Daryle Lambert Blog: There's Money in Doulton K Series

Yesterday, I wrote about making a good chunk of change if you ran across Doulton Dogs. Today, it's Pigs, Rabbits, Kittens & Penguins and K Figurines. Often, there will be a table of figurines at sales. It's great when you find a table that will have several Doulton animals offered, especially when you know the ones that bring the big money. Many times, those conducting the sales will have the small figurines way over priced because they think anything Doulton must have a high value, or they have them sorely under market value because they think of them as just trinkets.

At an antiques show a few years back, My wife, Vickie, was calling me from across the room. As I approached, I couldn't see anything to be excited about and I felt put out because I was on the hunt. When I got to her, she had me look inside one of the display cases. And boy, was I excited. An entire set of six Doulton K series penguins were there. The woman behind the counter wanted $50 apiece for them, and not a penny less. Ok, I figured, not cracking a smile. She wants $300. I offered her $210. Then I acted as if I was going to leave, looking away from her. I could see out of the corner of my eye that she leaned in toward me. Then I started to look distracted, as if something over in the next dealer's booth was catching my eye. She finally said, "I guess I will take that." I knew for certain she had made a profit, and I was sure I would, too. I quickly wrote the check, thanked her and left.

Vickie was all smiles. She is a better hunter for treasure than me because she is far more patient. I sold these later at a Doulton Show I had set up. They averaged about $250 each, turning this $210 investment into $1,500. Oh, how I love those little penguins!

These little Penguins all had about the same value, but that isn't true of all the little fellows. In the K series, there are 39 different animals of which six are Penguins. But how about the rest? Dogs make up 18 of the 39, however, all but three of these are very common. Those three are the lying Bull Terrior, the Sealyham lying, and the Airdale lying. The Bull Terrior is the most valuable. I've sold this one in the past for $500. The other two can bring about $250. The reason these three bring so much more that the others is because there are fewer of them, and when a person starts collecting the k series they want to own them all. The rest of the series are common, bringing from $50 to $75.

We have discussed the K Dogs and Penguins but there are some other K's that will bring you some fancy money. Those are the birds. There are 11 of these feathered friends and here is where you have to know something. In the book, these are priced rather reasonably, but to buy them, collector are willing to pay several times what the book says. It is not uncommon to see them go for $250 - $500 each. These are really the hidden treasures of the K series, and I can assure you that if you find one there will be a buyer for it. All the K figures are under 3 inches tall.

Outside the K series are the Pigs, and these are still considered miniatures. They should be in the $300 - $500 range, if you can find them. These little treasure will make you think before passing that table filled with small animal figurines in the future.

To Learn More About Royal Doulton History and Top Artists, Shiffer's "Royal Doulton, A Legacy of Excellence 1871-1945" is an excellent resource. It's discounted at Amazon and includes a price guide.

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Daryle Lambert: INDIAN ARTIFACTS - Clothing & Wardrobe Not Many Can Afford Today

Lakota (Sioux) War Shirt (back), about 1875. Photo Courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art.

For several years now, I have traveled to South Dakota to a reservation to work with the children of the Lakota Tribe. At one time, this reservation covered 500,000 acres and touched four states. Today it is only about 45,000 acres. Amazingly enough, there aren't any Indian artifacts on the reservation, so you'd be wasting your time thinking you might find a treasure or two there. Judging by the way we treated our Native American brother, this is not surprising.

So where might we find these treasures? For one, they just might be in that old trunk you find a the next garage or estate sale. You see, these artifacts were brought back by people who traveled West from 1850 until the late 1930s. They were considered trinkets then. Those who brought them back thought they looked nice or perhaps, they might even create a good story back home. They weren't bringing them back for their monetary value.

This is definitely not true today. There are serious collectors that will pay almost anything for the right pieces of Indian artifacts, and these artifacts are very scarce. You probably won't find a nice piece of Indian clothing everyday, but when you do, the rewards can be handsome.

My reference and price guide by Lar Hothems is dated 1998, but in today's market, you can probably add three to four times the amount of money stated. You see, after the year 2000, Western items really took off, and the prices continue to soar. This book illustrates pieces ranging from $5,000 to $75,000, so do the math for the items I'm speaking of to get an idea of what 2008 values might be.

An example of some of these values is a woman's dress, from around 1880, owned by a member of the Shoshone tribe, made of buckskin with fringe and beautiful beading. The 1998 listing shows a value of $25,000. A war shirt by the Blackfoot tribe shows a value of $50,000. Today these items can bring many times that figure and are highly sought after. Another entry illustrates another war shirt, valued at $75,000. You'd be lucky to buy it today for $250,000.

There are less expensive pieces, such as Medicine Bundles, Martingales and Blanket Straps, but even these might bring $7,500 to $15,000 for the better pieces.

Will you be out there dealing in Indian Artifacts? Maybe not. But, tuck this knowledge into your head so it can come forward in your mind should you encounter something that looks like it could just be an Indian artifact. There's no telling where they might pop up.

Last year my family and I were invited to a church event in, and as always, I wanted to look around afterwards. When we came upon a sign that said, "Pow Wow tonight," only Joshua was brave enough to go. So, off the two of us went later that night.

As we approached the dance circle grounds and looked over the hillside, Joshua's eyes got as big as saucers. Five hundred dancing Native Americans, men, women and children, created swirling colors of motion of the most indescribable beauty my eyes have ever been witness to.

Yet, in being witness to this event, my heart felt bittersweet. You see, I knew all the clothing had been especially made today for these Pow Wows. I couldn't help but yearn to have been an observer to an event like this way back in time, when these tribes danced this dance with such joy and great pride.

Attending shows is the best way to an get up close look at authentic Native American Artifacts. Arrowheads.com has a very comprehensive list of North American Artifact society shows, dealer shows, educational events and upcoming auctions on their site. Click here to access the list.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you build more personal wealth than you might have thought possible. And doing it in the Antiques, Collectibles, and Fine Art Markets rather than the traditional methods. You won't find these kind of results with your bank or your stock broker!

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If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

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Daryle Lambert: Indian Artifacts - Points and Blades from Antiquity

As you know probably know by now, I'm not one to sit around too long without trying to learn something new. And so, when I was visiting in Kentucky over the long Christmas holiday, there were only so many hours I could spend joining in on small talk about shopping and watching TV. I knew right when it was time for me to go on a field trip, so I soon headed out with my wife, Vickie, and my son, Joshua to meet up with my two other children, Dana and Lawson. Lawson brought his new bride, and so the six of us squeezed into a small sedan and headed out for a day in the country.

Our first stop was to the farm where I spent so many great days with my grandparents. I've written about some of those times in previous blogs, so I know you are aware of how special those days are in my memory. As we traveled down the roads, I pointed out to Joshua all the of places where there had been a particular milestone or memory in my life -- where I killed my first rabbit, the old family plot on the hill, and the pond where I caught that really big fish that should have been entered into the record books but somehow escaped notice.

Further down the roads, and after I shared most of the old war stories, we were approaching my Uncle's farm. I caught sight of a young man walking through the plowed field. I told Lawson to pull the car over, and then bet everyone that I already knew what this young man was doing there wandering the field. They all laughed, and then I asked them to follow me out into my Uncle's field. They looked suspiciously at me, but followed anyway.

I know the young man was wondering what I might call him on, and as I walked a bit ahead of the rest of my group, I called out to him saying, "I bet I can tell you what you're doing out here."

He smiled, relieved, and replied, "What am I doing?"

"You're looking for arrowheads, aren't you?" He was surprised I knew. I told him that in this same place, as a boy, I would patiently wait until the workers had finished plowing the fields on my Uncle's farm. Once they were gone, I would dash out into the fields with my gallon bucket and pick up arrowheads until my bucket overflowed. "Did you find anything good, " I asked him? He smiled and showed me one arrowhead, and then told me that he frequently came out here to look for Indian Artifacts, and had look all up and down the Ohio River banks. Although he was college age, turned out he was already an advanced collector.

Today I wish that I still had all the arrowheads I found back then. Their value could be considerable. If you want to know more about Indian Artifacts, the book I told you about yesterday, North American Indian Artifacts, by Lar Hothem, is not only good for learning about pots, but it also covers a variety of other artifacts. Click here for additional listings of books.

An eastern U.S. Lost Lake Sunfish Blade, from 9000-7500 B.C. had a value of $4,000 in 1998. I wonder what it would be now. An early Archaic Lost Lake Sunfish Blade, only 4-1/2 " long found in Kentucky was valued in 1998 at $6,000. Check out the book for yourself.

Today, those very fields I roamed so many years ago are still filled with treasures. It's just not possible for me to find the words to properly tell you what it feels like the first time you find an arrowhead in a farmers field that you know had been there since before the time of Christ. -- Daryle

There are a couple things to be aware of when dealing with Indian Artifacts. First, beware that fakes are being made to this day. Look at as many of the real ones as you can, and even after that -- consult an expert if you still have questions. Second, there are laws in place regarding Indian Artifacts, and you should become familiar with them before you become involved. Please look at these two sites for further information: Safely Collecting Indian Artifacts, Contemporary Issues about Native American Art.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you build more personal wealth than you might have thought possible. And doing it in the Antiques, Collectibles, and Fine Art Markets rather than the traditional methods. You won't find these kind of results with your bank or your stock broker!

Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge members are participating in.

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

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Daryle Lambert: Antique Education is King in Turning $100 into a Personal Fortune

In my forty-five years in the antique business, I have had friends that have made life-changing discoveries because they had the knowledge required to identify valuable pieces. Luck usually plays no part in discovering a valuable piece, rather it is having had a strong knowledge base built up that will lead to the discovery of valuable items.

In my book, I spoke of a Frederich Morgan painting I found that I purchased for $16,000 and then sold for $115,000. I assure you, it was not luck that enabled me to find that painting, but hard work, knowledge and research. I think you will agree that the $99,000 profit I made was worth the effort. I also wrote about a man in Florida who restored paintings. When he purchased an old canvas for $25 to use as a practice canvas, he discovered that underneath the dirt and grime, he had a real jewel on his hands. He later sold it for $675,000. This was not luck. He had enough knowledge to recognize, that this canvas was an extremely valuable painting.

The longer I am in this business, the more certain I am that knowledge will trump any thing else you can do to be successful in the Antique and Collectible business. You can work yourself to the bone trying to search for treasures that you hear about people finding, but if you aren't educated to the rarer and more valuable paintings and other fantastic antiques out there, your chances of finding them are limited.

Going to sales and auctions or visiting antique shows by itself will not prepare you for the hunt. Yes, this helps, but you can't stop there. Once you have returned from one of these events, this is the time to hit the books and set to memory what you've seen and add it to your references. Remember, they say something has to be put in our mind seven times for it to be permanently lodged there.

Starting out with more common, less expensive items is the training ground, but when you stick with it and work the plan I wrote of in my book, in time you will find you have the ability to recognize, locate, and purchase the rare and desired items that are in high demand at a good price. Also an excellent profit can be made when you resell right away. Remember, we are not buying and holding.

I have offered to help you achieve your goals through the 31 Club. Members can call me, e-mail me and use some of the company resources I keep if you need information on an establishing a purchase price for a particular item, information on current values, negotiating with the seller, and finding the best venue to sell your item once you've purchased it. Members can call to find out about restoration, insuring items, caring for your antique items, and transporting items. Through our Associates Program, members can get assistance purchasing an item should they come across something very valuable but are not yet able to purchase it on their own.

Most Antique Dealers keep their knowledge to themselves. I don't believe you'll find many who are willing to share their insider secrets with others. But, I am. I am willing to share all I know with members of the 31 Club -- my 45 years in the business. It's like getting an entire education for $20. I don't know where else you can find that. If someone could show you how you can turn $100 into a million dollars or more without every borrowing a dime from a bank or anyone else, wouldn't you want to know how that's possible?

Why not join us today and learn to turbo charge your efforts while learning to build a personal fortune -- not on stocks and bonds, not on real estate -- but right here in the Antiques and Fine Arts Industry.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

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If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

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