Have you always wondered what that piece of furniture hanging out collecting dust in your attic is worth?
Well, next week on Vintage Indie you will have your chance to win a free appraisal by long time appraiser and auctioneer Walt Kolenda.
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Posted by Gabreial - Vintage Indie on May 9, 2008 at 10:48am —
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We will be holding our next auction on May 20th, tuesday at 10:30 am.
The next auction to follow will be an Estate sale in Freehold Ny, on June 7th
Check our website for information.
www.mooneys.net
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Posted by Mooney's Auction Service on May 6, 2008 at 12:34pm —
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What we have here is a Toledo Short Sword Walking Cane. As it is a consealed weapon we aren't allowed to list it on Ebay. So how do we find a good starting price for this particular piece. We believe this to be Late Victorian. The knarled wood style stick is in good shape with a little…
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Posted by Big T on May 3, 2008 at 1:52pm —
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Marbles, I see them online selling for in lots for hundreds of dollars, yet when I take some great close ups of a large lot that we just got in we get no action on a $10 starting bid. What's the deal? A lot of these looked like hand blown glassware that everyones after but I wasn't sure.…
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Posted by Big T on May 3, 2008 at 1:39pm —
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We just happened to get two bayonets into the store at one time. The diffe…
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Posted by Big T on May 2, 2008 at 11:00am —
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What we have here is a Durgin Dauphin Sterling Serving Spoon
Excellent Condi…
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Posted by Big T on May 2, 2008 at 10:55am —
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Identifying Heisey is the easy one. Look for the H in the middle of the piece as you see.
But some Vintage and Antique glassware is hard to identify. EAPG and Hex Block style can get confusing. Even Waterford Glass watermarkings style of signature is very hard to find even with the train…
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Posted by Big T on April 29, 2008 at 11:27am —
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As you can see we just obtained a very exquisite example of Imperial Glassware. The Cut glass style is labeled IG in the bottom of the bowl which is chip free. Measures 8" in diameter and 3" tall. Our listing can be found here http://www.afamilyheirloom.com/id1.html
This Particular piec…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 1:30pm —
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It's really amazing to me how popular the Jadeite restaurant plates are these days. Again, half of the buyers are overseas contacts. In the past we’ve gone through many of these plates, some with the curved 3 section style as well as some straight triangle restaurant plates. Even the…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 1:23pm —
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To see this listing: http://www.afamilyheirloom.com/id1.html
Holy Crappy Economy for Furniture Batman!
No, I don't think the boy wonder ever used that phrase but regardless, It's hard to be a piece of antique furniture these days. Shipping has pretty much been its downfall. You have a fi…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 1:11pm —
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We got in a load of Mints, Proofs, and Commemorative Coin Sets. What I'm wondering is whether or not PCGS Coin Grading for Coins tabbed by the US Mint Certified is necessary. What is more valuable in the grading process? US Mint certification seems more practical, but some of the certif…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 12:14pm —
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Early 1890's the Hubley Manufacturing Company of Pennsylvania began work on Cast Iron Toys and appliances pertaining to the times. Mostly toy guns pee shooters and even model horse drawn carriages we're largely popular. As the automotive and military markets and designs began to spread so did the style of Hubley vehicles in the 1900's. The rare stuff though is any and all cast iron toys. By WW2 most of the public donated these collectables to the war effort and toys were melted to become weapons…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 12:03pm —
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Their are many other types of Antiques out there from the Civil War era that are not necessarily Military in nature but was produced at the same time regardless. Pottery for one had a unique flavor during this time. Pictured here is a Lusterware pitcher from about the same time period.…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 10:49am —
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This just in our store. The Lamp base is labeled Miller and New Vestal. Definitely a Victorian Brass Style. Electrified in the 1930's. But the greatest thing about this Fine Arts Lamp or Piano Banquet Lamp, is that the original globe is still perfectly intact. The star and Frosted Acid…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 10:27am —
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The only real English Antiques that come through the store here just about once a month is China. We've done lots of Flow Blue, but there has got to be more to the English Antiques market than just china and small things. Being in the US its sometimes difficult only because we we're inf…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 10:19am —
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Lately the International Market has been pulling some big numbers in the instruments, Ebay Antiques, and vintage collectables category. Accordions, Saxophones, Even Keystone Movie Projectors, selling overseas for much more than they would in the US only market. What gets me is that these buyers are shelling out sometimes twice as much as what their product cost just for shipping it to them. Maybe its because we actually offer shipping to the international market of these large items. It might al…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 10:08am —
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For the past week I've been watching one of our auctions which are some Mickey and Minnie Mouse Watches in a lot. All of them not working but still falling under the collectab;e watches category. Now, hoe do you differenciate from the modern watches, The Vintage watches, and the truly r…
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Posted by Big T on April 28, 2008 at 9:30am —
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Vintage Indie Mag is now booking ads for May at Buy one get one 1/2 off!
Go Now to
Vintage Indie Mag
You must book your space by April 30th.
Visit
this link at our site for details and full information!
We are also booking for the Indie Wedding Guide.
(offer above is for Vintage Indie only)
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Posted by Gabreial - Vintage Indie on April 26, 2008 at 11:46am —
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I began selling on Ebay in 1997. It was wonderful, to say the least. I rarely sell via Ebay anymore. I had the store but would also sell on LiveDeal, Ruby Lane, PlunderHere, I-Offer and MSN Live. I found Ebay to be the best initially but now I truly enjoy eCrater.
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Posted by Zane on April 25, 2008 at 2:07pm —
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Vintage Pulse is the sister site to vintageindiemag.com, dedicated to connecting vintage enthusiasts all over the globe. Engage in community resources for buying, selling, collecting and enjoying vintage,including handcrafted with vintage materials.
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Posted by Gabreial - Vintage Indie on April 25, 2008 at 8:00am —
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Please list any or all Doll Repair contacts you might have.
We've had many antique German style dolls come through the store here and of course, condition is everything. When there are bisque pieces everywhere either because of age or just from a little one being rough with and antique, what is the most important thing to prepare for preservation and possible repair? We all know the doll heads by themselves can sometimes bring a good buck here and there, but if you have tattered bisque piece and…
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Posted by Big T on April 17, 2008 at 4:30pm —
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I just did an appraisal today of some Silver Flatware. I won't bore you with the details but suffice to say this person had a number in mind that was seen off Ebay. This number was so substantially inflated I had to laugh. I asked the customer: "Did the item actually sell for that amount?" The retort was "What?" "Did the item actually have bids and sell for that amount." Again, the normal answer "I don't know" I looked the set up that they saw and told them how it worked. If you've come across t…
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Posted by Big T on April 17, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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It's 75 degrees, Sunny, no customers, all I want to do is go out and find old collectables. I don't mean going to a house and dealing with customers either. I mean hoofing through the woods with a metal detector. There are so many cool things that are just laying out there ready to be unearthed. Especially old coins. I'm actually located in a traffic hub area for houses built on or before 1770. Lots of history in the area means lots of dropped older items to be found. Primarily coins. Old Coins…
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Posted by Big T on April 17, 2008 at 2:59pm —
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Okay, I just fielded the 5th call of the day in regards to someones antique furniture, dresser, cabinet, whatever. That's 5 different customers in one day who didn't have anything else to sell to make us interested to even go out and look and spend $3.50 a gallon to get out there just to tell them it's not something we're interested in. Yes I know you paid $200 for it 50 years ago. But, that's the problem, It's not antique. 100 years. That's the definition for antique. Check the encyclopedia! Wh…
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Posted by Big T on April 17, 2008 at 2:12pm —
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You probably don't want to hear this and its probably the reason why your selling off your Tiffany Sterling but the key to Tiffany Sterling flatware or any Sterling flatware selling for the most price depends on the pictures you take and how good you are polishing every piece. Just r…
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Posted by Big T on April 17, 2008 at 1:58pm —
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When posting a Lladro Figurine you have to remember three important things that the customer needs to know. First and foremost is the condition. They will have a lot of confidence in your product if a description lists the Lladro as having No Chips, Cracks, Crazing, or Repairs. Customers…
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Posted by Big T on April 17, 2008 at 1:36pm —
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As I'm not exactly an expert in lighting is there anyone out there with a relative idea on how to differenciate between Tiffany, Lenox, and Quoizel in the lamp industry? Quoizel starting manufacturing in Manhattan in 1930 and worked in conjunction with both Lenox and Tiffany but other than hopefully finding these markings on the lamps how do you recognize the genuine Tiffany Lamp instead of a Tiffany Quoizel combonation? Or the Lenox Quoizel Combo? Did each company have to sign the name to the l…
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Posted by Big T on April 17, 2008 at 1:08pm —
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If you can't figure out by the title, I've got a little beef with Free Online Appraisal services. First of all, there is no such thing as free. Many of these sites out there simply compile Email addresses and just sell them off to the highest Spam dealer. Now, putting the illegitamit online businesses aside, those businesses out there should reapproach the Free Apprasial process. It's an inspection of sorts. If you share info or answer info for free, the business gets nothing and the customer ge…
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Posted by Big T on April 16, 2008 at 4:26pm —
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Quite Possibly one of the coolest type of collectables out there. Sifting through the modern stuff though and finding the authentic Vintage Coca Cola real McCoy is the tough part. Usually when we're speaking with customers we'll tell them that the starting point in age would be about 50…
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Posted by Big T on April 16, 2008 at 4:08pm —
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Here's our current inventory: www.afamilyheirloom.com/id1.html
Lately we've been utilizing the store category listings through ebay with some pretty good success. Setting a Buy it Now price and letting it run for 30 days for not so expensive items has become increasingly lucrative due to the lower advertising cost. Finding the Buy it Now price is always the trouble. You sometimes start kicking yourself and wondering if an item could have sold for more when people pick things up immediately. Whil…
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Posted by Big T on April 16, 2008 at 12:16pm —
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Is the brick and mortar Antique shop on its way out? I've been seeing very few large buildings out there specializing in store front sales retail Antiques. These shops are moving into private land barns, basements, garages, or smaller shops tied in with an auction hall or Flea Market. We're constantly faced with the question these days: Why are we leasing a building for what usually amounts to about 10% of overall business? Is the store front necessary anymore? I'm pretty much a spring chicken w…
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Posted by Big T on April 16, 2008 at 11:50am —
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We've been busy with a lot of watercolor paintings lately and usually artprice has been giving us the best info before purchase. Lately we've been calculating square inches to figure out the best price. Has anyone else had luck with this or are there other outlets and buying styles?
Here's the watercolors we're currently running:
www.afamilyheirloom.com/id1.html
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Posted by Big T on April 16, 2008 at 11:05am —
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Just a blog post to share some rare finds for Roseville Pottery.
As you may already know - The Roseville Pottery Company was founded in 1890. Roseville initially produced simple utilitarian ware such as flower pots, stoneware, umbrella stands, cuspidors, and limited painted ware. In 1900, Roseville Rozane became the first high quality art pottery line produced by Roseville.
…
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Posted by Big T on April 16, 2008 at 10:30am —
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The amount of calls lately in regards to people wanting to sell off their old records have been nausiating. Only a handful of them actually have value. How can I sort through the crap and the calls to get to the really good stuff out there?
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Posted by Big T on April 11, 2008 at 3:15pm —
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We just got a Gretsch Guitar in the store dating pre WW2. Don't know much on the model name however.
You can see more pictures through:
www.afamilyheirloom.com/id1.html
Playable with no cracks and great sound. There is finish crazing all around the piece due to age. We believe the piece…
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Posted by Big T on April 11, 2008 at 3:00pm —
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We've just come across something very rare. Or we believe it is.
A Railroad Logbook for the Boston Maine Line
Is there anyone out there that might know more about this piece?
more pictures at: www.afamilyheirloom.com/id1.html
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Posted by Big T on April 11, 2008 at 1:00pm —
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We have 4 original paintings by Jack Flynn listed online right now. We don't know much about him. His Watercolor Paintings and impressionist style for Landscapes and street scenes are very good. Need more info though. The Picture here is one that we have left as they have been selling v…
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Posted by Big T on April 11, 2008 at 12:30pm —
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Just as an FYI for everyone as the AR website Calendar is a little confusing.
2008 Season
June 7 Palm Springs, California
June 28 Dallas, Texas
July 12 Wichita, Kansas
July 19 Chattanooga, Tennessee
August 9 Grand Rapids, Michigan
August 23 Hartford Connecticut
Feel free to add to this post for anyone interested!
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Posted by Big T on April 11, 2008 at 12:19pm —
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We all know the impact of Antiques Roadshow. It's getting more people interested in looking through their attics for items. At the same time those same people feel like they have the research background now to know the exact value of everything. Kind of a double edge sword. Our basic response to many people is that there is a big difference between appraisal value and actual value. The Roadshow website even explains this basically saying the you have to listen carefully to the cotext of what the…
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Posted by Big T on April 11, 2008 at 12:04pm —
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This is what we know already:
The Highwaymen artists are/were a collection of African American artists from Fort Pierce, Florida who painted vivid landscapes and Florida scenes. They painted from the 1950's to the 1970's and their works were sold commercially in galleries but mostly from the trunks of cars to passing motorists. These artists were masters at capturing Florida sunrises and sunsets.
The question is are there other artists out there other than those listed in many websites. We got a…
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Posted by Big T on April 11, 2008 at 12:00pm —
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Anyone out there know how to properly clean vintage and antique doll dresses and undergarments without tearing anything? We've had a few excellent looking dolls but the clothes have looked very worn and dirty bringing the overall value down because of the pictures. Also, what is the easiest…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:48pm —
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Is it just me or are there fewer and fewer clock shops in the area nowadays? Living in Connecticut we are surrounded by a hub of clock manufacturers from old. There are hardly any repair shops anymore. We've had so many calls for Clock repair and for parts that one would think that the…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:44pm —
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Just an example here. I've come across a collection of these Cast Iron Safe style banks. Just wondering if there is anything particular I should be looking for. Any important names or patent dates. Is there more information to be found if the bank is taken apart? Any comments would be…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:37pm —
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Is there anyone out there willing to share the secret of easily shipping antique floor lamps? The last time we tried it was met with disaster for everyone involved. The costs for shipping something so large is just way too outrageous these days as well. You go with a cheaper style of shipment and it gets there in pieces. We all know this problem. The question really is: Is there a way to ensure safe delivery with very little cost? The greatest problem is that your usually attempting to package s…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:30pm —
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We just got in a collection of Antique Bugles and Trumpets.
Our store link is
www.afamilyheirloom.com/id1.html
The best item that we just procured is an old Royal Kent Bugle. Any extra info on this piece would be greatly appreciated!
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:30pm —
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I've seen a few sites like this, they advertise Online appraisals utilizing pictures. But does it have the same type of merit as placing a piece in front of a live appraiser? Shouldn't there be insurance fraud issues that pop up with this sort of program? I mean I could easily take pictures from online sources and tell the appraiser that this is my Antique Chair from so in so Grandparents. Then take the appraisal as an insurance claim. We actually denied someone the ability to get an appraisal o…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:24pm —
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We all know that graded coins can easily do a lot more money online that their non-graded brethren, but the grading process can be a hassle and sometimes due to the anal nature of the grading system the grade might come back less than valuable than the price to grade them. So, what’s the key? What’s the secret? Comments totally welcome!
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:16pm —
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Being in CT chances are it's quite easy for me to go out into the woods for a hike and come across an arrowhead or a rock shaped like some sort of Native American tool. The question is: How do you differentiate between the rocks and the authentic axe heads or carving tools of ancient Am…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 1:03pm —
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Lately the store has been a bustle with plenty of coins coming in and being sent out. One thing has been consistent though, Regardless of the denomination, Gold and or Silver Content: US Coins and currency seems to be the top priority in the selling market. Just try to tell that to one…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 12:30pm —
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What's more important: The Lamp base or the Shade? We had a couple customers come in over the last few months and some older but not antique Aladdin Lamps came in. Some shades I’ve seen online seem to do really well, but then you notice other shades that almost look exactly the same jus…
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Posted by Big T on April 10, 2008 at 12:30pm —
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The key to antique toy appraisals is to do your homework and check out the person that you are going to trust your family heirloom(s) with. Check references and find out what toys they have handled in the past.
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 8:13pm —
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Antique table lamps come in many styles, values and sizes. The deco period, around 1920, seem to be the most sought after. However, there are also many reproductions of those same styles. I find that an original chord, being two pronged and preferably silk around the outside, is a good sign of an original lamp. Next, check the shade. There should be age and patina along the inside and the glass will always be glass, not plastic. Any other tips?
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 8:10pm —
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Is it Sterling? Is it antique? Is it valuable? How do I care for it? These are the common questions that are asked regarding antique silverware. Any feedback is welcomed.
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 8:00pm —
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The market demand for antique victorian furniture seems to vary depending on the part of the world that you live in. Although the market seemed much stronger 10-15 years ago, it is coming back in the Northeastern United States.
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 8:00pm —
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This is the place to begin. A growing network of buyers, sellers and collectors of antiques & collectibles. This free online forum is what our industry has needed for some time. Welcome!
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 8:00pm —
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The industry is changing fast. Antique shops are moving online and closing their physical stores frequently. Where will this shift take us? How are antique dealers winning in this market? Where can antique shops best sell their items online?
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 7:59pm —
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Original artwork, especially antique paintings are holding their value and are a good item to know about. We find that there are several criteria to evaluating an antique painting. First, is it a quality piece? Is it something that draws you to it when you first see it? Second, is it signed? Third, is it in the original frame? Fourth, does it look untouched from the back?
What do you look for when examining an antique painting?
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 7:51pm —
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According to his website: "Paul Royka is a nationally known fine art, antiques & collectibles expert.
His clients include major museums, dealers, celebrities & international private collectors.
His gallery is located in Boston's prestigious Back Bay at 213 Newbury Street."
Other than that, does anyone have any information about Paul Royka?
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 7:30pm —
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Antique oil lamps are readily found at flea markets, online auctions and antique stores. With some knowledge and tools, your oil lamp collection can grow very quickly. If anyone can share some tips for determining a valuable oil lamp from a common antique oil lamp, let us know.
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 7:30pm —
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The easily sculpted, translucent solid used to make porcelain dolls is generally referred to as china or bisque. Collectible porcelain dolls with glazed faces are termed "china," whereas dolls with a soft, unglazed finish that appears more like natural skin are termed "bisque."
Any other information about dolls is welcome here.
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Posted by A Family Heirloom (Dealer) on April 9, 2008 at 7:30pm —
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www.friedgreentomatofactory.com for unique home and garden country folk art! Gifts from the Whistle Stop Cafe!
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Posted by phyllis levan on March 26, 2008 at 11:49pm —
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I will just jump right in and start with the amazing alternative health successes I have experienced since my new awaking in the 1980’s. Now remember I mentioned in the last blog my Grandma June and the inspiring influence she and on me as a child. She raised me in a healthy environment and fed me a very healthy diet as a child. I believe that her convictions were instilled in me at an early age and I have been chosen to carry on the torch of helping people to create their own healthy lifestyle.…
May Auctions
Pricing Antiques - Without utilizing Ebay
I'm always curious about others opinions on advertising and preferred online sales sites....please do chime in!
Antique Toy Appraisals
Visit my ebay store!
I will just jump right in and start with the amazing alternative health successes I have experienced…