aside from the advertising banners and posters that weren’t sold to the public, there were many items sold to the public that have become collectible as well. Some of these items are figurines, plastic toys and flags. These might not bring you a fortune, but a collector would reward you handsomely for finding them.

Because of the popularity of the circus, many companies produced items for sale to the public that represented the circus. Two of the best known, Steiff and Schoenhut, who made quality items that have still passed the test of time, may be the best of the circus collectibles. These can bring you thousands of dollars for the rare items. However they don’t even compare with the carousel animals that have been known to bring hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction.

This is only a short list for you to search for, but there are many other things such as paintings, toys, pinball machines and figurines that are also available to the person with the keen eye. If you do a little research on the internet, you’ll be actively educating yourself, and at the end of the day, you’ll find you’re more knowledgeable on this subject. Should you come across any items, you’ll be able to say, “aha,” and just might be able to make yourself a good deal.

Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club.

Get FREE MENTORING. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets that help you increase your profits. Then Learn to Grow Your Money Exponentially Buying and Selling only Antiques, Fine Art, and Collectibles with Daryle's Strategic Business Plan. Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Dealers, making more money than they thought possible. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club, today.

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

Check out the new Paintings and new items in our Gallery and Marketplace here.

Today's Link:

Prices of Circus Collectibles
From Auction, including a $27,000
Paper Mache Clown