When Things Look Bad, We Shop

As money gets tight in this economy, I’ve received more calls than ever from people wanting to sell their valuable items – just like I thought. But remember, as antique and art buyers, we work just like real estate investors and stock investors. When the general public is in a panic and selling things off, when things look their worst, that’s when we buy. It’s in these times when the bargains will be found. True collectors are still waiting for you to contact them with that very special piece they’ve been hoping for, and you just might have found it.

We are in the last period of our website reconstruction, and I’m getting really excited in anticipation of the results .All members can now go to the Members Only Section and create a unique ID and Password. Once you create that, you can add the items you look to buy on your Wish List. It won’t show until the end of the week, but don’t until then to create your list. You can do it now.

Keep track of your progress in the Million Dollar Race by using your Personal Inventory Page right there on the website. This is a private page and only you will be able to view it. Please email or call us and let us hear how far you’ve progresses. For those of you who haven’t been following 31 Club, the Million Dollar Race is an inter-club competition to see who can compound $100 into a million dollars first.

We are almost there, so thanks to our many charter members for supporting us during the building of the 31 Club from the ground up.

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

Sharing 31 Club with Others

Maxfield Parrish "Stars" 1926

Yesterday, when I saw the morning stock market flying high and lots of e-mails coming in, I thought the day started out to be just beautiful. But the best of the day came when I got an e-mail asking if I could help with pricing an item. The young lady stated she was afraid of being ripped off, and she had no idea what the value of a print she had was. I asked her to call me so we could talk further. She did.

This young lady, Julie, is a student at a college in California. She found us on the Internet. I don’t believe in coincidences, so I figured there was a special purpose for her inquiry, and hopefully, I could help. Her first words to me were, “I bought this print and it had an original sticker on the back.” I told her that was a good start, but did she know who made the print? “Yes, it’s Maxfield Parrish, and the name of the print is “Stars.”

I immediately pulled out my Maxfield Parrish book by Coy Ludwig and discovered this print was a pretty fair find. I was able to tell her that there were three sizes: Small – 6x10, medium 10x18 and large 18x30. The large one is the most rare.

I could tell she was eager to know what is was worth, so I didn’t wait long before letting her know the larger one was worth from $1800-$2500. Unfortunately, she has the medium one, which will bring in about $700-$900.

I couldn’t resist asking her why she’s looking to sell it. “I have to sell it to buy my books this semester,” she told me. My heart stopped because I could tell she was very attached to the print.

I advised her not to be upset about selling this piece and to definitely buy her books and complete college. I told her that after graduation, she’ll be able to buy as many of these as she wanted. I didn’t want our conversation to end there, and as we talked, I learned that she had an interest and Antiques and Fine Art. She also told me she had some spare time away from her studies. I introduced her to the principles of the 31 Club, and she seemed to easily grasp the concept, so I invited her to join us. I assured her that being involved with the 31 Club could help with her school expenses. I feel certain we will soon have a new member from California.

I encourage all of you who are members to never miss the chance to share what the 31 Club is all about with others. You might just end up being somebody’s angel when one is needed.

*******

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

Spotting The Rare

This Tiffany Ceramic Vase sold in 2003 for $11,000 through Burchard Galleries, Inc.

As you advance through the 31 Steps of our club program, your hunt for valuable antiques and art will take you into the higher end of the market. Having said this, it’s important to be knowledgeable about what items from a particular company are rare.

Many companies produced items aside from their main lines that are often overlooked. Very simply put, people, including dealers, are not aware of these anomalies. At the 31 Club, we are on the hunt for pieces that may not be easily recognized to help us move through the 31 Steps and attain our financial goals.

There is little doubt you are familiar with Tiffany and Galle glass, but did you know these companies also produced pottery? These are not common, and their value is also uncommon. If a nice piece of Galle or Tiffany glass becomes available, most people will know what it is. The same can't be said of their pottery. When you become familiar with their pottery marks, you’ll be a step ahead of the pack.

Just to give you a taste of this, Kovels Price Guide lists two items for Galle pottery, both figures. One is priced at $2415 and the other $5175. Tiffany listings include sixteen pieces ranging from $200 to a high of $8,800.

Several years back, when I was previewing items at an auction, my eyes fixed upon an unassuming piece of pottery. When I examined it, lo and behold – there was the Tiffany mark, LCT, all hooked together. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. As I hovered near the piece, I overheard a couple of dealers discussing the vase. “Can you believe they would let fakes like that in this sale,” one said. “Anyone would know the piece isn’t Tiffany.”

I had to turn away to keep from asking them whether or not they’d ever seen Tiffany Pottery before.

When the auction commenced and the vase was offered, the auctioneer announced they didn’t guarantee the piece to be authentic. (I’m sure he’d heard a complaint from those two dealers about fakes.) . At first there was no interest in the piece, but finally they got a $100 bid. I made sure I sat on my hands in this early stage, but I can state with no hesitation, I was extremely anxious. When the bidding slowed at $150 I put my card up at $200, and that bid was followed by one at $225. I bid $250, and finally the auctioneer said, “SOLD.”

I couldn't believe I had just purchased a real piece of Tiffany pottery for $250. You see, most people have never seen one of Louis Comfort Tiffany's pottery pieces. This vase sold a few months later just over $5700. Not bad for a “fake.” You may be fortunate enough to find some of their “fakes” also, ha ha.

What sweet little treasures these pieces can become when others think you are a fool for bidding on them or buying these pieces at house sales.

Treasure Hunters -- Partner Up with 31 Club on high quality treasures you find. You Find It, We Buy It, We Sell It, You Net 35%. It's our groundbreaking Associates Program, one of the many benefits that comes with your 31 Club Membership.

Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Dealers, making more money than they thought possible. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club, today. or email us at info@31corp.com to find out more.

Daryle's 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.

Antique Industry: A New Wind is Blowing Called 31 Club

The Antique and Fine Art Industry has always been run by one standard: Me First. That’s why it has always been so secretive. When I wrote my book, “31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles”, I did so with one desire in mind – to break the unnecessary secrecy by sharing what I know to help others prosper as I have prospered.

I truly believe that when we invest our time in the welfare of others and help them to prosper, God sees to it that the wind of prosperity comes back to us, whether it shows itself monetarily or by prosperity in spirit, or both. My staff and I have dedicated ourselves, from our hearts, to help others prosper in the best way we are able. Our collective talents gave birth to the 31 Club. In a way, 31 Club is a like ministry. Call it the Ministry of Antiques & Fine Arts if you want. but here at 31 Club, we do things differently than most others.

How are we different? Let me count the ways.

For starters, we encourage personal relationships and we cultivate relationships with our members and business associates. That’s just how we live our lives. We aim to be like a second family. Members can call us about anything; business or personal. And if there’s a struggle in their lives, we particularly encourage them to call us during the struggle.

On the business side, we’re different as well. I’ve come to realize that this difference begins from my farming roots in Kentucky. Back then, the family farms formed a combine so together we could all have the best chance to prosper. That’s how we intend to run the 31 Club. By revealing industry information that can help members work smarter and by sharing who and what we know for everyone's mutual benefit. We hope you'll share who and what you know as well.

We also believe the fees at various sales venues in this industry have gotten completely out of hand. Something’s not right when businesses profit from your final selling price as if they were equal owners of your items. I’ve written about this topic in previous blogs, so if you missed it, I've linked it below.

When members want to sell items in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, they’ll find the lowest fees in the industry. We believe you should keep more of the money you make on your own items. Non-members will find our consignment fees to be lower than anywhere else, and collectors and dealers and will find very fair prices in our Gallery & Marketplace.

Now it’s your turn to add to our 31 Club. I know it’s been a long time in coming, but Jeremy has hooked up our 31 Panel of Experts and the Specialty Auction List on the Members Only side of our site. Our panel of experts are being connected, and you will be able to personally contact them for additional information and for their expert opinion in the area you need. I ask you to drop me an e-mail and let me know what area of the industry you’d like to see an expert available to you, whether it be Asian Ceramics or 19th Century English Paintings. Antiquities or Antique Musical Instruments. Also, let us also know what items you already own. Here’s the e-mail form. Just write “Panel of Experts” in the subject. info@31corp.com


When you have an item that might be best to sell at auction, take a look at our Specialty Auction List to help you make that decision. This list is also on the Members Only side of the site. Contact these auction houses and let them know we referred you. No, we won’t be expecting a referral fee for this from either you or the auction house once your item sells. Rather, we hope to secure better pricing for you when you use anyone from our list. See if anyone else in the industry is willing to do that.

I hope you are beginning to see how people will take notice of us as we grow.

If any of you have any other suggestions for our club, please send them to us at info@31corp.com with “Club Suggestions” written in the Subject line.

*******

Buyers -- buy high quality items for fair prices at 31 Gallery and Marketplace.

Sellers -- sell your high quality items for low fees at 31 Marketplace and Gallery.

Treasure Hunters -- partner up with 31 Club on high quality treasures you find. You find, we buy, we sell, you net 35%.

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!



Today's Link: Fees, Fees & More Fees....

It's a Buy for High Quality Antique Furniture

The prices of high quality paintings, pottery and art glass are on a tear. So I got to thinking, if this is so, there’s probably something out there dragging its feet in these markets. Turns out, it’s good antique furniture.

I thought the days of me hauling around chests, tables and chairs where over at my age, but the high quality pieces are a real bargain right now, I may have to reconsider. In fact, I have told you before that if an item was larger than a bread box, I wasn't very interested, but I may have to eat my words today.

The more auctions and estate sales I attend the more I am sure that there is big money to be made in antique and collectible furniture today. I’ve seen high quality furniture selling cheaper than I can believe. At an auction I attended last week, I saw a beautiful empire chest made of tiger maple sell for a mere $200.

Why this sudden reversal? In my opinion, we live in a disposable society. The days of the ancestral home are disappearing for many people. Families move around from home to home every few years, and family members divide up moving to other states and even other countries, disposing of furniture along the way and buying new "disposable furniture" to fit their new home. But, there will always be those who will be seeking high quality antique furniture.

In the markets I’m attending, I see early chests selling for $100 to $200 when a few years ago they would have brought $1000 or more. The same with antique tables I would have loved to have purchase ten years ago for $500, now are bringing in only $150 at auction.

Over twenty years ago, I bought a wonderful Armoire for $750 and sold it almost before I got it home for $3500. It was heavily carved with burl walnut panels. I’ve purchased a lot of furniture over the years, but I mention this one today because last week when I was in Owensboro Kentucky, I saw a pieced that was almost identical to this one, priced at $650. That’s just the asking price, and I’m certain I could’ve bought it for $500. It’s still beautiful, and I know even in this disposable society, there's still someone today who would pay $3000 or more to own a high quality piece like this.

If the market for general mid to lower end antiques and furniture isn't moving, this trend doesn't necessarily hold true in the high end markets. For the highest quality antiques and art, including furniture, there's always a market.

At the 31 Club, we keep our sights on high quality and rare items. And, our job is to buy right.

Well, furniture can be bought right today. Maybe we shouldn't wait any longer to take advantage of this under priced market. I know the rest of the market will be trailing us as we look into this dramatic change. By the time they realize what we are doing, it will be too late for them to catch up.

Yes, there are disadvantages to dealing in furniture, but like any other market, if the price gets low enough, it’s time for us to step in. We need to re-inform the public that today’s furniture is still mostly plastic or made of composition materials. Most of these pieces will last about two years or three years while hand made antiques have lasted over 100 years. If you’re up to the task of handling furniture, now is the time to make some serious money with the truly high quality pieces.

If I do decide to take the plunge and tip my toe back into the pool of the furniture market, I’ll have to figure out how to transport the items and where to store these fine pieces. I can tell you this -- the storage companies are begging for tenants, so a ten foot space will cost you about $100 a month, and the first month is usually free. That gives you time to make a profit to offset the expense.

I will be more than glad to answer any questions that you may have on
furniture, and soon we will have an expert on our "31 Club Panel of Experts"
for you to call.

Today's Photo: This French period antique double "Chapeau de Gendarme" armoire made of walnut and secondary woods sold on eBay for $15,000. It had hand carved decorative motifs-signed by cabinet maker on center front: 1786 Joseph Bertin.

Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills.

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.

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.

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