Avenues of Collecting: Choose The Road to Your Treasure
10.23.07 By The DeanThe serious collector pursues any and all venues where their “heart’s desire” might be lurking. In recent blogs, we have discussed finding items for our own collections at some of these events.
The specialty shows, such as “Depression Glass Show”, “Comic Book Show”, “Antique Shows” etc. bring together vendor and collector into the same arena for several days of viewing, dickering and dealing. Finding a desired trinket, missing piece for your collection or just drooling over additions you didn’t even know existed, makes these heart racing events.
Prices are more or less fixed, with some room if you ask. The more specialized the show the better are your chances to find the perfect item and to inform a dealer what you are hunting for, and how you can be reached if they find it.
Antique Flea Markets also bring together vast groups of vendors, and can yield treasures for your collections but require more patience and lots more effort to find a hidden prize.
With fortitude, you may find a seller or two that handles items of your fixation. But more often you’re left to scour stall after stall looknig over items you didn’t really want. (Careful!! that how the next collection starts)
Dedicated collectors identify their specialty at flea markets by asking, wearing a sign or T Shirt, “I collect Blue Left Shoes”.
The advantage at these markets are many vendors have no strong suit that have under valued the item you want, even giving a discounted price before you ask.
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Antique Malls take up less time per visit, are great for a rainy day activity, but require diligent searching and have firm pricing with discounts on a single item only when it reaches a certain price point. Items costing sometimes as low as Twenty, some as high as One Hundred dollars, and never more than 10 percent is discounted. But remember a glass dealer may not have a clue what a vintage Thom McCann Blue left shoe is worth and that give you a chance to find a nice Deal.
Yard, tag, garage sale or whatever they are called in your area, produce the best bargains but consume a great amount of time finding what you want, if your focus is limited.
Choose a neighborhood with a population demographic in relation to what you collect. If you’re looking for 78 rpm records, you’re not likely to find them in newer areas with baby clothes in their garage sale listing.
Stand Alone Antique Stores. I search these places out, but find most have price tags with faded numbers and for good reason. But when you find one with enough items of interest, it’s amazing how intriqued the owner is in closing the deal at a generously reduced price.
You will observe that if the store owner has Blue Left Shoes, he’ll have a dozen of them in all styles and sizes. So don’t pass these places without a quick stop, you will waste little time because the owner always knows what’s in-stock.
Auctions: General – Estate - Farm. This arena for collecting also requires a large amount of time, but can produce real bargains if you have abundant discipline.
Most auctions are advertised in local newspapers, local “Shoppers” papers, or antiques publications. One widely read in the Upper Mid-West is the “Auction Action Antique” news, another is the “Antique Trader” in both printed form and on the net. Also try Antique Week, and search a local antique store for publishers in your area that provide free trial copies or charge a nominal fee.
The listings often have an overview of the main items that can help you determine if your type of collectible will be available. With a list before the auction date, one can determine the importance of attending and the opportunity to do your homework on the retail values.
I have lots more info to help you through your first auction and will get to it next time.
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Article Tags: antiques, auction, auctions, collecting, flea market, trader================
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