Know Your Customer -- The Collector and The Advanced Collector

Pauline Pottery, 10" tall, sold at Craftsman's Auction March 2006 for $2,880.

Often the one thing that makes a collectible so valuable is that there was enough production by the company so that anyone can find pieces to start a collection Usually a budding collector starts with a less valuable item and then works his or her way up to the more expensive pieces.

Let’s take Rookwood for an example. If you're collecting, you might make your first purchase of Rookwood in the commercial wares area of their production. A simple vase might fit the bill. But, as you advance in the collection, the artist signed pieces will become more appealing to you. Yes, they will be far more expensive, but over time you will have become more knowledgeable and realize that this is where the true investment will be. This is true of Roseville, Weller, Van Briggle, Teco and many other pottery companies whose production was expansive, and is a great way for the novice to learn as their collections grow without making too many mistakes.

But why is this important to us? We want to buy and sell, right? Yes, but unless we can get into the mind of the collectors -- our customers -- our buying will be more about ourselves and not about the ones we want to sell our treasures to.

There is an exception to this type collecting. There are some collectors who buy the rare items from companies who had only a limited production. In the industry, we refer to this type of collector “the advanced collector.” Pauline Pottery, produced right here in Chicago and then later in Wisconsin, is an example of an item an advanced collector might look for.

The Pauline Company was in business for only 10 years from 1883 until 1893. This lets you know that the number of pieces they produced would be very limited, and I doubt you will find many people that have a large collection of their pottery. However, this is where the advanced collector steps in. He wants one of the better pieces from the Pauline kilns to show the diversity of his collection. The pitcher that sold on ebay brought over $500, and even though it did nothing for me personally, I can see why a collector would want it in their collection.

The main problem with purchasing this type of merchandise is that there will always be a limited market for the company’s wares unless the item is exceptional. Don't get stuck with common pieces by unknown companies because they will be yours forever. If you do see an exceptional item, but don't recognize the mark, this is a time to get very stingy with your money. This is also an excellent way to find a Treasure while taking very little risk.

In the case of Pauline, the mark is a very indistinct crown with no writing but perhaps the artist’s initials. Their second mark just says “Pauline Pottery.” I suggest you keep your eyes out for very large and decorative pieces by this company, but leave the lesser ones alone. If you find that special piece of Pauline, I think that you should be able to buy it very reasonably. Therefore, your profit should meet our goals of at least doubling our money on our purchases.

Remember to tune into the AuctionWally BlogTalk Radio program on Monday. I am Auctionwally's special guest and you can call in your questions. I hope I hear from you.

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.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

How to Pay for Your Travel with Antiques, Collectibles & Paintings

I traveled to Baltimore yesterday so my wife, Vickie, could attend a business conference, and Joshua and I could visit with my other son, Lawson. In past years, I went out to look for treasures as she participated in the scheduled events and classes. This year started out different, however.

It was a task being ready for the early morning taxi. We allowed plenty of time to arrive early and get through security at O’Hare – that is, of course, if the taxi showed up. Six calls later to the taxi company, each time being told the driver is five minutes away was not the way to start the day. We finally called another company, but by this time it was 9:30. It was not likely we’d make our 10:30 flight. But, the second taxi company made good on their word, and as we were pulling out of the driveway, wouldn’t you know it -- the other taxi appeared. We all smiled and waved goodbye to him as we burned rubber on the way out.

Rushing out of the taxi to check our bags, we were told the plane had already closed its doors, so we spent three hours hanging around the airport before we caught the next flight. Vickie missed the day’s sessions, but we did have a wonderful meal with my older son and his wife once we arrived. I do hope to treasure hunt tomorrow, but I am wondering what could happen next.

When you are visiting another part of the country on a trip, be sure to
look for items that are out of place there. For example, if you are on the East Coast, look for West Coast paintings. By doing this, your chances improve for finding a treasure. Remember, I found the painting by Kentucky artist Harvey Joiner on the East Coast. The market for this painting was in Kentucky. That’s when $240 turned into $3700. That isn’t so bad for a country boy.

On several past trips to Baltimore, I found items that fattened my
wallet quite well. I once purchased a painting from an antique store for $500 that was later sold for $2500. And the store shipped it to me in Chicago. I’ve also found pottery such as Rookwood and Roseville priced to my liking on these trips. I used to have a rule that no matter where I traveled, I could pay for the trip plus turn a fair profit for myself by selling the things I bought on the trip. As your knowledge increases, you should be able to do this, too.

PS : I hope to hear from a lot of you on Monday on the AuctionWally BlogTalkRadio Show at 8PM Eastern Time.

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.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Antiques & Collectibles: 31 Club on the Radio with Auctionwally.com

What an exciting time this is in the life of the 31 Club. I’ve been invited to do the Auctionwally BlogTalkRadio program on Monday, May 12th at 8PM EST. Auctionwally, a.k.a. Walt Kolenda, will interview me, and some of you will hear the many stories you’ve sent in to me and spoken to me about over the phone told to an Internet audience. An hour and a half of questions and answers about how we are turning the antique and collectibles industry on its head will be in store for you when you tune in. Anyone can call into the show and ask questions, so be sure to participate with us by calling 1-646-378-1561. Walt is a licensed auctioneer with 25 years in the antiques/auction business, as well as a Powerseller on eBay.

After getting the endorsement for our book, “31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles” from Skip McGrath, perhaps the best known authority on eBay, things have escalated at lightening speed. You can find Skip’s eBay Instruction Products on our website, and I can assure you,if you use any of them, your business will benefit tremendously.

The Auctionwally radio program will expose our business approach to the antiques, collectible and fine art industries and how it can change lives. The vision we formed less than a year ago is now taking shape. It will require super strength by all, including our members, to reach the finish line, but I have no doubts we will. The stories of treasure found and sold according to our plan can make this venture something we will be telling our children about. Each time I receive an e-mail or a phone call from one of our members, I feel your excitement and have confidence that the principles I teach will work for you when applied. Keep the phone calls coming.

Jeremy and Cindy are busy at work reconstructing our site, and they ask you to send in any suggestions or ideas you have. They are eager to hear what our members think and want. I would be remiss if I didn’t give thanks where thanks is due. I prayed that if this plan that I envisioned wasn't from Him, then I wanted it to fail. But, if it was of Him, that he would place his blessing on it. God has shown that this is truly a way in which people’s lives can be changed while, at the same time, help many families in these days of economic stress.

I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN VISITING MY SON IN BALTIMORE TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE BLOG WILL CONTINUE WHILE I’M AWAY BUT PHONE CALLS AND E-MAIL WILL BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY.


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.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

American Art Pottery - Walrath

Example of Walrath Pottery valued in the thousands of dollars.

This past weekend, I saw Rosville and Weller pottery well overpriced and wondered how anyone could turn a profit if they purchased these pieces at those prices. This seems to be the norm today, and the reason why so many dealers are having a hard time selling their inventory. At the Arlington Show I attended last month, it seemed to me that items such as Grueby, Newcomb and Rookwood were priced out of sight. I wonder if perhaps these pieces are being purchased by dealers at prices too inflated for today’s markets.

The secondary market should set the prices for us to use as a guide when we purchase, and if we find pieces priced even beyond that, where can we hope to go with them? Yes, the best are bringing record prices, but that isn't so when it comes to the medium or lower priced items.

A new name that might bring you great returns, should you find a piece is Frederick Walrath. Walrath was an exceptional potter and his work is coveted by the most serious collectors of American Art Pottery. Walreth died in 1920, and his better vases can easily command five figures and his less serious pieces will bring in the hundreds. The pieces I’ll be discussing are the ones he produced in Rochester, New York, however he did work at one time for the Newcomb Pottery Company of New Orleans.

His work is marked Walrath Pottery” with a mark that looks like a cross bow between the two words. This is the kind of item that most people will pass, or have very little knowledge of what its true value should be. When you find a special piece of Walrath, this is the time to be patient and check all your connections before pricing it on the market. Here is where you can really compound your investment. While others are struggling to break even on the more known pieces like Roseville, Weller and Van Briggle, you will have your money ready for those special pieces of Walrath when the opportunity presents itself. Patience will be your guide to success.

This weekend was a prefect example of what I am talking about. Thinking I was going to buy several items at a sale I attended, my plan wasn't fulfilled. I made a pass at several items that would have been good buys at the price I offered, but my offer wasn’t a deal maker. I only purchased one piece from this sale, keeping my other funds in my pocket for another day.

I knew the Rookwood lamp at this sale was exceptional, and I knew I had to own it. But, even as sure as I was that I’d found my treasure for the week, I called a good friend in Cincinnati to confirm my judgment. He assured me that the lamp was a fantastic buy. In my judgment, this piece is very special and should go to auction for the best results. Remember, we aren't in a hurry because the compounding of our funds will create wealth for us, not the quantity of pieces we buy and sell.
So add Walrath Pottery to your growing list of things to watch for. By now, if you have followed my blog, that list should contain several items that could change your prospective of this business.

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.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Antiques Looking Too Good Mean Caution Necessary before Buying

After a period of dedicated time spent working on our 31 Club website and attending to other club business, it was a great treat to be able to get back in the game this past weekend.

After church on Sunday, I spent part of the day with Cindy and Marsha back at the estate sale I went to on Saturday, but I ended up with as much money in my pocket as when I began the day. However, with the Saturday’s purchase of the Rookwood lamp, I have to confess that it was a pretty good weekend.

I’ve noticed that there are items entering the market that are just too good, and I want to warn you about some of them, as well as the reason you need to be very careful. At this weekend’s estate sale, there was a Cushman Scooter that had been customized by converting it into an ice cream vendor cart-scooter, similar to the old bicycle-vendor carts. Was it a vintage? It appeared in mint condition in every detail, even down to the Cushman emblems. However, upon further inspection, several clues didn’t add up. I could see the work that had been done on it. No doubt the skeleton and the engine were old, but I have doubts about the rest of the cart. Why?

First, it was held together by Phillips head screws. These type of screws were not available when this piece was originally made. Second, the heads of the nuts that were used to bolt the bumpers and other attachments were not old. I continued to inspect and came to the conclusion that most of this piece was newly fabricated and therefore, had very little antique value. However, this didn’t deter the seller from asking $10,000 for the cart.

Remember, when you are buying something for its antique value, the more of the original condition that has been maintained, the better the piece and the higher the value will be when it’s sold. Any alteration will take away value. If the piece is over-restored, it becomes a novelty item, not an antique. And novelty items are less valuable.

This becomes very important in other areas such as antique banks. If you find an antique bank in mint condition, with the paint as fresh as it had been done yesterday, it’s most likely a reproduction. Older paint will have a patina on it that will look soft and mellowed, while new paint will appear start and harsh. An old bank could also have been restored by repainting, and if that’s the case, its value can be reduced up to 75%.

When you find anything that should have antique value, leave it as found and buy it accordingly. My rule is that if I can't wash off the dirt with water and a mild detergent then I let the new buyer decide. In this way, the buyer will decide if he or she wants to take the chance of fully devaluing the item. New is new, and even if the con artists have come up with some of the most ingenious ways to age certain pieces, there are still telltale signs that will give them away. Any time you have a question regarding these matters, be sure to contact me either by email or phone. Happy Hunting.

P. S. Please comment on the website changes we are making. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. --- Daryle

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.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Estate Sale Treasures – You Don’t Have to be First to Find Them

While I’ve enjoyed writing about the great treasures our readers have reported to us, today I’d like to share my experience yesterday. I think it well serve you well.

Yesterday was a time for catching up for me. There were emails to send, books to ship and general paper work to do. However, one of our 31 Club members asked if I’d be willing to join her at an estate sale. I agreed to meet her later in the afternoon. Now, knowing I’d need to be in home in time to watch the Kentucky Derby, I put my efforts at catching up in overdrive so I could pack everything into my time schedule.

I called our member about 1:30 and was surprised to hear she was already at the sale. I was thinking to myself (often a dangerous thing to do) that if there were treasure at this sale for me, it would probably be all gone by now, but I’d still go to help our member.

I met our member at the front door of the house, and once I got to the sale, I immediately recognized the person conducting the sale. I asked if she thought there was anything still here for me. To my surprise she said, “Yes, the Georg Jensen silver.” We headed immediately to the dining room to check it out. When I picked up a knife where the price tag was taped, my eyes almost dropped out of their sockets. Believe it or not, they wanted $10,500 for the set. I couldn’t get away from the table fast enough, but while my mind was spinning, I decided I’d offer $2,000 if I was going to make an offer.

But that was only the first room, so we preceded to the living room where it was hard to miss a Steinway Baby Grand -- with a price tag of $25,000. About this time I was asking myself what could possibly be here for me. But, I continued on. I knew very little about the modern artwork that decorated the walls, and these pieces had hefty price tags as well. Asian artifacts were intermingled through out the house, and again, I was at a loss without any of my books in this category. I sat down on the living room couch to collect my thoughts when my eyes landed on a very large lamp. My mind wouldn’t allow me to believe I was looking at a treasure that every other dealer and shopped had overlooked. After all, it was later in the afternoon and most people would have figured all the real treasures were gone by now.

I raised my self up from the sofa, as if I was in slow motion and walked toward the lamp. The closer I came the more difficult it was to breathe. Unbelievable! There on the end table was a Rookwood vellum scenic vase made into a lamp, and the vase itself was over fifteen inches tall.

My hands began to tremble as I turned the tag to examine the price. $1,800. I knew this had to be mine. My mind started racing as I figured out at what price this might become mine. I’ve bought from these people many times before, and usually at half the price, but I knew that with this lamp, I couldn’t take a chance. I stepped up to the plate and offered $1,200. She refused, and told me I could leave a bid. I informed her that I didn’t do that, because I was here to buy. She was firm about leaving a bid, so I returned home very quickly to do some research. (My house was only five minutes away.) Let me tell you, after a little research, I broke every speed zone getting back there, just hoping the lamp was still there.

I entered the house with my wife and son with me this time. My wife went to look at the items in the dining room, while I worked up the courage to peek into the living room to see if the lamp was still there. It was. But now, I had to see if there was one of those little red tags on it, showing it had been sold. No red tag, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

We finally settled on $1,500, which was a much higher percentage of the asking price than I usually pay, but for this piece, there was no question on what I was going to do. So, what’s the value? Between $4,500 and $5,000.

Tomorrow I am going back to the sale because there were several other item that I want to make offers on but at less than 50% of their asking price. There are Royal Doulton mugs, listed prints, figurines, and glass objects that could pay for the lamp, if I am able to purchase at my price. Not bad for a day when I wasn't even intending to go out. Better Late than never, and by the way, Big Brown may be the next Triple Crown Winner. What a great looking horse.

Today’s Photo shows a set of 1945-1951 Georg Jensen sterling silver designed by Johan Rhode, Jensen's most influential of all his designers. The pattern is the very popular "Acorn" pattern, and is offered at Leopard Antiques for $3,350. Photo from Leopardantiques.com

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.

Take a look at our Gallery of Fine Art Paintings by Listed Artists, here.

Antique Garden Furnishings - Money Grows in the Backyard

Antique Garden Furnishings: Pair of Lead Figures of Pan, the Greek God of the Woods, offered for $8,500 at Aileenminor.com

Who would have ever thought to check the backyard before going into the house at an estate sale? But after reading this blog, I'll wager you'll consider it. The only time I recall prices catching my attention for Garden Furnishings was at some of the Red Barron Auctions in Atlanta, Georgia where there were huge fountains, statues, and urns large enough for a person to hide inside. These furnishings were usually so large, you would have had to own a mansion to use them. Prices were also large, with some items going as high as $250,000 or more. But, naturally, there are much smaller items to be found other than the grand pieces from these great estates of yesteryear.

Garden furnishings have been popular for centuries. I can still see those beautiful gardens in the old movies about the Roman days. Gardens have been the property of the wealthy in Europe for thousands of years. In this country, Since we began to duplicate the lifestyles of the Europeans, the ladies of the South have had formal gardens. If you close your eyes for a moment, you’ll be able to image a Southern Belle, dressed in that large hoop dress with a very stylish hat and parasol walking among a formal garden of her plantation. These images bring back a completely different style than we experience today.

“Snap out of it Daryle, and stop that dreaming,” I just told myself. So it’s to get back to the real world and back to treasure hunting and making money, because there's some serious money to be made today in Antique Garden Furnishings.

At an estate sale, when you enter the back yard and take a seat on that cast iron bench to scan the property, make sure that bench isn’t a Fern shaped 19th Century 59-1/2 inches long valued at $3,500.

What should you be looking for in that yard? How about a bronze figure like a little boy and girl reading a book by M. Geiss, valued $4,000 or more. Your eyes might then settle upon a cast iron fountain, decorated with birds and leaves. In today’s market, this fountaint might bring $15.000 to $20,000. Urns were always a great part of the beautiful gardens, so how about an 1880’s cast iron urn featuring angels for a mere $25,000. Other items are hitching posts, sun dials, birdbaths, boot scrapers, objects of art, and architectural elements like finials and wall brackets. My, oh my, there certainly are wonderful things besides flowers in a garden. Do some of your own research on the Internet and see what you learn today.

One of my friends told me the story of a sale he attended and after going through the entire house, he completely struck out. That was, until he was leaving and noticed two large green urns on the porch. He returned to the house and asked if the urns were for sale. I guess he caught them off guard, because they told him, “Well, I guess you could have them for $50." He quickly paid the price, and rushed out, needing some oxygen in the worst way. Like lightening, he managed to get those items into the car. You see, on the bottom, incised twice, was the word “Teco”. Need I say more?

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