Daryle Lambert: Make Money with the Average Man's Art

William Horton thanks to www.31corp.com

It has always been exciting to see a Picasso or Warhol painting sell for hundreds of millions but do you really see yourself doing that? Probably not. But is there art that can be found reasonably and change your life financially? To that question I would have to say “yes”. So where do we start to find this undervalued art?

If you go to the 31 Club’s website [ www.31corp.com ] you will find under the gallery a “sold” section. There you can see an Ida McAfee painting that sold for $2500. It was purchased on eBay for about $500, making the owner extremely happy. Here are a few other examples where the mid priced paintings have done well for me. I purchase a Harvey Joiner from an auction house when it didn't reach the reserve. I bought it after the auction for a little over $200. I thought if I took it back to where it was painted I should make a fair profit. This painting was sold in Evansville Indiana for $3500. I have to be honest, however, I thought that it might have reached $10 to $15 thousand. I hope you don't think of that as sour grapes. Then there was the William Gollings that I purchased in California for $12,000 and sold in Chicago for almost $30,000. No million dollar paintings there but I think you will agree that at that rate my money is compounding fairly quickly. I want to be sure that I also remind you of my friend, Jim, who bought a painting for $40 by Jessie Wilcox Smith and a few months later sold it in the same town for $22,000. I can't even figure that rate of return. Paintings from $500 to $10,000 should do very well in these markets, and as people liquidate their belongings to raise cash, your chances of buying bargains increases.

The middle of the art market in hard economic times may be the best place to spend your money for the greatest return. Sure there are the high end paintings that will still do well but if you have one of those and it doesn't sell, large amount of your capital will be tied up and, for all intents and purposes, you may be out of business. By spreading your money among several pieces, the chances are great that some will sell, your money will continue to turn and that all important bank account will grow.

Now let’s explore where these treasures may be found. I am sure you have read stories where expensive paintings have been discovered in re-sale and white elephant shops so these would be great places for you to explore. Also local auctions, where a painting might pop up that is not recognized as being by a listed artist, or one that doesn't appeal to the local crowd but in another location might draw greater attention. Watch your local newspapers for listings of art for sale and also the penny savers. I have saved the best for last. Here we go. Tell everyone you talk to about your interest in purchasing art work. Mouth to mouth advertising will always be the best advertising that you will ever receive.

Strike now while this iron is hot.

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

Daryle Lambert: Antique and Collectibles for Christmas Gifts can make the day

This holiday season people will be looking for those special gifts for their loved ones, not just something to fill stockings. Gifts of value will command center stage this year and quality Antiques and Art can make this time special. Giving something that can increase in value rather than becoming worthless will be what I will focus on the coming weeks.

This feeling of doubt and uncertainty created by the falling stock market may keep people out of retail stores but you know they will purchase something for their loved ones this Christmas. Dollars will be used wisely so quality will reign supreme. Items purchased should bring a sense pleasure, not one of obligation.

I hope my readers have followed the suggestions from my blog about buying only the rarest and most unusual items for their inventories because now you will see the wisdom of that advice. When you are able to sell your choice pieces, the average dealer with common items will see his inventory sit much longer whereas your treasures will be eagerly sought after.

Great examples of Lalique, Steuben, Tiffany and Lotton will fly off your shelves during this Christmas season while lesser quality art glass items will be difficult to sell. I talked to Riley Humler at Cincinnati Gallery and he informed me that their last sale, just recently completed, exceeded their expectations. How did this happen in these uncertain times? The answer is simple: quality sells and Rookwood is quality. I hope that over the last few months you have been fortunate enough to pick up a piece of Rookwood, Grueby, Newcomb. George Ohr or Doulton for your inventory. By selling it to an eager collector or someone buying a special gift for a collector can also make your Christmas much merrier.

Don’t forget about paintings because they will never let you down if they are purchased at the right price. I hope to report another great success story in the near future as I have a painting that I am offering at Christie's in January. My phone is beginning to ring on a regular basis with inquiries about items in our Marketplace and I feel certain that many of these pieces will be sold over the next few weeks.

This is the time to put on your happy face and you will find it contagious. Often, the best you can give someone in times like this is a smile but that may be all that is needed to turn their day around. God gave us that smile so let’s pass it around.

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31 Club - Daryle Lambert - Things have Changed

I know that you may get tired of me writing about the knowledge you need today to be successful in the Antique, Fine Art and Collectible markets but I hope that after reading this blog it will help you understand.

I went to a house sale on the North side of Chicago over the weekend and when I approached the sale, I could see that there was a long waiting line. Parking the car, I did as usual and started talking to the people standing in line. After a short period of time, I noticed the line wasn't moving much so I sought out the owner of the sales company and asked how long it would be before they would get to my number. Patience isn't one of my strengths. Again, I walked up to the son of the lady conducing the sale and asked if there were any paintings, pottery or art glass in the sale.

I know you won't believe what I am going to tell you next - but this is what we are dealing with. “No!” came his reply, “if there was anything good, mom would have sent it to auction.” I couldn't believe my ears. I asked him why I was there if all the good items had been sent to auction and his answer was “I don't know.” You see, the house sale companies have now started their own businesses by selling at auctions instead of doing a service for their customers and selling their items at the house sale. Of course, the customers come out on the wrong end of the stick because they still pay the house sale companies their fees and the auction houses take their cut, and I am sure the auction houses pay the house sale companys a fee for bringing them merchandise to sell.

If you ask the house sales companies why they sent the good items to auction their answer would be the good stuff brings more at auction. How do they know? The people arriving at their sales before daylight might very well pay a fair price for the better things – however, they don't even get a chance and the seller gets least amount of money in the end.

The logical answer is that the house sales people do not have the knowledge to price better items appropriately so they let the auctions do that job for them. If they did have the knowledge, you would bet that they would try to sell the items at the sale first at a fair price and then if the items didn't sell - they could be sent to auction. This is what I consider “servicing the customer where the customer retains a greater part of the sale proceeds.”

Why have I written this blog? Because you can still find bargains at these sales, often real treasures are not recognized by the house sales companies. For instance - the plates I bought for $150 and sold immediately for $1,250 or the Rookwood lamp that was bought for $1,500 has an auction estimate of $4500. Remember the Tarzan book purchased for a couple of dollars that sold for $18,000. I know a man who bought a Rookwood plaque for about $50 and sold it outside of the same house sale for $4,500. But the best example might be the Newcomb vase that I bought for about $3,000 and later sold for well over $14,000. Yes, there are bargains at house sales, but you have to be very knowledgeable to find them because it they are recognized by the selling companies, they will either be overpriced or sent to auction.

I hope that as we walk through this journey together you will grant me permission to continually feed you information that will make your journey easier.

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Fine Art Paintings’ Rising Prices and 5 Rules for Buying & Selling Paintings and Fine Art

Wallace Weir Fahnestock (Vermont, 1877-1962) original oil on canvas of offered at 31 Gallery

Why has the price of good art continued to rise regardless of what the economy does? If you’re like me, you might have wondered why this is true. I have seen the figures, and it’s evident that good art has been the best investment over the years, surpassing most other types of financial investments. When I see paintings selling for 250 Million or more, I can’t help but believe this is true.

“Follow the growing trends,” was one of the first lessons I learned as a stockbroker, so in applying this to the Antique and Fine Art field, you’d have to say the trend is definitely up, and that’s where we should be dealing.

I have encouraged all our members to study and do research on art and artists that interest them. Personally, I have made more money with my art purchases than from any other items. This being so, I suggest you spend the time necessary to educate yourself in the field of art. This doesn't mean for you to abandon all you other research, but to include it whether or not it’s your favorite area. I try to be familiar with a great number of artists, but I spend extra amounts of time studying groups of artists, such as Kentucky Artists or Artists of the West. Choose whatever interests you most.

So why is good art selling at the skyrocketing prices it does? I think I might have partly figured one reason after I attended a very large Art Show yesterday. As I walked through booth after booth, I realized all the works seemed the same to me. There were lots of large canvases and bright colors, but one just faded into the next. Then I had a strange thought: These must be props for department store windows. Sounds crazy, I know. I guess what I was really thinking was that these pieces were so very commercial and lacking in artistic mastery. Nothing made me say, Wow! The pieces selling at this large art show had selling prices from $500-$3,000 and I truly believe if someone tried to re-sell one of these a year from now, they’d be lucky to sell it for $150.

Then a thought hit me. Where are we going to get great works of art in the future? The lack of contemporary works to appreciate in the future or the lack of works that will be sought after by future collectors was evident to me. It will have to be from the secondary markets. This only reinforced my belief in the trend showing the prices of good art, purchased in the secondary markets, escalating with no end in sight.

This is also why we should pursue good artwork to sell. I hope you won't think this is just an old man’s opinion. Good art will last over time, but bad art will always be bad art. What does an up trend in the art market mean for 31 Club Members? Your time spent becoming knowledgeable in the art area will be time well spent and profitable. Having said that, below you’ll find some general rules and guidelines for buying and selling fine art.

5 General Rules to Buying and Selling Paintings and Fine Art

1. Oil Paintings, as a rule, bring the most money.

2. Size matters. Larger paintings usually bring the most money, but not always.

3. Watercolor Paintings and Drawings follow oil paintings for value in that order. Prints are usually last in value.

4. The Artist’s record of sales prices is very important, and his mark (the highest price paid for one of his pieces) will usually be very important in the future prices for his work.

5. Buy the best art you can afford.


Remember, these are general rules, and with any rule, there are always exceptions. Keep this in mind as a guideline and always do your research.

The secondary market for high quality artworks is where you and I can affect our future plans in the art and antique business most. When we buy the best art we can afford, we will always have customers. It may take a little more time to present a piece to the point where a customer will see it, but when he does, he will pay the asking price. This is the function of the 31 Club Gallery and Marketplace. Over the last couple of weeks, we sold a $5,000 painting and a vase for $3,750. Now is the time to start having the marketplace represent your quality pieces, because buyers are searching our site for good works of art and other high quality antiques & collectibles.

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

Get FREE MENTORING. Learn the Fine Art and Antique Industry Insider Secrets that can help you make money trading in these treasures. 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.

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

Fine Art Paintings: Portraits Are In.

Portrait of a Boy and Dog by an Unknown Artist.

Over the years I have had many opportunities to purchase unsigned primitive portraits or folk art portraits of men, women, and children. These have never particularly appealed to me, but after I examined the past catalog from Cowan’s Auction held in March of this year, I’ll be taking a second look next time I see one. I thought these had very little value, but that doesn’t appear to be true today. And, to my surprise, the values can skyrocket if they are signed. While I was aware that certain portraits by the leading painters could bring in fabulous money, with some fetching over $100,000, I didn’t know that most of these old portraits would bring $500 or more. I have passed on many of these portraits at prices as low as $100.

Checking Cowan's auction, I found where there were several paintings by fairly unknown artists that that brought good money. but were by fairly unknown artist. From their March 15th auction, lot # 27 by Robert Fulton sold for - $2520; #28 – for a pair by unknown artist - $13,000 plus, #146 By Samuel Shaver - $3,700 and #151 a pair by Ezra Ames - $5,700. Wow! I have passed on many listed portraits in Nashville shows for under $1500. Boy, do I wish I had that opportunity again.

You will find these portraits at many of the house sales you attend, and I hope you will begin to take notice of them. If you find a quality portrait painting, I suggest you consider Cowan's as the auction house to sell them. Go to the Cowan’s web page and sign up to get their past auction results. I think you’ll be as amazed with the prices as I was. Not only will you find the prices, but you’ll see photos of the paintings as well as their descriptions. This is one of those cases where I think it would definitely be best to sell this type of painting at auction, rather than on the Internet.

Over the last few days, I’ve been giving you information will assist you in making a lot of money. By applying the rules I’ve learned about buying and selling over many years of trial and error, you’ll gain from my roughly 45 years of experience. When you apply the financial principles to these trades, you’ll see your money accumulate substantially.

There have been several emails about the website, and I will try to answer all of them, but please be patient, as there are many changes coming. Checking the site while Jeremy is doing some of the construction may be problematic. I am looking forward to the day when the 31 Club site will be interactive, and you will be able to participate in the content whenever you wish.

I’m back from vacation and I have much catching up to do over the next few days. I thank each and every one of you for your patience while I was away, and special thanks to Cindy and Jeremy for keeping everything running in my absence.

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.

Call Us Country

I am so appreciative that my readers allow me to, on occasion, write about something other than Antiques and Fine Art. This happens to be one of those days. You will find out, if you continue to follow this blog, that the most important things in life to me are God, Family and Country. Often in my daily life I forget about these things to some degree because of my daily surroundings. I have to admit that I am a television junkie, and the negative focuses of most programs do nothing to strengthen my core beliefs. This is why this trip to the Smoky Mountains has been so refreshing to me, and it is just starting.

When I hear people say they aren’t proud of this country nor ever have been, this causes me to wonder why they live here. The reason I allow myself to say this is because while I don’t agree with everything that is done in this country or all the things that are said about it, I will never waver from saying that I am extremely proud of the Red, White and Blue and am offended by anyone who doesn’t. Yes, they have the right to state their opinion; that’s what makes this country great, but that right doesn’t include saying they have never been proud of it when so many men and women have given their last breath defending these peoples’ rights to their opinions.

It’s so refreshing to be in a place where people speak to you before being spoken to and that’s what I am finding in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I see men opening the doors for ladies and parents that are proud to have their children sharing a vacation with them. I’ve encountered very little discussion of politics and much more interest in their spiritual life and that of the people they meet. I have heard no condemnation of the country or its President. Yes, they may not have agreed with every decision the President made but do still recognize him as their president. It feels as if I might be in a foreign country compared to the news that comes out of Chicago. Yes, I think that I can state, without reservation, that I am country.

Last evening, my wife Vickie, her stepmother, our son Joshua, Vickie’s niece Samantha, and my friend Colin attended a show, and it was such a pleasure. It was filled with comedy that was appropriate for all in attendance, and we shared laughs together. Also, the Veterans were honored for their service to country, and they stood to lengthy applause. God was honored in song and praise, with many songs giving thanks for all he has provided this country. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the crowd.

Last, but definitely not least, we sang patriotic songs together, ending in God Bless America. You can bet I will sleep well tonight as just one old country boy.


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.

BETTER THAN EVER - Charles Lotton's-New pieces

Can you believe it, Charles Lotton's new Mandarin Red Show was definitely a hit. I attended the show last night at his gallery in Bloomingdale's here on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and as I entered, there was barely room enough to walk around.

I was amazed at the crowd that had gathered for his new showing. The gallery was on the sixth floor at the end of the hall, but no one seemed to have a problem finding it, as shown by the attendance.

Charles, his wife, and the staff were kept busy just answering questions from the guests. It was a good thing that they had the help of Jacqueline, their studio manager in Crete, Illinois,Brynna and Miles because they never got a break even to sit down.

I was able to talk with Charles about the future of Lotton Glass, and his plans aren't slowing down. One thing that he shared was they are considering changing their furnaces from gas to electricity. He told me that he would have to see how it affects the glass and its color. In some situations though, they might have to use both.

One interesting tidbit that I did get out of him was that he is planning to have a class on glass technology and the secrets that he has accumulated over a lifetime within the next six months for his sons and grandson plus other interested parties. This should be of special interest to all that love his marvelous glass.

I also found out that one of Charles main interests today is a program called Multiplication Network, an outreach program, and he is also working with a group that is training pastors all over the world.

There is no glass that is being produced today that can come near what Charles Lotton is making at his studio in Crete, Illinois. Anyone that is fortune enough to own a piece of his work will be well rewarded.

We've added four new pieces of Charles Lotton Glass to our Gallery and Marketplace. Be sure to take a look at these early pieces made in 1977. These pieces represent some of the first items made from Charles' personal formula for glass. Prior to 1977, Charles bought glass from other sources.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club and start your own race to your millions! Read more about it here!"The Guy in the Red Tie" --- Daryle Lambert

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don't have to sign in to leave your message.

eBay - King of the Hill

Do you remember as a child when you played "King of the Hill?" How much fun was it to beat everyone else to the top. I can still feel the excitement as I pulled myself up that hill ahead of everyone .

But, once you were the King, and everyone else was trying to pull you down, it wasn’t nearly as much fun. I think that is where eBay is at the present time. They are in a position of having to defend themselves from newcomers.

I have been using eBay almost since its inception, and their changes have been in the process of capturing more and more of the market each year. This has been accomplished through acquisitions of their competitors and by an increase in their fee structure.

This has proven to be very successful for the company, but now, they are seeing new competition on the horizon. Companies like "OnlineAuction.com" have introduced the no listing fee format, and it is catching on. Why should this matter?

I believe it matters, because in my humble opinion, the number of unfinished listings, meaning sold listings, will be eBay's undoing, unless they change their policy. The sellers will soon realize that they are losing so much money on uncompleted sales in listing fees, that it can’t be made up by the profits on their completed sales. eBay has tried to combat this by encouraging the sellers to list their items without reserves, so that most of the sales will be completed. This, however, puts the seller at a disadvantage, because they can’t protect their items from selling at a price that isn’t acceptable to them. The way eBay has encouraged this is by making the reserve price too expensive to use.

So, I've been thinking about this, and have some thoughts of my own. Call them my predictions, if you want, or just one man's opinion. But, I believe eBay offered the month of September with no listing fees to see if the increase in final value fees would offset their losses in listing fees. I think eBay will soon eliminate all listing fees. Why? For months now, they have been inching up all of their other fees, the ones outside of the listing fee itself. Things like gallery photos and listing style fees just to name a couple. Their other service fees, such as PayPal, Pro Stores and eBay Stores, have also increased. If they can maintain their profit margins, without charging a listing fee and increase the number of listings, I think this will give them what they're looking for.

This would be a huge blow to other companies trying to compete. I am not sure that other companies that have chosen this route could survive. And, eBay can’t continue to increase their profits each month, if competition offers the seller and buyer a better deal. So the only solution for them is to make it unprofitable for their competitors, because of their dominance in the market place.

My next thought is about why eBay has a "sign in" for the completed sales section. You see, I believe, and I'm going to make another prediction here, is that they are considering charging for their archives service like Ask Art, ArtPrice, ArtNet and Priceminer.

I stated in one of my early blogs that the market will always find a way to correct itself, and the companies that are in control will either change or be replaced by others. We'll see if this play out in the coming months.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club and start your own race to your millions! Read more about it here!"The Guy in the Red Tie" --- Daryle Lambert

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don't have to sign in to leave your message.

"EXCITEMENT ABOUNDS" - The Chicago Antique Market.

Can you believe that another month has come and gone? The 31 Club is approaching its three month anniversary and the excitement within the club is amazing. It is hard to get on the internet today and not come across something about our club and the new vision for the Antique and Collectible industry that it is presenting to the world.

Our members are making money and learning at the same time. Their input is so important to our future, that we ask every day if they know of ways that we can improve the club on behalf of its members. Your staff of Cindy, Chris and Clarke are tireless workers that will stop at nothing to provide the members with the best.

This weekend you will be represented at the Chicago Antique Market by Cindy, Joshua and myself, and we will be getting the message out about the 31 Club to all that attend. We will be sharing the new vision with as many people that will listen, and there will be a table where people can sign up. Come and visit with us either Saturday or Sunday.

There will be qualified buyers present if you have something to sell. Also, I will be appraising items that guests bring to me. This will be a wonderful time spent shopping, looking, eating, or listening to fabulous music.

A new feature this month will be the exclusive area where only the finest will be shown , on stage. This will be conducted by Boris Yovanovich. His twenty plus years in this business will provide a wealth of information for all that enter his space. There will be some of the best Art that has been presented at the market ever, and many other quality items. Boris specializes in one-of-a-kind items that are unique and desirable.

There will be a full mix of dealers with an unlimited array of choices for those with discriminating taste. This will range from high quality art to fabulous jewelry and vintage clothing. Also, you will find the best Art Pottery and Art Glass that can be found anywhere. Not to leave out high quality Posters, Oriental Rugs, Lighting, Prints and so. So many other things that you will find desirable in the many booths.

One of the dealers happens to be a friend of mine for over fifteen years. Can you imagine my surprise when I ran into them at the Market. Doris and Mike have the most wonderful array of items that you can find anywhere. Unbelievable Bakelite jewelry, Rookwood and Roseville pottery, and Native American items can found adorning their fabulous booth.

One of my favorite people at the Chicago Antique market is Maria Tirabassi. She is an artist that I think will rise to the top of the heap in the future. Her paintings are light and airy with an almost childish quality. I was passing her booth when her paintings caught my eye, and I stopped in my tracks to admire them. Asking the lady there if she was the painter, the answer was no, but she told me her sister was. I found out she would be in her booth later. I returned and found Maria to be a delightful person and definitely the one that had created all of these wonderful pieces of art. If you go to our website, you will find several of her canvases there.



I am so excited to be invited back to the market by Sally, and I can tell you that her enthusiasm is contagious, and I am infected.

Hope to see you at the market, and keep those letters coming!

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club and start your own race to your millions! Read more about it here!"The Guy in the Red Tie" --- Daryle Lambert

Ps: If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don't have to sign in to leave your message.

LARGE and SMALL - They Both can be GREAT

In the Antique and Collectible Market, you will find items of many sizes. Surprisingly, the most value will usually come from the large or very small pieces. The medium size items are the most common of all, and therefore, bring less money as a rule.

First, a large vase by Rookwood is usually sold by so much per inch, everything else being the same. An eighteen inch vase by a top artist from Rookwood is going to bring a lot more money than an eight inch one by the same artist. This difference compounds as the item increases in size. The eight inch vase may bring $1,000 while the eighteen inch one might bring $30,000 or more. You should always keep this in mind as you are shopping.

The reason that larger pieces have more value happens to be true, because fewer of them will have been made. If a artist wants to make a very large piece, he knows that it is extremely hard to keep the consistency of the image that he is decorating the same throughout the piece. Also, just handling a larger piece is more labor intensive.

As for the smaller pieces, they acquire their value because it is very difficult to handle items under two inches, so few are made. We call these pieces mini, and often they are models for those pieces that will incorporate their design into larger ones later. A one inch Daum Nancy "Fall Scene" vase might bring as much as $3,500.00 or more. Can you imagine that? I just bought three mini Lotton vases, and the last one I saw sell brought over $500. Don't overlook something because it's small. If others can't see its value, you will find a Treasure.

I remember as a small child, I always wanted to be larger so that basketball and football would be easier for me. Later, when I developed a love of horses, I wanted to be smaller, so I could be a jockey. I didn't know it at this early age, but the principle of large and small had already been placed in my mind.

I would love to share with the club any articles that you would like to write and pass on to us.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club and start your own race to your millions! Read more about it here!"The Guy in the Red Tie" --- Daryle Lambert

Ps: If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don't have to sign in to leave your message.

Not Where You Begin - But Where You End

The best advice that I have ever given someone is to deal in the areas where they felt comfortable. This means both in knowledge and price. Until you have the knowledge required to buy a $100,000 painting, you will never feel comfortable buying it. Also, if paying a $100,000 for something makes you uncomfortable, you aren’t ready to buy it, even if you have the money.

This doesn’t mean that if you come upon a bargain that you don’t act, it simple means at those time you seek help from someone that is comfortable at those levels. You won’t make all the profit, but you also won’t take all the risk when you're not prepared to do so. I have made friends that have been in the fine art business for nearly a hundred years, and I seek their advice often. They have assured me that they will be available if, and when, I find something that makes me nervous.

You should be finding these people before you discover something. By doing so, you will be prepared to act when the opportunity presents itself. One good way to find these people is at antique shows. The dealers will be more than happy to share information with you, and as your relationship with them grows, they will trust your judgement and then will become your partner if need be.

A second place to look for people to partner up with is the antique shops. Spend some time in your local shops and get to know the proprietors, so that if the time comes that you feel the need for information or money to help in the purchaser of some treasure, these people will be prepared to help you.

The third place I would explore would be personal friends that might like to make some extra money. They usually can’t help you with the knowledge, but they can be a great place to find help with financing. With these three avenues, you should never find a treasure that, combined with others, can’t be bought. Now all that is left to do is go out there and find your treasures. Hopefully, in the future, your 31 Club will be able to fill this need for you. Can you tell us of something you pass on because of price or lack of knowledge?

OUTSIDER WHAT? - Artist

What do Jessie LaVon, Mari Tirabassi and Doug Odom have in common? You guessed it. They are all Outsider Artists.

The story of Jessie is very interesting, and it can be found by putting her name in the Google search. She had a very serious accident, and this changed her approach to art. I think that her pieces might become as famous as Grandma Moses paintings in the future. I know a person that aquired two of her pieces at a garage sale for $75.00. The largest one should bring $500.00 today, and in the future, who knows?

Maria is a new friend of mine. I met her at the Chicago Antique Market where she was set up. As I passed her display, it stopped me in my tracks. Wow, this painter is something special, I thought. After I talked to her sister for awhile, Maria showed up, and what a pleasent surprise that was. She is a very down to earth lady that will never know a stranger. We talked for some time, and then I decided maybe I should let her get back to work. In my opinion, her work is priced very reasonably, and anyone that purchases it today will be well rewarded in the future. Be on the lookout for her paintings, because the world is going to hear about her. I will be listing some of her pieces on our site very soon. Be sure to visit her at the next two Chicago Antique Markets in September and October. If you wait till next year, I think the prices for her pieces will be much higher. You can visit her website at www.tirabassiart.com. She is presently represented by several Galleries in the Chicago area.

Last but not least, just being a gentlman, I will share my friendship that has developed between Doug Odom and me. I have talked about Doug in previoue blogs, but much has happened since then.

Doug is the best known Outsider Artist in the country. He was picked to spend several hours with the Bushes in their home. That's right, George and Laura as in President Bush. They also choose him to do the annual Christmas tree ornament.

Doug was in the Chicago area this past week doing a show in Highland Park, Illinios, and I helped him set up. Not being able to stay for the show because Josh and I were appearing at the Chicago Antique Market, I was only able to return to his show as he was tearing down. You know me, I just had to ask how he did. His answer was that the piece in the back of his booth, which was his center piece, had to be delivered and there were several other pieces missing from his display.

Doug no longer does cheap pieces. He ask me which one of the paintings I wanted, and of course, there before my eyes was this painting that said Churchill Downs on it. So guess what? It is hanging in my family room as I speak. Doug will be back in the Chicago area in December and will be staying in my home. I hope many of you will be able to visit with him then.

This blog has been rather long, but it will be well worth it to you. I will be keeping you up to date about these wonderful artists and hopefully, many more. I think this venue will serve us well in our pursuit of our goal. Please share with us your stories of local and outside artists you know.

GOING HOME - Maybe it will be There

The 31 Gang [ Daryle, Cindy, Clarke and Chris ] will start their race with you tomorrow. I will be leaving for Owensboro, Kentucky, at noon to attend my wife's reunion. Along the route, I will be searching for that special treasure that will launch us from the starting gate toward that pot of gold at the end of our journey. I will be reporting back to you Monday night on whether we were successful or not. There is no doubt in my mind that by then you will have emailed me many stories of fabulous finds.

During next four days I will be making every effort to use the knowledge that has served me so well to search out that first step in the plan that we are beginning together. Pottery, Art Glass and Paintings will be my targets, but don't be surprised if I return with something totally different than those items. That is what makes the treasure hunt so exciting. You never know what you will be returning with. I will travel with my books, jewelers loop, tape measure and all the other things that might come in handy in the search.

The best part about this venture is that if I return empty handed after four days, it will only heighten my desire to go back out there on Tuesday. Remember, as I said before, this isn't a sprint.

I have been talking to members all day who are just beginning to get the treasure fever. What are my paintings worth? Does this crock or bowl have any value? I have my dad's old campaign butons -- are they worth selling? Can you feel the excitement building?

Already, I can't wait to return from my trip so that we can talk. I have prepared blogs to be posted while I am gone, and if you have any questions please email me, because I will be checking in. I have been a little disappointed on the number of comments on the blogs, so let me hear from you. This keeps me motivated. Thanks for all your support and patience as we move forward.