Garden House Antiques

Collecting Antique Vintage Toys

The joy of collecting antique vintage toys is very appealing to people because it can be a fun, and wise investment. At antique shows and shops the phrase “They just don’t make them like that any more” is often over heard, and for good reason!

Generally toys which have reached the age of roughly fifty years will be considered antique. However when you look for vintage toys you will often see items which are only ten to fifteen years old. The word vintage has a slightly looser meaning than the word antique among sellers of these items. This is fine because there are actually many factors involved in which the status and value of collectibles are defined.

With any collectible you need to be acutely aware of the condition of the item. Excellent condition can often mean two or three times the value of just good condition. Mint condition can even result in many times more than the value of an item in just good condition. It is a good idea to keep in mind that not everyone’s ideas of condition are going to be the same. This is why you should always closely inspect your potential purchase either in hand or through quality photos. You should also ask any questions you may have regarding the authenticity of antique vintage toys to be sure that the information is jiving correctly with what you already know about certain toys from certain periods. This will help you decide if the seller you are dealing with is knowledgeable, or at least honest.

But aside from the age and condition there exists yet another point to collecting antique vintage toys; the shear fun of collecting them. Often a person may have started a collection as a child and then they find themselves well into their adult years still collecting! And often the ultimate goal is to have a complete set of something; this can keep the fires burning and the collecting fever going for a lifetime.

Vintage items offer a great means of investment because they are getting rarer every day. It is never possible to truly predict what will become a collectible in the future, and the last thing anyone thought about in the past was that in the future a cheap little toy would become a valuable antique that would be highly sought after by collectors. And certainly what once cost maybe a few dollars can now be worth several hundred dollars or even much more.

Since this is such a huge and active market, you can easily find several options for repairing antique vintage toys when necessary. A true specialist will be familiar with not only the proper repair process for wood or metal toys, but also how to fix issues without causing any more market devaluation than necessary. Some collectors will seek out damaged items at rock bottom prices and then spend some money on having them properly restored to near original condition. This can be a great substitute for an absolutely mint example which may be nearly impossible to find do to the overall rarity of the piece.

The antique vintage toys market is very strong today, like they say “They just don’t make them like that anymore” and unfortunately they never will again.

If that piece of antique jewelry were just a little cleaner, wouldn’t you wear it more often? But the idea of taking chemicals or some other cleaner to your grandmother’s broche is just something you don’t want to deal with. What sorts of materials are safe for cleaning and what should be avoided? Are there any special tips or procedures I should follow? These are the questions this article will answer, and when you’ve finished reading you’ll be better equipped to take out that piece of antique jewelry and wear it with pride.

As you might guess, it is important to read the label of any cleaning solution you intend to use on your piece of antique jewelry. It is important to make sure the cleaning solution doesn’t contain ammonia, vinegar, or any other acids or alcohols. These chemicals might harm the finish of your antique jewelry. They could also damage any stones or materials used to mount the stones. But it’s not just chemicals you have to watch out for.

Although the old standby of good old soap and water might be good for some cleaning situations, it isn’t the best choice for cleaning your piece of antique jewelry. Soaps can leave a residue on your jewelry, making the metal look flat and the stones look dull. Aside from that, the water might dissolve mounting materials such as glue and run the risk of losing the gems from your piece.

If the primary problem is dust, you can simply use a very soft toothbrush to clean your piece of antique jewelry. Use the softest toothbrush you can find, and of course make sure there is no toothpaste residue left on the bristles. A brand new toothbrush, set aside for cleaning your older pieces of jewelry, might be the safest bet.

A very important step in cleaning any piece of antique jewelry is ensuring it is thoroughly dried when you’re finished with it. Keep moisture and dampness away from stored jewelry also, since dampness is a culprit who encourages verdigris, rust, pitting of plated metals, and other damaging conditions.

So there you have a quick rundown on the care and cleaning of your antique jewelry. Of course, if you’re still a little gun shy about damaging a piece from cleaning, you could always take it to a professional jeweler to have it cleaned. Remember it is important that you don’t do anything to modify a piece of antique jewelry, since doing so could drastically decrease its value as a collectible.

Wouldn’t your grandmother be proud if she could see her antique broche all spruced up and ready for a night on the town?

Cleveland, Ohio - February 06, 2008 - Kovels.com (http://www.kovels.com), the Web’s largest free price guide for antiques and collectibles, today released its list of the top 20 searches for January. The Kovels’ top 20 list is based on the results of hundreds of thousands of searches that took place on its website during the month of January 2008.

People use price guides for a number of reasons, usually to determine the value of an item that they own. If an item isn’t listed on the top 20 list, it doesn’t mean it is unpopular or that there isn’t a demand for it. It only means that in January there was less interest in finding prices for that item.

1. Spatterware, 2. Coca - Cola, 3. Stoves, 4. Capo-Di-Monte, 5. World War II, 6. Jewelry, 7. Occupied Japan, 8. Silverplate, 9. Furniture, 10. Dolls, 11. Lladro, 12. Lighter, 13. Knife, 14. Hutchenreuther, 15. Clocks, 16. Royal Bayreuth, 17. Nippon, 18. Royal Dux, 19. Rosenthal, 20. Cookie Jars

As you can see, there are a few new categories on this month’s top 20 list, including Spatterware for the first time at #1 and Hutchenreuther at #14. The recent record price of $37,400 for Spatterware probably created extra interest and Hutchenreuther was featured on the “Kovels.com News of Interest to Collectors” page which generated quite a few price searches by curious collectors (take a look at http://www.kovels.com/news.html). Stoves are still in the top 5 at #3 but are starting to slip as the winter drags on.

The Kovels’ “Top 20″ list of antiques and collectibles has been published monthly since 2002 and is offered by Kovels.com as a service for collectors. Accredited media interested in discussing the content of this release or any topics related to antiques and collectibles are encouraged to contact the Kovels to schedule an interview.

About the Kovels

Ralph and Terry Kovel are the authors of more than 95 books about collecting and antiques, including the best-selling annual price guide “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price List.” Hailed by Parade magazine as “the duke and duchess of the antiques world,” the Kovels publish a monthly award-winning newsletter, Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, and write a syndicated weekly newspaper column distributed to more than 150 newspapers. They appeared weekly on the HGTV program “Flea Market Finds with the Kovels.” Their popular website with free price information is www.kovels.com. The Kovels’ newest book is “Kovels’ American Collectibles, 1900 to 2000,” published by Random House, available wherever books are sold and online at http://www.kovels.com/KAC.

Milk Bottles

To some, old bottles are just junk taking up space on the windowsills of the kitchen.  They truly don’t appreciate the craftsmanship that typically went into making these items, which was usually done by hand.  Of course there are other reasons why someone would be interested in antique bottles, and it has to do with more than just how the bottles were made.

Antique bottles are truly a part of history.  The different types of bottles tell a story about a particular industry or way of life.  For example, medicinal bottles tell us how far the medical industry has come since many elements are now stored in plastic bags.  Seeing an old glass IV bottle can take you back decades.  There are antique bottles from the pharmaceutical industry that have the name of the chemical and even poison warnings worked right into the bottle’s design.  This is so different from items today where everything is printed on adhesive labels and attached to the bottle itself.

It can be said too that antique bottles are a part of true Americana.  Old Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola bottles can remind one of the time when sodas were actually sold in glass bottles and were enjoyed at a real soda counter.  Other types of antique bottles that are valuable to collectors include vinegar bottles, whiskey bottles, torpedo bottles, cosmetic bottles, and of course beer bottles.  To collectors, a bottle that is in good shape and that is an unusual shape or color is very valuable and some can sell for literally tens of thousands of dollars.

Bitters Bottles

There are of course antique bottles that are appreciated for their design and workmanship.  For instance, bitters are an old type of medicine that were made from herbs and roots and were called that because of their bitter taste.  The bottles they were contained in were often shaped like log cabins, ears of corn, women’s figures, or even a pig.  These types of antique bottles are valued for their different colors as well as their shapes.  You just don’t see that much detail put into a bottle any longer!  If you can imagine a bottle of Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup, you have an idea of what old bitters bottles were shaped like.

Antique bottles can be found all across the United States.  Good locations include ghost towns, old dumps, old houses, old homesteads, antique stores and the campsites on the trails that the early pioneers used to cross the United States. 

Bocksbeutel Bottles

Before you start treasure hunting for these valuable antiques I suggest that you pay a visit to the National Bottle Museum at 76 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, NY, to learn the early bottle making methods.  The museum sponsors a antique bottle show every June and dealers and collectors from all over the world attend.  At the very least you can visit the museums web site. 

Many of the more valuable bottles were produced in the 1800s and were handmade and no two are exactly alike.  Bottles are appreciated for their look and for the visual appeal they have.  Lining colored bottles up against windows can really reflect sunlight and brighten up a kitchen.  But more than just visually appealing, antique bottles are truly part of history.  For antique lovers, bottles are an important part of any collection and can be very valuable.

Happy Treasure Hunting.

How it that devoted antique hunters is are created? Well, one might find

themselves going through the ‘junk’ in their grandmother’s attic, finding a

particularly old looking piece and posing the question ‘Wow, this looks old - I wonder if it’s worth anything?’ It’s just a matter of time then before

you’ve found yourself nose deep in an antique identification book, spouting

out ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ with regards to the sometimes ridiculously amazing

value of certain rare pieces. Other folks know that the dining room set, for

example, that’s been passed down from generation to generation absolutely

must be worth something and they too delve into the hunt for knowledge about

their piece. Not that I’m saying you’d ever want to sell the piece if you

did find out it was worth a small fortune, but the fact that there could be

a $20000 piece in the attic, collecting dust, is a bit disconcerting.

Sometimes it’s just the sheer beauty of an old antique that catches your eye

as you pass by it at a yard sale or in the window of a shop; you simply must

have it. From there, you want to know what period it’s from, what’s the

style called, who it was made by and where, so that you can add pieces of

similar style and beauty that you find particularly appealing. You build up

your collection, and your knowledge, one piece at a time and before long you

end up creating your own personal antique motif throughout your home.

Some people go to an antique dealer, looking for nothing in particular but

finding something that they fall in love with instantly not only because of

it’s striking beauty, but because the antique dealer is able to tell them

the history behind the piece. These people take utter joy in memorizing

every little fact they can about the piece, and are certain to be more than

happy to enthral you for half an hour if you should point to the piece one

day and ask ‘Hey, where’d you get that?’

All in all, it truly doesn’t matter what it is that drives the antique

obsessed, only that they love it so much, and are able to bring a little

piece of history, from far back in time, back out into the limelight where

it will shine again.

Cleveland, Ohio - January 29, 2008 – For many avid collectors of antiques and collectibles the cold of winter has forced them indoors. There is no better time to grab a warm beverage, a comfortable chair and a copy of the February edition of the Kovels’ on Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter. Nothing else brings the collector up to date on the latest prices, trends and news. The 12-page, color-illustrated newsletter is available to subscribers in print and online from the Kovels’ website at http://www.kovels.com . Here are this month’s featured stories:

It took many pennies for a collector to catch a rare Jonah and the Whale mechanical bank at a Pennsylvania auction. The antique treasure sold for $414,000. To cash in on more information about cast iron mechanical banks, you’ll want to get this month’s issue.

Check out one of the gems of Hall China’s line of Autumn Leaf kitchenware. It’s a vintage bean pot that sold for $224 at an Iowa auction. Many more examples of Autumn Leaf can be seen in the February issue.

Brilliant period cut glass shines for antique glass collectors in the February issue. An Aberdeen pattern water pitcher by the Jewel Glass Company scored high at a Kansas auction when it sold for $1400. You too can check out some of the dazzling examples featured in this article.

Get inspired to furnish your home in the high fashion of the 1950’s. Wouldn’t an Eames chair and ottoman look great in your living room? The famous design was created in 1956 and it’s been in production ever since. A set with original cushions and wood frame recently sold for $3360 at an Illinois auction. You can see an entire room in this style in Kovels’ February newsletter.

What’s the story with antique cash registers? They seem to be popping up at little shops everywhere. As their popularity increases, it’s not surprising that they are seeing an increase in value as well. Several antique registers sold at a fall Showtime auction in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Prices ranged from $1430 to $14, 400. We have some beautiful examples in the February newsletter.

If it is cold where you are, what could be more perfect than collecting penguins? There are just 17 species of penguins, but a recent Richard Opfer auction in Timonium, Maryland offered more than 250 penguin collectibles. Want to know more? Get the February issue and find out what some of the tuxedo-clad birds went for.

The February issue of the Kovels’ newsletter also includes their regular monthly features, such as the News Flash, Collector’s Gallery and Buyer’s Price Guide. Subscriptions for the print edition or the online edition can be purchased from their website at http://www.kovels.com

Accredited media interested in discussing the content of this release or any topics related to antiques and collectibles are encouraged to contact the Kovels at LLillis@kovels.com to schedule an interview.

About the Kovels

Ralph and Terry Kovel are the authors of more than 95 books about collecting and antiques, including the best-selling annual price guide “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price List.” Hailed by Parade magazine as “the duke and duchess of the antiques world,” the Kovels publish a monthly award-winning newsletter, Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, and write a syndicated weekly newspaper column distributed to more than 150 newspapers. They appeared weekly on the HGTV program “Flea Market Finds with the Kovels.” Their popular website with free price information is www.kovels.com. The Kovels’ most recent books are “Kovels’ American Collectibles, 1900 to 2000,” published by Random House, and the newly re-designed Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price List 2008, with 2,500 photos and 42,000 actual prices, published by Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers. Both are available wherever books are sold and online at http://www.Kovels.com

In a world of science and technology it is often interesting to note that all our developments in observing the stars began when the Earth was believed to be the center of the universe and telescopes while having advanced enormously in the last few decades they have virtually remained unchanged for their basic premise. So it is nice to be able to take an antique telescope and view the stars as they were seen years ago.

Prior to beginning your search for an antique telescope the collector usually has in mind the style in their mind that they wish to use, therefore searching various sites or even flea markets and garage sales can help the antique telescope collector find his or her reward.

What to Look for in an Antique Telescope

When searching for an antique telescope especially for models that are pre-mass produced, it is important to view with a little skepticism since many older models do not have manufacturing information on them and the ease in which one can engrave a name on the brass. Yet beyond the skepticism you can find the original articles that you can add to your collection.

Doing your research prior to looking for an antique telescope will enable you to be prepared to offer prices and counteroffer those given to you. With many sites available to research it is impossible to choose just one site in order to provide a picture of what you would like to choose to add to your collection.

Once you have chosen an antique telescope there may also be the necessity of repairing it through a professional or obtaining parts in order to repair it yourself dependant upon your skills. Yet with the variety of information out there and with antique stores, malls as well as flea market and yard sales a serious collector can find antique telescopes to add to or begin a collection.

Displaying Your Antique Telescope

When displaying your antique telescope choosing to cover it, mount it or display it as well as utilize the telescope are important. Choosing to display it as a working model is a typical plan for many antique collectors, since the condition lends to the value of the antique. So no matter how you choose to display your antique telescope looking into a professional mounting specialist in order to ensure the safety of the telescope is a better bet than just trusting your own instinct or mounting skills.

No matter how you choose to display the antique you can rest assured that with a little research and shopping around you can find an antique telescope that will provide you and your friends with interesting conversation.

An antique piece is something which most of us are fascinated by. Antiques belonging to the family heirloom or bought from some museum auction or from any other place hold a very special place in the hearts of their possessors. Any antique, be it big or small, has a great money value and even greater sentimental value. Thus even an antique iron fence is extremely valuable and prized for many.

Antique Iron Fence

The iron fence has got a very crucial role to play. It is vital for the protection and safety of the house. Iron fence is necessary to keep out trespassers, strangers, stray animals and pests. Fencing also helps in keeping out over-inquisitive neighbors.

This suggests that iron fence must be strong enough to be of any use to the home owner. However apart from its utility, if the fence has a great aesthetic value too then it is just the perfect icing on the cake. A beautiful fence makes the house look attractive too and gives a very formal feel to it. It makes the exteriors of the house look great and makes a style statement. They can also define or express the artistic approach of the home owner.

Many house owners love to have an antique iron fence around their homes. Antique iron fence helps a lot in adding a very royal look to the house. The house starts looking like a place from the golden period of the kings and gets a very historical feel to it. There are several types of antique iron fences which are the most sought after.

The types are as follows:

a) There are antique iron fences which are made of authentic wrought iron. There are fences in this which are up to seven feet in height.

b) Another type of antique iron fencing is the vintage cast iron fence.

c) Antique fences also come in Victorian style iron picket fence.

d) Yet another very interesting antique iron fencing style is the horse head fence made of antique cast iron.

e) There is fencing made of ornamental iron which is a great antique piece.

f) Fences made of authentic wrought iron with spear-heads are one of the most popular antique iron fences.

Conclusion

These antique iron fences make the house look special. Hence it comes as a no surprise that home owners are constantly on the look out for these fences.

Duck decoys have been used for thousands of years. Hunters made their decoys using bulrush, cattail, reed, and what ever they could use that would float. They molded these items into a sculpture of a bird floating in the water, and decorated some of them with real feathers of the type of bird they were going to hunt. In North America, decoys have been found that dated back 2,000 years, where they are now displayed at the Smithsonian Museum. Other decoys have been found in Egypt that was even older. Originally, duck decoys were not considered to be an art at all; they were created as a tool to help the hunter attract his prey more efficiently.

Antique duck decoy collections have been around since the early 1900’s when Joel Barber, a New York architect first published his book, “Wild Fowl Decoys”. Since then, antique decoys have become so popular that many magazines have been published, many organizations have been formed and specialty books have been written.

If you are interested in collecting antique duck decoys, whether it is for their beauty, the folk art, or the investment that you will have from acquiring these magnificent replicas, there are certain things you need to know.

In the 1800’s, duck decoys were made with glass eyes, and were painted with dull, exact details of the sort of duck that the hunter was trying to stalk. They used anchors to hold the decoy upright and a pull string to make one or two of the decoys move in the water.

Some of the earlier duck decoy manufacturers put the company logo on the bottom of each decoy that was made. Even if you found an old decoy, you should always check the condition it is in before it can be determined as an antique. If it has dents, or bad gashes in it, this will determine its value. There are many duck decoy manufacturers today that carry some of the finest decoys ever made. These include movers that swim around in a circle using battery operated systems, and shakers that just make waves in the water. Together in a flock like resemblance, one can hardly tell that they are fake. The standard size of a decoy is about 15 inches, and can be made from foam, plastic, cork, and wood.

There are many websites on the internet that make it possible to buy antique duck decoys. It would be a good idea, before you start buying antiques, you should purchase one of the many antique duck price lists that are available from one of these websites. You should research all that you can to be knowledgeable enough to know what the value of each antique duck decoy is as well as the history of it.

If you are looking for antique duck decoys, you might start searching the local yard sales, flee markets, your local antique stores, a neighbors barn, and of course you can purchase them from private collectors. When buying from flee markets and yard sales, remember to check the bottom for a manufacturer’s stamp, and take into account the ware and damage that it has been through, after all these years.

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