Blogger:  Val Ubell

The thrill of the hunt has been part of Val’s life for as long as she can remember. Finding an old print at a yard sale that fits perfectly into a gap on the wall was gratifying. Spending a dollar on a trinket and selling it for fifteen was super. As long as she can remember, she’s shopped at yard sales, thrift shops and antique stores, looking for the next piece of magic!

But keeping a full time job as an HR manager in an industrial company was crucial while her daughters were at home. They’d tag along to sales on weekends, sometimes begrudgingly, other times glad because they found a “Mint” Andy Gibb record or a cool Barbie Doll.

Once the girls were on their own, there was more time for hunting and selling. Flea markets, several antique mall booths and then Ebay (noegretsantiques), and now our own web store (www.noegretsantiques.com). And thank goodness, her husband loves it too. There are not a lot of men who would get up at 5:00 A.M. to hit an estate sale, or carry super-heavy items home from an auction, even rearranging the van one or two times to fit in another ‘special buy.’

Val would never dream of storing her collections in boxes or hidden in drawers! She proudly displays her silver mirrors on the wall, her teapots, pitchers and hot chocalat pots adorn shelves in her kitchen, her paperweights simply dazzle guests on her fireplace mantle and her real love, vintage costume jewelry, is worn nearly every day!

Since 2000, she has been selling successfully on Ebay, and her customer feedbacks will attest to that. Val hopes this blog brings some fun and perhaps knowledge to fellow hunters, collectors and antique lovers.