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Those who have read my past blogs know that I collect antique and vintage mirrors. Not only the full-sized hand mirrors in art nouveau and art deco silver, but small ‘purse size’ or doll mirrors. It is not easy to find the smaller ones because there were probably a lot less made and they have been discarded years back once the silver wore off or the mirror broke. I do search on a regular basis but have not been able to add one to my collection for over 6 months. (Yes, I did find one on occasion but the prices were prohibitive.) So imagine my surprise and excitement when a recent trip through northern Wisconsin and Minnesota netted me not one, but two, of them!

The first was in a glass case at a small antique mall. I could not see the price tag and fearing that it would be out of my price range, did not allow myself to get too excited. I walked up front and asked the ‘key master’ at the front desk if I could see the little treasure. He complied and opened the case. I controlled my emotions as I turned it over and found it was only $12! I handed it to him and asked him to put it up front and I would take it for sure.

It is really a sweet find – it reads “Compliments of Hotel Witter Wisconsin Rapids.” Presumably from the city of the same name in Wisconsin. The mirror is beveled and still in pretty good shape. It is brass (while I prefer silver, I am willing to make exceptions. Especially when they are also advertising pieces.) I almost skipped to the car; that made my day!

Hubby and I continued on our way, stopping at a few more stores before heading to a motel for a good night’s sleep. I showed him my find and he agreed, that was a real deal and nice addition to my grouping!

The next morning we drove to Minnesota and several more antique malls. (We tend to like malls rather than one-owner stores because of the variety and the lack of specialization.) Our second store had a lot of cases and right inside the door was another mirror. Once again, I hunted down the lady-with-the-keys and she quickly opened the case. But, alas, this one had no price tag. We looked on all the shelves in case it had dropped or been put onto another item, but no luck. I asked her to try to reach the dealer and she had to leave a message. I assured her that I was interested and asked that she keep trying. Meanwhile, we searched for other items in the mall, bringing a few more things to the counter. Each time I would ask if she had been able to find the price, but she had not. Since we were on the way to visit grandchildren, I knew we would not be able to hang around much longer, so we settled up for our other purchases. I took the number of the mall and she took my cell number, hoping we’d connect once she had an answer. We got into the van and started to pull away. Just then, the lady came out waving her arms ecstatically! I got out and she gave me my answer. It was only $15! Yes, yes, yes, I said, and came in to pay for it.

This one is really special. The mirror is in super shape and the handle has just the amount of wear and patina you like to find! It is silver plate, and even dated. It was from the 15^th annual session of the grand council of the U.C.T., from June 5-6-7, 1913. It was held in Janesville, Wisconsin. There is a small suitcase or valise, which made me think it had something to do with travel, and when I got home and did some research, found out I was on the right track. The UCT stood for the Order of United Commercial Travelers of America, a fraternal benefit society offering its members various insurance products and other benefits. They were founded in 1888 by traveling salesmen, and is still in operation. (This is especially significant since my hubby has been a traveling salesman for a long time.)

I guess it just goes to show you that when you are not really looking for something, it sort of falls in your lap. So, dear collectors, keep the faith, you may just be pleasantly surprised, like I was, by finding two bargains in one trip. Happy hunting!

I have a new obsession on Sunday nights and I want everyone to know it.

The Pawn Stars (L-R) BigHoss, Rick, Chumlee & The Old Man

It’s Pawn Stars, the History Channel’s new series which combines some of the best features of PBS’ Antiques Roadshow & History Detectives (minus the treat that is Wes Cowan — yes, I’m still stalking him) and adds, like chocolate syrup, a tasty layer of sinfully fun reality television. Sometimes, there’s even the fun of a Mythbusters blast as the cherry on top.

The premise is simple: People walk in off the street & try to sell or pawn their stuff for cash. It might be a custom made motorcycle, art, coins, a retro Pac-Man game (that sit-down version, like you played at Pizza Hut), Civil War weaponry, jewelry — who knows. Once it walks in, it’s up to the owners to figure out what’s real, what’s fake, & what will sell in their shop. Then, if all looks good, it’s time to negotiate a price.

But not just the retail price; the price the pawn shop is willing to pay so that they can make a profit (something you’ll be reminded of, so don’t worry if you forget that — they are used to informing folks that they don’t pay retail, customers do).

Along the way of determining the object’s price (a la Roadshow), there’s the story behind the object, usually with the help of an expert (a la History Detectives). OK, so maybe it’s not quite as in-depth as History Detectives… But it’s closer to that in terms of interest than the stationary table-talk of Roadshow. So there’s your two scoops of ice cream.

The layer of chocolate — the sweet stuff you might feel guilty about — is the reality show aspect. Since this is a real pawn shop, you’re also watching the interactions between the owners & staff of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, located on the outskirts of Las Vegas. Three generations of the Harrison family run the place: grandfather Richard (aka “The Old Man” — sometimes, “Pops”), son Rick, and grandson Corey (aka “Big Hoss”). And there’s Big Hoss’ friend, Chumlee (aka “The Village Idiot”).

Rick With Helmet

Like most men, each one is charming in their own way and I’m not above admitting that along with learning how to identify an authentic Medieval knight’s jousting helmet versus a Victorian copy, I love the banter between the boys.

On one episode, Pops is convinced that in this economy they’ll never get $5K for a watch; but Big Hoss he can, so he challenges The Old Man to a bet. If Big Hoss sells it for $5K, grandpa, who’s worn a suit to work for 30+ years, has to buy & wear a pair of Ed Hardy jeans to wok — but if grandpa wins, Big Hoss, who doesn’t own a suit, has to come to work in a suit for three weeks. Ribbing ensues, the bet is on, and more ribbing continues while the show moves along & we are educated about actual collectibles — and at the end of the show, we see the loser pay his debt. How cool is that? Very cool.

But maybe not as cool, to some, as the cherry-on-top Mythbusters-esque moments.

While the Pawn Stars don’t engage in real science, they do fire guns & blow stuff up occasionally. Hey, they have to test that Civil War canon — if a weapon doesn’t fire, it loses half it’s value.

So I guess in this sweet Pawn Star sundae served on Sunday nights, I’m the chick who goes nuts or bananas for it. Take your pick. (I say I’m the banana; because I sure have a-peal.)

My only words of caution are that one, in case you didn’t notice the staffs stance & tats, some of the language is a bit course (doesn’t bother me, but some of the PBS crowd might faint if not prepared) and two (in case you aren’t already aware of the truth of “reality TV”), the show is scripted. Again, neither detracts for me. But then I’m a realist. Plus mom says I talk like a sailor. (But I do have a-peal, remember?)

Not only do I love the show, but now I can’t wait to get back to Vegas. I must meet the Pawn Stars & see that shop!

Okay, so you’re all just back from San Diego Comic Con and you’re thinking, “Man, those guys who draw those punchy dudes and the boob-women are pretty nifty. I want to be them.”

Hold your sweaty little horses, creative geekonerds.

Let me rein you in for a moment and save you a few bucks. It’s likely that you’re going to want to start out with some kind of ‘how to draw comics’ book, and there are literally hundreds out there. I have a pretty fair collection myself, but here’s the dead honest truth : most of them suck. Most of them are a blatant attempt to ignorantly capitalize on the boom of the comic niche and are created by people with absolutely no practical experience, other than reading other ‘how to draw comic’ books and copying them over in a mediocre fashion. As a semi-professional comic artist, and one-time teacher specializing in comic art, allow me to guide you through the garbage, save some money, and build a solid collection while you’re at it.

I started out drawing comic characters when I was in junior high, and like most people, I’d find a comic panel that I really liked and copy it to the best of my ability. It’s a fine place to start, but copying things from panels doesn’t give you any insight into why things are the way they are. It’s like sitting down at a computer, but having absolutely no idea how to control it or fix it when it goes wrong. Here’s some of the best, and some of the worst offenders.

1. If you buy one ‘how to’ book ever, get ‘How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way‘. Sure, it was written back in the 70s and hasn’t changed in 40 years, but it’s a freakin’ bible. My adulation for this book cannot be overexpressed. Written by Stan Lee and drawn by the amazing John Buscema, ‘The Marvel Way’ describes the process of drawing basic anatomy from the inside out, as well as creating dynamic panel layouts – and while it doesn’t address any aspects of story, the book delivers such an astute view of comic theory in very few words that it’s the best possible entryway into the world of drawing comics.

Of course, this is just a starting point, and an open invitation to improve on the methods and ideas that are presented. It might seem antiquated, but this is the very heart of comics.

2. If you buy a second book about creating comics, you should get a copy of Scott McCloud’s ‘Making Comics‘ (a sequel to the equally important ‘Understanding Comics’).

Scott McCloud takes the language of comics that we inherently understand from simply seeing the comic pages in front of us and explains to us why we understand them, guiding us through far, far more complex methods and ideas than ‘Marvel Way’ presents. There’s less focus on anatomy and more focus on technique and flow, and because it was written in the era of indie comics, it spreads itself out through a wider variety of genres.

By understanding the language of comics, we’re empowered to speak it back to your readers, visually and textually. It’s a lot more difficult than you might expect. The use of actual examples from beautiful comics is incredibly helpful, also.

3. Your third essential book? One that helped me out a lot when I started taking comics seriously was ‘The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Creating a Graphic Novel‘. I picked this up after I completed a dozen or so full comic pages and realized that they were horribly done. It was a harsh realization, but I did some serious study and forgot everything I thought I knew.

This falls somewhere between the previous two books, addressing all manner of issues that comic artists will eventually face. It helpfully follows a spread of a few pages from conception to full execution, with all of the steps along the way visually depicted, and it even hands out small assignments along the way. It’s smart, which is a lot more than most of the ‘how to’ books I’ve come across.

So, what should you avoid? As a very general statement (which I’m sure has examples to disprove me), avoid the large, thin paperback books from fly-by-night publishers with flashy covers. They’re cheap garbage. And if there’s something obviously wrong with the art inside, like there so often is, you really won’t learn from it. If your teacher can’t draw, their examples will not help you. In fact, they serve to harm your understanding and set you into bad habits more than anything else.

Seriously. I want to punch some of these guys in the knees. You know, without hurting anyone’s feelings.

1. ‘How To Draw Your Own Supercharacters‘ is probably the most embarrassing drawing book I’ve ever seen. It’s entirely self published, so I can’t knock it too badly, but I’m genuinely amazed that I found it in my own library system without some kind of ‘dangerous to the future of mankind’ label on it.

For 32 pages, the author awkwardly draws superheroes on a 7th grade level, creating ’step by step’ instructions that are nothing more than a series of three unrelated drawings, mimicking the steps of fleshing out the anatomy of a character, but providing no practical, or even accurate, knowledge whatsoever. It’s very reminiscent of a guy who copies the drawings that he sees in comics. In fact, the entire volume mimics the structure and examples that ‘The Marvel Way’ describes. Go to the source.

2. ‘How To Draw Comic Book Heroes and Villains‘ from Watson-Guptill press. While it’s not an inherently bad book, it suffers from all of the sins that the mid-90s committed upon comics. First rule of teaching comics : never, ever use Rob Liefeld as an example of anything except for what happens to your perceptions of women and men if you spend most of your time in a basement and are sexually repressed beyond all natural human endurance. Women do not have waists narrower than their heads, and legs are not four times the length of the human torso.

Okay, so Liefeld is a pretty stunning cultural example of the hyper-everything that comics represent, but it’s a lousy starting point.

The book employs some good examples, but the few bad examples are so heinous that the entire book should just be tossed. No one should have to see them and be potentially influenced by them.

3. ‘Superhero Madness‘ from Impact Books. Unfortunately, this book just demonstrates a horrible understanding of foreshortening throughout, which only makes the stiff, awkward characters even more useless as positive examples to learn from. Even the examples within the comic are nearly impossible to understand as far as action and sequence is concerned. The jumbled garbage, uneven eyes and all, cannot possibly help you.

Dear Universe : you can’t sit down and create a ‘how to’ book without first having a certain degree of expertise at your disposal. Please, stop trying. You’re diluting the comicpool with your deformed bastard children, and they’re breeding. There’s definitely a solid library of excellent ‘how to’ comic drawing books out there. Take some time to find the right ones.

We have a little family joke we pull on new wait staff at better restaurants. I proclaim to the server that they should count the silverware to be sure Wifey has returned all the spoons, and she will come back with: “That’s not our pattern, our’s says Denney’s on the handle.”

I’ve taken an informal survey of souvenir spoons and utensils collected in my basement. Well, not all of them, I left out any spoon that was originally  purchased as a souvenir. The Presidents’ series, the movie stars, the worlds fairs, the amusement and public parks plus all the state, city and foreign country spoons. What I’m left with in my survey are just the utensils that dropped into someone’s hand bag or pocket purely by accident, and I found them at a flea market or tag sale.

I divided the utensils into groups and asked each group to come clean and tell me how they left their primary residence and came to live in someone’s junk drawer, never to be useful again.

My conclusion from the survey? Most were removed as a remembrance of a special place or event. The airline utensils all claimed their new parents were on a long  journey to foreign lands, and I could understand.  Each piece  had names like Braniff, Northwest Orient, and Lufthansa.

I then talked with the unusual group, represented by hospitals, military bases, fraternal organizations, and companies. None had a good story, but I did overhear the Bell System spoons talking about riding in a tool belt.

Next I had a discussion with the restaurants group, and I was surprised how few were represented. It might be that my luck ran cold when looking for the chain establishments that once had their names inscribed on the handles, for I had none in the group. No Denny’s, Howard Johnson, Sambo’s or Big Boy. But with names like Savoy, Henrici, Kaaps and Delphine I’m OK with the small sampling. And what was this groups’ story? Purse.

Of course the biggest group is from hotels, so some of them should have been included in the restaurant bunch. But I had placed them in partitioned utensil bins before my discussions began. Of the fifteen in my survey five remembered they were on restaurant duty the night they were kidnapped, while nine stated they were removed from room service trays and one had been placed in a glass of leftover wine while waiting at the wash station and couldn’t remember what her next assignment had been.

From this group, and let me state here and now that no science, math or logic was employed in my conclusions, I deduced the Hilton’s are missing a whole lot of silver plate. Others in my collection include CP Hotels, Hotel Pfister, Hunt Valley Inn, Canadian National Hotels, Hotel Sahara, Hotel Sherman, The Stevens, Hotel Continental, London House, International Inn and Albemarle Hotel.

Now I’m not one of those “I love them all equally” type of guys, I have my favorites in every collection I own. In this case, it’s a demitasse spoon made by Oxford Silver Plate co. and engraved “Pfister” in simple block letters on the handle. This beauty appeasrs to be quite old,  and is dark with age. But unless my power of observation is wrong, it looks like I need to get some polish ready for an early showing.

So while you’re out hunting and traveling on the road, enjoy the food but leave the silver, my collections already too large. 

Unlike the other recent Territorial Quarters, today’s release of the American Samoa Quarter will not be accompanied by a ceremony within the territory’s borders.  Territorial Governor Togiola Tulafono will be en route to Washington D.C. on pressing matters, which supersede the pomp and circumstance of a the quarter’s release, but it won’t stop collectors from obtaining the coin, fresh off the truck, at their local bank or directly form the U.S. Mint.

American Samoa is one of the most remote territories of the United States, created in the late 19th century  as a way to solve territory disputes between the United States, Germany, and the U.K.  The eastern part of the Samoa archipelago was granted to the U.S., Germany took the west half, and the U.K. elected other islands not part of the Samoa chain of islands.  After World War I, Germany rescinded their claim to the Western half, which is now an independent state.   American Samoa remains a U.S. Territory, and all indicators appear that this relationship will continue.

The Governor of American Samoa, on behalf of the Mint, solicited designs for the image to appear on the coin’s reverse, resulting in fifty-five entries total.   Three designs were narrowed down and submitted to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the Commission of Fine Arts, the two bodies responsible for choosing the majority of the new coin designs that have been appearing in recent years.   Of those three, one was chosen for the coin, the two designs that were not accepted are pictured on the left.   The design that was selected, seen at the top of the page,  includes a tanoa, or ceremonial bowl, the Fue and To’oto’o, or whisk and staff, representing wisdom and authority. In the distance is a shoreline crowned by coconut trees.  The territory’s motto, Samoa Muamua Le Atua, or “Samoa, God is First”, appears above the tanoa.