Animated Art - Drawings and Cels

Mickey Mouse Colour Reference Drawing. Photo from Wonderful World Art Gallery.

Images ©Walt Disney Co.

It was a Saturday afternoon, back in the days of my youth, and I can still remember handing over my ten cents to the man behind the glass window, then getting a ticket to the greatest afternoon ever. I waltzed right through the theater doors and up to the refreshment stand and handed over my nickel for a Coke. If I was plush with money, I splurged on a five cent bag of popcorn. Scurrying on over to the room where the best afternoon ever would take place, I found a seat in the middle, about halfway back. There I sat, eagerly awaiting the beginning of a Disney film. I knew that real soon, the characters would be dancing before my eyes across the silver screen.

I must have seen all the Disney Cartoon Movies. I particularly remember Peter Pan flying through the air and Donald Duck chasing the children while his uncle threw his money around. What could’ve been better than that? I didn’t know I was poor. In fact, when I was able to attend the movies, I thought I was King.

In the heyday of the cartoon movie, there were hundreds of artists producing drawings and cels for movie producers, and the people who worked at the studios would often take these drawings and cels home by the handful, thinking they would some day be very valuable. Well, they were right. Today I wish some of my relatives would have worked for Disney and brought me home a hundred or so of these cels and drawings.

Drawings and Cels from the classic films can bring in the tens of thousands of dollars today. I don’t know the record high, and if anyone else does please let me know, but I’m guessing it would have to be in the hundreds of thousands.

Pieces from the 50’s or earlier will bring the greatest reward. I don’t think I have to tell you to be on the look out for these animated drawings, but be careful. There are drawings and cels being produced today by machine, and these have little value. There were several cartoon producers, but the greatest producer of these films was the Walt Disney Studios.

Let’s take a look at how the older cels were made. First, the artist would sketch the drawings and then these were photographed on to celluloid. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of these celluloid “pages” called “cels” for each feature length film. Each movement a character made had to be drawn, so that when they were put in sequence, you could see the action. This was a lengthy process, and even in the early days, it was an expensive process. Both the drawings and the cels are in great demand today.

The great thing about this merchandise is that most people wouldn't know a machine made piece from an original. This is where you come in. Find a place where you can familiarize yourself with the originals, and when the time comes to find the treasure that others miss, you’ll have the knowledge to recognize it. If you’re on vacation in a large city, look for galleries that specialize in Animated Art, and don’t leave until you ask every question you can think of and have received an answer you can understand. This knowledge can mean big bucks to you in the future. Believe it or not, some of the best pieces I’ve ever bought were from auctions where everyone in attendance thought these items were new.

How things have changed since the time I paid my five cents for a movie. At the age of nine or ten, I picked up cola bottles and sold them as a way to pay for a special day at the movies. I walked to the movie house because my folks didn't even own a car until I was twelve. I don't think it even occurred to me to ask for money to see a movie, not to mention a ride to the movie house.

Movies were a real treat back then, while today, my 9-year-old son has numerous discs he can just pop in the television and have a movie whenever he wants one. Yes, I think people my age yearn for those olden days, the days when things seemed to have more value. Maybe this is one of the problems today -- a lack of appreciation. Sitting there in that theater and watching a feature movie and a couple of cartoons made my afternoon one of the most memorable days of the year. I wonder what makes our kids' days memorable.

Be sure to check the link below to get a look at some Animation Art and further your education. But before you do that, join us here at the 31 Club today. The membership fee is ridiculously low right now, because we're building up our Club. 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.

Visit our Website, here.

Link:

http://animationartgallery.com/

Antique Soda Shop Items Have Stong Values Today

Antique Soda Fountain found at the Bryant House in Weston, Vermont. Photo from roadfood.com

As a young kid, I remember going to the Olde Soda Shop in Lewisport Kentucky with my Uncle Jim. He was my father’s youngest brother, yet only four years older than me. The town of Lewisport had a population of about 500 back then, and everyone, including the adults, seemed to congregate at this shop on the weekends. It was the most popular place in town for feasting on delicious homemade ice cream and sundaes.

Little did I know back then that almost everything in the store would become a real treasure in a few year’s time. One of the biggest tragedies to this little town was when the government closed the ice cream shop stating sanitary reasons. Most people thought that the real reason was because the larger company making ice cream in the city couldn't compete in quality with the homemade kind being made in Lewisport. I have to agree with this assessment.

Let’s take a look at some values of the items found in the Olde Soda Shop, like the ice cream scoop. The Gilchrist No. 34 Banana Split scoop was recently listed at $675.00. There are many that will bring even more than this, and if you’ve ever had a dip of homemade ice cream served from one of these, you’ll say it is worth every penny of that price. How about soda dispensers? Most of these were also advertising pieces of what they dispensed, like Hires Munimaker Syrup. Today, that dispenser would cost you $6,500. Today, a Scott’s Root Beer Barrel shape dispenser can be yours for the small sum of $4,500. These dispensers were in all kinds of soda shops, and you might find one at your next garage sale.

Advertising was what really caught your eye when you entered the shop in Lewisport. Coke Cola, Green River, Cherry Smash, Root Beer, and Grape Crush were just a few of the dispensers that you might see on the other side of the counter. Almost all of these dispensers today will bring over $500 and several will sell in the $5,000 to $10,000 range. Not to be out done are the tin and cardboard signs that were sitting everywhere. This made it virtually impossible not to order something, and if you find one of these, their value will compare with the soda dispensers.

When I close my eyes, I can still catch the aroma of fresh fruit, candy, peanuts and chewing gum that filled the air. And there were dispensers and jars in which these items were contained, too. What stories these shops could share if they still existed today.

Ice Cream Parlor tables and chairs, stools, and benches will still bring a pretty penny today. Who says the old days weren’t worthwhile? Be sure to keep these in mind when you are on your search for treasures from yesteryear.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. 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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Ungraded Silver Coin is Still a Sell

Now is the time to sell ungraded coin. Photo from Fox Valley Coins.

This week, when I took Joshua to a coin store to look around, I couldn't believe my eyes. There must have been six or eight employees working behind the counter plus twenty-five or thirty customers. I asked to speak to the manager. An extremely nice gentleman approached me and asked how he could help. “Is it okay to keep my little dog Bella with me if I hold her,” I asked him. He didn’t have a problem with that, and I was relieved she wouldn’t have to spend the hour in the car while Josh and I looked around. But what I really wanted to know was what all these people were doing here. He told me they were all either buying for their collection or selling their silver or gold. Just to give you an idea of the bedlam in the store, there were three people behind the counter just separating the coins that had no value to collectors and would be sold just for their metal content and then, there was a line waiting for their services.

Let me state this again: This is the time to sell your silver. With oil going through the roof, silver can't break out. It peaked at about $20 plus and now has settled in a trough between $16 and $18. This is when the value of silver should be setting the world on fire, but it isn't. Sell, Sell, Sell ungraded silver. I am betting my reputation on this.

I did gain a different perspective on collectible grade coins while I was there. This movement in the price of metal might have been what the market needed to attract new collectors in the coin market. If this is true, then investment coins may be something worth looking into. Remember that the rare and unusual coins will be the ones that can make you the money, not the coins that aren’t worth grading. Gold coins with low mintage are the coins I would recommend. If you are able to find them ungraded but in fine condition, there might be the opportunity to profit from the grading. This means sending them of to a company that will grade each coin against one that is in mint or proof condition. This is exactly what our member, Cecil, did and it proved to be the treasure that took him several steps in his race to the million dollars. However, you might remember he incurred the theft at the mall where he was displaying some of his coins, and this was a small set back for him. Be safe when you are dealing in rare coins, and it is best if you are a little secretive as well. I know that doesn’t sound like me, but in this case, it is better to be safe than sorry.

On another note, I was thinking back just eight months ago to when we were just beginning to formulate the plans for what is becoming one of the most successful clubs around, and I am astonished. Daily, I am getting calls from all across the country, and people are starting to realize just what being a member of the 31 Club can mean to them.

Today one of our members wanted to know how to sell some Indian Katina's, and while we where talking, he mentioned several other items that he might sell. Hopefully, we can help him and also save him money in the process. Another gentleman wanted to talk about some items that were coming up for bid at auction and about what price would be good to buy them at if he had the opportunity. Another member called wanting to know whether a piece was a print or a painting, and I had the pleasure to explain to her how one could tell the difference.

Your calls bring me great satisfaction. When the idea of the club started, it was about giving back for what God has given me. I believe this is being accomplished, and so does our staff. We are growing, and I am so thankful. It couldn’t have happened without you. Please be patient with the reconstruction of the site, because as I see what Jeremy and Cindy are doing, I know that it is all going to be worth it.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. 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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Napkin Rings to Dream About

Antique Tiffany Co sterling silver childrens napkin ring c1890

is offered at OneOfaKindAntiques.com for $900

Do you know a single napkin ring can bring up to $5,000? But be careful, because there are reproductions. Napkin Rings were fashionable from about 1860 to 1900, and no formal table would have been set without them. Where did the days of the formal table go, now that we are in the disposable age where everything goes into the trash as soon as the meal is completed?

Several years ago at an auction on the far west side of Chicago, I found 25-30 silver plated napkin rings from the late 1800’s. I was new to buying silver then, because my first love had always been pottery, so I was a little reluctant to buy these. But, I did buy half a dozen of them at prices from $75-$100. Soon after this purchase, a man approached me and asked if they were for sale. He was more familiar with silver than I was, so I declined to give him a price, and took them home instead. Then, I listed them on eBay.

My money doubled the first they were listed. You see people back then thought that a snipe was a bird, and they didn’t wait until the last 30 seconds to bid on something they wanted. The best of the bunch closed at over $500, and the rest were not far behind.

You must be sure of what you are looking at because some are still being produced today. The figural rings are usually the most expensive, and in Kovels Price Guide, some of these go up to $4,000. A silver plated 3 ½ “ ring with a Conquistador on top made by the Toronto Silver Plate Co. sold for close to $5,000. I would suggest that any older silver or silver plated napkin ring would fetch at least a hundred or two.

You will find all kinds of of Napkin Rings, and often, they will be round with just a letter engraved on them. Even these simple one can sell for $100 or more. But if you find ones with children, oriental figures, Lads and Lassies, animals or Samurai's, then you have found a treasure. It might seem strange, but it doesn't seem to matter if the napkin rings are sterling or plate and the maker seems to be the most as it pertains to price. And although napkin rings are made in many different materials, only the silver ones shine.

Often you will find napkin rings in box lots. Some of the time you really have to look thoroughly through the entire box to find where people have hidden them during the preview, hoping that no one else would know these valuable ones are there. If you locate a set of these in a house and can negotiate a price for them all, you should come out smelling like a rose when they are sold individually. These may not get you to the million, but they are definitely more than pocket changes.

Some of you wrote about yesterday’s blog, and you are right. Cindy did correct me. There doesn’t seem to be any Key Ring Clubs but she did point out to me that Key Rings and Key Chains are the same and there is a Key Chain Club. However, as I studied it, I found they aren’t offering what I had in mind.

Construction Alert: Yes, we are under reconstruction and you might see some glitches for a few days. But, when we are finished, you will be pleased. Thanks for your patience.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. 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.

Visit our Website, here.>

Key Rings and Keychains - Who's Going to Take the Bait?

This Vintage Pan Am Logo Keychain Sold on eBay for $61.

During the time that my friend Warner and I worked together buying and selling antiques, the Lotton Glass Club was formed, initially through Warner’s hard work, and this Club has become one of the most successful ones on the net. Over the weekend, an idea came to me about another great club. A Key Ring Collecting Club. So, I tried to find out if a club like this existed. I couldn’t find one. Do you realize that there were over 6,000 Key Rings for sale on eBay. This doesn’t include the 16,000 completed auctions for key rings. This looks like something that has the potential to be a great business.

There is all kinds of information on the internet about starting clubs, and if I could help in forming this kind of club, I would certainly want to volunteer.

Collectible Key Rings and Keychains has all the elements necessary to become one of the most collected of all the items I am familiar with. Their prices run from fifty cents to well over a thousand dollars. By not being larger than a bread box, key rings and key chains meet my rule for collecting and dealing. The variety in key rings is without limits. Sports, Cars, Animals, Fashion, and on and on. They can be gold, silver, plastic, wood, leather or almost anything you can imagine.

Who will grab the bait first? What a great business this could become. You might start by picking up several Key Rings and selling them on eBay to get a feel for them. Quite frankly, I’m stunned this hasn’t already happened. If you find that a club is already formed, please pass it on to me.

Things that ultimately become serious collectibles are items that most people never thought would be collected – like Key Rings. And, there are thousands of great ideas, but they are only great ideas if they’re acted upon. If I desired to make this my full time occupation, I truly believe it could be very financially rewarding.

Warner and I first started his club with a few of his friends. Then, they told everyone they knew about this fabulous Lotton Glass. The same thing can be done with Key Rings, if someone was willing to band together and start the club. I believe it can mushroom into a truly rewarding experience. I can even see where this could start you on the race to the million dollars.

A Key Ring Club would have collectors of all ages, and this would add to the fun. Who’s going to take the ball and run with it?

On another note, I just discovered that we are close to the top in rank on Amazon. I have asked you to pass the word, and it seems you have. Thank You! Keep spreading the word while your staff at the 31 Club makes every effort to make this a fun and profitable experience for all.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. 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.

Visit our Website, here.>

Antique Bookmarks

Cracker Jack Bookmark from SilverBookmarks.com

I was looking for a way to be lazy today and I found one. You see, my partner, Cindy, asked if I could do a simple blog today, because she has family in town and isn't going to have a lot of time to devote to it. Along came Howie. Howie Schechter is a collector of silver bookmarks and has a collection of over 1,000 antique and vintage bookmarks.

Bookmarks are items that have never caught my attention. I always thought there weren't enough different ones to have a real collection. Boy, was I wrong, as Howie has proven. If I ever find a very nice silver bookmark for a small amount of money, now I will add it to my inventory. I never paid much attention to them before.

Today's picture is of a bookmark that came in a box of Cracker Jack and is now part of Howie's collection. In addition to appealing to bookmark collectors, this would be of great appeal to Cracker Jack Collectors. While Howie's collection is mainly silver, he has many interesting book marks made of different materials such as brass, bronze, copper, lucite, enamel, pewter and many others. I encourage you to read the story of how Howie got started collecting book marks, and then take a tour through his very interesting site.

Here's Howie: Silver Bookmarks - The World's Largest Online Collection

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. 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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Carnival Glass part II

We had a good response to the Carnival Glass Blog so today, I will add to it. If you have a real interest in Carnival Glass, you might want to join a Carnival Glass Club or Association. If you search the Internet you’ll find many. The Heart of America Carnival Glass Association is one I’ve recommended in the past. If there is a club local to you, it’s a great way to meet collectors and learn from them as well.

After purchasing The Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass and obtaining the reference information on the latest and best auction price guide on Carnival Glass from Cindy, you will be knowledgeable enough to compete with the pros. Just remember, condition is everything in Carnival Glass. Email Cindy at cindy@31corp.com with “Carnival” in the subject, and she’ll send you the information on this truly excellent price guide.

I’ve bought and sold Carnival Glass all throughout my life, and naturally I have some Carnival Glass Adventure Stories. Most of my stories usually have important information you can extract, and this one is no exception.

I was browsing around town one day when I received a call on my cell from an elderly lady who wanted to know if I’d be interested in some things she owned. She told me she had a lot of knick knacks. I could tell that even if she did have something of value, she probably wouldn’t be able to tell me that. She just plain didn’t know.

I wasn’t doing anything much that day so I figured I’d go check it out. When she told me she lived on the far South Side of Chicago, I found myself hemming and hawing in my mind. Did I really want to bother to go all the way there? After all, I was way up north. Past the City of Chicago by a long shot, out in the Far Northern Suburbs. I was considering whether or not it was worth it to take that long drive through all that city traffic. At this time of day, figured a 2 hour ride was likely, not to mention the ride back. My inner desire to find treasure wrestled with my practical side, however, as you might guess, I gave in to my desire to find treasure.

Battling the stop and go traffic, I was thinking I was wasting my time. After all, she couldn’t tell me a thing about what she had. When I finally arrived, hot and tired, I was greeted at the door by a warm and pleasant lady, who graciously invited me in and set me up with a nice cool drink. I learned that she was a retired school teacher, and we spoke for some time. Then, she lead me into a room where she had some of her items.

Carnival Glass everywhere! A huge oak cabinet was crammed full of some of the finest Carnival Glass I’d ever seen. I didn’t want to seem overly excited, so I continued (biting my tongue) down the hall to another room. Here, the site of art pottery, perfume bottles and many other fabulous items filled my eyes. She had some of the most wonderful items I’d seen in a great while, and I sat her down and told her so. I asked it would be possible for me to buy them all.

“If you’re willing to pay the right amount, of course you can buy them all,” was her response. I spent some time looking at and counting the items. I asked her if she would accept $5,000. I knew I couldn’t say anything else until she responded. Boy was it difficult to wait on that one.

“No, I can't, “ is all I heard before my heart began to drop. “But if you’ll buy my oak cabinet, too I will take your offer.” I knew the cabinet was worth about $750 at the time. I asked her how much she wanted for the oak cabinet and she told me $350. Now, as I rule, I don’t buy furniture. For me, I don’t like to bother with moving it, storing it, and everything else about it. But in this case, I quickly threw that rule out the door. I wrote her out a check as fast as my hand would write it.

I knew there was no way I could take all the items with me that day, and she agreed I could return the next day with a truck. And a deal was made. I drove home on the clouds.

As you probably know, I couldn’t leave without asking here where she got all her things. Her answer surprised me. “I’ve been going to the thrift shops for over twenty-five years,” she told me.

I ended up with about 200 pieces of Carnival Glass, Lalique and Steuben perfume bottles, as well as Roseville, Weller, and Rookwood pottery pieces. Needless to say, I stayed within my 25% rule for purchasing and this lady was very satisfied. There had been others who visited her and offered her far less than I. She wisely turned them down.

I hope you've extracted a thing or two from this story. I shiver when I think about how close I came to missing this opportunity.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. 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.

Visit our Website, here.>