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The Question: Is this a Tea Strainer or Tea Caddy Spoon? Daryle Lambeart's Antiques and Collectibles Blog.

Tea Strainer or Tea Caddy Spoon ?

To get the answer go to http://www.darylelambert.com/

Making Money From the Doctor

1930's Dr. Pepper porcelain sign, 10" x 24", sold on eBay for $545

We talked about making money with doctor items yesterday, but when I ask my wife to read that blog she said, “ Why don't you write about my favorite doctor?” This stumped me for a moment until I realized she was talking about “Dr Pepper.” Yes, Vickie is a Pepper and proud of it. So, today, I’m dedicating this blog to her.

To please her, I’ll share a brief history of Dr. Pepper: Charles Alderton was the one who discovered the formula for this popular drink, back in 1885, when he was a soda jerk for Morrison’s Old Corner Store in Waco, Texas. It soon became very popular with the local customers, so much so, that the store had a hard time keeping up with the demand. Mr. Alderton wanted to name the new soda, “Waco, ” but he was overridden by the store owner, Mr. Morrison, who named the drink after a friend by the name of Dr. Pepper. The Dr. Pepper company was formed in 1891, and its product was introduced to the world in 1904 at the Worlds Fair. It's the oldest major manufacturing company of soft drink concentrates and syrups in the United States.

Wow! That was a mouth full, but now, how can begin to make money with this information? There millions of people around the world that now call themselves ”Peppers” and wouldn't think of drinking any other soda. Doesn’t it make sense that some of them would be collectors? This is where you come in by finding the early and rare items produced by the Dr Pepper Company and selling them to the collectors.

The large tin signs from yesteryear are sought after and command prices in the upper hundreds to the lower thousands. Then, there are the early bottles and advertising, plus advertising glasses and calendars. The array of items that are out there to be found is almost without number, and they can help put money in your pocket.

I remember the time I saw an early Dr. Pepper advertising tin surrounding an outdoor thermometer sell for several thousand dollars, and I had seen the very same piece at a garage sale priced at $10. Boy, did I feel foolish for having passed that by.

The lesson to be learned here is that we don't have to make this business difficult. Just look for items representing products from you past, and that you’ve seen your friends using. There are collectors for just about everything you can imagine. And you can probably check this out for yourself by doing a search on the Internet.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

Daryle's 220 Page Book,
31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your Membership.
Plus You Get FREE MENTORING with Daryle.
Join Today!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

New Treasures Uncovered Following Financial Market Fallout

Several photos of a gold gilded compote with a glass insert came to me in my e-mail yesterday. The bottom mark read Pairpoint. While I’ve seen many pieces from this company before, I’d never seen one like this before. One particular photo really got my attention, because it was shot under a black light. You might wonder why the woman who sent me these photos shot it under a black light, but if you’ve kept up with my blogs, you would already know the answer. You see, under these lights, the glass insert gave off a fluorescent glow because it’s Vaseline Glass. This is a great way to test for Vaseline Glass, or simply take it into a dark closet.

As the financial markets continue to girate, I’m getting calls from people looking to sell some of the valuable items they’ve collected, like the Harvey Joiner painting I was called on. This is a large one, measuring 17” x 27” in a G.W. Baker frame. The sellers asking price was a little rich for my blood, but now I know who has it, should the right customer come along from my end. It’s important to keep track of the items you pass by, especially because of price. You never know when you’ll cross paths with someone who’d be the perfect customer for a piece like that, or what circumstances might cause the seller to accept a different offer.

Cindy and I have listed the new pieces 31 Club members have sent us, and they are now for sale in the gallery and marketplace. If you haven’t taken a look at what we have yet, why not do that now? You might just see something a customer has asked you to watch for, or you might find a nice Holiday Gift for someone very special.

Paintings in our gallery are getting tremendous exposure through Askart, and we are getting tremendous viewer response. This is just one of many features this club is bringing you at no cost to its members. The fee for the full line of services on Askart is over $200 per month, and you have full use of them by simply emailing us at info@31corp.com. Through our subscription on Askart, you’ll be privy to the most recent auction prices on a particular artist. Kind of like a real estate comparable the realtors use when determining the value of your house.

We’ve always got an open line to our members, so if you have any questions, or just want to call to say “hey”, don’t hesitate to do so.

Treasure Hunters:

You Find It.
We Buy & Sell It.
You Net 35%.

Partner Up with 31 Club on High Quality Treasures You Find. We Do the Rest!!

Sellers:

Sell Your High Quality Items for LOW FEES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.
Keep More of Your Money.

Buyers:

Buy High Quality Items for FAIR PRICES
at 31 Gallery & Marketplace.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Professionals
Making More Money than they Thought Possible.

Daryle's 220 Page Book,
31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your Membership.
Plus You Get FREE MENTORING with Daryle.
Join Today!

Or E-Mail us at info@31corp.com

Happy Birthday to Us

It’s hard to believe, but yesterday marked our 365th consecutive Blog. Where has the time gone?

I will say it has been one of the most enjoyable times of my life. God has truly blessed me by having come to know so many wonderful people over this last year. You, my readers, have added unlimited joy to my life by sharing not only yourself but your families with me. I’d be remiss if I didn't give you credit for all the things you’ve taught me over this past year.

We, your staff at the 31 Club, try diligently to bring you relative information on a daily basis, but I have to confess. I think that we learn more from you than you do from us.

I got a little chuckle yesterday while Cindy was helping me find the photo for the Vienna Bronzes Blog. She’d been looking for Bergman photos when she saw some photos that resembled a bronze piece that’s been passed down in her family and sits in her bookcase. She called me all excited and said, “Daryle, I think I have one of these Bergman pieces. It’s a man on a prayer rug. Do you think it’s a real Bergman?”
“Well, what does it say,” I asked her?

“It has the Bergman foundry mark.”

Then, with a little laugh I said, “I guess it must be.” As you can tell, we do have fun working together.

My wife Vickie has always told me I am the most impatient person she has ever met, and Jeremy confirmed that last night. I told him I had announced that the Online Spread Sheet for club members was in its final stage of testing, and I believed that. However, Jeremy informed me that it’s the the 31 Gang’s Spread Sheet that should be posted by the first of the week, but it’s going to take him a little longer to finish programming our site so that members can create their own Online Spread Sheet on our site. The Wish list will follow that.

I can report to you that the Associates Program is a huge success, and we are receiving daily requests to research items to be included in this program. I hope that more of you will see the importance of the Associated Program, and realize how much money it can put in your pocket. The biggest user by for of this program has been the “31 Gang” and you will see this once the Spread Sheet is posted.

We’ll be sending out a press release soon that will tell all we’ve done together. There has never been a company in the Antique and Fine Art industry that has combined all the elements together like the 31 Club has, to ensure that every member of he Club has an opportunity to succeed beyond their imagination. Thank you for making this year so wonderful for me and your staff. If you wouldn't mind, I would even like to sign this one. DARYLE

Antique Coffee Grinders for Coffee Connoisseurs

The 1870 Enterprise No. 3 antique coffee grinder sold on eBay for $870

If you have a flair for the extravagant, why are you using an inexpensive coffee grinder on that very expensive gourmet coffee you just purchased? With a Starbucks on every corner, and their top of the line coffee beans available in several supermarkets, don’t you think your house should be equipped with the most expensive grinder you could find? You won’t find these grinders in stores like Macy’s, Nordstrom’s or Neiman Marcus, however. You’ll find them in Antique Shops and at Farm Sales.

The home grinders rolled out around 1894, and even though they lasted for just a short time, they had a pronounced impact on daily living. Grinders were all but forgotten by the 1940’s, but the love for coffee has since then been renewed, and most people can’t get through a day without a cup. Since Starbucks came around, I believe in the 1980’s, coffee connoisseurs are no longer satisfied with making their daily brew from coffee already ground in a can.

So how expensive can antique coffee grinders run? These simple items have become very collectible, and people are paying top dollar for the rare ones. The Enterprise No. 12, with an eagle finial and a painted decal may bring over $5,000 today. Now, that should grind some serious coffee. And, there are others to watch for as well. I’ve talked about Griswold cast iron in past blogs, but did you know Griswold made a coffee grinder that is one of their most rare pieces? At one time, I had one of the largest collections of Griswold in the South, but I never found the coffee grinder.

The most popular grinders are the Enterprise grinders. The no. 9 will bring over $1,500 while the Enterprise Mfg. Co. Philadelphia grinder should net you a hefty $1,750 or more. You might have seen coffee grinders at sales you attended but never gave them a second thought. Even the small wooden ones can bring in a fair amount of money, if they have writing on them. Grinders with advertising written on them will be another plus for any grinder.

You just woke up and smelled the coffee. These grinders are real treasures. Keep your eyes open for these special items when you attend garage sales, estate sales and auctions. A collector will be glad you found one.

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.

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.

Out Of Season Items Found At Garage Sales & House Sales Can Pay You Top Dollar

This Hermes Black Leather Handbag sold on eBay for $1,399 May 20, 2008

I love to buy things at sales that could be labeled “out of season.” Christmas ornaments, tins and toys have a tendency to turn up at summer house sales and garage sales and can be excellent buys. These items don’t necessarily have to be vintage or antique to have great resale value, however, when you come across a vintage or antique Santa Clauses, these may be truly great finds.

True Collectors Will Always Pay Top Dollar for the Right Item Any Time of the Year

Many people believe these holiday items lose their value after the holidays, but nothing could be further from the truth. So, as the warm breezes blow, and people bring out their new and old Holiday decorations, true collectors and dealers are on the lookout. You see, the true collectors, dealers and bargain hunters have no seasons when it comes to valuable items. Collectors will always pay top dollar for the right item no matter what the season. Let this summer season play into your hand.

Clothing, Handbags and Accessories

As garage doors and front doors in your area open to the public to shop, know that clothing and accessories can be great collectibles. Many will pay handsomely for the right designer dress, vintage dress, handbag or piece of costume jewelry and fall/winter items bring in the most money. Prepare yourself by researching on the Internet. Take a look at some books at the library or at the bookstore. Know some of the construction details of designer handbags so you’ll be able to spot “the real McCoy” from the ‘Knockoff.” 1950’s and 1960’s clothing, accessories and furniture styles are big trends now and in demand now, so keep your eyes open.

Great Buys Are Great Buys – Even If They’re Not Classified as Antique or Collectible

The sun shines, the weather warms and for some reason, people think it’s not going to snow anymore. Look in the garage and see if there’s any good mechanical equipment, like a good snowblower. Acquired at a bargain price, it can be resold for a good profit. Buying and selling with the 31 Club plan doesn’t only have to pertain to antiques and collectibles. Maybe there’s a great generator lurking in the corner or a fabulous set of tools. I once bought a great generator for $250 and sold it for $1,500. In my book, that qualifies as a great buy, even if it wasn’t an antique or collectible. If a true bargain comes your way, by all means, take advantage of it.

Winter sporting equipment may come your way at very reasonable prices over the spring and summer. I’ve written on these types of items before, so browse back through the archives. Sporting equipment can put some unexpected money in your pocket.

I’ve even bought and sold cars that would qualify to be part of our plan. When I was in college, I found a car sitting on a used car lot in Beaver Dam, Kentucky. It was a 1953 MG TD. They didn’t know what they had, only figured someone could get it serviced to get it working properly. I bought it for a pittance, and they were glad to get rid of it. I was certainly glad to be its new owner. I drove it for a while, but sold it after my son was born. Besides needing a car with more room, I needed some money! I sold the car for a great price to a lawyer who wanted to restore it and made myself $2,000. Back in 1960, that was a lot of money.

Take advantage of the large number of garage sales, yard sales, and house sales popping up this season. And, always be on the lookout for a real bargain, even if it’s not an antique.

Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club, today. Rub elbows with like-minded 31 Club Members, and Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to Make High Profits and Continue to Grow Your Money Buying and Selling Antiques, Fine Art, and Collectibles. Newbies to Seasoned Dealers.

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

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

http://www.31corp.com/

Associate Program Purchases Rare Document Found by 31 Club Member

31 Club Member, Cecil R, has two watercolor paintings listed on eBay of American Artist Charles Partridge Adams.


Great News for all our members! A Patrick Henry signed document was successfully purchased through the Associates Program when a 31 Club Member called us after having located it, not able to make the purchase himself.

This the very first purchase made through our Associates Program. If you remember your history, Patrick Henry was an advocate for the American Revolution and famous for his "Give me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech. Our research shows this document to be valued at approximately $8,500, and we purchased it for $1,200.

I feel certain that this is just the beginning of many successful transactions between members and the Club.

As a Member of the 31 Club, the Associates Program May be the Greatest Asset You Have.

The program can immediately take you out of the lower end market, enabling you to havethe high end antique & collectible markets within your reach. When you locate high end items you’re not comfortable taking the financial risk on, that's the time to call us and explore using the Associates Program. We''ll evaluate the item, and if we believe the risk is worth it, we'll handle the purchase and the sale, and you'll benefit. With your eyes and our knowledge, we can all accomplish great things together and meet our financial goals.

31 Club Wish List

We’re working on getting the Wish List completed on our website, and not a moment too soon. Everyday we get calls about all kinds of items. Remember the Blog I wrote about Sugar Chests? I’ve got an e-mail about a sugar chest yesterday. I also received a list of Dresden and Meissen from an owner who's ready to sell it. Once we get the Wish List completed, I’m hoping these e-mails and calls will be directly between members.

Be thinking about what three items you would want to post on your wish list. Jeremy is working on a program that will work effectively to handle this.

The Latest Club Member Buys

I’m so excited to see so many of you getting out there and really extending yourselves in the search for treasure. William just purchased a Mexican oil painting for $40 whose value before the research could be about $500. The palette and the frame of this painting makes this a real winner, and if we can find out who the artist is, it can be worth considerably more.

Two Charles Partridge Adams paintings were purchased by Cecil R., who now has them listed on eBay. In less than three days, the price is over $1,200.

This Antique & Collectibles Season Has Started Out With a Bang, as People Unload Their Homes of Excess Items.

I’ve been receiving auction circulars and estate sale listings from our members wanting my guidance, and boy – I wish I could attend all these really great events. Hunting season should prove very fruitful this year. I’m more convinced than ever before that there is no limit to what each one of you can accomplish if you simply abide by the plan presented in our book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles. And when we all network together, our financial dreams can become reality.

Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club, today. Rub elbows with like-minded 31 Club Members, and Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to Make High Profits and Continue to Grow Your Money Buying and Selling Antiques, Fine Art, and Collectibles. Newbies to Seasoned Dealers.

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

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

http://www.31corp.com/

Selling Antiques, Collectibles & Fine Art Part II: Where to Sell Common, Everyday Items

What do you do when the item you want to sell isn’t worth a fortune? Placing it on a shelf and waiting for someone to come and find it isn’t the answer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t make money with a shop or booth at a mall, but we’re aiming in a different direction. We’re aiming to transform our lives into a life of wealth secured over time. This simply can’t be achieved today by waiting for customers to find your item.

In today’s business environment, waiting for customers will limit you tremendously, and hamper your prosperity. It’s completely opposite of the guidelines I write about in my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, and opposite the guidelines 31 Club Members follow to build wealth buying and selling antiques, fine art and collectibles. I’d compare the “waiting for customers” thinking that some have to those who think the horse and buggy will be the transportation for the future. Today, you must market your items where they best fit.

Where to Sell Your Antique, Collectible, and Fine Art Items

Today, there are many places you could choose to market your more common and less valuable antiques & collectibles. Let's tackle the biggest fish first, eBay, and then some of the others.

Ebay
Without this company, I wouldn't be in the Antique Business today, but I only use them on a “when needed” basis. I’ll explain. After I’ve researched an item, if I still don’t know its identity, then I list it on eBay. You see, with the following eBay has, nothing listed there will go totally unnoticed. The pros will see it listed, and even though it might not bring retail, my item will get a fair price. Yes, eBay’s commissions have skyrocketed, but if you use it selectively, not listing items that more than likely won’t sell, this is still a good venue to use. But, listing items that have a high probability of not selling will eat up your profits on the items that do sell. It cost money to list, and it’s not as inexpensive on eBay as it once was. With the kind of items I buy, eBay is usually my last resort, and as you ascend the steps of our program and are buying and selling more rare and valuable items, you will use it less and less as well. I will, however, use eBay to sell when they feature a special – like no listing fees. Then, I jump all over it.

Local Auctions
Local Auctions are a good place to sell your antique & collectible items that aren’t worth a fortune or are not very rare. Our goal of turning our money quickly can be better achieved if you know your local auction houses and their schedules. When you’re aware of their schedules, the time between buying an item and selling it will be shortened when you know what Auction House is holding the very next sale. This will keep your money moving for you.

Second, when you use the auction houses regularly, they will negotiate a better commission rate with you. So get to know the people who run the auctions and begin building a relationship with them. These are great relationships to have, and let them know if there’s something special you like to buy. I use Direct Auction in Chicago, and one features that I really like about them is how quickly they pay you. If your sells on Tuesday, they pay you on Friday. Now you can't beat that. This has made them one of the most active auction houses in town, offering an auction every other week.

House Sale
Believe it or not one of the best ways to reduce your inventory is by having a House Sale or Garage Sales. If the idea is to sell what you have and not put it back in inventory, prices must be fair. I wouldn’t recommend doing this more than twice a year because people will stop coming if you do. My rule of thumb is that I don’t do this type of sale unless I think I have enough merchandise to bring in more than $5,000. I’d be giving up a weekend of buying to have this kind of sale, and so for me, It simply isn’t worth the work for less than that.

Newspaper Ads
These have been successful for me, however they can be quite expensive.
Piggybacking with Dealer in Their Booth. Helping a Dealer with heir booth at a major show, if they will let you, can give you the opportunity to put a few of your items in the booth. This can prove very profitable. I did this at the O’Hare Show one time and it brought me in $20,000 without having any expenses.

Consigning Items to a Dealer
You can pay a commission to other dealers who sell your items to their customers. This commission should be between 10% and 20%.

Selling When You Can
I purchased a set of plates for under $200 at a house sale one time. It was a good buy, and I listed them on eBay, hoping to get perhaps $400 or $500. Almost immediately, I got an e-mail from a man in Connecticut who asked me if I would edit the listing and put a “Buy It Now” on them. I told me that I wouldn’t, but if he could tell me what the plates are worth, I might consider it. He hesitated at first, but then told me they were worth $2,500, but he could only pay $1,250 for them. I said, “Sold.” I changed the listing, and he bought them. Are you wondering why I took the $1,250 when I could have gotten more? He had the customer. I didn’t. And besides that, I had just met an honest man.

REMEMBER: GOOD THINGS SELL THEMSELVES.

Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club, today. Rub elbows with like-minded 31 Club Members, and Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to Make High Profits and Continue to Grow Your Money Buying and Selling Antiques, Fine Art, and Collectibles. Newbies to Seasoned Dealers.

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

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

How To Sell Your Antique, Collectible & Fine Art Items To Quickly Turn Your Money

I received an email from Michael B., a member of the 31 Club, thanking me for all the information provided by the blog, however, he asked for more information on selling the items purchased. But Well, Michael B., your request is my honor to answer.

Selling is the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place. However, it is the one part of the puzzle that requires the least amount of time and research. You might be surprised by that statement. I am often asked, “I know I can buy the item, but what’s my guarantee I can sell it?” When I’m asked that, I tell them they’re on the wrong side of the dog. Why?

When you buy any antique, collectible or piece of fine art following the rules for buying I wrote about in 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, customers will be lined up at your door. I don’t say this to minimize the importance of selling, rather to stress the importance of buying. If an items is purchased right, according to the criteria I’ve set up in my book, selling doesn’t become a big issue. I can tell you in just a few paragraphs how to sell. But, making good buys is something you’ll be learning for the rest of your life and is the far more important component. With that said, let’s set some rules for selling so we can get the biggest bang for our buck.

Working From a Collectors List is Essential For Your Success

If you’ve sold items before and haven’t kept a list of who you’ve sold to and what they bought or what they buy, begin assembling this Collectors List now.

When you attend local auctions and house sales, notice who purchases rare items or shows an interest in rare and collectible items. Engage them in conversation and introduce yourself. Remember, I’ve said in the past that this business is about relationships. When you take the time to learn about other people, you’ll be able to add them to your list of collectors. This is so important, because this list will provide you the best market for selling your items you’ll ever find, and it will be right at your fingertips. Private Sales between you and a collector is the ideal way to sell your items, however, it you might not know someone for every item you come across. Then, you’ll need to consider other means of selling.

An Auction House List Helps Make You Make Knowledeable

Note what auction companies set high records and keep a list of those companies. One of the things I do is cut out articles from AntiqueWeek, Maine Antique Digest, and Antique Trader about items that have set high records, making a note of the auction company who made the sale. I then put it in a clip file that my 9-year-old son, Joshua helps to maintain. This way, if I come across a similar item, this company will be a possible place to consider selling through.

The Necessity of Trade Subscriptions

Antique Week, Maine Antique Digest and Antique Trader all carry articles about auction results, so I’d get a subscription. I follow auction results of some of the larger specialty auction houses like Treadway Galleries, Rago Arts & Auction Center & Cincinnati Art Galleries for pottery and glass. Find the specialty auction houses for the items that interest you, as well. I also start a file on Doll Auctions, Toy Auctions and so on. This way, I won't have to search long for the right place to sell my items.

Deciding Where to Sell Your Antique & Collectible Item

If you don’t have a collector on your list for your particular item, you can research collectors on the Internet and contact them. If you don’t come up with a collector for your piece, now deciding where to sell your item requires you ask this question: Is this item rare enough to place it in a standard auction, a specialty auction house, or something like eBay.

Major auction houses today are only looking for an item $20,000 and over. So, where does your item fall? With these houses charging 25 % commission and as high as 25 % buyers premium, before you go this route your item had better be very special. If you are fortunate enough to find an item in this price range, specialty auction houses are very appealing.

For example, I found the Rookwood lamp recently, and had to decide where I’d sell it. I decided it would go to the Cincinnati Art Galleries for their November auction because I know they have set all the auction records on Rookwood pieces.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Blog. We’ll be studying other ways to profit from all our hard work.

More and more members are sending in their stories to me, and I will publish them as fast as I can. If you haven’t sent in yours, why not do that today?

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

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

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

Today's Links:

31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles
Insider Secrets to Sucessfully Working in Antique, Collectible and Fine Art Markets


Trade Magazines:

Antique Trader
Antique Trade Gazette (U.K.)
Antique Week
Maine Antique Digest

Members Getting Active and Making Money Buying and Selling Antiques, Fine Art & Collectibles

Robert Woods Painting 36 x30 Framed. Oil on Canvas. 1 of 2 Woods paintings available for sale at 31 Marketplace. $12,500.


Correction: Well, I did it again. In my enthusiasm over our new antique, fine art and collectible marketplace, I rushed our announcement before it was actually ready to be announced. You see, I’m not a genius in the techie world, and I misunderstood what Jeremy, our tech advisor, was telling me. Most of you probably know that I’m rather technologically challenged, so this should come as no surprise to you.

I knew I could list, but I didn’t understand that it wouldn’t be live until Sunday. So, yesterday, I spent a lot of time listing new items to our marketplace that will be viewable on Sunday. Another 50 are waiting in the wings.

31 Club Member Makes a Great Collectible Find with Huge Profit

The market aside, this was a special day in many ways. First, I received a call from an interesting young lady by the name of Laura R. She traveled over 200 miles to attend an auction because the paper stated this auction was all day long. When she arrived at the house, she was surprised to see so many oriental items she knew nothing about. She didn’t want to return empty handed, so she bought several Buddha and Hindu items. Her gasoline bill was larger than the amount she spent on these items. She figured that you can’t buy much for $35 these days, so she took her chances.

Since she wasn’t too excited about the items upon returning home, Laura waited a couple of days before she listed them on eBay. Are you setting down? As of this date, she’s received over $3,000 for this little box of goodies. Her first item sold for $1,840, the second for $450 and the third for $250. , as of this date she has received 0ver $3000 for this little box of goodies. The first one she sold brought $1840, the next $450 and the third $250.

Believe it or not, I think that she might even have a few more of these items to sell. If she had been in the Million Dollar Race she would have completed over six steps in the race on that one purchase alone. I know that some of you have stories that match this one, so please send them in so I can publish yours.

31 Club Associates Program in Action, Bidding on Fine Art Paintings

The next call I received was from William, a club member who spotted some wonderful Robert Wood paintings that will be at an upcoming house sale where he lives. Since this purchase will be out of his budget range, he’s going through the Associates Program to make a bid on these paintings. That means he’s partnering up with 31 Club in a cooperative effort to purchase these pieces. 31 Club will handle the bidding, and if we are successful in acquiring them, 31 Club will handle the re-sale. A very handsome percentage of the sale will go to William just for spotting them and calling us.

By working with the 31 Club you, too, can advance to the higher end items by simply simply taking advantage of the Associates Program.

Whether it’s pottery, glass, paintings or whatever you spot that is beyond your budget, by calling us and purchasing with the help of the Associates Program, you'll start accumulating money for your account.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

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

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

Antiques & Collectibles Road Trip Means Fun and Profit

Going to my grandsons’ college graduation party in Kentucky this weekend won’t stop me from hitting all the antique malls or shops along the way. It might take me a little bit longer to get to the party, but I’ll sure have fun along the way. I’ll be making this trip alone, so stopping won’t be an issue brought up for vote. I love it! Wouldn’t it be something if I found a treasure even before I arrived in Kentucky?

Antiques Out of Place for the Region Can Prove to Be Very Well Priced.

So what will I be looking for? Something out of place, of course. Paintings are first on my list. Unless they are regional and from the area, paintings don’t do to well in this area of the country. Maybe I’ll find a California or New York Painting at a bargain price. Pottery? Well, the Mid-West is pottery heaven so I’m not pinning my hopes on a great piece of pottery. Political Memorabilia is a good possibility. Killary was just in Kentucky and I believe Bill Clinton was recently in my hometown, Owensboro.

Are you beginning to get the jest of how I think? This process will save you a lot of time once you've begun your trip.

I missed a great auction there last week, but I’ll be looking in on old friends to see how they’re doing. While I’m there, I’ll ask if they have anything I might buy from them that might do well in Chicago.

Cecil is the first person I hope to find because he always has some of he better things set back. I’ve been able to persuade him to let a few of them go to me, in the past. I’ll also be looking in my friend Owen’s “Spend-a-Buck“ Antique shop for some goodies.

In Kentucky, the expensive items seem to be more reasonably priced than what I’ve come to expect in Chicago. There seems to be an order to the way Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art sell.

The Same Item in Different Regions of The Country Can Have Different Values

I used to set up at the O'Hare Antique Show with some of my friends, and it amazed me that the New York and European dealers would buy most of what I had brought to the show before the public had a chance to see it. I wondered how they could pay my prices and still think they had a bargain. But I learned that the same item can have a different value depending on where it’s being offered.

My friends, Doris & Mike, who sell a lot of vintage bakelite jewelry, have buyers from New York gobbling up their pieces, because they believe the prices are incredibly reasonable compared to the New York prices.

If you’ve read my book, you’ll remember the painting I drove all the way to Christies in New York to auction, because I’d get a better price for it in New York than in Chicago. The painting was estimated to bring three times as much in New York as it would in Chicago, and that’s exactly what happened. Primitives sell very well in New York, and as I was driving, I recall wishing I had some great primitives I could have brought with me. Had I had these items, I knew they wouldn’t be making the return trip with me.

Qualify Your Family Vacation or Trip as a Business Trip

Hunting for Antiques & Collectibles along the way to my grandsons’ party enables me to do business along the way, and is in essence, a business trip I can expense. Fun and Profit – the two greatest words I know besides the one I use to pray.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

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

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

Negotiating Your Best Deal on Leftover Estate Sale, House Sale, and Auction Items

What's your next move if there are items you want to buy at a house or garage sale, but prices are firm and more than you want to pay?

Do you walk away in search of greener pastures? Absolutely not.
You make a lower offer and see if it’s accepted. What’s the worst that can happen? Someone might say “no”?

Do you just pay the asking price? Of course not. That’s breaking all our established rules for success, as well as a guarantee failure will soon be your partner.

Yesterday, a 31 Club Member called me facing these choices. He had been at a house sale and found many upper end items the first day of a sale, but prices were firm that day. A 24” x 36” pastoral painting interested him, but he could only describe some of the things I would need to know if I was going to make a phone assessment of the piece. Since prices were firm, I advised him to return to the sale the next day, bringing his camera along. So, back to the sale he went the next day.

Oh, Boy! It’s Leftover Time. Leftover Estate Sale Items Can Be Your Ticket to Success.

Hooray! The painting was still there, and its price had been reduced from $400 to $200. He shot some photos of it, and sent them to me via e-mail. I looked at those pictures, and I realized he had found a treasure. In fact, I had just sold a much smaller painting similar in subject matter to this one; cattle and a stream backed up by beautiful mountains. And, his painting appeared to be better quality than mine, and it was twice the size. Who knows what this might bring in? My painting brought in $2,600 in an Evansville, Indiana sale.

After I looked at these pictures, I got him back on the phone and asked to speak to the lady conducting the sale. We had some light conversation, and then I asked if she could possibly take $100 for the painting. She agreed! No other takers were waiting in line for this piece, and the sale was ending. The company had done the best they could do, and $100 was their best offer. End of story. Or, is it?

31 Club Free Mentoring and The Associates Program is Worth Countless Bucks in Your Pocket.

Along with my offer of $100, I asked if there were other items not sold. And there were many. In fact, several paintings were left behind; their signatures impossible to read. That is – impossible to read for the person who’d not seen these signatures before. Remember, Knowledge is King, and that where 31 Club comes in. You see, tomorrow, our member is returning to photograph and e-mail me photos of the leftover items.

Depending upon what’s leftover, we’ll make an offer at a price we like. Although this member might not have the funds to purchase all the leftover items we like, the 31 Club Associates Program will buy those items that are beyond his budget, handle the sale, and share a good percentage of the profit with him. It’s a win-win deal for both of us, and we’ll make it possible for the sales agent to close the sale without having any leftover items in inventory to dispose of. That's win-win-win. The sales conductor will be quite happy, and there could be a few great treasures in there for us. The Associates Program is available to 31 Club Members only, so join today, if you’ve been sitting on the fence.

A Rejection is Just a Problem You Haven’t Found a Solution For.

I ask all 31 Club members to think outside the box. You’ll discover that situations aren’t as they first seem to be, and with a little creativity, you can turn this to your advantage. Countless times, I made offers on items that were rejected, but I continued to shop the sale and found other things to my liking. Before settling up, I’d go back to the items whose offers were rejected and ask, “Why don’t you throw that piece in for what I offered because of the amount of money I’m spending with you.” Very simple, and it almost always works.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

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

The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Antiques & Collectibles: Buy What You Can Sell

"Casablanca" movie poster sold for $23,000 in March of 2006 through Heritage Auction Galleries (http://www.ha.com/)

What is the true value of an item? This is the most important question that can be answered for you in the Antique, Collectible and Fine Art business. Being able to understand what creates an item’s value will save you unlimited pain and loss in the future.

There are many areas within the collectible business and several of these areas you will want to avoid at all cost. So, before you get started, you’ll want to scratch them from your want list because they will likely not create profit for you, regardless of their price.

Franklin Mint items are tops on the list. I once saw a young man with Franklin Mint collectibles that he had paid over $30,000 for turn around and sell them to a dealer at $1500 – and the dealer still lost money. This is also true of the collector plates, most often sold on the Bradford exchange. Today, these plates are listed at ten cents on the dollar of their original selling price.

I’ve had to learn some valuable lessons in these area myself. I once attended a large auction in Louisville, and I couldn’t help myself when a set of twelve plates came to the block. I had researched them and found they had originally sold for $3,600. I won the plates with my bid of $400, and I was sure I had found a treasure that day. I kept them for many years, and after moving to Chicago, I thought I’d test the water on my great buy, so I listed them at a local auction. They sold for only $300. The only way I could justify my $100 loss was to tell myself that at least I hadn’t lost as much as the first buyer.

Another market that hasn't done so well for me is the Movie Poster Market. You can look in the Kovel's price guide for Movie Posters and find prices for many posters as high as $5,000 or more. However, I am very familiar with prices that reach tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands for the most rare posters. Heritage Auction Galleries auctions movie posters and recently, a Bride of Frankenstein poster sold in the high 300,000's. The movie poster market is a very controlled market, and a poster getting anywhere near the posted price is nearly impossible. Go to any dealer that specializes in Movie Posters and ask the price for a rather rare one they are showing. Return later to the booth and tell them you have one of those posters, and I will almost guarantee you they won’t give you a price. I do think that some movie posters are wonderful, but we are in the business of making money. If you buy something and can't sell it at a reasonable price, then you must go on to the next item.

For the consumer, Galleries selling works of unlisted artists might be the most unfair market that I know of. There isn't ever a secondary market for this type of art work that I can find, and after it’s bought, the paintings will only have a value similar to other decorative art items.

I once was call to a house by a woman who needed money for a surgery. She showed me a painting that her father-in-law had gifted to them, having paid over $18,000 for the painting at the time. Many phone calls later to auction houses and galleries, I was finally able to sell it for $1,000 to a buyer. (He did me a personal favor by buying it.) If the artist isn't listed or the painting doesn’t have a record of its history, pass on it and go to the next item.

The final area of items to stay away from is Limited Prints. If the prints aren't signed by the artist, I have no interest in them. Unsigned prints are a dime a dozen and are to be avoided at all cost. The framing will be more valuable usually than the print. Signed prints are a different story. Most of the prints you find will be signed within the print. But, what you’re looking for is where they have been signed after the print has been produced. So on most of these they will have a double signature and usually one will be in pencil.

While you’re on the lookout for valuable antique and collectible treasure, keep these three words in mind: Secondary, Secondary, and Secondary. I repeat it three times so you’ll not forget it – ever. If there’s an item you are considering and you don’t know if there is a secondary market for it, let someone else have it and save your money for a better buy.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Antique Furniture Part II - Arts & Crafts Furniture and Modern Design Furniture

Charles and Ray Eames LCW, red aniline-dyed molded birch plywood chair in excellent condition, signed with foil Herman Miller label, sold for $2,000 at Treadway Galleries, May 4, 2008

Yesterday, I shared about European and Early American chairs, but if I was starting to take an interest in furniture today, it would be in the Arts and Crafts Furniture and the Modern Design pieces. This is where the trend is, and that is where we want to be.

Arts and Crafts is already well into the trend, but I think there is still a lot to go. Names like Stickley, Frank Lloyd Wright and Limbert are going to grace our homes for a long time. The young collectors seem to be drawn to this style, so don't try to fight a trend.

Places to find out more about the Arts and Crafts design era is to view catalogs from Rago Arts and Auction and Treadway Galleries. These two houses seem to be the trendsetters for the Arts and Crafts market. There you will find true values for the chairs and other furniture and objects of art that were produced during this period. They have some of the finest art pottery pieces of this time period, as well. If you get a chance to visit one of their auctions, you’ll get an education that is well worth the time. Buying a few of their back catalogs to use as a source of reference will be a superb addition to your library. Study their websites. They list their sales and even the results of their sales. What a great way to become educated at no cost.

Most of the items that bring the big bucks are made of oak and have a rather straight, minimalistic design, but you can find ones made of mahogany and birdseye maple. These can have a branded mark or cellophane label. Often the cellophane labels are missing, and so unscrupulous people have even reproduced these labels and placed them on items that are nowhere like the items they claim to be.

The area that I am least familiar with is the Modern 20th Century Design Movement. However, when I look at some of the Wright Auction catalogs, I know that it is time for me to step up to the plate and get an education in this area. This market seems to be lead by certain designers and you must know their names and designs. If you do the rewards will be tremendous.

Modern 20th Century Design are those objects of art, lighting, and furniture from about 1920 through the present time, and they continue to be a hot commodity in the collectibles world, especially for the younger generation who grew up during the time period of these great designers.

A lady whose home I went to shared a story about the time she and her husband started house keeping in the 50”s. Today, she was ready to change the way she was living and a friend suggested she call Wright Auctions to get an idea of the values of the items she was tired of. The auction house representative came, and she could see the excitement in their eyes. They hauled off furniture she would have gladly sold for a few thousand dollars. Later, after their auction, she received a check for well over $100,000 from Wright. Now that would be what I consider finding a treasure, even if I had owned it all the time.

Furniture, lighting, and art objects from the top designers of this time have been copied, often rather badly, but it is the designer pieces of this time that are considered works of art, commanding top prices in today’s marketplace. No one has changed the world of Modern Design Furniture and Objects of Art as much as Wright Auction House.

In 2000, founders Richard Wright and his wife, Julie Thoma Wright opened the doors of their auction business, specializing in items from this period. Their business creativity drastically changed the face of business in this area of the market. Julie Thomas Wright, we are sorry to say, has recently passed away, but it was her visionary ideas for this business that propelled this company forward to become today’s standard for Modern Design Collectibles. Today, Wright Auctions is known internationally as the spot to go for the best of these designer items.

This area of Antiques and Collectibles can be the turning point in your career as a buyer and seller. To really make some serious money, spend time studying the Modern movement. Call Wright Auction and ask how to get up to date in your knowledge of this movement. They will be glad to share with you because they want new people to appreciate modern design and this is where they make their money. Call them at 1-312-563-0020, and they might even have a few old catalogs to share with you.

For those who are following my book and have joined the 31 Club, dealing in these more rare and valuable items is the direction we move toward, step-by-step. You might still be working the lower end steps at the moment, but when you stick with it, continuing to complete each step, soon enough you will find yourself in the position to be buying rare and high end items. Knowledge about these designer items will expand the areas in which you can trade.

Most of my readers know, as a rule, I don’t deal in antique furniture. I’m not much interested in dealing with bulky items that require more than myself to transport, nor do I want to keep the kind of storage space furniture requires. But, I must say, in this case, I’m seriously considering making an exception for some of these fine pieces and the prices they can bring in.

Prices for items by well known designers and artists like Vladimir Kagan, George Nakashima, Ponti, and Paul Evans, can bring in amounts of $40,000 to well over $150,000. You might not recognize these names right now, but I hope you will in the future. If you ran across any of these items in a house sale right now, I doubt you would recognize them, and you’d be passing on a find that could make a big difference in your life.

Tomorrow I'll continue to examine the furniture market. This study should take at least the rest of this week, but you should be picking up ideas for future study. One way is to get a great cup of coffee at your local book store and browse their selections on furniture. I promise that you will be engaged in conversation quickly with someone who is doing the same thing.

Find out more about our step-by-step program to enable you to work in the more rare and valuable items in the Antique, Art, & Collectible Markets here.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Today's Links:

Treadway Galleries

Rago Arts & Auction Center

Wright Auction House

Article on Wright and Modern Design from Men's Vogue

Article on Wright from Chicago Magazine

Civil War Collectibles/Memorabilia

Civil War Era Lyon & Healy Snare Drum is offered for $1,195 at Shotwell Antiques

It’s been a fabulous few days in Baltimore. We visited three ships and a submarine in the harbor. But, the highlight of the day was when a Mexican sailing ship pulled into dock with all the sailors in their white military uniforms. The officers had chests full of medals and you could see their national pride. A formal presentation welcoming the captain to Baltimore by some dignitaries followed.

This put me in a "pride of country mood," so tomorrow we are going to Gettysburg, the one place often cited as the turning point of the Civil War. I have been reminded of my faith in God and Country by this trip and of how thankful I am to be a citizen of the United States of America. Where else could we have had the opportunity to start the 31 Club, a club that is helping so many people?

The Civil War has produced some of the most collectible items that the world has ever known. This is a field of collecting that can be started for very little money, while the better items can command prices we probably never would have dreamed of. A collection can be started with a single bullet from the war era for a dollar or two.

If you find items used in the war, the are plenty of collectors out there and the rewards will astonish you. Confederate and Union swords can bring tens of thousands in the market place today. A single drum at auction might top $10,000 or more. A uniform could top $100,000 if it belonged to the right person, and weapons have no upper limit. I have seen a single button from a uniform bring thousands of dollars. If the items have records to connect them to a soldier, this will double or triple its value.

The exciting news for you is that Civil War memorabilia is plentiful, and there are many books written on the values of these today. This is one of the areas that our members should familiarize themselves with. Price Guides always come in handy like Warman's Civil War Collectibles Identification And Price Guide and Illustrated Catalog of Civil War Military Goods: Union Weapons, Insignia, Uniform Accessories and Other Equipment

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Know Your Customer -- The Collector and The Advanced Collector

Pauline Pottery, 10" tall, sold at Craftsman's Auction March 2006 for $2,880.

Often the one thing that makes a collectible so valuable is that there was enough production by the company so that anyone can find pieces to start a collection Usually a budding collector starts with a less valuable item and then works his or her way up to the more expensive pieces.

Let’s take Rookwood for an example. If you're collecting, you might make your first purchase of Rookwood in the commercial wares area of their production. A simple vase might fit the bill. But, as you advance in the collection, the artist signed pieces will become more appealing to you. Yes, they will be far more expensive, but over time you will have become more knowledgeable and realize that this is where the true investment will be. This is true of Roseville, Weller, Van Briggle, Teco and many other pottery companies whose production was expansive, and is a great way for the novice to learn as their collections grow without making too many mistakes.

But why is this important to us? We want to buy and sell, right? Yes, but unless we can get into the mind of the collectors -- our customers -- our buying will be more about ourselves and not about the ones we want to sell our treasures to.

There is an exception to this type collecting. There are some collectors who buy the rare items from companies who had only a limited production. In the industry, we refer to this type of collector “the advanced collector.” Pauline Pottery, produced right here in Chicago and then later in Wisconsin, is an example of an item an advanced collector might look for.

The Pauline Company was in business for only 10 years from 1883 until 1893. This lets you know that the number of pieces they produced would be very limited, and I doubt you will find many people that have a large collection of their pottery. However, this is where the advanced collector steps in. He wants one of the better pieces from the Pauline kilns to show the diversity of his collection. The pitcher that sold on ebay brought over $500, and even though it did nothing for me personally, I can see why a collector would want it in their collection.

The main problem with purchasing this type of merchandise is that there will always be a limited market for the company’s wares unless the item is exceptional. Don't get stuck with common pieces by unknown companies because they will be yours forever. If you do see an exceptional item, but don't recognize the mark, this is a time to get very stingy with your money. This is also an excellent way to find a Treasure while taking very little risk.

In the case of Pauline, the mark is a very indistinct crown with no writing but perhaps the artist’s initials. Their second mark just says “Pauline Pottery.” I suggest you keep your eyes out for very large and decorative pieces by this company, but leave the lesser ones alone. If you find that special piece of Pauline, I think that you should be able to buy it very reasonably. Therefore, your profit should meet our goals of at least doubling our money on our purchases.

Remember to tune into the AuctionWally BlogTalk Radio program on Monday. I am Auctionwally's special guest and you can call in your questions. I hope I hear from you.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

How to Pay for Your Travel with Antiques, Collectibles & Paintings

I traveled to Baltimore yesterday so my wife, Vickie, could attend a business conference, and Joshua and I could visit with my other son, Lawson. In past years, I went out to look for treasures as she participated in the scheduled events and classes. This year started out different, however.

It was a task being ready for the early morning taxi. We allowed plenty of time to arrive early and get through security at O’Hare – that is, of course, if the taxi showed up. Six calls later to the taxi company, each time being told the driver is five minutes away was not the way to start the day. We finally called another company, but by this time it was 9:30. It was not likely we’d make our 10:30 flight. But, the second taxi company made good on their word, and as we were pulling out of the driveway, wouldn’t you know it -- the other taxi appeared. We all smiled and waved goodbye to him as we burned rubber on the way out.

Rushing out of the taxi to check our bags, we were told the plane had already closed its doors, so we spent three hours hanging around the airport before we caught the next flight. Vickie missed the day’s sessions, but we did have a wonderful meal with my older son and his wife once we arrived. I do hope to treasure hunt tomorrow, but I am wondering what could happen next.

When you are visiting another part of the country on a trip, be sure to
look for items that are out of place there. For example, if you are on the East Coast, look for West Coast paintings. By doing this, your chances improve for finding a treasure. Remember, I found the painting by Kentucky artist Harvey Joiner on the East Coast. The market for this painting was in Kentucky. That’s when $240 turned into $3700. That isn’t so bad for a country boy.

On several past trips to Baltimore, I found items that fattened my
wallet quite well. I once purchased a painting from an antique store for $500 that was later sold for $2500. And the store shipped it to me in Chicago. I’ve also found pottery such as Rookwood and Roseville priced to my liking on these trips. I used to have a rule that no matter where I traveled, I could pay for the trip plus turn a fair profit for myself by selling the things I bought on the trip. As your knowledge increases, you should be able to do this, too.

PS : I hope to hear from a lot of you on Monday on the AuctionWally BlogTalkRadio Show at 8PM Eastern Time.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Antiques & Collectibles: 31 Club on the Radio with Auctionwally.com

What an exciting time this is in the life of the 31 Club. I’ve been invited to do the Auctionwally BlogTalkRadio program on Monday, May 12th at 8PM EST. Auctionwally, a.k.a. Walt Kolenda, will interview me, and some of you will hear the many stories you’ve sent in to me and spoken to me about over the phone told to an Internet audience. An hour and a half of questions and answers about how we are turning the antique and collectibles industry on its head will be in store for you when you tune in. Anyone can call into the show and ask questions, so be sure to participate with us by calling 1-646-378-1561. Walt is a licensed auctioneer with 25 years in the antiques/auction business, as well as a Powerseller on eBay.

After getting the endorsement for our book, “31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles” from Skip McGrath, perhaps the best known authority on eBay, things have escalated at lightening speed. You can find Skip’s eBay Instruction Products on our website, and I can assure you,if you use any of them, your business will benefit tremendously.

The Auctionwally radio program will expose our business approach to the antiques, collectible and fine art industries and how it can change lives. The vision we formed less than a year ago is now taking shape. It will require super strength by all, including our members, to reach the finish line, but I have no doubts we will. The stories of treasure found and sold according to our plan can make this venture something we will be telling our children about. Each time I receive an e-mail or a phone call from one of our members, I feel your excitement and have confidence that the principles I teach will work for you when applied. Keep the phone calls coming.

Jeremy and Cindy are busy at work reconstructing our site, and they ask you to send in any suggestions or ideas you have. They are eager to hear what our members think and want. I would be remiss if I didn’t give thanks where thanks is due. I prayed that if this plan that I envisioned wasn't from Him, then I wanted it to fail. But, if it was of Him, that he would place his blessing on it. God has shown that this is truly a way in which people’s lives can be changed while, at the same time, help many families in these days of economic stress.

I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN VISITING MY SON IN BALTIMORE TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE BLOG WILL CONTINUE WHILE I’M AWAY BUT PHONE CALLS AND E-MAIL WILL BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY.


Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Antiques Looking Too Good Mean Caution Necessary before Buying

After a period of dedicated time spent working on our 31 Club website and attending to other club business, it was a great treat to be able to get back in the game this past weekend.

After church on Sunday, I spent part of the day with Cindy and Marsha back at the estate sale I went to on Saturday, but I ended up with as much money in my pocket as when I began the day. However, with the Saturday’s purchase of the Rookwood lamp, I have to confess that it was a pretty good weekend.

I’ve noticed that there are items entering the market that are just too good, and I want to warn you about some of them, as well as the reason you need to be very careful. At this weekend’s estate sale, there was a Cushman Scooter that had been customized by converting it into an ice cream vendor cart-scooter, similar to the old bicycle-vendor carts. Was it a vintage? It appeared in mint condition in every detail, even down to the Cushman emblems. However, upon further inspection, several clues didn’t add up. I could see the work that had been done on it. No doubt the skeleton and the engine were old, but I have doubts about the rest of the cart. Why?

First, it was held together by Phillips head screws. These type of screws were not available when this piece was originally made. Second, the heads of the nuts that were used to bolt the bumpers and other attachments were not old. I continued to inspect and came to the conclusion that most of this piece was newly fabricated and therefore, had very little antique value. However, this didn’t deter the seller from asking $10,000 for the cart.

Remember, when you are buying something for its antique value, the more of the original condition that has been maintained, the better the piece and the higher the value will be when it’s sold. Any alteration will take away value. If the piece is over-restored, it becomes a novelty item, not an antique. And novelty items are less valuable.

This becomes very important in other areas such as antique banks. If you find an antique bank in mint condition, with the paint as fresh as it had been done yesterday, it’s most likely a reproduction. Older paint will have a patina on it that will look soft and mellowed, while new paint will appear start and harsh. An old bank could also have been restored by repainting, and if that’s the case, its value can be reduced up to 75%.

When you find anything that should have antique value, leave it as found and buy it accordingly. My rule is that if I can't wash off the dirt with water and a mild detergent then I let the new buyer decide. In this way, the buyer will decide if he or she wants to take the chance of fully devaluing the item. New is new, and even if the con artists have come up with some of the most ingenious ways to age certain pieces, there are still telltale signs that will give them away. Any time you have a question regarding these matters, be sure to contact me either by email or phone. Happy Hunting.

P. S. Please comment on the website changes we are making. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. --- Daryle

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

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