New Treasures Come to Market Following Bank Failures

I don't enjoy being right when people have to suffer, but the following article about a fallen mogul auctioning off much of his art collection is a sign of the times and a testament to the value of fine art work.

I’ve written before that I expected valuable items not seen in many years to hit the marketplace. If the economy continues to remain turbulent, this article may be one example of what we might be seeing more of within our own communities in the days ahead. I’ve always said many antiques and many works of art keep growing in value. It’s in times like our present time that these assets can come in handy for many families.

While I’m not straying from the stated purpose of the 31 Club -- buying and selling quickly -- I did state that it wasn’t a bad idea to set a few items back for your own collection. You, too, might need it on a rainy day.

Here's the article from the Wall Street Journal:

"Fallen Tycoon to Auction Prized Works Lehman's Fuld and Wife Consign Millions in Postwar Art to Christie's for November Sale

'Study for Agony I" is a jewel-toned drawing made by modern master Arshile Gorky in 1946.

It could also evoke the plight of its owners, Richard Fuld Jr. -- chairman and chief executive of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., the bankrupt holding company -- and his wife, Kathy, a well-known collector of modern art.

The Gorky drawing is part of a group of 16 postwar drawings owned by the Fulds that were quietly put up for sale by Christie's last month, according to people familiar with the situation. The sketches were consigned in early August following a competitive bidding process between Christie's and Sotheby's. Christie's wouldn't confirm the identity of the seller but says the total presale estimate of the works is between $15 million and $20 million."

continue article here....

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

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Some Things that Shine - Can Really Sparkle Later

When buying good leaded crystal glass, you should have handled a lot of pieces before you invest in this field. You want to be able to recognize the weight and designs on the better pieces you encounter, because it is easy to get fooled today. Also, being acquainted with their marks will come from familiarity. I don’t know of a book that shows the marks, so if anyone does, write and let us know. Often, all clear glass looks alike, but it isn’t. In your search, these differences will become apparent. There has also been an influx of what I call copycat pieces that are coming into the market today.

It would seem easy to say, all that is necessary to recognize this glass is to look at the bottom of each piece, right? Wrong. I often have taken a piece from one room to another trying to get just the right light on it so that I could pick up that faintest piece of a mark, such as Lalique, Steuben, Baccarat, and even cut glass. Did you know that some of the best cut glass that was ever produced is marked? Most people don’t. 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, as I was attending an estate sale, and running very late I must add, there, on one of the card tables, was a huge frosted glass frog. I picked it up like probably 100's of other people during the day, but put it back down when I couldn’t find a mark on its bottom. After spending several minutes searching the rest of the sale and finding nothing, my mind wouldn’t let me forget that frog. I re-entered the room where it was located, picked the piece up again and examined it from top to bottom, but came to the same conclusion: Nothing special.

Going to the car and being ready to get out of there, I stopped in my tracks, re-entered the house, picked that darn frog up and said, I am going to find that mark or it's going to kill me. Believe it or not, there it was, as clear as day, and marked Lalique. I pick it up and went to the counter and asked the price. The answer almost made me start laughing right there. They told me $25.00. Paying very quickly and running out the door, I discovered in researching the piece that it was quite valuable. Putting that darn frog on eBay and waiting for the seven days was difficult but worth it, $650.00. Yahoo!

You will find most of this glass will be over-priced, and this is where the discipline comes in. Don’t ever over pay, even if you can make a small profit. We are waiting to make our money work for us, and that means at least doubling the price we pay for each item, if not more. However, 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.

If it sparkles, look at it carefully, because you just might find that special frog yourself.

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

Shocking Isn't It? - The Lights Came On

Would you think that a vintage string of Christmas light could sell for several thousand dollars? What about a single light from the string selling for hundreds of dollars? Unthinkable, right? But it happens to be true. Remember the old bubble lights that we would watch for hours? If you can find the older ones today they will fetch a pretty penny. SHOCKING!

Those old glass ornaments, that were stored so carefully in years past, might have done much better than other investments you have made over the years. A bicycle- built-for-two ornament, made in Germany, might fetch $10,000 today, and considering that its cost was probably less than a quarter, I would say that the return was quite adequate. Animal ornaments seem to bring huge money, and I think that it is because so few were made. Reindeer, camels, birds seem to have been appropriate at the time. Even the more common one can bring $40 or more and if they are purchased for one or two dollars each. If you buy serveral, then the reward could be quite handsome.

The next thing that you may watch for is paper mache candy containers. Some of the Santa ones have been know to bring over $5,000. Not bad for pressed paper. Other pieces from the Christmas story are also in demand. These pieces were originally priced at only pennies and given as gifts for the children's pleasure. Can you imagine if you told someone back then that these candy containers would sell for thousands of dollars later? You would've been sent off to the institution, never to have been heard from again. We aren't even to the best part, yet.

Toys for Christmas have always been a hit, and never has it been more true than now. The true toy collector would go crazy over any toy about Saint Nick from the 1800's. I would say that the sky is the limit for some of the first Christmas toys. These wonderful treasures can come in cast iron, wood, paper mache or even early plastic. There are some real treasures out there just waiting for our members to find them. What are you waiting for? Hook up the sleigh and away we go, Ho Ho.

I can't wait for the first Christmass story and I know it will be coming soon.

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

Tis the Season - Getting Prepared

Believe it or not Christmas is right around the corner. This is the time to be watching for those special buys that will pay big rewards, and some of these buys can be collectibles of the Christmas season.

Post cards with the Old Santas on them can bring a couple of hundred dollars or more. You may find cards from as early as the 1900's, because the postal service approved post cards in the United States in 1872. What do I mean by Old Santas? They are usually skinny, and with a different beard than we are accustomed to seeing on Santa. Their suit is different, also.

I once was at a garage sale and came across a photo album that contained about 100 old Santa cards. Being new to these collectibles, I asked the price and the woman said $250. I thought that was too much so I passed on them. Returning home and doing my homework, I rushed to my car and headed back to the sale. So sad, yes, they were gone. I had missed a treasure, but learned in the process. I now know that the album could have been worth fifteen to twenty thousand dollars. I should have trusted my instincts and bought them on the spot. Oh well, at least I have a great story to tell.

It might be worth your while to study other post cards, because many of them can make you have a wonderful day of hunting if you find them. Go to eBay and enter post cards, then completed and last highest price. These pieces will become a part of your unconscious memory that will be called upon if you see them again.

I will follow up with other Christmas collectibles tomorrow. The whole family can get involved in the search for these wonderful collectibles that bring back past memories for all.

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

I MUST COME CLEAN - What a TEAM

My book about wealth building through antiques & collectibles, "31 Steps to Your Millions," has been out for about 90 days now, and it has more than exceeded my expectations. Not long after the release of the book, our 31 Club was formed. The members have stepped up to the starting gate with their best racing gear on. I am so proud of all that are participating.

There are already success stories that would turn anyone's head. One lady turned $100 into $832.71 the first week of our contest. Another gentleman spent $5.00 and got back $190. Try to get that return at your bank. Just imagine the kind of numbers we're going to be seeing as we advance toward the finish line!

In this short period of time, there has been a fantastic website assembled with all of its elements: A Home Page second to none, a Fine Arts Gallery with a large array of beautiful paintings, a Daily Blog of interesting informatiom to help our members on their journey, Joshua's Page to help junior collectors, and last but certainly not least in importance, the advertising for the 31 Club membership. Wow Wow Wow.

To think that only a few months ago this project was still in my mind. There wasn't even a word on paper at that time.

The Club and Book have been featured on both search engines, Google and Yahoo, and if you don't believe it, just go and type in Daryle Lambert, 31 Club or 31 Steps to Your Millions. Get ready because you will be surprised at the number of reference you will see. The Blog is carried by at least eight locations, and the national advertising has continued day in and day out. Joshua and I have appeared on NBC and at The Chicago Antique Market. A new character has been created, The Guy in the Red Tie. I know that I have missed a few things, but so much has been accomplished.

How has this all happened? I must come clean. Second, it is because of our wonderful Club members, but first of all, it is because of your great team behind the scenes. I hope you appreciate them as much as I do. This success has come only by the hard and exhausting work that has been done by Cindy Nieder, my right hand lady. Boy can she work. I have asked her to do more than ten people could accomplish, and without hesitation, she completes every assignment. Clarke F. Echols,Sr, -where do I start? He took a manuscript that a first grader could have written and turned it into a best seller. I wouldn't want to know the hours he spent just correcting my grammar. Now comes my opportunity to thank the person, that without him, we would still be at peg one: Chris Erbach. He is truly a magician. All of the tech work, from forming the home page to posting of pictures comes from Chris. In fact, I lean on him so much that he has put me on a time table. At 7:15 every morning, he expects a call from me.

I can understand some of what Cindy and Clarke do, but how Chris does the things he does is a total mystery to me. Thanks Gang, and I appreciate you taking me along on the journey. The 31 Gang will meet our members at the end of the $1,000,000 race.

Let me hear from you.

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

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.

On The Lighter Side - Antiques, Collectibles and Kids

I got up this morning and looked at my little guy, Joshua, and thought this is my future market. You can see him and his collectibles on his web page..

I have had the great treat of attending the Chicago Antique Market with Joushua for the last two months. What a thrill for me watching as his eyes glistened when he raced from booth to booth looking for that special piece to add to his collection. It was wonderful seeing the dealers explaining each piece to him as he watched and listened in amazement. You can bet that we will be at the market when they open their doors later this month.

The experience doesn't stop there because when we get home there has to be time to examine each and ever treasure. The newly acquired rock, magic trick, race car, foreign coin, snow globe all contributed to a wonderful day spent with my son. No pottery, jewelry, depression glass, paintings or other collectible things were as importat to me as these little things that made my boy happy.

There is a message there somewhere and I think this is it: in the future, this little boy will be buying the Tiffany lamps, Grueby pottery, Daum Nancy of his day. I would encourage you to spend time with those little one that pass your booth and it could prove to be the future success of your business. Do you have Kids stories that you would like to share with us?