Always Learning

[Susanna Pickle]

The more I interact with other dealers and collectors, I find there is even more to learn about the china and pottery I sell and collect. Members of this site have taught me by sharing bits and pieces of information, through direct interaction and by reading all of your posts, questions and answers. 

 

Our experiences shape our knowledge and what we know about what we collect and sell. And everyone's experiences are different. I spent a few years in England, listening to people who had been hunting, selling, buying and repairing antique furniture their entire lives. It taught me a lot about old furniture and how to look for repairs, fakes, unrepairable damage, know when to repair and when to leave it alone and, most importantly, when to walk away from an item.  I sometimes remember their lessons on when to stop bidding or how to not become emotionally invested in a piece--because there is always another one. Someday you will find it.

 

One day when I was exchanging emails with a friend I've known since we were six, she told me about her uncle who collected and sold carnival glass, how he can talk for hours about a piece or what to look for at a show, how he used to travel to shows to buy and sell, how his house is full of his collections. And then best of all, she invited me to go visit him next time we're both "back home". I'm so  looking forward to it!