Another Set of Eyes – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Never Too Many

 Who Is On Your List ?

After writing several blogs on collectibles, I would like to mix it up a little and share with you a way to get your message out and turn a huge profit while you're at it. A person must spread him or herself very thin to be successful as an antique and collectible dealer, but is there a better way?

In the past, I have mentioned that I seldom leave a person’s presence without mentioning what I do for a living in some way or another. I follow the same pattern that I use in sharing my faith in God with people, I let them know who I am and then it is up to the other person to ask me questions, if they have any. This has proven very successful for me and I believe it will for you as well.

Here is just one example of how this works. My wife, Vickie, and I were asked to listen to a young couple from a Christian organization that were going to Germany for the mission field. They were looking for sponsors. We listened very intently, and when they were finished, I asked the couple if they knew anything about Meissen porcelain. They said “not really”, so I went upstairs and got my book The Book of Meissen by Robert E. Rontgen and they looked through it. I explained that Meissen was perhaps the greatest porcelain ever made and they could be my eyes for it in Germany, since that was where it was made. I told them next that if they found any at reasonable prices, with us working together, there might be some money to be made for both of us. This really excited them because they were going to be living on a very limited budget. Now I have another set of eyes working for me in Germany.

You might find this interesting also. Eight years ago, I joined a church and the gentleman who interviewed me asked what I did for my living. He was surprised when I shared that I dealt in antiques, art and collectibles. Now, after all these years, he remembered and it looks as if we will be doing business together, just another set of eyes. Networking is the dealer’s best friend and it doesn't cost you a thing.

My friend Henry from California called me on an ad that I was running and asked if I ever ran across California art work. I told him “occasionally”. Not wanting to miss a beat, I asked him if he ever found any Kentucky art or good art glass in California. It wasn't two weeks before he called and asked if I knew an artist named Patty Thum. You may read about her in the three volume book Art Across America by William H. Gerdts. You could have heard my heart start to race because that was one artist that I was personally interested in. It turned out to be perhaps the best piece that I had seen by this artist, with the exception of one in the Speed Museum, and Henry was able to buy it for me for a song. This story doesn't stop there, however, because soon after that he called with a winter scene vase of Daum Nancy. If you're not familiar with Daum, here is a great book for you Glass: Art Nouveau to Art Deco by Victor Arwas. I purchased the vase and my final profit was over $10,000.

I could tell you many more stories, where just asking someone to be my eyes made me a lot of money. It would be hard to guess how many sets of eyes are watching every day for something that I might buy, but it would be in the hundreds. Now, guess what? They do most of the work and we often split the profit, but I could never do the amount of business I do without them.

Here is my question for you. Have you started your network of eyes?

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