Joan Reep Silver Glass Bowl

Sliver Nitrate Glass Bowl Artist Signed Joan Reep Art Glass Bowl

Dark blues, heavy purple, creams, silver greens, yellows swirl, collide and swirl over, under and around each other. Hand blown Art Glass Bowl by Colorado Glass Artist Joan Reep. Made of Silver Nitrate Glass this bowl is very difficult to photograph and the photos just can't reproduce the beauty of this Art Work. Artist Singed Joan Reep on the bottom, original "Silver Glass" sticker.
Joan Reep seems to be known for her Silver Glass work, the little I have seen is Unmistakably Joan Reep, she has her own style with out doubt.

6 1/4" Wide at the top, 6 /1/2 inches tall...... Inside is Pure Solid Purple, the outside looks like the Clouds of Jupiter. No Chips or Cracks or Scratches, wonderful condition, beautiful Bowl.

Not much out there on Joan Reep if any one can fill me in please do so.

German Model 1898 Butcher Bayonet

I ran Across a German Model 1898/05 Bayonet. I had to do research of course! This is what I know about this Bayonet. Simson Co. made in Suhl Germany Bayonet no "Saw back". Most likely the " 2nd Pattern" Manufactured between 1915 and 1918.



This bayonet is more like a Sword than a knife at a total length of 24 inches , the blade it's self being 18 3/4 inches, with handle at 5 1/4 inches. In over all good condition, the blade was re-sharpened at some point in it's life.

There where many Bayonet Manufactures operating in Suhl Germany at the time, this one was made by the "Simson Co." as is Impressed in the blade. A Crest or Shield with Sun Burst is stamped on the end of the Pommel. Research indicates this could mean the Bayonet was made for or "Exported" to Peru.


I believe this to be a German Model 1898/05 of the 2nd pattern, made between 1915 and 1918 for the Peruvian Army.

Links to sites with info used in this post.
http://www.antiqueswords.com/GB3.htm
http://www.old-smithy.info/default.htm
http://www.seitengewehr.com/Fachzeitschrift/

NOTE: I have since found out this is a German SG1898 not 1898/05 and is a "South American Export"

William Guerin Limoges

Have a very pretty Limoges water pitcher going up for auction soon. So I did some research on it and found it to be very educational. Limoges is an area in France that has the Whitest Clay called Kaolin. So Limoges is "Generic" term for all "Porcelain" made in that region, somewhat more than 50% of French Porcelain is produced in Limoges area. Many companies came and went, or where merged since 1768 when the Kaolin was found.
As one can imagine production of porcelain dramatically dropped during the War and never recovered, although many factory's are still in operation to this day. American "Limoges" took much of the American Market.

Mine was made by the WG & Co, the mark indicates it was produced between 1891 and 1932.William Guerin started doing business in porcelain around 1836, his son's came into the business in 1903 as well. I wont bore you with a Company History you can Google as well or better than Me :) Ok so I know who made the pitcher, but whats the 2nd mark mean? "Hand Painted Stouffer"?

J.H. Stouffer Studios (1905-1952) was a very well respected "Decoration" Company in Chicago. Ahhh So then the "WG&Co" Limoges Pitcher was shipped here to Chicago and painted here. Good so far.


We now know my WG&Co Limoges pitcher was "Decorated" at "The Earliest: 1905, and the absolute latest is 1932.

Then I find the Artist Signed it, Pfohl. Not much out there on him.... Thanks to a RubyLane Seller I found out his name was Wenzel Pfohl. My best guess is this WG&Co Limoges Water Pitcher be 1908 to 1916 ish :)



Links to information used in this blog.

http://www.rubylane.com/
http://e-limoges.com/makers/guerin-limoges-boxes.php
http://antiques.about.com/od/ceramicsporcelai1/a/aa011601.htm

Pianos and Posters

2 little tales of Auctions past.

Sometimes you make mistakes and errors in judgment occur to everyone. But luckily Collectibles and Antique mishaps, you can at least break even, or even a small profit.

It has been well known for the entire life span of humanity, "BUYER BEWARE" were the 1st words written in stone!

It was a very late night at Steve's Little Auction, many folks where packing up and going home, but the few hardened bidders where hanging around hopping to grab the last of the boxed lots cheap.

Steve asked if there where any items that we would like to go up quick. before he shut down for the night. I had seen on a shelve behind him, A RED WING Piano Flower Pot.
It had been there for 3 or four weeks. I asked for that to be put up. He did so and I won it for $35... nice deal, I never seen one, and book was about $300 at the time.

I took it to the BARN and asked everyone what they thought I should price it at, we thought try $275 as I could always lower the asking price. So up it went, inside a locked case. About a week pasted and one of the dealers called me over and showed me the RED WING Book, and the Photo of the Piano, he pointed out the "Foot Peddle" in the Photo, and showed me where on "MINE" it was missing! Also the break had been very cleverly Filed down!

Now I do not hold the Auction House responsible! I was a "Professional" it was viewable for weeks before hand! I Screwed up! How could I sell it now? Could I even get my $35 back out of it?

I was told, Drop the price to $175 and mark it " AS IS" if anyone asks point out the fild down missing "Foot Peddle" I asked that if anyone sold it to POINT IT OUT anyway, I didn't want to HIDE that damage from anyone.

A week passed and I came to the Barn and my RED WING Piano was gone, asking who had bought it, I was told I got my $175 asking price and it was sold to another DEALER!!!!! Who Never asked about the "AS IS"" so they never told him. At 1st I was kinda sore that no one had told him about the Missing Part... but was reassured 'Rationalized" He was a Dealer just as I was a Dealer, we both had the same access to the same information, it was Viewable for weeks, so on and so on. I didn't feel as bad, besides I made a good profit off that mistake.
Another Saturday and up comes a Early 1900's Stone Lithograph of Harry HOUDINI, I had seen this Poster before an knew if original was worth a LOT of money, there where a number of MAGIC Items up that night. Steve told a tale of a Local Magician who "Mysteriously Disappeared" so the Auction of these Items.

I bought the Poster for $75 and it was Lovely, I have a good eye for Prints, but this is a very tricky area of collecting. I took the Poster to my Place of work, ( A PRINT SHOP!) and an Old Tymer told me it was a VERY VERY NICE STONE LITHO, he thought it it was authentic but neither of us experts.

I called the Harry Houdini Museum in APPLETON Wisconsin, the gentleman asked me if there was a Phone Number stamped on the back, there sure was I said. He told me it was an EARLY Reproduction, a very very GOOD one, but none the less not an Original. He felt my $75 was about correct for it......
Before I left the Auction that night Steve asked me if I would sell it to him? Same money... I almost did... but wanted to find out for my self if it was real or not and took the chance.

Now I felt kinda bad about buying it, yet I said well it's still a NICE Stone Litho! Heck I'll keep it, but a guy at work said he'd give $75 for it, cause he liked it a lot, even though he knew it was a reproduction... A VERY GOOD REpro! I broke even on the deal and learned alot!

Tales from the Trench

I just found out my old Auctioneer is still having Saturday Auctions. I had moved and gotten out of the business and lost track, well he's having one this Saturday so I'm going.

This is the 1st Auction House I ever went to, and where I made the bulk of my money buying.

This brought back fond memories of Auctions Past, and I have more than a few stories I will pass along in time. But this one in particular shows how even Auctioneers can let the Auction get away from them.

I'd been going to Smith's Auctions every Saturday, for many, many months. I learned all I know, not that I know much, but I learned at the Podium of a Great Auctioneer. From my 1st $75 purchase, I knew I could trust his honesty and he all ways kept his word as did I. He would extend me bidding money when he knew I already blew my wad for the night. So we where on very good terms. How ever it was business and friendly as we were, we also understood it was an AUCTION, and ANY DANG thing can happen, even me practically stealing the buy of the night, in plane sight of God and everyone! Poor Steve was POWERLESS, how could this happen?

Long,hot,summer nights can make a person a little more prone to taking in more liquids, and doing so makes one visit the little Auctioneers room. That night I had talked the owner of the Antiques Mall a BIG RED BARN in fact, I was in, into coming along for the fun of it.

When we got there, we looked around and found our other Dealer friends, and hot dogs and what not, settling in for the long night ahead. Now Steve's Little Auction House was never known to be "Quiet or even particularly Orderly" "Inspection" lasts the entire Auction. I had spotted an old 10 Drawer Solid Oak Printers Cabinet, made by the Grand Rapids Furniture Company out of Grand Rapids,Michigan, probably made around 1930 or so, with 2 nice ornate steel handles on each drawer. But it was PAINTED BATTLE SHIP GRAY, there was another printers Cabinet sitting on top of the one I wanted. It too was painted gray. In both were old Wood Block Letters and Zinc Blocks as well.
Each drawer had upwards of 60 little compartments for the blocks. You see the drawers sold anywhere between $25 and $50 each. Used as Shadow Boxes, or what not. Except the other Cabinet was not made of Oak, nor by the Grand Rapids co. and was not worth buying in my situation.

But that Grand Rapids Cabinet that was a prize, under all that paint though? Was it so badly INK Stained, or Worse BURNED, and that why it was painted gray? Well I thought I'd hope to get it cheap, but honestly felt someone would bid upwards of $250 for it, just to put their thimble collection in.

The evening wore on and about midway through, Steve, said he was taking a 15 minute break, and was giving the HAMMER to his "Under Study" The 7Up had to be released and just about that point, his understudy put up the Cabinets! ( OH HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY,JOY!)

The bidding seemed to go in slow motion as the understudy tried to get a higher price. I wasn't sure what Cabinet was up, but got the bidding going to a stunning $25, when the OWNER of the Mall, yelled out, "STOP! It's Steel! " Pointing to the gray paint on my Cabinet. I calmly pointed to the "Stripped OAK!" a small area where it clearly showed OAK. "Oh, ok, he says"

But now the whole house heard him and me and now is confused and and before I knew it, the bid was to $45 and then I find out it's CHOICE! At this point I didn't know for sure what Cabinet the other Bidders where after, I looked around the room and spotted the other Bidder, he was a guy I knew kinda ok, he was an old PICKER and I was sure he wanted the same Cabinet I did! His was the $45 bid! I wondered why no one else was bidding too! I thought to my self "Hell People it's frikin OAK!" and us two bidding? Whats wrong here?"

Now from the Men's room, we hear, "WAIT! HOLD ON!"

But the Understudy was already banging the hammer down "SOLD" I was STUNED, all that yelling between the My Friend and Steve in the Bathroom, I didn't know what was what, but I was sure I'd lost the Cabinet!
Understudy gives the Old guy CHOICE, I'm lookin right at him, he looks at me, and he says "TOP ONE" My Heart Leaped Up in the Joy of Victory!
The Old Picker Took the top Cabinet, the ONE I Didn't want!

"DAMN! DAMN! " Steve yells, still dragging toilet paper behind him.
I was given Choice of the 2nd Cabinet at $45 IF I wanted it! WELL OF COURSE I Say! and Steve Comes Swooping over to my Cabinet and Pulls out a Drawer and Yells to the Room! THESE SELL FOR $45 Each People! HE just got 10 of em for that!"
As he looked at the understudy, who;s face was so red, he shamed tomatoes!

I took it home striped and picked it clean and it was a beauty! I tongue oiled it for days and weeks and took it to the shop where I put $650 on it and sold it for $450 3 weeks later to a marble collector, who wanted it as a Coffee Table/ Display for his collection.

Now the point to this is, I must have been the only person there, other than Steve who knew that was Painted OAK! Doubtful, I don't give myself so much cedit as to think I alone could see it was Oak.

Steve had left his post and that started the whole session off. Even with a hand at the "Helm" confusion set in. It didn't hurt that my Mall Owner Friend, Jon, yelled out in concern for me either, that may have put a great number of people off it. Why the Old Picker didn't pick the better of the 2 cabinets is beyond me, perhaps he only wanted one to store little stuff in and didn't need a fancy box, or he knew I had a shop and was being nice, or what ever the reason I got the prize cheaper than I ever thought possible. Had Steve been behind the Hammer, I'm sure He would have Sold each Separate, and Push hard on mine, bringing in more bidders, tell everyone it was Grand Rapids, and Oak and so on, getting his $259 for it. I was once again LUCKY.

My 1st time

My 1st Auction
16 years ago I gave up drinking, for good. I needed something to replace all the time and money I had spent in the bars. After a few weeks of looking at Adult education Classes and so forth, I saw a poster for a Regular Saturday night Auction.

I had about $100 dollars on me the very 1st Auction. I walked into the large open room and started looking at everything I could, I got there late, but people where wondering all over looking at stuff and handling it. Kids every place, Moms screaming at them to PUT THAT BACK! It was almost a Circus! After a while I found a seat and just watched, I didn't plan on buying anything at all. But I found myself bidding on a few items and dropping out of them before I got the Item.

At some point the Auctioneer held up a small box with Razors and Strops and Old Cigarette Premium Indian Blankets, I bought it for $7.00.
During my "Viewing" I spotted an Odd Looking Television set with a Video Camera attached to a movable Copy Stand. I thought perhaps it was used to make animation videos, but you don't want to buy USED Electronics, but the TV was at least 40" and a Panasonic " Monitor" very nice if it worked at all, but I thought it would sell for $200 or so.

I bought about $25 worth of things by the end of the night. But the 3rd or 4th to last he put up the Panasonic Monitor. He started off saying he was sure the TV worked but was not sure what it all was for, He also said he called the Company's name on a sticker on the back of the TV.

He went on to say that the company offered him $450 Dollars for it, if it worked.
Someone in the Gallery asked him why he didn't sell it to them then. " Because I am an Auctioneer not a Broker! Who'll start off with $200!' No takers. He back peddled until he reached $10. I raised my hand. 3 others then made the price 45 and all of them drop out. I call $50 and the Auctioneer said, " I'm in the bidding at $55! " He was bidding on it for him self, and he made that very very clear! We bid each other up to $70... the last of my cash. He wanted me to go to 80 for it, I told him $75 was all the cash I had left and that was my final bid.

He and I talked for a good while, he was telling every body it was a guaranteed PROFIT in buying it. He looked at me and tried once more to get $80 from me. " I DON"T HAVE THAT MUCH! $75 is all I can do. "

SOLD! for $75 to a very smart buyer! I wasn't sure how smart I was at all.

Took it home and plugged it all in and Damn if it didn't work just fine. Beautiful Color and the Video Camera worked as well. It had to be for Video Animation I thought.
For $75 I had a Dang Nice Stereo Panasonic Video Monitor, I knew NEW those bring $4000. So I thought Heck I'll keep it! What a Bargain! If hadn't worked I woulda thrown it out and chalk it up to Stupidity.

But I saw the Label on the back and called them. When I called I told the guy I bought it at auction and might want to sell it. He asked me all kinds of questions, and I was getting the feeling this was STOLEN!

But I convinced him I BOUGHT it for $75 at Steve's Little Auction House 2 weeks earlier, I even brought the receipt. I brought it in ( it was a local company ) he looked it over and told me he was sorry but that One of their machines WAS Stolen from a customer of theirs, he was just being sure. He said he would check it out and if it needed any new parts we would deduct that off his offer price.

It was hard not to notice this man was Blind, he could see a little bit but thats what his Machines where for! So those very close to blindness could read Papers, Magazines and books, by Zooming in and Panning left right up or down with the copy stand and the Panasonic was the clearest picture for the HIGH Close ups they needed.

Now I was mad at who ever would of stolen one of these from a person who needed it, some people should just... well never mind.

I left it with him and about 2 weeks later he called and said he had to replace one camera connector, and offered me $425 for it, or pay him 25 bucks for the small repair.
Ummm can you mail me the check I asked. That was the moment when the Light Bulb Went Full On!

I might be able to make some money at this, hadn't even entered my mind before then.
But Steve The Auctioneer did me the biggest favor that night.... but he was a smart cookie. He got me coming back EVERY SINGLE Saturday until I had to shut my business.

I made $350 on my very 1st outing, not even an antique, and the buyer was VERY HAPPY to pay 425 for it, he was going to resell it for 2500 to another blind person, half what he sells them new. He even thanked me!

Auctioneers can be your very best asset in this business. I don't mean illegal things like collusion. But they have the info you need if you just USE IT! Ask Questions.
I use to think that I was may be too Brash, Too High Energy and Talkative, That I would tick off allot of other bidders by asking a question about a LOT.

After a few week though I found that most of the other bidders liked me doing it. The Auctioneer liked it because I shook the place up, kept folks on their toes. If I'm going to bid on a lot, I stand up walk to the back of the room, pace back and forth as I Raise my Number or like with Steve who got to know when I was bidding or just PICKING my nose. Sometimes I'll Yell out a Bid, Sometimes just flick a finger, I might Hide my Bids or I Might make a BIG PRODUCTION out of it, Depends on what I want to achieve.

That brings me to my next Blog Entry, The Ebb and Flow of an Auctions action!

Taking the Plunge

I've been around Antiques and Collectibles since I was old enough my mom could trust me not touch things :) Bought a pair of Green Glass Civil War Sun Glasses at 8 years old for $3.00.

I started to collect Pin Up Art, still a true love of mine. But never considered trying to make money, much more a living with my vast interest in all things Fine, Old, Odd, Unusual, Rare, or just plane BEAUTIFUL!

I went into this Big Ol' Barn Mall Shop every few weeks while going to my JOB :( After awhile I asked about Space..thinking that I had a few "Smalls" I might sell out of a Locked Glass Case for $45 a month. Honest I didn't think I'd sell much.. But I made the 45 in a day and had a profit of $20 dollars by the end of the week..... but what to do with a dwindling Glass Case? Go to Auction of course! It took about 4 weeks of Saturday Nite Auctions and I went to the owner of the shop..."I Need more Space" He rented me a room upstairs in the Farm House $100 a month. I timidly asked if I would be able to make the rent each month. He told me " Your biggest challenge will be keeping an inventory" Thinking that he was setting me up, that room was so far off the beaten path that if anyone did find the room, they could have a field day stealing anything they wanted! It did happen but not as much as I feared.

Turns out my biggest problem was keeping an inventory! I was buying anything that was CHEAp, that I felt I could at least DOUBLE UP, most of the time it was %200 - %500 some times MUCH MORE! Of course these where CHEAP Items and even a %400 profit was not a lot CASH! But I was paying my rent and selling to MOSTLY Dealers! I started to learn that Women where going to be one of my BEST TARGET Markets. If they where Artists EVEN BETTER! Had I had a good Bank Roll to start with, I may have lasted longer and made it a livelihood. As it went the Owner Sold the Barn and I didn't want to start over in a new shop, so I had the BEST GARAGE SALE EVER.. so said the Dealers that came! LOL

So for the next ten years I worked real jobs and hated the fact that even though I was making money I couldn't go to any Auctions to spend it. So for years I just reminisced about the past that coulda mighta been had I known a little more and had a little more Buying Power!

Lost Jobs and no money now has me looking at auctions once again, started looking, and the bug came back, only BIGGER and Higher Quality, and a commensurate hike in the prices I was willing to look at. How can one dare to look at a Painting sell for $600 and knowing...cause you looked it up, is worth in the nice neighborhood of 5k - 9k! As you watch it sold for $600, saying to your self...." Oh my thats, another 3500 dollars I'll never see."

I'm no longer THAT interested in Art Pottery, aside from some exceptions, I'm board with Roseville, Weller, Ect.
Very nice things not knocking them... Just that I want to focus on the real neat and cool and possibly very valuable.
The ONE of a KIND, the What the Hell is it?, The WOW now thats just NEAT! The Find Me another Just like it! and you can't!

I found that general merchandising ( the normal things most dealers wouldn't think of being with out ) Hurricane Lamps, Chewed up Fishing Lures and cheap Duck Decoys, Head Vases, was not going to cut it in the long run! I needed something that SOLD FAST, that I could budge a great deal on price, from 500% to 50%, and that i could get at auction with out wasting a lot of GAS running all over just to find the $2000 Hand Carved Carousel Horse from the 1860's is really a Machine Cut Cheap Philippine fake made in 1978 worthless! Then you gotta tell em WHY you don't want it and even holding your nose over it. Yeah tell someone they have a worthless fake They Believe is the real deal! Even the most tactful would blush.

So I found Small Tables and chairs to be the ticket, they are at every auction, and sell cheaply normally anyway. I was buying nice chairs not great for $1 to $20 and Great tables for as little as 25 to $150 Nice ones too. I could mark up %100 or more and always sold them! I knew a dealer I use to run with, we where at a JUNK YARD Auction, WOW what a fun time that was! Anyway my buddy buys an entire BARN, a for real Big Red Barn, Full of Chairs ( he bought the chairs not the Barn! )and parts of chairs! hundreds and hundreds of chairs, hangging from the rafters, stacked 10 high almost every square foot of space was taken up by CHAIRS! All One Money for a DOLLAR! $1.00 ! One Stinking Dollar Bill! I don't care how hard times are, your gonna make money with that deal. Who had the Space to store that many chairs? Well He did!

Or the farm Auction where I passed on over 60 Hubcaps! Good Clean and some very rare like Edsel, all one money a lousy DOLLAR! No way to cart them home!

On the subject of being nice.... I love to be nice and treated nice, with just one exception, A rule I put in place after the a fore mentioned Farm Auction..... NEVER, EVER, Never Ever, be nice to that little old grandma bidding against you, over a Hand Painted Stoneware Bowl!

Here's the Story of how being nice lost me perhaps $10's of thousands.

Early on I went to inspect the Lots, it was blistering hot that day, i brought a umbrella chair/ walking stick, love those! Water and plenty of "Soda Pop Money" As I wondered around the farm, I saw the nice, the junk, the ok, Some early Playboys with 1st and 2nd editions worth at the time $1000 to $500, I passed. They sold for $10, lucky fella! But I was saving my cash for only One Item. One I saw early in the morning, and had to wait and wait. As the auctioneer pounded out the Farm Rakes and shoves, Red Wing Crocks and Flow blue dishes so Stained with cooked meat juice you could hardly see the patterns, not to mention even worse large chips and Half Plates, went for as much as $375!

I tried to stay awake and move around, talk to people, who weren't all that interested in talking to me. Every once and awhile I'd mossy over to the flat bed wangon where 'My Treasure" was hiding. Placed on the flat bed mixed in with all kinds of Hay Hooks, Wooden Pulleys, Bails of rope, was a small flat bottomed stoneware bowl.

When I 1st saw it I was a bit confused, it had a hand painted image of a Souther'n Shack, the door is open and a woman is looking out the door, over the degrading front porch, holding a Old hand made Hickory Broom. Her look is that of disgust.
Along the bottom in hand lettered script says: "Whare's that DAWG O' a Husband O' Mine!"

Wow! NEAT, Cool, it was old too I thought Pre civil war, narry a chip nor crack, just that good crazing, I flip it over to find a makers mark of some sort, and to my delight and surprise there was none, instead there was another Image. This time It's answers the wife's question. As there in the Back Yard is the Cloths line and the DAWG house, with 2 pairs Human feet sticking out form the Dog House door, one pair a white male on top of female Black Feet! I just about dropped it. I had no clue to value or age... but must of been around the Civil War when it was made. I'm Guessing it was made in the south, or as I found it in Minnesota, it may have been some sort of Northern Propaganda to free the slaves. A slap at the South Perhaps. I didn't know but I knew I wanted it... all I had was 350 dollars and no way to call for a quick loan..... this was going rock I felt, I WANTED IT BAD!

The day only got hotter, I was getting tired, heat exhaustion, I stayed under the open air tent and chatted with the old ladies and men who where so board, only bringing the wife, they coulda cared less.

How many Sad Irons did this guy collect? On and on it went, when are you getting to that flat wagon? In a few hours, I can deal with it.

Flat wagon Time I run to it and stand far in the back so the Auctioneer could get a GOOD VIEW of my Bids! Earlier in the day I would start a few Bids rolling for him... Corn Seed Planters, Who wants em at $1.00? No One, but When someone Bids a Buck..... all the sudden it must be worth 2, then 3, then 4... get my drift? At the 2 dollar bid came I was OUT! And LO and Behold the Unsaleable at One Dollar, becomes a Bargain at $4? Do that until the Auctioneer Knows YOU are out there!
Notice how often he will LOOK TO YOU TO START IT FOR HIM! Worst thing to happen is you get stuck with a buggy whip for a buck, Deal with it :)

He holds up the my Grail of Hope... I'm thinking I could steal this for 50 to 100 USD. He starts low ballin it, 5 dollars, 10, 15, Bids from all sides of the wagon until it hit 80 dollars or so, so there was up to that point MUCH Interest in that Bowl.
Now I figure Stealing it is out, so I'm going have to scare and confuse the other bidders, knock em out of the hand, like a game of TEXAS HOLD EM". I raise $125.00, Auctioneer smiles, points to the lil ol granny, who bids 150. Well is she serious about the bowl? We are the two left bidding. My jump Bid Spooked em, Silence stood over that flat bed, everyone was looking at the 3 of us. $200 I Bid, it reaches $300 and I'm lookin right at her, She's playin her cards tight... she has a larger chip stack, I'm at a disadvantage. I only have 50 left and No way to get more that day. I move all in

She goes 375 and that was it, over. I should have talked to the Auctioneer Before it went up, letting him know I only had cash, but if he let me go over I'd cover the rest in ONE DAY, sometimes they will do that for you.. depending on things :P

Well I wanted to be a gracious looser and walk over to her. "Thats a Very Nice Bowl you just won, I wanted it very much, but hadn't the funds to go higher." She looked at me and said with Acid tongue, " Then why didn't you stop at 250!" She then went on to tell me she was buying as a GIFT for her Grandson, Bla bla bla, I was Sandbagged by that Wolf in Grannies Clothing!
Well never again, today we have Cell Phones and Friends who have credit cards!

Your Room Image: Or How to Strike fear and confusion in the Minds of your fellow bidders

We all have our "Nature" I'm chitty chatty, love to say funny things at the right and wrong times. Friendly, helpful, out going to an extent, and an Auction just makes me BUZZ and Hyped up ready to do battle!

I take my Auction buying very very seriously, but no one would know unless they come up against me a few times.... I'm a wicked clown. I am not afraid to say something funny about a lot, I love to hear the Gallery Laugh WITH Me. I make sure everyone knows I'm there, but heck I'm Mr. Nice and Funny. I'm not a Dealer or anyone to reckon with.

Until a lot comes along that I WANT! I'll try anything short of having my girl friend jump up and take off her shirt at the opportune moment to win a lot at MY PRICE. Thats what your there for, pay your price, not pay what the Auctioneer wants you to pay, or most important, your not trying to pay what your opponent wants you to HAVE to pay.

Nice Guy sure, but Wolf Spider too, If it looks like my opponent will not give up before I hit my target, I'll make him PAY for it! I will try to get him to pay far too much for it. This is tricky and not to be done with out knowing your competition. As it can back fire leaving you paying far too much! I've done it.

People who are not in a "HAND" with me see me as a fun loving clownish old fart with not much to do on a Monday Night :) I bid a lot but never really finish with a final bid.
I'm too cheap perhaps, I'm just there for the company of others, what ever they think of me is fine, as long as they don't think about what I really am.

What I really am is a thief. If I can't get it in my STEAL Range I don't want it at all.... well exceptions to everything!

1st I go knowing before hand WHAT I WANT and WHY I want it. I put a range as to what I'll be willing to pay, and then I GUESS ( Estimate ) it will sell for and how much I can resell it for. So I don't ever say well this will go for 100 and that all I'll pay..... it depends on a lot of factors, but I have my Spread.

Many of the Auctions I go too have a mix of people, Dealers and civilians. I'd say on average 70% are dealers and the rest just looking for a deal,. Civilians fear the Dealers, and the Dealers fear the Civilians.

Civilians think the Dealers will run the bids too high for them to compete, while the Dealers KNOW, the Civilians WILL run the Bids up! Collectors can be a pain as sometimes they will go much higher than you can. He would pay full retail for his Item at a Shop anyway, so what if he has to pay retail at Auction? He'll do it if he wants it, Collectors can whip you out of a hand very quick and not much you can do about it ether.

Most Civilians won't go up against you at all. or drop out when you show some force. They are the weak hands playing with scared money and don't normally prove to be a problem.

Other Dealers and or Pickers. These are the vultures ;) like me. We don't want to pay too much, or nothing at all if we could get away with it, These are the Competition , it's these people you have to maneuver around.

If you regularly visit one Auction House, you'll learn who the Pickers and Dealers are.
You meet all kinds of people, and I never fail to make at least 1 new Auction Buddy, a civilian if possible. The more civilians who know your a Dealer, and more important, LIKE you, the better chance they wont bid against you. Once and awhile "Mistakenly" make a bid against them. Then all the sudden Say "Oh Sorry didn't know you wanted this, I'll drop out." Let them get the Items they want, most of the time they don't want what you do anyway... but it helps instill the thought that your a good guy and do em a good turn to get a lot at a good price, when YOU the Expert bows out graciously.

It's hard to know who the Collectors are, since most of them specialize and only show up when the Items they collect are up that night.. so you will always have a few Collectors in every Auction.. because people collect everything, and thats why we do what we do :)
If you do tangle with a collector , ( unless he is even CHEAPER than you,) your going to end up on the short side of the deal. Plus if you do loose to them, they now HATE you for running the price up on them.

Image Types you'll see at Auction.

The Bow Tied Expert... I don't see these guys and gals very often in my end of the market, but if you spot one or two, most likely there's something going for bid that is worth a whole lot more than you thought, and chances that you have a shot at it are next to none.

The Hardened Grizzled Dealer.... These guys come off as GRUMPY, nasty, uncooperative, only after their prizes. Often these guys are good sources of information, if you can catch them Off Auction, or break down their defenses and befriend them!

The Part Timer.... these are Dealers who do it mostly for fun and just LOVE Antiques and Auctions and I love these folks, many have specialized knowledge, they are friendly and helpful to a "Noob"

The Country Bumpkin...... Alert Warning! There is NO SUCH THING! It's all an act. In Fact that Country Bumpkin is SELLING what YOU are Buying.... Who's the Bumpkin?

The Good Time Charlie.... Me! Don't look like he pays too much attention. more interested in talking to other people, joking, try to make some Auction friends. While secretly starting bids and running up prices and dropping out a lot. No one is ever sure you are really going after that lot or just "Hoping to get in cheap" Keep em Guessing.

There are of course many more Image types, and even Different Image types for Auctioneers! Look at those around you... you can pick up valuable information that you can use during a Bidding round. If that lady's been buying every WELLER Vase for sale, your going to have to do some fancy foot work to wrestle one away from her.

The Ebb and Flow of Energy

It took me a few Auctions to take note of a phenomena that takes place during every Live Auction. Energy in the room grows and diminishes, cycling through out the event.
Auctioneers know this very, very well.

When the Auction starts the energy is rather Mixed up and crazy. People wanting to look at things walking all over, others trying to find a good seat, still others gathering up Pop Corn and Hot Dogs. Kids are running rampant, their mothers having long ago given up trying to keep them in their chairs. ( Give me an Auction where CHAOS rules any time! )

By the time the bidding starts, folks are still unsettled, and the lots the Auctioneer brings up are normally of little interest to most bidders. Bids are low and little competition. Low Energy ( as far as the AUCTIONEER SEE IT )

Fifteen to twenty minutes in, people are getting settled in and start to pay attention to whats being offered. This is a High Energy Time... the Auctioneer starts to bring up the nicer, better stock and the bidding goes a higher, and takes longer. You'll see 3 to 4 people drive a LOTS prices up during this stage.

At some point the Auctioneer just HAS to dispose of the 20 Terry Redlin Prints, this is where sleepy time starts. As he brings one Print, ( Or Hummel series or Dept.56 sets what ever ) people start talking to each other, joking, going to the bathroom, buying more Hot Dogs and generally ignoring the Auction, now the Energy is VERY LOW.

By the time he has hammered down the last of the " I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH" Figurines, the gallery is comatose.

Boy is it hard to get em back! But he does get them back when the sleepers wake up after you took a very nice Red Wing Vase for $10. The Auctioneer brings out the better part of his offerings when the 2nd wind comes along, the energy is picking up again.
Better Lots, Better Bids. Bidders are once again looking for "Their" lot to come up.
Highest Energy is during this part of the event. You can still get good deals, but your going to have to use this EBB and Flow to your advantage.

During these HIGH ENERGY segments your going to have be Mr./Ms. I WANT IT, jumping up and shouting your bids loud and clear, so everyone knows your in the hand. Sometimes you can just fluster the others, by waiting JUST until the Hammer falls, and Scream Out $55!

This can backfire, because if your timing is right the Auctioneer will knock it down to you, or if your off, he won't and give it to the last bidder before you, you don't win the lot, but you don't pay anything either. What you want to happen, is to confuse your opponent, not the Auctioneer! If that happens then he has to sort it out and you don't want anyone sorting anything. Confuse your fellow bidder not the Auctioneer. If you come in RIGHT on the SOLD, you will most times loose the bid. The Auctioneer does not want to haggle between two parties over when the "LAST BID CALLED " was! He in most cases gives it to the bidder before the SOLD Confusion started and you make your self look bad if you contest it. Being tricky works, but it goes both ways!

Or you can Jump Bid( thats what I call it, ) kind of like raising in POKER. This works best again if you can wait until the lot is almost hammered down. It''s also important to KNOW that the other Bidder would have other wise called, or in other words he would out bid you in a NORMAL round of bidding. If his last Bid is 100 and you know if you bid 150 he'll go 200. So you fake like your not sure you want it at $150, you hem and haw... all the while watching the Auctioneer, just about the time he's going to knock it down to your nemesis, you go $200.

Also just like in POKER, this is best played HEADS UP, or when only one other Bidder is in the hand.

If your like me and can keep an Auction Lively and fun ( HIGH ENERGY ) you can control much of what happens, at least as far the hands your in. Some Houses simply are not conducive to this type of shenanigans, they don't allow kids. Won't let you act like a clown, tell jokes, walk around or anything other than sitting in a chair and bidding.
Lord Keep me free from Boring Auction Houses! Can't get an edge in that environment.

Personalities play a large roll in HOW You Bid and also " Your Room Image "
Room Image is one if not the largest factor in winning a LOT at YOUR PRICE!

Dealer or Picker your choice, Or " How I found Out I was a Dealers Picker and Not a Dealer"

Too many years ago I operated out of a Big Red Barn and Farm House Dealer Mall.
Some of the best days of my life. I started with 1 Shelf in a Glass case for $45 a month and added 2 more Spaces before the shop sold.

I was a new "Dealer" and wasn't trying much more than make my rent and have some fun. Well I did both. But looking back I wish I knew then what I know now.

1st Thing I know now, is that I was in fact a "Picker" not a Dealer, even though I had Shop Space. Most of my customers where other dealers, of higher end shops. Our Barn with about 6 Dealers was well known for, shall I put it politely, "Primitives"

We had everything from Old Tire Repair Kits, to Unique Furniture. Most of us carried the "General Line" But always tried to look for the Odd Ball Items to get each others goat.
But if you found a Jim Beam or Avon Bottle, most likely a Drunk got locked in over night. We had standards after all!

I didn't have a clue to what I was doing, I knew why I was doing it, at 1st it was to keep away from BEER, I was sober and needed something to do on Saturday night, Auction Nite!

I bought things l liked and wanted, things guys like. Old Barber stuff, Telephone parts, Fishing Lures, Cast Iron Toys, Smoking related Items. Not alot of things the women would like.... while I was making some money I was missing the most important market of all Women! Women Dealers in Particular!

As my sales rose and I had some more money I'd buy very cheap but NICE Chairs.
And I could get solid Hickory seat chairs for 5 or 10 bucks! Cute beat up chairs, and nice Mahogany Round Tables, I marked up 200% or more. The women went crazy over small tables and chairs. I wasn't trying to gouge anyone, and we gave the standard 10% off if anyone asked, but no one ever said I was too expensive to buy from.

It took one of Our Dealers to clue me in. Once a nice couple came in and where looking at a stained glass window I had. Paid $50 for it, ( tell you stories later! ) Tagged it at $450, they talked and talked and said they had to go and eat to think about it.
I put the Window next to the Cash Register, too lazy to walk it back to my room.

Well another couple comes in and 1st thing they see is that window, and start asking questions, I answered them and told them another couple was lunching over a possible deal, and would be back shortly.

Now I coulda been BSin" him, I wasn't but that sure sounds high pressure to me! LOL
"Did they pay you for it yet" I was asked. "No" But I didn't want to disappoint the 1st couple. But 1st with cash is 1st in line. But before I sold it to them I asked what they were going to do with it, the lady told me they had bought a old house a few years back and where waiting to save up for a Stained Glass Window for it. Awww sweet.

"But I can't just dump the 1st couple" I said, He must of been used to negotiations, because he says, Have they made you an offer and have you excepted one?"

Nope, so he says to ease my guilt " What about $550 for it then!" Just about then the 1st couple comes back and see whats going on, Ouch, I didn;t want hurt feelings but business is business and an Extra 100 I had little choice. Couple number 1 left in a huff.

When all was done and i had made a good deal even better for me, But I did feel bad about it, until Dorothy came over and told me the 1st couple where Dealers she knew.
They where mad because the worm got ate by a pair of civilians, she further went on to say, that they where going to try and low ball me, but the raise of $550 put them off!

I should have learned at that time I was a DEALERS PICKER, not a Dealer! I got lucky with cpl #2. But I would have haggled with Cpl #1 and taken less! I was buying SO RIGHT Dealers couldn't keep away! The vast majority it turns out of my customer base where dealers. Oh and Female Artists!

So I didn't feel so bad for them after all, they did come back some time later and bought a Red Wing Yellow Piano Vase from me, at a "Reduced Price"!! ... Next we learn what " As is " really means!

Clime a Tree

When I first entered the Antique and Collectibles Business, there was no Ebay. I would go to Auctions, or Yard Sales for most of my inventory, I had 2 small "Stalls" in a Antiques Mall. I sold anything I could get a good price, but small Tables and Chairs where my Meat and Potatoes. I did ok made my rent most months, and even made a small profit, that was plowed back into Inventory.

Had I known then what I know now, I could have made a nice living off nothing but Small Tables and Chairs, selling from a "Mall Booth" or two. Working a Mall a few days a week or month is a fantastic way to network with Dealers in your area. I got leads, and we would Buy and Sell to each other, and you learn so much. Also I got some very nice deals while answering the phone, from people looking to sell.

But rent is high, and time spent in the Mall is time spent not looking for inventory.

Then Ebay came along and everything changed, almost over night. The Mall I was at closed, and I had a great yard sale and went out of business. As part time as it was I still missed the fun of it, if not the money. I hated and still do not like Ebay..... but one must keep up with the times.

So it's been years since I've bought or sold anything. I have no inventory to speak of. I have been over the time keeping a eye on what was going on in the Field, but I had no Idea what the "New Antiques and Collectibles Business " was all about.

Trying to "Re-enter" the business after so long, starting from "Scratch" in fact, is very difficult. There is much more "Net Working" involved, and those who use the "World Wide Web" to it's optimum are those who do the best.

Yet there is still a strong " Real World " Market Place, and there are people who are building bridges to both worlds. Those are the people that interest me the most.

It seems to me, there is a "Spread" that has developed between the Real Brick and Mortar Markets and the Web Markets. More Collectibles becoming commodities, rather than rarities. Geographical boundaries are no longer a "Price" arbitrator, and communication is instant.

Eaby if nothing else has become the "Nasdaq" of the Collectibles Market. What does "Book Value" mean any more? 1st place I check for Price information is Ebay's Completed Auctions. If it is Mailable then the Web is the place to Buy and Sell, if it's difficult or expensive to ship well there is Craig's List now.

There is an Old Advertising adage " He who has something to sell, best clime a tree and YELL!"
The Tree has grown bigger than ever, yelling has become "Linking".

Here's my start.