Tag: vintage

What is batching inventory and how does it help?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn InventoryLeave a comment

When it comes to listing items, you will quickly see that you need four things—a good description, good tags, good photos and a good idea on how much shipping will cost.

In reality, I list around 10 to 20 items per week.  Because of this, I started to pull my hair out because I was getting lost—I would get started working and I had no idea where I was the day before.  Did I take pictures of this item?  What about a description?  Did I pack something along the way?

It would take me a long time to get my head wrapped around to see what I was doing the day before.  I had to get a better system so I could see what I did before I lost my mind.

What I did was I started with a spreadsheet on my computer—I made a column for the items that I was working on.  Then from there, I made checklist-style columns for the decription, photos and packing.  Then I created another one for if it was listed, and then a final column for where the item was to be listed.  After I wrote down what I had done for each item, I realized I had a little of everything done for those items.

Then I made the realization that I need to batch the work together—meaning that I group all of the photos together, then I do the videos, then all of the descriptions.  When all of that gets done, I will pack every item.

Then I get to spend the time to list the item on either Etsy or eBay so it can be for sale.

Spending the time to batch all of the like items together (or to group it) and write down what I have done has actually helped save me time in the long run.

You don’t have to use a spreadsheet when you do this.  You could use a pad of paper or even a dry erase board—you can use whatever you feel comfortable with.

So, take the time to batch what you have to do on the items you want to sell.  It really helps!

What are some of the different types of bowls?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, History, Item highlight, Kitchen Items, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When it comes to bowl designs, we all have heard about the console bowl, the cereal bowl and even the mixing bowl.  What are some other designs that you might run across when you are out shopping for vintage items?

Cream bowl—this bowl is used by some during a formal event when pureed soups are served during the first course of the meal.  This type of bowl comes with two handles and a shallow bottom on the bowl.

Bouillion cup—also known as a broth bowl, this serving piece is used to served chili, custards and even pudding in formal events.

Tureen—this is meant to hold soups and stews and it is used on the table.  This is meant to hold several bowls of soup that is meant to be ladled out into a bowl.

This is just a handful of the different types of bowls that you will run across.  What kinds have you run across?

What are some different types of glassware that you might run across?

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

When I started going to auctions as a kid, I quickly realized that there are different types of glassware that you will find.  I also found out that it is also very colorful, which is one of the reasons that attracted me to it.

So what are some of the different types of glassware that you will run across?

Milk Glass is one that you will definitely run across.  It is white or opaque in color, and it has been made into a wide variety of shapes.  Not only that, but you will also see a wide variety of patterns as well on the milk glass item.  Dinnerware, lamps and vases have been made of milk glass, and you can even find it in some jewelry pieces as well.

Carnival glass is another area.  Carnival glass got its start in the early 1900’s and is a line of pressed glass pieces that has an iridescent finish applied to it.  The finish was to help catch the light, even if the item was in a darker corner of the room.  This does share the same aspect as milk glass because it comes in a wide variety of patterns and shapes, but the great thing about carnival glass is that it also has a wide variety of colors that it can be found in.  Carnival glass got its name because it was adopted by collectors in the 1950s as items of it were sometimes given as prizes at carnivals, fetes, and fairgrounds.

Opalescent glass is a term that is applied to either clear or colored glass that has a milky white opaque effect that has been applied over the other color on the glass item.  It will be often to either the rim or to the center of the piece, and it will often look like the item has more of a frosted look to it.

Slag glass is another area that you will definitely run across.  Slag glass gets its name from slag, or the byproduct of steel production.  When iron ore is smelted in that process, the remaining product looks like glass.  That product takes on different colors depending on the minerals in the iron.  The visual marbling of this is what slag glass is copying.

There are many more types of glassware that you can find out in the market past what I talked about here.  What have you run across?

What are some glass terms for the beginning collector?

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

When you go out shopping for vintage items, you will hear some interesting terms being said.  It doesn’t matter if you are at an auction, estate sale or swap meets—you will hear something.  It really doesn’t take very long either to hear something interesting like “art glass”, “cased” or even “hand blown”.

Here are a few glass terms that you will hear along the way:

Ice lip—this is a part that you will find on a pitcher.  Ice lips are present to help hold the ice in the pitcher.

Applied handle—this is a handle that was attached to a piece of glass while the glass is still hot.  It is often done by hand and can be quite decorative.

Pontil mark—this is a byproduct of a piece of glass that is made by hand.  It is when the glass is attached to a rod so it can be turned into an item.  When the item is done, it is removed from the rod leaving the mark.

Acid etched—this is a type of finish to create a matte or even a satin finish to the glass.  It is often used to produce a pattern on the glass and can be found on a wide variety of items from bowls to glass panels used in architectural design.

Mold made—this is a type of glass that is completely formed using a mold.  You will see this with more of a mass-produced glass and it is used to help produce items that are exactly alike.

This is just a hand full of the terms that you will hear, and there are many more that you will run across.  What terms have you heard of?

What are some different types of pitchers that you might find?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Functional items, Glassware, Pottery, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When you get started shopping, you will run across a pitcher pretty fast.  You will be amazed how many different varieties there are.  You will quickly start to wonder what the different types of pitchers are.

This was one of the first questions that I ran across when I first started buying and selling antiques and collectibles.

Here are some of the most common ones that you will run across:

Iced tea pitchers—this type of pitcher is pretty large, they typically hold 64 ounces.  64 ounces is a standard size when it comes to Iced tea pitchers, but I have even seen that get close to 70 ounces.  Don’t let the words “Iced Tea” fool you—this type of pitcher has also been called a lemonade pitcher.  The great thing about these is that you will often find them with matching glasses.

Milk pitchers—this one actually threw me off when I first heard this one.  A milk pitcher is half the size of an Iced tea pitcher; it usually holds 32 ounces.  Why such an odd number you say?  32 ounces is how many ounces a quart milk bottle holds.  Milk pitchers are used to give a decorative look to the kitchen table when you are having breakfast.

Creamers—you don’t think of a creamer as a pitcher, but it does fall into this category.  This is the smallest of pitchers that are being talked about here, and they are usually 8 to 12 ounces in size.  One reason that you see quite a few creamers is the fact that you have a smaller serving size of milk when you are having a cup of coffee.

This is a small sample of what is on the market, and there are a few more types of pitchers that are out there.  What kinds have you heard of?

Nefertiti and the Whiskey decanter by Michter’s

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Advertising, Item highlight, PotteryLeave a comment

When 1979 rolled around, a whiskey decanter was released and it featured something different, something that you may not expect to be on a whiskey decanter.  The decanter sports the bust of Nefertiti.

Nefertiti?  Who in the world is Nefertiti you say?  She was a Queen in ancient Egypt and the original bust was found in 1912 and has become one of the more famous artifacts that has come out of ancient Egypt.

It has become so popular that it is featured on items like this decanter from Mitcher’s.  When it was released, there was also another decanter that featured King Tut.

When Mitcher’s made the decanter, they really went all out and put a pretty good amount of detail onto the decanter.  It is also striking with the gold glaze that they put on it as well.

You can see the decanter in my shop on Etsy here.  Head on over and check it out!

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?

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.

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?