Buying and Selling Antiques of all Kinds!

I have been an antique dealer for more than 25 years! I have thoroughly enjoyed hunting for eclectic finds at tag and estate sales, auctions and buying from individuals looking to downsize. I believe in the green movement, that is re-purposing old things and bringing them back to use. The purpose of this blog is to share my journey into the world of antiques...from the beginning to the end sale and every point in between!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Why I love Vintage Cookbooks!!

I confess, I'm obsessed with vintage cookbooks!  Especially the ones with great photos!  I have amassed quite a collection of all kinds and ages.  Its fun to follow the history of cooking...people used what they had on hand, cooking for large families or groups, traditions amongst ethnic groups, etc.
Above is an example of one of my favorite cookbooks!  Why, you say?  It was passed down from my mom, and I have fond memories of her using some of the recipes!  The book dates back to 1974, a time in my parent's life that they loved to entertain and experiment with new flavors.  A time when Julia Child's french cuisine was popular!

A few nights ago, I thought I'd make one of my favorites!  10 Minute Sukiyaki!  As you can see from the recipe...its been made a lot!!  I checked the ingredient list, and to my dismay...the pantry was missing mushrooms...oh well...grab a glass of wine and improvise!!
I added a few more fresh vegetables in substitution, and didn't even notice the lack of mushrooms!
Recipe also instructs to use an electric...once again I took liberties and used a stove top wok!
Served with brown rice, the final product was amazing!!
So don't pass up those vintage cookbooks...they not only hold recipes that stand today, but also rekindle happy memories and give us glimpses into the past!! 





Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Stop and Look at Sunflowers!

For those of you that follow my Facebook page , you may have noticed my latest obsession with sunflowers!  Maybe because summer is coming to an end, or just their inherent beauty, or possibly because that a rummage sale flower pot turned into a surprise crop of sunflowers, I have fell in love with sunflowers!  And each day, as I check on my driveway crop, to see how many have opened or how many are going to seed, I started contemplating many things.

How can something so pretty, grow from just a small seed? Why are sunflowers yellow?  How is it determined how many petals are on the flower?   These questions that come to mind, don't require great thought, just a small amount of my time to think about them, to enjoy them.  It made me realize, that sunflowers grow whether we see them or not.  Everyday, nature puts on a show with or without an audience.  It surely doesn't take much time to notice or enjoy it and it surely makes the start to the day all that more enjoyable. 



So my thought for you today...take the time to find your sunflower, or gift of nature that calls to you, and enjoy it...life is too short to just go through the motions and not appreciate the small things that provide us, free of charge with simple pleasure!  Its worth it!!


Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Where's the best place to sell an antique?

Now that I'm an antique appraiser as well as an antique dealer, I'm often approached by people looking to sell antiques.  Someone may be downsizing a household in preparation for moving, helping a family member sell a collection, or just looking for some extra cash!  There are many wonderful avenues for selling antiques, and I would like to take sometime to explain the various options.

If you have all the time in the world, obviously you can be a bit more selective in your options.  Logic would tell you, that if you can sell to the final owner, you will make more money.  So how do you find that final owner? 
Today's blog entry will focus on:

1.  Selling on Craig's List:


Craig Newmark began the service in 1995 as an email distribution list to friends, featuring local events in the San Francisco Bay Area, before becoming a web-based service in 1996 and expanding into other classified categories. It started expanding to other U.S. cities in 2000, and currently covers 50 countries.

Many larger communities have Craig's List Hubs, and you can find just about anything for sale!

+ for selling on Craig's List:
-Relatively Easy
-No Fees
-Minimal Computer experience needed
-Large Local Audience to see your items
-Don't have to ship, can arrange pick up of items
-Able to negotiate the best price and don't have to sell if offer is too low!

- for selling on Craig's List:
Where there's a positive, there's always a negative!

-You have to be careful when selling...there are more and more scammers and frauds out there!
-Some effort is needed to have a successful listing...research for pricing, photographs are a must as is an accurate description
-You have to be willing to meet your prospective buyer and this can mean dealing with disappointment when they don't show up...it does happen!

The internet is full of tips and techniques for selling on Craig's List...here is one such link!
Craig's List Tips


Next Blog Entry...selling on ebay!