Category: Tips for the beginner

What happened in the year 1932?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn History, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

Whenever I look on the internet or a reference book that I have to look for information on an item that I am about to sell, I will run across really interesting tidbits about what happened during a certain year.

It could be the debut of a product, something that aired on the radio or television or even something that was captivating and held everyone’s interest for a portion of that particular year.

So, what happened during the year of 1932?

May 25—Goofy makes his appearance in the Disney cartoon titled Mickey’s Revue.

August 8—American Gridiron football was a demonstration sport of the Summer Olympics in Los Angles.

October 1—Game 3 of the World Series saw Babe Ruth hit a home run over the center field wall in the fifth inning.  This became to be known as the famous called shot by Babe Ruth.

November 7 saw the debut of the first science fiction show on radio.  It was called Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

This is just a handful of all the things that happened during the year 1932. What are some of the things that you heard of?

Glassware terms for the beginning collector

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Glassware, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you dive into the world of collecting, you will quickly find that there are a TON of terms that you will hear.  There could be anything from a service set to cheese dishes.

Here are some of the terms that you will run across when it comes to tableware:

Breakfast set—this set features both a sugar bowl and a creamer that match.

Frog—this is an element that has multiple holes in it that hold flowers upright.  This will be in a vase or console bowl, and they range from small to large in size.  They are also in any color from clear pieces to colorful Depression glass and even carnival glass.

Tumbler—this is an everyday drinking glass.  They have been seen both footed and unfooted, and they also run the gambit in color from clear to every color under the rainbow.

Spooner—this item can be mistaken for a sugar bowl since they are similar.  Spooners do not have lids and are taller than sugar bowls since they are designed to hold spoons.

This is a small portion of the terms that you will run across for tableware.  What terms have you heard?

What are some of the different types of pottery?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Pottery, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you jump into the world of antiques and collectibles you will see a wide range of pottery that’s on the market.  It could be transferware, stoneware or even art pottery—you really never know what you could run across!

What are some of the different types of pottery that you will find?

Ironstone—this is a type of pottery that made its debut in the UK in the early 1800’s.  It is similar to fine stoneware and was developed by potters in Staffordshire England as a cheaper alternative for porcelain.

Agateware—this is a type of pottery that is decorated with a combination of clays that have contrasting colors.  The name of this type of pottery comes from the agate stone which has different colored layers in it.

Raku Ware—this is a type of Japanese pottery that is traditionally in Japanese tea ceremonies.  The pieces are fairly porous vesels that are a result from low firing temperatures and lead glazes.  The traditional process sees the fired piece removed from the hot kiln and allowed to cool in the open air.

This is a small portion of the different types of pottery that you will find on the market.  What types have you run across?

What are some terms that will be heard at an auction?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Auctions, Tips for the beginner, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you dive into the world of buying and selling, you will run across some interesting terms and phrases.  It is the same way when you attend an auction.

Here are some of the terms that you will hear when you attend an auction:

Passed in—If the bids at an auction don’t meet the reserve price, the item can be withdrawn from the auction or passed in.  It the item is passed in, the last bidder will be able to negotiate a price for the item with the seller.

Fair warning—this is a warning that is given by the auctioneer that is telling the bidders that the bidding for the item is about to end.  It also gives one last chance for any potential bidders to place a bid before the item is sold.

On-site auction—this is an auction that is conducted on the premises (or property) that is being sold on the day of the sale.

These are just a few of the terms that you will hear when it comes to an auction.  What are some of the terms that you have heard?

What are some of the different types of coins that are made?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Coins, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

When you start to collect coins, you will quickly find out that there are different types of coins that you can find.  The strike, what it’s made of or even the shape will quickly jump out at you.

Here is a few of the different types that you can find:

Business strike—this is a coin that is produced for general circulation, and you will find it in pocket change.

Commemorative coin—this is either a coin or medal that is issued to honor an outstanding event (like a bicentennial) or even a person (like Booker T. Washington).

Bi-Metallic—this is a coin that has been made out of two different materials like bronze and silver that have been bonded or fused together.

Proof—this is a coin that has been struck on a specially produced highly polished planchets and dies.  There are even proof coins that can be purchased that are struck more than once on the dies to help accent the design.This is a small look at some of the different types of coins that you can find.  What have you run across?

Madrid Depression Glass and its counterpart

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Glassware, Item highlight, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

The Madrid pattern has been around since 1932, and it is still being produced today.  The name of the pattern has been changed to the Recollection Pattern, and it is made by the Indiana Glass Company.  There are quite a few ways to tell if the piece you are looking at is a piece from the Madrid pattern or is part of the Recollection pattern.

In 1976, the Federal glass company released Madrid as part of their Bicentennial line.  To help discern this from the original, there is a “76” that has been stamped into the mold.  It is easy to spot due to the size of the numbers and that it is often located near the top edge.

The Indiana Glass company released the Recollection pattern starting in the 1980’s.  Some of the pieces that Indiana Glass has released were never produced by the Federal glass Company.  Some of the molds were even put together.  One example is the mold for the candlestick and fruit bowl were put together to produce a kind of pedestal bowl.  If you happen to run across one of these pieces, look at where the bowl joins with the “base”.  If you see some ribbing inside what looks like a hollow area, then this is a modern piece.

The grill plate is different as well.  The original has been divided into three compartments and the newer one only has two.It is amazing how much of both patterns are here in the Ozarks.  Keep an eye peeled when it come to this pattern—you just might be paying good money for a newer piece.

What are some coin terms that may make you think have different meanings?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Coins, Money, Tips for the beginner, Vocabulary WordsLeave a comment

For many years now, I have been collecting mainly United States coins.  When I first started collecting coins, I heard some terms that I thought meant something totally different.

Here are some of the terms that I have heard over the years:

Hairlines—this is not near your forehead; this is tiny lines or scratches that are more often caused by polishing or cleaning a coin.

Field—this is not something full of flowers, it is the portion of the surface of the coin that does not have any of the coin’s inscription.

Bust—the part of a coin that features a portrait on a coin.  The portrait features the head neck and shoulders.

Designer—this is not talking about a line of handbags—this is the artist who has created the coin’s design.

This is just a small handful of the words that you might run across when dealing with coins.  What have you heard of?

ITEM SPOTLIGHT:  Fenton Grape Leaf pattern pink milk glass from the 1950’s

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Fenton, Glassware, History, Item highlight, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

During the 1950’s, the Fenton Glassware company produced many patterns and pieces.  One of the patterns that was produced is called the GRAPE LEAF pattern.  It comes in many colors like white and pink milk glass to name just a few.

The pattern was made for a couple of years, and one of the pieces that was made in this pattern was this footed decorative plate.  You can tell that it was made by Fenton is the fact that some of the pieces were marked on the bottom of the plate.  If it is not marked on the bottom, one of the giveaways that it’s a Fenton piece outside the pattern itself is by the styling of the handle and the edge that is on the plate.

Even though desert, salad or even Buffalo wings are only a small portion of what you can serve on this plate; it was described by Fenton as a decorative plate (so most likely you will see this item displayed on the top of a piano with either candy or potpourri).

What kind of interesting pieces of Fenton Art Glass have you seen?

What are some mistakes to avoid when you are selling items online?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Selling tips, Tips for the beginnerLeave a comment

When it comes to selling items online, there are plenty of mistakes that can happen, it doesn’t matter if you are starting out or are a seasoned pro.  There are many, and I mean many, mistakes that can be made.

Here are some mistakes to look out for when you are selling items online:

One mistake is to make sure you have the right category when you list your item for sale.  I have seen people list a piece of Fenton in the section intended to be for automotive items (no joke), and I have also seen a piece of Roseville pottery listed in the section intended for Depression Glass.  I always double and triple check on what category I am listing an item in before I make it live and ready to purchase.

Another mistake is not telling about damage if there is some.  I have seen plenty of sellers say that the item is in good shape when I can tell in the photos that they provided that there is a chip or a crack somewhere (or even something like a dent is present).

Don’t ship before you get paid.  I know that this one also tends to be categorized as a scam as well, but I have heard of people accidently shipping an item before they got paid.  I always look to see if payment is completed before I buy the shipping label.

These are a small handful of the mistakes to look out for when you sell items online.  What are some of the mistakes that happened to you?  Have you heard of any to look out for?

A little history for the 1925 Broadmoor Polo Association Foxhall Keene Trophy Pitcher

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Functional items, Item highlight, Silverplate items, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

Several years ago, I happened across this wonderful trophy that is in the shape of a pitcher at a local flea market.  When I first saw it on the shelf, I didn’t see the engraving on the side of it.  When I read what it said, I got to wondering about who Foxhall Keene was and what exactly what the Broadmoor was as well.

The first thing to do is to look at the pitcher itself.  It was made by the Wilcox Silverplate Company, and it dates to somewhere between the 1910’s and the 1920’s.  This helps solidify the date that’s on the pitcher, so the next thing to do is to figure out what the Broadmoor was.

Just what was or is the Broadmoor?  The Broadmoor is a hotel and resort that’s located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  The original hotel is Broadmoor Main, and it was built in 1918.  The resort has had hockey and golf championships, and there’s even polo that is played there.

There’s only one question left for this trophy—who in the world is Foxhall Keene?

Foxhall Keene was quite the competitor.  He was a golfer who competed in the U.S. Open, an amateur tennis player, and he was also a pioneer race car driver who vied for the Gordon Bennett Cup (this was a racing cup that ran from 1900 to 1905 with several clubs racing for it).

Not only did he do all of this, he was also an American thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.  To top it off, he was a world and Olympic gold medalist in polo.  Not only that, but he was also rated the best all-around polo player in the United States for eight consecutive years.

And that’s where the trophy comes into play.  When the Broadmoor started to play polo at the resort, they named this trophy after Foxhall Keene because he was so accomplished in polo.

It’s always fun for me to find out what the history of a piece is, just like this trophy.  What kinds of finds have you run across that you have found out the history of?