As a long-time buyer and seller of both antiques and collectibles, I am often asked “What is selling today? What are the trends and hot items?” I hate to say it, but I honestly do not know. Oh, I have some success stories; some surprises of things that sold higher than anticipated. Also a lot that have not ‘moved’ in over a year that were thought to be the ‘next absolute sure thing’ in the business.

I’ll give you some ideas of things that have recently sold. We set up our booth at the fantastic Elkhorn Antique Market, held 4 times a year at the Walworth Fair Grounds. It is definitely one of the best and you can always count on a large, top-notch crowd, come rain or shine (and we’ve sat through both.) The weather was picture perfect, high 70s, low humidity and sunny. (An occasional high wind made us treat glassware with caution, but that goes with the territory.)

We are very eclectic in our offerings and basically have no specific area. That’s because we hunt for things we like; unique items, not anything that limits us. We usually have 6 long ‘banquet’ tables, a card-table to check-out and we use turned over plastic containers to rest miscellaneous items on. We have locked glass cases with our ‘better offerings inside.’ The front of our booth usually has heavy metal and cast iron pieces, just because we don’t expect folks to want to carry them very far. (It makes sense except many times the buyer wants to leave their purchase with us until they are ready to head out, being reluctant to carry it around the fair. So we have to drag it to the back of the booth and into the van. Oh, well.)

In any case, I’ll give you an idea of some of the ‘mix’ that we sold. You be the judge as to what you’d buy to sell if you were a dealer.

Our first sale was a large metal Sealtest Ice Cream Sign. Definitely very old, with rust around the hanging holes to prove it. The second was a 1930s lady’s robe. Black with vibrant pink flowers, it was most likely silk. Sold to a young girl, perhaps in her early 20s, who was about 5′ 9” tall and weighing maybe 120 pounds, it fit her like a dream and she modeled for us, twirling around to show off the flouncy skirt. She was a fashion major at an Illinois college and was just thrilled. We next sold three watch fobs. Advertising pieces from local industrial giants that had long-ago changed hands or had left the industry. We then sold a cookie jar of a school house, probably from the 1960s. This went to a school teacher (but of course.)

An older gent sauntered into our booth. We both looked at him and recognized a repeat customer from the last show. He was a pig-collector and in fact had purchased a pig ‘oiler’ from us a while back. We were able to satisfy him with a carved wooden pig. He was so glad, paid promptly and carried it right out to his cart. We told him we’d keep an eye out for others and he vowed to return in August!

It got very crowded and neither hubby nor I had time to analyze what was selling. Not until we got home. Then we sat down to have a beverage and count the ‘loot.’ We tried to recall everything that we had sold. He remembered another ice cream sign, this one lit up, and also a cast iron stove door, an antique for sure. How about the advertising crates? Yup, sold two of those, in spite of being next to a real pro who specialized in all sorts of them. We had several pieces of carnival glass, lots of lookers, no takers. I remembered the canvas golf bag that sold. We had Sam Snead golf clubs inside but they were not of interest. The same gent bought a few wooden shafted clubs as well. The buyer shared with us that he was a heavy-duty collector and had over 2,000 clubs!

I had recently purchased a ‘lot’ of contemporary sterling silver pins and rings. We sold about 15 of those, nothing over $20. Hubby put a rack up with $2 necklaces, not too fancy, but we sold 10 of those too. My ‘best jewelry’, some signed rhinestone pins, a few cameos and even a pocket watch did not sell.

Another item that sold late in the day was a Milwaukee Brewers lunch box with the famous ‘racing sausages’ on the outside. We also sold 6 beer steins, some with the name of a brewery, others with just a German scene. Some linens sold too – a baby quilt and 10-12 doilies.

While in Ohio this winter, we purchased a very unusual item; a Snow Scoot. It is a type of sled with one runner over the seat. Folks would actually rent these from the park (still had a number ‘8′ on the side) and hurl themselves downhill. Boy, consider the potential litigation on that item! It was purchased by a collector of sleds who often lent his items to a small museum near his home in northern Wisconsin. He was just beaming as he carried it out!

We sold two paperweights, a few books, some wooden print blocks, several beer bottles and a pair of leather saddlebags for a motorcycle.

This should give you an idea of the mix that we offer and items that were purchased. If you can see a ‘trend’ from this assortment, you are a far better antiquer than I am. (But, that’s what makes it so darn interesting.)

Hubby and I went to numerous rummage sales today. It had rained a lot overnight and we were concerned that they would not be open, but as luck would have it, every one was set up and ready. One of the sales we got to was actually an Estate Sale and the lady had a large grouping of collector’s plates such as Norman Rockwell, various movie stars, and Parisian ladies. Aunty also had a substantial collection of Precious Moments figurines. We picked up a few of them, but quite frankly, they were priced way too high. We learned that the gent running it was her nephew and he shared with us a ‘thought’ we’ve often had – he was very surprised at what had NOT sold.

He mentioned the plates that he knew she had paid over $50 each for ‘these years back’ and thought they would have escalated greatly. They had $45-70 price tags. I never feel that it is my place to lecture or make people feel badly, but I gently hinted that the Franklin Mint items, for example, were made in the 100’s of thousands, perhaps millions, and there was just too much volume to increase the value by a great deal. He seemed surprised by that, but agreed that it made some sense.

He then moved to a table of glassware and said he thought that the ‘cut glass’ bowls and crystal trays would surely bring a pretty penny. But this was the second day of the sale and not one had been purchased. Once again, I passed on speaking out but when I checked them over found a lot of chipping and also determined it was mostly pressed glass, which is a mega-difference from cut glass or crystal.

The next piece he showed off was a large green glass bowl which he identified as “depression glass.” It was not. It was newer and of poor quality. The whopper of a price tag was $75. Sorry, I don’t think so.

We bought a book, a little figurine, small bowl, then headed to the van. I looked back and thought to myself that these poor folks would be sitting there until Sunday evening, without a clue, and would probably continue to sell very little. People often possess a unique sense of value on ‘antiques’ and collectibles. If the item was of poor quality to begin with, it probably has not gone up in value, no matter how old it is (of course there are exceptions.)

I have often heard complaints about ‘those darn dealers’ coming early and buying up everything, or the folks who run estate sales taking a ‘huge chunk’ of the family’s profits. But, gee, they are a necessary evil. The line at the door before the sale starts makes or breaks a sale because the late-arrivals looking for pots, pans, clothing and utilitarian items will not make the sale profitable. It is the dealers who do that. And it just makes sense to hire someone who is a ‘pro’ to at least eyeball your treasures and point you in the right direction. We’ve run several estate sales and were amazed at what was going to be discarded. One item was a large wooden shipping box that once held an Evinrude boat motor. The gent asked for help to drag it to the curb but we declined and it netted about $150! Some items he had placed into a box as ‘very high-end’ turned out to be pretty commonplace and we were able to convince him to pass them on to family members as keepsakes or price them in a realistic manner.

If at all possible, before you start your sale, do a little research. Go to a few malls and try to find similar items, then price yours lower than those found. Check out the internet. If your mass-produced figurines are bringing less than $5, why put them out at 7 times that? They will not be purchased. Consider hiring a professional to help out, even if it is to appraise your ‘best items’, and a service may be the answer if you have a large inventory.

Having sold antiques and collectibles in various venues for over 25 years, I know the trends swing like crazy and many items just do not hold their value. Better to pass these on to family as a pleasant memory. A little bit of up-front work can truly help your “no sales” to turn into cash!

I am not a serious collector of Precious Moments figurines from Jonathan & David. But I do recognize their charm and desirability.

I acquired my first figure from my mother. We were not a very ‘affluent’ family, always getting gifts for birthdays and Christmas but rarely just “for nothing.” But one day mom called me up and asked me to stop by – she had just found a little something for me. I stopped the very next day, always glad for an excuse to see the folks anyway. Mom told me she had been to visit a friend, Eileen, in the hospital, and when leaving, was drawn to a little gift boutique. Inside she found a grouping of the Precious Moments figures. She said she could not resist this one because it reminded her of the time we buried our sweet beagle, Duchess, out in our back yard. The 5 members of the family stood around, sniffling and each saying a few words about her short-lived life and what she had meant to us. (My dad had what he called ‘over-active tear ducts’, causing him to cry – yeah, right.) As we stood there a pair of robins flitted past, almost dive-bombing us, probably because of a nest nearby. This little figurine with the two children and a pair of bluebirds on a shovel brought back thoughts of that sad day. The title was Prayer Changes Things. I hugged her and proudly took my treasure home, vowing to always enjoy it.

Upon getting it home, I pondered where to place it. It was not large enough to fill up a shelf, and other items did not seem to complement it. I put it in my bedroom, on my dresser, knowing I’d have to add at least one more figure.

A few days later I decided to visit mom’s friend in the hospital and stopped at the same gift shop. I saw all the figurines offered and had a tough time deciding but one ‘hit home.’ It was of a girl graduate and my oldest daughter would be graduating from high school soon. It was perfect! I gleefully paid for it and headed on home. Now I had two of them.

Christmas that year brought a third Precious Moments figurine, this time from my sister. It was titled “Christmas Joy From Head to Toe” and showed a child peering into a long stocking with a pup at the end. My sister said it reminded her of the three of us always trying to get the biggest stocking hung up. And now there were three. They nicely filled out the shelf I set them upon.

It was about 7 years later that I added to the grouping. This time a wedding. I had to get a bride and groom and since our first grandchild was a flower girl, added a figure of that as well. Admittedly, I have not added more than 3 or 4 others through the years. Mostly because I have so many other collections and not enough room. But the ones I do have bring a quick smile and always remind me of their provenance!

I understand that the Precious Moments artwork was first seen on greeting cards back in 1970, with the figurines debuting eight years later. They can now be found in figures, collector’s plates, music boxes, ornaments, bells, dolls and other accessories. Most, if not all of their products, are made by Enesco Imports. Many items have increased significantly over time, the various markings and time-frames or subject matter add to the value. There are many serious collectors out there and I do not blame them for their addiction. These have withstood the test of time and continue to charm and bring smiles more than 30 years later. If you are a PM lover, we’d love to hear about your collection. And as always, happy hunting.

I remember the very first time that I just KNEW I would not be a stellar homemaker! It was in seventh grade. We had our first class of Home Economics and our teacher, Mrs. K., assured us that by the end of this course, we’d be shopping and cooking for family, sewing our own clothes and enjoying it. I was definitely skeptical, but here we were, a group of 20 young ladies, ready to take on the challenge of being a good homemaker and eventually wife!

We set up in groups of 6 and made meals. I still recall one of our friends, Betty, who was in charge of peeling potatoes and just hated the feel of them. She peeled and cut them and from a 5 pound bag got the equivalent of 3 full potatoes. (We chided her but later in life, she married an obstetrician and had a full-time maid who cleaned and cooked for her. I should have been a beautiful, dumb blonde!) In any case, we made some pretty good meals, things we could try at home and ‘wow’ the family members. My brother, Mike, of course pretended to choke on everything I made, falling out of his chair and grasping his throat or chest whenever I mentioned I made the meal. Nice support system.

But the real proof in the pudding was our sewing project. Our very first home-made item was a draw string apron. Pretty simple, right? Well, not for me. I made the hem very crooked, and the place where the string was pulled through was not open enough and I had to do and re-do several times. The majority of my friends did very well – best friend, Cathy, got an A. I got a C-. I just explained to whoever would listen that I had no intentions of sewing my own clothes. Mrs. K. really loved hearing that.

Well, a few weeks back I went to an estate sale and found a group of booklets that were quite interesting. They were from the Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts & Sciences, Scranton, Pennsylvania. The earliest copyright in the books was 1916, and the member’s card was from October 6, 1924. The woman’s address on the Membership Card was from Chicago, Illinois, so it must have been a home-taught curriculum. They must have required some type of ‘proof’ of accomplishment to receive a Diploma or a Certificate of Proficiency, perhaps mailing the projects back and forth. I realize it was very important in the 1920s to take care of family. Women rarely worked out of the home, that is until WWII, so they were responsible for keeping things in order and making the clothing for the entire family.

I wondered if I had had that opportunity, to take a full-course on “domestic arts and sciences”, would I have achieved more. So, I start with one of the booklets called “Simplified Sewing” and on the 3^rd page find “Simple Aprons.” It looks like my old nemesis – a ‘draw string’ type. The next pages get complicated with the ‘joining of gores and shaping the waist line.” Then to “gathering and stroking.” Further on is a three-piece cover-all apron. From that you proceed on to a “feather stitched camisole and petticoat.” And near the end of the booklet, you can make a kimona. To be honest with you, I do not see this as simple by any stretch. I turn to the very back of the booklet with the examination questions. Such questions as “What is the purpose of mitering?” and “Why should long eyes be secured in such a manner that the opening of the rings is at the outside of the closing?”, and “For what purpose is the short-lapped placket suitable?” These and others danced before my confused eyes. Nope, this little pamphlet has not helped me at all. I hope the dear lady that signed up for the course understood and did well on her final exams.

Another of the booklets is called “Tight Linings and Boning” and refers to padding a dress form. As a child, I was terrified of dress forms. That sounds silly now, but it was because of grandma’s house. She lived upstairs from my aunt and uncle and we’d hurry up to see them, anxious to test whatever goodies she’d baked for us. We’d get to the curve at the top of the stairway and rush past the small sewing room. She had a dress form near the window and when you’d see the silhouette, you were sure it was a real person. Once my brother locked me in that room and I sat huddled by the door, yelling for my freedom. Once mom let me out, I did not even look back to see if the ‘lady’ had moved closer to me, but I felt she had. In any case, this was not one of my favorite memories, and I am not sure I could work well with one, even now.

I paged through the booklets, admiring the work that went into even the ’simplest’ of garments, and decided that I would not have made it in this class. Back then it was necessity and there is no way of knowing just how many ladies were actually good at what they did. There may have been a lot of kids who were unhappy with the attire they were forced to wear! I recall my husband saying his mom made him a white dress-shirt when he was in first grade and when he got to church, found the pocket had been put on upside down! Well, give her credit, she tried.

So, I will continue to shop for my clothes, my husband’s and the grandkids’. They are so much better off for it.

Our destination remained Florida for a week of rest and relaxation. Out of Kentucky and down I-75 until we turn onto I-24 past Nashville. I should not bore you with all of our stops. We followed many billboard signs to stores just off the freeways along the way. We stopping at lots of typical malls with some minor luck but no additions to our “Must Return” list. At most places we would find a gem or two and that’s why I allow extra days into our driving schedule, as many of these “I” system malls are large and require extra time just to breeze through them.

One of the signs led us off I-24 and into Chattanooga, Tennessee were we stopped at several places including High Point Antiques at 3524 Broad St (423-756-9566) where we were greeted by Susan & James. If you’re looking for antique light fixtures, the polished brass will stun your eyeballs. Of the wonderful items this store offered, wifey could not live with out this stunning pen holder. I’m betting it’s on her desk already, but with the stacked up papers across every inch but the keyboard, I’d never find it and I’m not fool enough to try.

Staying overnight south of Chattanooga, then on through Georgia trying to make up time spent in too many antique stores. We always shoot for Atlanta at mid-morning to avoid rush hour traffic, and drive directly through the heart of the city and on towards Macon, stopping infrequently while enticing billboards directed us to “Only Minutes Left” or “Minutes Right” proclaiming yet another “must stop” antique shop.

Past Macon our drive is through Billboard Alley, where every store has some sort of flooring for your house if only we had brought along our room sizes and a big truck. Stopping finally near the Florida border for the night, we knew the next day had to be an early start if we expected to be on island at our rented beach condo before sunset.

Well Florida “IS” Vacation, so we only go antique hunting part of our time. We started the day with a tour of Siesta Key and St. Armands Key, strictly for sight seeing, but as we drove North, I spotted an antique store and we determined to return that afternoon. We arrive late in the day and lucky to still find the shop open.

It was our first visit to an antique store in Florida this trip. With good fortune it was the Savantiques at 113 N. Tamiami Trail in Osprey, Florida. (941-966-9800). This was our third return to this mall. We were greeted by owner Nick as we walked in. The store features lots of beautiful period American furniture, and a great verity of early collectibles and antiques including nice art glass pieces. I had the impression wifey was determined to fill the counter with purchases before closing time and she almost made it. She left just enough room for receipt writing. Oh! I found a few items too, but no depression glass ice buckets to add to my collection.

We were so impressed with our finds, we decided to go back the next day after touring some shops in Englewood and Venice. I wanted to get details for this article and of course wifey thought she might have missed a hidden treasure or two, (she must have, as I had to pay for more stuff). But with a friendly staff including owner Cathy at center and Eileen and Jim we were once again loaded down with treasures, even if it required rearranging the van to accommodate more goodies.

In business for six years and attracting buyers with ads in local newspapers and The Antique Shoppe, Peddler & Antique Week. These type of publications are often found a local shops and most stores will have a display of antiquing papers and brochures from other locations. I always pick up all the literature available to add to my files.

I had written last year about some antique stores in the St, Pete area, and several of our readers suggested we visit Arcadia. It was without hesitation when we started our trip planning to include this antiquing town located on US Hwy 17 North East from Punta Gorda.at the convergence of state roads 70, 72, and 31 to our agenda. And you will find the short jaunt through the Florida countryside worthy with rewards for all collectors. Lots of stores on Oak Street and don’t pass on the ones near by as well. I suggest a whole day should be reserved for this town. And don’t worry, several eateries and an ice cream store will keep you refreshed all day long. I’ll only mention a few shops we visited with no intent to leave anyone out. I’m listing ones I remembered to get business cards from: Isabelle’s, Tokens of Tyme, Cherry Hill, Abigail’s, Treasure Alley and Arcadia Antiques & Fine Art, with real treasures in English brass and furniture. Marc the owner of Cherry Hill Antiques happened to originally come from our home area and we spent time in discussion with him on the good “old” days. Marc informed us of his unique promotional efforts by bringing in experts on various antiquing and collectible subjects to promote interest and ultimately sales. He also does a newsletter to stimulate interest. For more info on Arcadia contact the Antique Association of Arcadia (arcadiaFLantiques.com)

One last word on our trip, we stopped at the Exit 76 Antique Mall of Edinburgh IN, just north or Louisville on our way home. While huge this 72,000 sq ft. mall is very well run, with plenty of helping hands to assist everyone. With a good layout and efficient counter help we had a pleasant buying experience once again. And talk about promotional ideas, we received a card form Kelly to thank us for our purchase. (neat)

When you have a good antiquing experience, please share it with all of us at Collectors’ Quest by using the “reply” below.