After a chilly and wet March and April here, suddenly it became warm and the flowers started blooming all over! I take a lot of flower pictures (ask my family). And flowers are a common decorative element on clothes, jewelry, table linens, vases, dinnerware…just about anything. So just for fun, here I have matched up my photos with items in our store. Happy Spring!
First mentioned in 1911, National Postcard Week (NPCW) has had an on-again-off-again history. This year it is May 5th to 11th. In recent years much of the activity involves postcard swapping between collectors.
Previous posts to this blog have touched on the history and collectibility of postcards. So today I’ll just post a few of my favorite non-Holiday postals. Happy NPCW!
The breeze is blowing softly. You are in the garden of your estate swinging in a hammock with a glass of lemonade. It’s early 20th century and there are no electronics. Barely even lights and telephone.
What do you do all day? You can read your favorite book! Save you place with this sterling book mark.
After a while, your lady friends come for tea in the garden.
What a beautiful day! After tea, a few games of Mah Jong pass the time.
Your sister is having a birthday soon, so you pick up your fancy work that will be your gift. Here’s a beautiful thimble to protect your delicate fingers.
Isn’t Spring grand?
My 50th high school reunion occurs this year. Oh my! As it approaches, a former classmate kindly is serving as the hub for a “bio-fest” and is coordinating short life summaries since high school for the class. Very interesting reading.
But, as often happens, when people hear I am in the business of antique and collectibles, they want to know “What can I do with___?” or “How can I find out what___is worth?” This happens at our booth in the antique mall, in emails to our online store, and in conversation with friends and family. In these days of a population with grown kids and downsizing, it certainly makes sense. And people are generally less inclined to toss into landfills but would rather to find a good home for their “stuff”.
This is not an easy question to answer. It depends on the items and where you live. The internet, of course, has a lot of useful information…and not so good information. Not only is there misinformation out there, but identification of an item frequently depends on visual inspection of subtle differences. There are a few places online like Replacements (china, glass, and silver) who will buy for resale. You can always ask.
To sell high end items (sterling silver, genuine gems in gold, paintings by known artists), there are good auction houses in large cities who can evaluate the item and sell it for you. Otherwise, it can be taken to a local appraiser for a fee.
If you have no idea what you have, it becomes more problematic. You probably don’t want to pay a fee or you might have many items. One possibility is Antiques Roadshow if you are lucky enough to go as we did once. Sometimes auction houses or antique malls will have a free appraisal day or can get you in touch with someone willing to identify your treasures.
If you have everyday household items, small auction houses will sell them in an “estate” sales. But returns will be low. We buy most of our inventory at these auctions – but then, we do enjoy a good auction!
Here’s wishing your treasures are rare finds!
Animation art can be found everywhere. It lends itself to many applications because the artwork itself is already produced and it can be readily used in advertising. However, sometimes the artwork takes on its own life apart from the source. Even if you have never read a Superman comic, you know Superman.
Original Disney celluloids are a popular collectible. But mostly items depicting animation characters are promotional.
The watch has Amethyst Van Der Troll on the face, circa 2006. She is a Trolz featured on a TV program by DiC Entertainment.
From Warner Brothers we have a pendant depicting Devon and Cornwall from “Quest for Camelot”, 1998. It probably came with the movie.
And from comics, there is a Marvel Comic’s Flash Back pin from the 1980s.
Bambi is one of those characters that goes beyond the mere promotional. The Disney movie came out in 1942 which is the approximate date of the bakelite pin shown here. Did you know that the image of Bambi is even on Disney stock certificates?
One of the first man-made objects was the bead. A bead can be made from virtually any material and in any size. All it needs is a hole so that it can be strung or attached. Beads have been used in jewelry, of course, but also to decorate apparel, to weave into hair, to trade as money, and to play games.
Beads in the Victorian era were used lavishly on clothing and handbags, especially seed beads. When Victoria became Queen, the emphasis shifted from male fashion to female. The extensive use of beads lasted well into the 20th century. Flappers in the 20′s certainly loved beads! And long strings of pearls!
Seed beads also were used by Native Americans and their patterns copied by 20th century designers, especially in the hippie generation. And there are the classic strings of beads in every color and style!
The election of a new leader for the Roman Catholic Church reminded me of the religious related items we have in our store. Most religions use specific items in rites and services. But, there are others that are travel souvenirs or reminders of a particular important person or sacred sites.
This medal depicts Pope Pius XII. His papacy began 1939 and lasted until his death in 1958. The medal was likely worn on a chain around the neck. 
The cross, like those pictured, has been a symbol of Christianity for nearly 2000 years. This gold one is a small pendant and the earrings are sterling silver filigree.
And now Pope Francis collectibles are already available!
Maimeo’s first collectibles were pressed glass. I inherited my grandmother’s punch bowl and cups as well as some King’s Crown pattern wine glasses and water goblets. This led to obtaining other King’s Crown glass…then more pressed glass goblets…other table glass…vintage jewelry…classic furniture…and the rest is “history”.
Early American Pressed Glass (EAPG) is the general term for glass by numerous manufacturers made in the 19th and 20th century for everyday use. It was made by pouring heated glass into molds. Two-, three, and 4-part molds were used. The mold lines are evident especially on the foot.
The goblets shown here are water goblets (similar size to current wine glass). Wine glasses were small (cordial size) since usually sherry or homemade dandelion or fruit wines were served to company.
There are hundreds of patterns and manufacturers. Factories were often located near sources of materials and products sold locally. Typically there are no manufacturer marks. And companies freely copied each other’s patterns. Consequently, there are many books to help in identification of patterns and manufacturers.
Not only is it interesting to collect EAPG, but they are collectibles that can be used just as Grandma did. When company comes for dinner, we set the table with all different pattern wine glasses. And my grandma’s punchbowl is now used to display a variety of decorative artificial fruits and vegetables!
For those of us spending uncomfortable hours on the modern air behemoths, this looks amazing! The postcard was sent in 1941 with a message written in flight “just like riding in a car, as I am not the least afraid.”
I first flew in 1963 and, while not this luxurious, it was actually something to look forward to. Most people dressed in “church” finery. Dresses for the women, jackets and slacks for the men. Hats for all. No security lines, no checked bag fees. Food was pretty bad.
True story: I was returning to college on a United Airlines prop driven plane. My mother dropped me off at the terminal door about 10 minutes before the plane was due to take off. I ran to the check- in and they gave me the boarding pass and took my bag. I ran down the hall carrying my guitar and there was the plane! They held it for me! Breathlessly, I ran out on the tarmac (no jetways then) and up the steps. As I walked down the aisle, I felt all eyes on me! But that may have had something to do with the short skirt, fishnet stockings, and wool cape!
Collecting interesting antiques and slightly newer collectibles sounds expensive. But there are many options for the new collector that are not bank-breakers. What do you think is interesting? Nature? Glass? Olympics? Banking? Space exploration? Food? Their histories and/or uses are readily available on the Web and collections of related items can be started on a budget. Of course, as you get into it, it may become a passion rather than a collection. But that’s for the future….
The cards above were printed for the Red Rose Tea Co. in Canada in the mid-20th century. There were sets of Trees, Birds, Space, etc. The Dinosaur set is interesting since the information is so “yesterday”.
Advertising collectibles come in all shapes and sizes and related to many collections. Here we have pinchbacks from Avis car rentals in many languages.
Lately, toys have been popular. Here is a cute little tin and plastic wind-up robot with personality.
Starting (or adding to) a collection is a fun winter activity that can be shared with family members and make some lasting memories. And you don’t need to take out a bank loan!
