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

Recognize Today's Opportunity in Antiques & Fine Art. Buy, Buy, Buy

Rookwood Lamp by Margaret McDonald is offered at 31 Club Gallery & Marketplace

At this time, should we sell everything we own? A lot of very rich people on a TV program I watched late last night said we should. Are they right? It’s interesting to me that this was the general consensus, because I can assure you, they haven’t sold a thing. In fact, they will probably be the buying as everyone else is selling.

Take a look at Warren Buffet, a man most consider the smartest investor in the world. What’s he doing these days? He’s spending billions buying up the best companies he can find. I’d rather follow him than all those people who say the sky is falling.

So what should traders of antiques, collectibles and fine art be doing right now? The same thing we’ve been studying all year long at the 31 Club. We should be buying the best we can with the knowledge we’ve gained. We should be keeping our goals in front of us at all times, and moving forward even in the midst of this economic hysteria.

If someone is willing to sell you a Tiffany lamp for half of what its value was a year ago, buy it, of course. This is the time to take advantage of the mass hysteria sweeping the country. There’s never been a better opportunity to acquire some of the finest items at great prices. There is an old song that says a fool jumps in. That’s exactly what’s happening now. The stock market crash and burn has been the result of panic selling. People have jumped over the cliff, and many of them don’t know why they did. If you’re tempted to jump over the cliff, take a look behind you and see whether anyone is pushing you over the cliff or you’re doing it voluntarily.

Right now, valuables that have lost the least in this economic shakeout are the true artistic rarities in the Antique and Fine Art fields. I’m asking members of the 31 Club to turn around, see through the ash clouds of this economic hysteria and buy during this time. This is a great buying opportunity. The best items picked up during this time will be the ones that gain tremendous value as the economic climate improves. You cannot go wrong today buying the best Art Pottery like Rookwood, Grueby, Newcomb, and Ohr. The better Art Glass like Tiffany, Daum Nancy, Galle, Quezal, Rene Lalique, and many others will only gain in value and add to your bottom line. Fine Art Paintings that are being marketed at values far below their true value today are my personal favorites. This is a great time to look for paintings that represent artists who lived in your region. There will always be buyers for their works.

Yes, the common items so many people bought from garage sales for pennies and put up for sale on eBay might not be good sellers at this time. Then again, that’s not where we, at the 31 Club, want to be anyway. We aim to be dealing in the higher end of the market place, with items that are highly desirable and rare.

Right before leaving on vacation, I left six bids at an upcoming auction for paintings by listed artists I thought had been undervalued by the auction house. I won’t know if I purchased any of them until I return home, but my wish is that I purchased everyone of them.

Another event, right before leaving on vacation, was a call from man with twelve pieces of Lotton Glass he wanted to sell. I told him I would buy every one of his pieces. When I return home, I hope to purchase these.

As you can see, I will continue to buy the better pieces until I run out of money and can’t get any more. If I couldn’t buy now, I would get out of the business because this is the easiest time to make money in Antiques and Fine Art. You might be asking why I say that. Well, here’s why: When prices are up, the sellers think they should be getting top dollar for anything they sell, regardless of its true value. In a down market, people just want to get out at any price. That’s why you can find bargain during these times.

So, buy, buy, buy. You’ll be glad you did.

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

How Hard is a Working Vacation?

Spending time in constructive ways is the best strategy to prepare yourself for success in the antique, collectible and fine art business. this will pay you off in spades. Any time spent reading about antiques or art will only help you when you go out into the field and see what the pickings are. Scanning eBay’s completed sales will give you a sound basis for setting the prices you are willing to pay for almost any item you find while you’re out on the hunt and will give you the latest prices you need to sell your items. If you do this continually, you’ll know a lot more than you might think you do.

When I go travel away from home, I’m still thinking antiques and art, even if I’m supposed to be vacationing (much to the dismay of my wife.) I’ve found that when I’m vacationing or traveling anywhere, if I do business while I’m away, my trip has become a business trip, and that’s good for my bank account. There are certain actions that I think will give you a tremendous head start on your competition, if you follow them while traveling. Like, always having a least 50 business cards with you at all times and dispensing of them liberally, once you’ve determined that those you’ve spoken to about antiques, or about what you do, have an interest.

While I’m in the hotel, I pull out the phone book and make a list of all the dealers. I do this with the auction houses, as well. If there’s time, I call some of them and introduce myself. I tell them about the items I specifically look for and the items I generally look for. I also ask them to go to the 31 Club Wish List and look at what items I’m buying, as well as the ones members are looking to buy. When I call the auction houses, I ask them to put me on their mailing list. I also tell them I’ll send one of my business cards to be put on file with them.

If there’s time, I stop in as many of these antique shops as I can. I introduce myself to the proprietors, enter into a conversation and take a look at their items. If you wonder if I really do this all when I travel, here’s an example of my first day in Palm Desert, California, where I’m spending my 25th wedding anniversary with my wife, of course, and her sister and brother-in-law.

We arrived yesterday, and upon our arrival, we stopped for a bite to eat once we picked up our rental car. There was a small antique shop I made sure we stopped in to after lunch. We were greeted by a very polite lady, so I introduced myself and shared a bit about the 31 Club with her. She was more than willing to show me her shop and tell me all about the better items she was offering for sale. When it came time for me to leave, I gave her a card and asked if she’d send me an email so I could put her in my files.

Next, we all stopped at this wonderful little mall on the bay, and while my wife and the others dashed into one shop, I slipped into a glass shop I spotted. I found several pieces of art glass for sale by an artist I’m familiar with. The proprietor was more than willing to talk at great length about all of the artists’ work, and again, I left my card. I honestly think the 31 Club might have picked up two new members at these two establishments.

At the end of each trip, I drop a hand written note along with my business card to those antique establishments I've called by phone, but wasn't able to stop in to.
I can assure you these simple things will increase your business and profits. I have also found many fine treasures while I was supposed to be on vacation.

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