The Examiner – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Great News is here.

 W. A. Slaughter - Our Marketplace.

 

You may have heard of the Examiner but if not, it is a site on the Internet where most news outlets get their content. This is perhaps the most prestigious site for news and information in the entire country. To be selected to the position of an Examiner and have your articles posted puts you in the ranks of the elite journalists in the country. This recognition also ensures that your website will get large amounts of traffic and viewership.

I am sure that you are wondering what this means to the members of the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club, correct? You should be excited because we are in the process of finalizing the classified section of our website. To maximize that benefit for our members, we need additional traffic to the site. Here is the connection. I have just been selected for the Examiner panel and have already published four articles. At the present time I will be covering the Chicago Antique scene but hopefully that will be changed soon to the national scene. Here is the location where you can find the articles already published. Bookmark it so that you can view future pieces as well: Daryle Lambert .

I hope you see the ambitious program your staff has set in place to ensure that the success our members are searching for is right around the corner. Bob has provided the much needed technical knowledge that was required to have a site that can handle the data that we will be producing and Ondre has been doing an unbelievable job of updating and controlling content on our site. Gary has had to tend to his main source of income but upon his return I feel certain that you will see real progress in our marketing department. This being said, the people who are already with us and those who will be joining us will someday be telling people about how they were on the ground floor of a company that is known worldwide.

The first bite of a great steak is great but the last bite is even better. You know that little piece of meat that is the side of a T-Bone steak? Well, I always keep it till last and I am never disappointed. That is the same way I feel about our Club. The best is yet to come. 

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Dogs and Cats – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog - I don't mean Pets

 Man's Best Friend

 Thanks to shop.pascoeandcompany.com 

 

The true collector is a fun animal and it is often difficult to understand why they have such a passion for their collecting. Take me for instance. I have collected everything from old cast iron cooking pans made by Griswold to the finest porcelain by Meissen. In between, there was my fascination with porcelain canines or dogs and then the Doulton ladies. When I finally tired of the Griswold, I sold it all at once. It weighed over 2000 pounds. If that wasn't bad enough, think about 300 dogs staring at you throughout your house and 500 strange ladies standing on every flat surface in your home. Yes, I was addicted, but why?

If we can figure this out at the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club, there will be no stopping us. We need to make every effort to find and meet as many collectors as we can because they are the best markets we will ever have. Construct those lists of collectors and keep them dear and you will find the success that others are missing.

I would like to share a little story with you that was sent to me by a member. Her name is Mary and I promise she will be searching for those dogs and cats from now on.

Hello Daryle - Bow Wows Bring Good Money 

Just had to share a score with you! You always tell us to look for the unusual and watch for condition. Well, I went to an auction on a Sunday afternoon and saw this purse. I was able to win it for $5.00. I really didn't know anything, but knew that it was in great condition and was certainly unique and unusual. I went home and listed it immediately to end the next Sunday night. By morning I had several watchers and an email from a woman in the UK that was practically begging for a Buy it Now because she said she was going out of town and would not have access to a computer. I politely told her that I was going to let this run and she could simply put in her best bid. By the next Sunday afternoon I had over 30 watchers but it was sitting at $56.00. I was disappointed, but thought, well, I made 10X my money so I should be happy. Imagine my eyes when it closed at 10 that evening at $203.50!!!

Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts.

Thanks for all you do,

Mary

Now that is what I call a story and it couldn't happen to a more wonderful lady. She has been with us from the beginning and I can assure you that this isn't her only win.

So why do people collect dog and cat figurines? Is it because they have lost a pet? Maybe it is that they want a pet but one they don't have to feed or take out several times a day. But this I promise you. The animal collectors are out there in droves and it seems they have the money to buy what they wish.

Here are a few books that can help you in the field of collecting: Royal Doulton Animals: A Charlton Standard Catalogue, Collecting Lladro: Price & Identification Guide, Royal Copenhagen Porcelain: Animals and Figurines, and Royal Doulton Bunnykins (1st Edition) : The Charlton Standard Catalogue. I am sure there are others but this will give you a great start in educating yourself in this field.

The collector is looking for anything that features the image of what he is collecting and it may be made of any material. So it is our duty to fill the collector’s dreams of having the largest collection of his chosen dog or cats items of anyone he knows.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Razors Plus – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – I may need these.

 Shaving Mug - Thanks to News-Antique.Com

 

Over the last few months, there has been a distinct change in looks at the office of your Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club. No, it isn't the décor or furnishings but the appearance of our founder, Daryle Lambert. Who would have ever thought that our clean shaven leader would have grown a mustache and goatee? But he has, and his wife Vickie is still having to think about her opinion of it. Not so with his son Josh who loves it and says that if it is ever shaved off, he won't forgive his dad.

After all of that, it seems only appropriate to write a blog on shaving and the instruments needed to be sure you have that well-groomed look. It all started soon after men discovered women and knew they needed to look good to attract them. First came flint pieces that were used to clean the face, but can you imagine how that must have hurt? Next was the straight razor, but to use one of them you needed a lot of tissue paper. In fact, as a teenager, I almost bled to death from shaving. However, the electric shaver rode into the picture and that is where we are today.

But along the way there have been many items associated with shaving such as razors, blades, mugs, lather, canned gel and razor straps. That is just a few of the items used for shaving and then, you have to add into the mix all the advertising by companies like Gillette. These items associated with shaving had to become collectibles and they have because every man has experienced the torture of his first shaving experience. Straight razors can run several thousand dollars depending on the material used in their construction and design. Some sport gold and silver decorations. They are usually the most expensive ones and I wouldn't be shocked at seeing one of them cross the auction block at over $5000. But the real jewels of the shaving collectibles might be the shaving occupation mugs. I have seen these sell for over $20,000 and that might not even touch their top prices.

Here are a few items pertaining to shaving to keep in mind: blades still in the paper covers, razors in their original containers, shaving soap in its paper wrapper and straight razors in their boxes. These should provide you with enough profit to meet our standards. 

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Advertising Tin Cans – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Those little Fellas.

Cans You Can Love - Thanks to Liveauctioneers.com 

 

Most dealers who visit a house or garage sale would recognize a tin advertising sign like Coke or Pepsi, but how about an old biscuit tin can?Did you even know that there were collectors for these? Sure the old signs are worth lots of money, but so are old cans. Why do you think that the American Pickers go through all that trash and end up just buying some advertising cans? They are in the business to make money not entertain us. My Dad always said to follow the successful and I have to say as members of the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club, we might be following the successful if we choose the Pickers because they have their own television show now.

That is why the greatest advice I could give you might be to visit the attics and basements first at most sales you attend. Look in the shop room because many times old cans have been used to store items like nails and screws. It almost makes me want to laugh, that old can filled with 50 cents worth of screws having a value of over $1000. The man working in that shop probably didn't ever make $1000 in one month in his entire life. This proves my point. True treasures are often right there in open sight but most people can't imagine their value. While those really smart dealers are picking through the overpriced items for sale upstairs, you may find an oil can in the garage for 50 cents that sells for $1500.

There are many price guides that quote prices for old cans but the best ones seem to be by Fred Dodge such as Antique Tins: Identification & Values. It would be well worth it to own one of these guides, even if it is an old one. There may be no better way to prove your skills at picking than to find a very valuable advertising can lying in a pile of junk.

How would you like to have your eyes focus on a North Pole, Cut Plug, Oval Topped Tobacco tin sitting in the corner of the garage, knowing that it may be worth as much as $2000? You may almost stop breathing before you ask the price. This is happening to someone every day. Why not you? I am hoping that after my readers have a chance to digest this information, one of you will write and tell me of your success in finding that special advertising can.

Here is a sampling of what is out there for you to find. Bambino, Smoking Tobacco Tin $3500, Crawford's Biscuit Bus $4500, Grey Dunn's Biscuit Bus $7500, Hi-Ho Smoking Tobacco $4500 and last but not least, Life Pipe Tobacco $1200. Now that is a pretty fair game to play in, wouldn't you say? If you found one of these, what kind of percentage profit would you make? One man’s trash can be another man’s treasure.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Tiger is Back – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Growl.

 The Tiger Woods I want to Know 

Thanks to glue.yahoo.com

 

This country loves an underdog and I will bet that Tiger will be the fans’ favorite at the Masters this year. If you remember when I wrote about Tiger before, I am sure you know who I'm talking about, Tiger Woods of course. He will overcome his indiscretions and be the fans’ favorite on the PGA tour again.

Why should this be important to me, you're asking. I don't even like golf or follow it. Very good question, but remember as a person who wishes to capitalize on your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectibles Club, you are in the business of antiques and collectibles to make money.

The market for memorabilia produced with Tiger in mind might have taken a little hit over the last few months, but if he does well in the Masters, his stock will rise higher than ever. I have always been on the opposite side of others thinking and this is no exception. Here is my advice to you. Buy anything that can be attached to Tiger Woods in any manner, good or bad. You see the American people really like to see someone reconstruct their lives after they have fallen from grace. I believe this is because we have all had our failures and would like to have others forgive us. God only knows how much forgiveness I need.

Tiger is a special person with wonderful God given talents and that is what the huge galleries come to see, not the things we read about in the tabloids. He has children and a wife and marriage that hopefully can be saved. Isn't it strange that all you are hearing from the press is about his failings? For me, I just want to see his successes again.

It took me a while to get to the point but here it is. With all the press, Tiger will once again be much larger than life and this gives us that opportunity that only comes our way occasionally to capitalize on fame. Just to mention a few Tiger items that are listed today: Upper Deck rookie card $1750, worn shirt signed $1100, signed Masters flag $1000, signed driver $950. These are the items that have sold. Then you have the crazies like a signed shirt $19,000, PGA folder signed by Tiger and his parents $10,000, signed glove $6000 and a ball $5000. These items haven't been sold but you can bet over the coming years if Tiger does regain his form and win more majors than any golfer in history, these prices may be cheap.

He asked for our forgiveness so let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and wish him well. That will be the fun part, while dealing in his memorabilia will be the profitable part. Remember, we’re not doing what we set out to do in our Club if we aren't having fun and also making a profit.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

.

Fashion Jewelry – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog - Diamonds – Rubies – Sapphires.

 Diamonds and Rubies - Thanks to Doverjewelry.com

Tomorrow will be the day of truth on that large 4.29 carat diamond that was presented to me for sale. Yes it is a real beauty, but there is a flaw that may hold the value down a little, so I will have to wait and see. However, it did peak my interest in other pieces of jewelry that I have seen in the past few months and perhaps changed my way of thinking about them .

What I am finding in jewelry, like most other things, is that only the true top of the line pieces are selling quickly. But I have been thinking. The quick sales are going to other dealers and not the ultimate users, so does this give me a real advantage if I am buying for my customers? I believe the answer to that question is an absolute affirmative. I hope that I haven't lost you in my thinking and I will try to explain. Nothing but the best is selling and these markets are even bringing down the value of those pieces we would call the best of the best. This give us the opportunity to buy real quality cheaper than before.

Let's take a pin from the Kovel's price guide as the example I will use. First the description: Hawaiian Flower, Rubies, Sapphires, and Diamonds, Van Cleef and Arpels, 6 ¾ inches. Now let’s assume that the guide has this pin priced at $9500. So what is my best opportunity to maximize my profit potential? In the past, I have mostly gone to another dealer who has more knowledge in the jewelry field than I do and sold directly to him. Here would be the tracking of the transaction. I would purchase it, hypothetically at $2500 to $3000, and I would be very satisfied moving it along to another dealer at $4000, making 30% on my money. But that doesn’t reach the goal that I teach in my book 31 Step to Your Millions does it, even if it is a quick flip? The more I think about it, why wouldn't I be willing to hold the pin for a little longer and find a customer whom I could give a real deal to at $6000 on the pin? My customer would be extremely happy, I would have three times more profit than if I had simply flipped it and I would also stayed true to my own rules. Remember, we only need to compound our money twice a year to become extremely wealthy. So if it took you 90 days to sell the pin, that would definitely stay within our guidelines.

Patience hasn't ever been one of my greatest qualities but I am learning. Working with the members of the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club, I think that I am learning as much as they are, if not more, from our association with one another. Over the next week or so, I will be introducing you to our new jewelry and watch expert and he has given me the assurance that all the special needs from our members in his field of jewelry will be attended to with his prompt attention. 

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

.

Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Mine too.

What a Sparkler - Thanks to Timtim.com

 

Who says a blind hog can't find an acorn? I may have done that very thing by finding a 4.29 carat diamond for sale. Yes you heard me right, 4.29 carat. This will definitely be the largest stone that I have ever owned but that might just be for a very short time. I may turn it into profit in one day.

A friend of mine asked if I handled diamonds. My answer was “sure” but little did I expect to be approached on a stone of this size. Even though he has all the documentation, I still am not qualified to appraise this diamond so I called another friend of mine and shared the story with him so that he would know what I had been offered. He deals in quality jewelry and watches and I respect his opinion.

So off we go and tomorrow the seller and the buyer will be meeting and hopefully I will have another story to add to my growing list. Vickie, my wife, numbers my stories and this one might be 4,500 or so. Here is the wisdom that I want to share with you. You may think that pottery or art glass are your specialties but never be afraid to venture into other areas because there is always going to be someone who can help you where you are weakest in your knowledge base. Yes, I will share the profit, but remember a half loaf is better than no loaf at all. 

Isn't this a wonderful business where we all can work together and everyone gets a piece of the pie? My friend will be acting as an associate for me and whatever I make won't have taken a nickel out of my pocket. You have heard that saying “Think outside of the box”. In this case, I am thinking way outside my box but you know, if the deal is completed, the dollars that I make will go right back into items more familiar to me like the painting that the woman in California wants to sell. This is getting real interesting and my mind is spinning as I ask myself how many times I will double my money this year? 

Have you thought about what this year is going to bring you? I hope to update the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club’s records soon and see where we are in the Million Dollar Race. I know by the end of 2010 you will see that completing the 31 Steps that we use as a guide will seem far more possible to obtain. Go for the Gusto this year.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

.

Art and its Value – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Are you sure?

Helpful Hints on Purchasing Art.

There is nothing I would rather do than look at great art, that is unless I could own it. Yesterday, I wrote about the American Pickers and how different we are at the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club from them. What I meant by that was they deal in items that are rusty or damaged. Because of their many years of experience, they can see value in them. We try to deal in items that are close to mint and need no restoration. After thinking about my statements overnight, I realized that there was an area where we are alike and that is art.

With art we often will find it in mint condition, but what if it isn't? I receive emails from people all the time who want to sell their paintings but don't have any idea of value and hope that I can help them. Yesterday, I received a list of five paintings from a wonderful lady. She wants to sell them but after examining the pictures she sent, I knew that this was going to be a challenge. I spent several hours researching the artist and comparing prices but that was the easy part of my job. You see each painting had multiple problems, just like the items the American Pickers find. So I had to figure out what it would take in time and money to put these pieces in saleable order.

Just to clean a painting properly will cost $100 and up depending on the work required but you can't stop there. Many of these five paintings were going to need in-painting (replacing missing paint) and some may even have damage to the canvas itself. I personally have paid $3000 for the restoration of a single painting so you can see the possible cost that could be involved. Next the question was the frames. They were in horrible shape so did they need to be replaced or, could they be salvaged?

Here is the process that I went through to establish a value for the paintings in their present condition. First, if they were mint what would their values be, and to make the profit required by the rules of our Club, what could I offer for them? Their value could only be established by going to AskArt on the Internet and searching for previous sale by the artist and then cross referencing that through books like Davenport's Price Guide. Second, how much in expenses was I looking at to bring them up to saleable condition? Here I would call the party that does my restorations Baumgartner Fine Art for their estimates. Then, last but not least, does the artist who produced these paintings have an active market for paintings? Auction records and eBay can fill this gap in the equation. It doesn't matter what something is worth if it can't be sold. Remember on the last episode of the Pickers where they ran across a great old automobile but showed no interest in it because that model had very little interest for collectors? After doing all this work, I was ready to share with the lady my ideas of what her paintings are worth.

Just like the Pickers in the last show who bought a scooter that, if restored, would have been a high ticket item because of its rarity. Their intentions were to sell it in the present condition and let the buyer do the restoring. However, it still had to be purchased at a price where money could be made with it in its current condition. They paid $5000 and were told its value as is was $10,000, so they accomplished their goal of compounding their money. This is where we are alike. If we bought the paintings as is, what could we pay for them in their present condition and still double our money?

Most of the time we would be restoring any painting that was purchased to sell, however, there could on occasion be ones we would sell as is. Now you know how we at the Club might be like the pickers on the television show American Pickers. 

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

American Picker 2- Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Different from our thinking.

 American Pickers - Thanks to Flicker.com

I was at the health club last night and decided to watch American Pickers to see what great treasures they might find. It is a great show and should be around for several years. If you read my opinions on C.Dianne Zwieg's blog on I Antique Online, there is no doubt how I feel about the show. They do find treasures and they let people know the profit they think will be made on their purchase.

The show interests me because the two gentlemen aren't afraid of getting dirty or searching through what most would consider trash to find that one item that is a treasure. The old scooter was really neat last night but the memory jug is what caught my eye. If you don't know what a memory jug is, I will try to describe it. Often middle aged people will accumulate items that show events in their lives. Then they take a whiskey jug or large glass jug and put clay or other types of material around the outside and press their keepsakes into the soft clay. These could include small toys, scouting pins, jewelry and most anything else that they chose. We would call this folk art and to a true collector it could be priceless.

However, what I want to share with you isn't our similarity but how different we are from the pickers. The American Picker is all about finding something that is rusty, badly damaged or in rough shape. Their reasoning is that someone else will want to buy their items to restore them and thereby increase their value substantially. To do this, you must have a tremendous knowledge base of what an item would be worth once it is restored. These gentlemen are true professionals so don't let their lowbrow demeanor fool you. I don't believe for a minute that they make many mistakes.

You must be asking how that differs from our philosophy. First of all, we don't recommend buying damaged goods unless the damage is appropriate to the item. Being able to judge what it would take to restore an old rusty bicycle takes years and year of experience. This isn't something for the amateur because he or she would only get burned. I believe that to duplicate what the pickers do, you would have to have many, many years of experience.

Now for the system that we use for success. Ours does include knowledge but it can be obtained very quickly using the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club guidelines. We don't have to know what the cost would be to restore an item because generally we leave those items for others to buy. So that only leaves us to know the true value of the treasures we find and then it just becomes a matter of being able to buy them at a correct price. It seems that we do the direct opposite of the pickers. However, there is one element of how we conduct our business that is the same.

Can you guess what that is? If you guessed that we both use the rule of compounding, you would be right. Watching the show last night it became very apparent to me that when they ran their totals, the profits were at least double their cost. Do you think they could have read my book? No, they just understand the principles needed for success and apply them to their business.

Both ways will get you to the same spot, which is success, but I just don't have twenty five years to get there. I don't believe that most of my readers wish to wait that long either and, by following the guidelines in my book 31 Steps to your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles, you should become successful in a much shorter time.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Military Photographs - Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Heroes and Villains.

 General George Patton - Thanks to Armchairgeneral.com 

 

I was thinking about my dad today and one of the pictures that flashed into my head was him in his dress uniform of the Merchant Marines. Wow! Was he a handsome sailor. I don't have, but wish that I did, a photo of him in that uniform. 

Photos of heroes from the Second World War, such as those of Patton or Eisenhower, will bring a pretty penny today but those of the villains will also pad your bank accounts. Photos of Hitler and his gang of thugs sell very well and those of Mussolini will also bring you big bucks.

But where would I find these items? Probably more places than you might think because almost every soldier and sailor brought back a foot locker from the war, many of which have survived in the attics and basement of thousands of homes around this country. Stored in those trunks of our returning heroes from the war were souvenirs which often included photos. Perhaps you can find a soldier standing with Patton which was signed by the general. What a treasure that would be. Marching through Berlin, a soldier might have run across an old photo album in the streets and just put it in his backpack to take home, not even knowing whose photos they were. From there I will just let your mind lead you where it wants to go. As a member of the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectible's Club, I hope that the information that I share with you will always put you at the head of the pack when you’re on your treasure hunt.

However, you don't have to take it to the level I mentioned above. You may just find an album filled with pictures from the time a veteran spent in the armed forces. I would love to receive a call saying that a person had an album filled with photos of Dad's time in the service. I don't know what I would pay for it but be assured it would be plenty. Most of these albums and pictures you find will be documented, so the real work will be finding the person or family member that would absolutely love to buy them from you.

Just a little story that’s not about photos but in the same vein. I know a lady who owns 500 letters from the Civil War between a soldier and his wife. If she could ever find members of this family, those letters would be worth a fortune.

But what can you expect to get for photos of the famous and not so famous soldiers? Going to eBay, which I feel will show the lowest possible value that can be found for an item, I discovered photos selling from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. But if by chance you ran across a photo of the Japanese surrender which the participants had signed, its value could be priceless. 

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Stamps – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog - Our new Expert.

Alex Rogolsky

The one objective that I have tried to keep in mind has been that if I couldn't provide the information you were searching for, I would provide the person that could. Stamps are one area of collecting that has to be your specialty for you to do it justice. Yes, like most kids, I had a collection of stamps but that was just for fun. The true stamp collector is a person who has a serious interest in the art of stamps and their rarity. Are you ready for this big word? They are called philatelic.

I have had many emails and calls from people over the last three years who inherited a stamp collection or bought one at auction. Their question is always the same. What is the value of what I own? Up to this point, I could only send them to the stamp guides which aren't the best places for that information. You need to contact someone who has the passion and experience to give them information that is current. Alex Rogolsky will be on our panel of experts for stamps. Here is a short biography that he sent me.

Alex Rogolsky, President of StampSelector.com and Anagram Cachets/The Stamp
Specialist, has been a full-time stamp dealer, First Day Cover cachetmaker,
and investor since 1987.  His current website (http://www.stampselector.com)
provides stamp investment recommendations and practical information for
stamp collectors, investors, and dealers. Alex currently resides inRockville, Maryland, and purchases and appraises stamp collections in theWashington, DC and Baltimore, MD areas. He is a longstanding member of the
American Philatelic Society.
...........................................

Alex will be a consultant for the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club and he will be providing information on future blogs. Here is a short article that he prepared for us.

While Stamp Collecting is a fascinating and illuminating hobby which may be enjoyed by all, profiting from it financially requires a high level of knowledge and experience. Neither the stamp trade nor philatelic investment are games for dilettantes. Even experienced collectors can make expensive mistakes at times, and beginners who attempt to purchase stamps in order to re-sell them at a profit without sufficient knowledge very frequently get burned. In order to become a successful "stampselector," it is necessary to "pay one's dues" by becoming an advanced collector first, partly in order to understand how stamp collectors think.

I recommend that the prospective stamp trader, dealer, or investor spend years learning about the hobby before gradually and cautiously entering it as a business.

Minimally, he should join a local stamp club or two ( see the American Philatelic Society's list ) and also consider joining the A.P.S., which currently has about 40,000 members. Benefits of joining include a subscription to their monthly magazine THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST, and access to many useful services. Joining a local club will connect him to the local community of stamp collectors, some of whom will have had many years of experience and be excellent sources of good advice. He should attend local stamp shows every once in a while. He should begin to patronize local stamp dealers, and endeavor to find at least one that he likes and trusts. He should subscribe to LINN'S STAMP NEWS, a weekly stamp newspaper and the largest in the U.S.. Both THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST and LINN'S are full of informative articles and ads - invaluable sources of information.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

I believe that this should give you confidence that he knows his business and will provide the right information to our members.

Quezal – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Is it real?

 

Quezal - Thanks to Jonnsantiques.ca

I was sent pictures of a piece of art glass by a member who was going to attend an auction this weekend and his question was “Is it real?” This is where all that time spent looking at the real thing at antique shows, museums and auctions comes into play. If you can't recognize the quality of an item, the name on it will mean little.

I looked at the pictures and to my eye, it had the quality of a piece of Quezal and on the bottom it looked like it had a button pontil mark which is rare for a fake or reproduction. From this analysis, I was able to tell the gentleman that I would purchase it if the price were cheap enough. By the way it was signed Quezal.

I would hate to tell you how many great pieces of glass I have seen that were marked Tiffany when there was no doubt they were produced by one of the other great producers of art glass. But if the quality was there, I still bought them. It's as if you put a Neiman Marcus label on a coat from the dollar store. Yes, it says Neiman Marcus, but you would have no doubt that the label wasn't original. But if this occurrence happened and the coat was of the best quality, you might say why would someone put the Neiman label on a Bloomingdale coat.

I would like to share a little story with you about marks on glass. I had a very rare and expensive piece of glass that had the tiniest flake on the lip. Not wanting to ruin the piece, I looked into where this piece could be restored without changing its value. I discovered a gentleman who did this type of work in his retirement. He had been responsible for signing some of the most expensive American art glass that was ever produced in this country. I won't give the name of his former company for several reasons. While I was talking to him about my piece, I entered into a conversation with him about marks on glass. Here is what he said. “Don't get carried away by the mark because if you want a coke bottle made by my previous company, bring the bottle to me and I will sign it. Then you will have a bottle made by ++++ and nobody can say it isn't by ++++ because I signed the originals.” Remember that old saying, “It's the economy stupid”? Well in this case, it is about the glass not the signature.

You can purchase great books that will show you most of the glass signatures and one I use over and over is Glass: Art Nouveau to Art Deco by Victor Arwas. This can definitely help, but nothing can serve you as well as holding hundreds if not thousands of pieces of art glass in your own hands. Once you have this knowledge and you are presented with a piece of art glass that others are questioning (thereby reducing the price), you may be able to buy a real treasure at an unbelievable low price. Good for you because the knowledge that allowed this purchase came with many hours of study.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Gertrude Abercrombie – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Treasure in a small package.

 Gertrude Abercrombie - Thanks to Ackland.com

I think it is time to share one of my favorite artists, Gertrude Abercrombie, with you. She was raised with a silver spoon in her mouth on the north shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago. Being primarily self taught, with very little formal training at the University of Illinois, it is a great surprise to me that she has become such a prominent and well respected artist.

Somewhat a rebel, she soon turned to the surreal side of art, probably because of her love of the fantasy world that she often found herself in. Her career with the surreal movement started in the 30's and lasted until the 50's. She was brought up in a staunchly religious house and this contributed to her wild side. Besides surreal art, she was also heavily involved in the jazz movement of the day.

You may well be familiar with some of her traveling mates in the jazz community if you are over 50. Just to mention a few, how about Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughn and Thornton Wilder. Those were the hot names of the jazz movement and if you traveled in their company, you were somebody. I have only found one book about Gertrude Abercrombie, put out in 1991 by the Illinois Museum. Even it is expensive at $123.00.

But the question is why do I like her work so much? First, it has a mystic feel to it and the style is almost primitive. When I see her paintings, my first thought is that Joshua, my eleven year old son, could do them. But only I wish because her paintings bring thousands of dollars. At those prices you would think her canvasses would be large because usually the larger the piece the more higher the price. This, however, isn't true in her case because a painting on board measuring 8 x 10 inches might bring her highest price. In fact one that size could sell for $20,000 or more today and there are listings on AskArt to verify this.

Let me tell you how I got acquainted with her paintings. It is a story that I almost hate to tell. Having read the Pioneer Press, a local paper which lists house sales, I found a sale that had items of interest to me so, up early at the crack of dawn, I prepared for the hunt. Arriving at the house and being one of the first there, I was soon ushered in and the game began. I quickly browsed all the items in the house and found nothing priced where I thought it should be. But preparing to leave, in the corner of my eye, I spied five little, almost miniature, paintings.

Asking the price and receiving my answer I almost wanted to run out of the house. You see they were anywhere from 4 x 5 to perhaps 5 x 8 inches and they were priced between $2000 and $3500. I did ask who the artist was and the clerk said Gertrude Abercrombie, which at that time meant nothing to me. Getting home I just couldn't help myself but to go to my library and see who this Gertrude woman was. Yes, I raced back to the sale but they were all gone and I figured that little lack of knowledge cost me $20,000.

There is, however, one good story. I later bought one of her paintings for about $3000 and sold it for over $7000. Remember the name, Gertrude Abercrombie, because it is possible that you may run across one of her paintings that the owner thinks is just a kid’s painting and have it priced accordingly at the sale.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/

Dianne Zweig – Daryle Lambert’s Antiques and Collectible Blog – A Voice of the People.

C. Dianne Zweig

 

I have been in the antique business for 45 years and in that time I have run into several people that really made me proud to know them. This happened to me just a short while ago when I met C. Dianne Zweig, editor of I Antique On Line, over the internet. I was invited to join the site I Antique On Line.

This site is both informative for and committed to the people who visit it. Your questions will be answered, and by posting on the site, readers can help in solving your problems or provide needed information, if that is what you're asking for.

Readers of her blogs will have their knowledge enhanced and her delivery style is captivating. Her blogs cover not only the current events in our business but also go into topics such as how wonderful it is to be a salt and pepper shaker collector. The site never gets stale and once you enter it you will be compelled to revisit it daily. By the way she is an accomplished author and you can see her many books on the site.

Perhaps what I like most is when she ask her readers opinions. In fact, that is why I am writing this blog. She asked her readers what they thought of the show American Pickers and I just had to jump in with my opinion. It wasn't much later that I received an email from Dianne asking if she could use my response in a blog, which I assured her would be an honor for me. So here's my email and please tell me what you think?

Are The Pickers Ripping People Off ?

NO

This is Daryle Lambert of the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club www.darylelambert.com. I have already written to Antique Week about the Pickers show, but here I go again.

I believe that the biggest winners from the show are those that would let items waste away in their barns, garages or storage units until they saw this show. Then they would think maybe I have something of value and start searching through their items that were destined for the trash heap.

I get tired of the Johnnie do goods who think everybody is taking advantage of someone else. The items that the Pickers are discovering had no value until they found them and the sellers should be appreciative of that fact. The people that are crying are probably the very ones that are taking advantage of others.

It is a great show and I believe it has many years to go. Keep up the great work. Go Pickers.

I hope that many of my readers will join Dianne's site because you will benefit from her knowledge and true understanding of what it takes to be successful in the antique and collectible business. If you are just a collector, it will increase your pleasure in collecting even more.

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Club. Join Us Today http://www.darylelambert.com/