Cashing in on Superstar Mania

Some entertainers remain popular over the years, while some simply fade into the sunset. Who really knows why. The Beatles and Elvis certainly qualify as entertainers whose appeal has passed the test of time, and collectors throughout the world will always pay a good price for a rare item of theirs. This situation makes it ideal for us to make a lot of money, even though our focus might be on other items.

If you feel inclined to add these types of items to your search, there’s a few techniques that might make this easier for you. Pick out three superstars from your past and let everyone you meet know that all items about these people interest you. You might even make cards that specifically include these names on them. Cards can be easily purchased for as little as $18 for 500. In fact, you can get FREE Business Cards right here. No there’s no excuse.

Visit as many resale shops as you can and save Saturdays for flea markets, garage sales, and house sales. Make sure every shop you visit and every person you meet has your card in hand. I just heard of a woman who purchased a Beatles album for $1 or so whose value is in the thousands.

I’ve shared in a blog earlier this year about my friend, Colin, who has the largest collection in the world of items put out by his favorite group – Bones Thugs & Harmony. While this certainly isn’t my favorite, people certainly have different tastes. Over the years, by selling off duplicate items he’s acquired, his bank account has grown substantially, while his collection remains intact and has skyrocketed in value. This young man has already learned the principles we teach at 31 Club.

I've written a 220 page book that teaches regular people how to buy and sell antiques, collectibles, and fine art for profit. When you join the 31 Club for a one time charge, the book is FREE! As a member of 31 Club, you'll have the opportunity to learn all about antiques, collectibles and fine art while you're out there looking right off the bat. So, if you've simply been reading the blog, I'm here to tell you that you're missing a lot. The book is a treasure chest of inside the industry secrets that will definitely save years off your life. Take the plunge here, and come out ahead of the pack.

Today's Photo: Beatles 1st state Butcher Cover, Mono, "Yesterday & Today," from 1966 sold on eBay through Phillip Weiss Auctions for $3,500.

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

What’s Left to Invest in Right Now? Fine Art & Antiques.

Willem de Kooning's work is part of the several items Christie's will auction next month from the estimated $21M art collection of Richard Fuld and his wife, of the now bankrupted Lehman Bros.

During the price boom in real estate, few people thought about the appreciation potential on items they furnished their homes with. Rather, they focused on the appreciation potential of the home itself. What they’d really been doing is following the crowd, and in doing so, completely missed the growing values in the Antique & Fine Art Markets.

In the past few years, a person could often make more money from the increased value of their home than from their salary at work. I’ve gone into homes that had increased in value substantially, and last year, had been valued in the multi-millions. I couldn’t help but notice that while the property was very valuable, nothing on the inside was. These multi million dollar homes were decorated in low quality furnishings and cheap items from big box stores.

Now, many of these expensive properties are sitting on the market with no one to buy them, losing value each passing week. If the items inside had included some fine art and valuable antiques, there could likely have been a valuable silver lining to today’s scenario. Even Richard Fuld, CEO of the now defunct Lehman Bros. will likely be cashing in on an art collection his wife has been busy with over the years, when it’s auctioned at Christie’s next month. I’m guessing it will likely bail him out of other losses, like his Florida property that’s not worth anything close to what he paid for it.

While I don’t believe there will be many people looking to expand the size of their living quarters right now, we might likely see people buying better quality items with the money they have. Replacing these cheap furnishings with high quality items serves a twofold purpose. Naturally, it beautifies your surroundings, but it also gives you a safer haven to park your money during this volatile time. Purchasing the right fine art and antiques with your money allows it to increase in value far away from the turbulent markets.

Today, I think that this will be a tremendous factor in what people buy for their homes. The loss on home values can be replaced by the increased value of fine art and antique furnishings, carefully selected for its lasting value and continued demand.

With money earning only 3 or 4 percent in the bank, 401K’s and other retirement accounts losing a tremendous amount of value, combined with more than 3 or 4% inflation, how is the average person to keep up? What else is there left to invest in?

Why not invest in the things that have most consistently risen in price year after year, namely antiques and fine art. There is no question that rare and unusual items have out produced any other type of appreciation for many years. Dress up your house during these tough times, but at the same time, fatten your bank account.
This opportunity to buy some of the best antiques and fine art seems almost to good to be true, but it isn't. We should become our own Goodwill Ambassadors. Tell everyone we talk to about this great opportunity, share the treasures that will make money over the next few years. Why not say to your neighbor, “Susan, I have a great painting that will not only look good over your couch, but will make you money while it hangs there.” What a friend Susan has in you, and you can bet it won’t be the last purchase she’ll make from you.

We might have to become a little more aggressive in our sales activities. But when we keep moving forward by continuing to train ourselves n the quality items, we’ll come out ahead. If you’ll remember that a Tiffany vase sitting on a table will be enjoyed by its owner, admired by many, and make the owner money all at the same time, you’ll find a way to make some substantial sales.

That painting by a well known listed artist displayed on the wall of your living room will add beauty and quality to any home, is sure to start many conversations, and will be admired by family and guests. Wait until Uncle Jim discovers that your painting serves as your new IRA and 401K. Wink, wink.

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

New Treasures Come to Market Following Bank Failures

I don't enjoy being right when people have to suffer, but the following article about a fallen mogul auctioning off much of his art collection is a sign of the times and a testament to the value of fine art work.

I’ve written before that I expected valuable items not seen in many years to hit the marketplace. If the economy continues to remain turbulent, this article may be one example of what we might be seeing more of within our own communities in the days ahead. I’ve always said many antiques and many works of art keep growing in value. It’s in times like our present time that these assets can come in handy for many families.

While I’m not straying from the stated purpose of the 31 Club -- buying and selling quickly -- I did state that it wasn’t a bad idea to set a few items back for your own collection. You, too, might need it on a rainy day.

Here's the article from the Wall Street Journal:

"Fallen Tycoon to Auction Prized Works Lehman's Fuld and Wife Consign Millions in Postwar Art to Christie's for November Sale

'Study for Agony I" is a jewel-toned drawing made by modern master Arshile Gorky in 1946.

It could also evoke the plight of its owners, Richard Fuld Jr. -- chairman and chief executive of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., the bankrupt holding company -- and his wife, Kathy, a well-known collector of modern art.

The Gorky drawing is part of a group of 16 postwar drawings owned by the Fulds that were quietly put up for sale by Christie's last month, according to people familiar with the situation. The sketches were consigned in early August following a competitive bidding process between Christie's and Sotheby's. Christie's wouldn't confirm the identity of the seller but says the total presale estimate of the works is between $15 million and $20 million."

continue article here....

Don't Let What you Don't Know or Fear Stop You

How do you know you haven’t already passed on that special piece? Every time someone finds a treasure, you can be sure that many people have passed on it because they didn't know what it was or because they were afraid to take a chance. Our goal is not to let either of these excuses stop us from reaching our financial goals in the Antique and Fine Art Busness.

This week, a gentleman called me about a pair of Oriental vases he thought might be a great buy if he could acquire them. His potential customer had e-mailed him about the pair.

I asked him what the customer was asking for them.

“Nothing yet,” he said. “They want to know what they’re worth.”

“Are you going to be paid to do the appraisal,” I asked him?

“I don't think so.”

“Why don’t you respond to the email saying you’d be interested in the vases, if they’d give you a price. You could also state the vases could possibly be worth $500 up to many thousands depending on their history.”

With his knowledge in this area, it might be well worth the risk of investing $1000 to $1500 in this pair. If he is wrong, the chances are he will still make a profit. But what if he’s right? Then the rewards could be a profit of $20,000 or more. No, he isn't sure which of these scenarios will play out, but he can't be hurt very much by either of them. I am hoping he gets that call and the price they ask for the vases is reasonable.

Some of you will remember when I entered an antique shop close to my home and was told they had nothing for me that day. Still, I asked, “Are you sure?”
” I do have a painting here, but it’s sold,” the shop owner told me. This gave me an opening.

“May I see it,” I asked?

He took me to the back of the shop where I laid eyes on a wonderful early painting of two little girls skipping rope.

“What did you get for this wonderful painting,” I asked?

“Twenty-five thousand dollars,” he proudly stated.

I asked if he’d been paid for it, and he told me the painting was on hold and he hadn’t been paid yet. Now the door was wide open for me, so I ask him if he’d call me in a couple of weeks if he hadn’t been paid. Sure enough, two weeks later I got that call. I purchased this painting for $16,000. I didn't really know what it was worth because I wasn't familiar with the artist, Frederick Morgan, but I was willing to gamble that its value was at least $16,000.

The advantage that you have over me in these situations is that the 31 Club is there to help determine values. Did I know that this would turn out to be a great find for me? Absolutely not. But, it was. This painting later sold at Christie’s for $115,000. What would the results have been if I had said I wasn’t interested because I didn’t know what its worth was or I didn’t know the artist.

I could tell you many more stories like these, but the important thing to remember is that if the price seems right on a piece your looking at, take the chance. You won't always make a fortune on every piece, but I’ll bet your decisions will be correct most of the time, so little mistakes are just learning experiences. This is why 31 Club Members just learning the business start with a trading account of only $100. That’s so their mistakes won’t cost them big while they’re learning.

When you buy something, sell it as quickly as possible. This should not take longer than 3-6 months. This way, you will have your money back in circulation to move on to your next purchase, win, lose or draw. Don't hold on to marginal items trying to get more for them than the market will bear. Turn, Turn and Turn your money over and over until one day you wake up and the world is yours.

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.

LINK: 31 Club Article July, 2007

Ripe Market for Picking Treasure at Local Auctions and House Sales

1870 Liberty & Vienna Railroad Stock Certificate sold on eBay for $152.50

This market is ripe for picking and you, members of the 31 Club, are making my mouth water from the lists of auctions and estate sales you send me to review. Everyday these lists are coming in, and I just wish I was there to enjoy the feasts you are partaking of. In these markets, if you spend your money wisely it will be a great winter for you. I do have to caution you, however. In your enthusiasm, don't fail to do your homework and attend previews. Missing any damage on pieces can be quite costly and can take a large percentage of your profits.

I took a look at an auction list one member sent me and wanted to hop on a plane to join him. There was a wide variety of items represented in this auction, but I quickly narrowed it down to under twenty. I figured if I were in attendance and only purchased half of these twenty items my night would have been well spent with good gains.

There were some wonderful items on the list but nothing that would draw a great crowd. This is the type of auction that you might sneak up on and find a true bargain. There were two prints by Jessie Wilcox Smith and these made me think of the time my friend, “Little Jimmy” purchased what was supposed to be a print, for $40, and then resold it sold within a few months at Treadway Gallery in Chicago for over $22,000 because it turned out to be an original.

Just to give you a feel for this auction, there were prints, books, toys (with many Hot Wheels), jewelry, rugs and one lot of over 100 piano rolls. I pick out the piano rolls as one of the items I’d bid on. Why? Well, if you were with us in the beginning of 31 Club, you might remember that one of our very first members made her first $80 investment on several boxes of vintage phonograph needles she found at a garage sale. Many would have thought that was a foolish purchase until they saw the money she made selling them on eBay. Those needles brought in over $800. When you buy in bulk, it will often pay off very well, as it did for Cecil on the lot of vintage Railroad Certificates he purchased.

One of the best buys that I have ever enjoyed was when I purchase over 500 Royal Doulton items at one time. The $15,000 I paid seemed to be a huge amount of money, but when you spread it out over all the items I had definitely paid less than the 25% rule we go by. So if the average price was $30, and I made at least four times my money, you do the math. I think you’ll see why I was smiling as I left with my truck full of Doulton.

At local auctions and house or estate sales, be sure to keep your eye on items that have a high value in the market place, but in these selling venues, won't bring the value they truly deserve. This is when you step up to the plate. And remember our Associates Program if you find high quality items that are beyond your budget. Members who are using this program when spot high quality items are able to make money when they call the Club and we negotiate, purchase, and resell it. I have found that at local auctions and house sales, most people have a pain threshold of about $1,000 and when the price goes above that, the crowd quickly dwindles. This is the game you want to play as soon as possible.

The office doors are open again, so I’ll be waiting for those questions and suggestions that will help make this one of the largest enterprises around.

Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club.

Get FREE MENTORING. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets that help you increase your profits. 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.

Daryle Lambert: TEXAS BLUE BONNET PAINTINGS - Porfirio Salinas, Robert W. Wood, William A. Slaughter

William A. Slaughter 1923-2003

You might have have seen the work of Porfirio Salinas and Robert William Wood, landscape artists whose paintings are known for their Texas Blue Bonnets, but have you seen the work of William A. Slaughter? These artists are the best of the West when it comes to Blue Bonnet Paintings, the state flower of Texas. I believe Slaughter's work is undervalued, and once discovered, watch out!

Porfirio Salinas was born in Texas in 1910 and died in San Antonio Texas in 1973. He is best know for his Texas landscapes. He became friends with the next artist we will discuss Robert William Wood, and as the story goes, Wood would pay Salinas five dollars a painting to paint the blue bonnets on his canvases because he hated to paint them so much. The top auction record to date for a Salinas painting sold for $74,750 in October, 2007 at David Dike Auction. If you want to look it up for yourself, it was Lot 152. I would think that in today's market you might expect one of his better paintings to sell for twice that.

I haven't personally seen prints of Salinas paintings, but our next artist, Robert W. Wood, 1889-1979 may be better known for prints of his paintings than his actual paintings. I've seen prints of his work on calendars, place mats, wall hangings and even advertisements. Wood is known to be both a California and Texas artist. I once bought, if my memory serves me well, seven of his original paintings for $7,500 and sold the largest of them for $6,250 at Treadway Auction in September of 2002. This was a large painting, and I wish I still had it today. The total of five paintings that I sold brought in over $15,000, doubling my money, and the other two remain on my wall and are listed for in our gallery. The top price for one of Wood's paintings, according to auction records, was $45,410 through Heritage Auction Galleries in January of 2006. But don't expect to buy his better works for that price today.

Now for the youngster of the group, William A. Slaughter, born in San Antonio in 1923-2003. I'm sure he made the acquaintance of both Salinas and Wood . I believe, as time passes, Slaughter's work may become more valuable than the other two. I was fortunate to acquire one of his large paintings and have enjoyed it for many years. While my wife says she hopes it never sells, I have currently listed it in our 31 Gallery. I am continually looking to upgrade my personal collection, and the Slaughter painting is part of my personal collection. I can't upgrade my collection if I keep everything I buy. Click here to see this painting in more detail.

The great thing about being in this business is that you get to own and enjoy works produced by some of the greatest artists ever to inhabit this earth - possessed with talent that could only have come from God. I enjoy them while they are in my possession, and then I pass them on to others to enjoy. After all, we take nothing with us when we depart this earth.

Discover how my book, "31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles" can be the tool that helps you learn about antiques, collectibles and fine art, from the eyes of a professional. Learn to buy and sell valuable antiques, collectibles, and paintings for profit, then learn to turn your profit into riches, the way the wealthy do.

If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. Or, if you'd like to sell your item to us, contact us today.

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