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It’s Halloween again and the ghosts and witches and spirits will be out in force tonight. Tomorrow they will transform back into sweet little children again. The costumes will be discarded or stored away and a million scooped-out pumpkins will be on their way to landfill.
But what about Halloween for the collector? What things produced for today’s celebrations will be tomorrows antiques? Already vintage Halloween collectibles are selling on eBay so there are opportunities for both dealers and collectors.
There are skulls, black cats, Jack o’ Lanterns, plastic pumpkins, postcards, candy holders, cake picks and costumes. The best items are German or US made, the German made items were mainly exported to the States.
Look out for the vintage items produced between the Great War and WWII. These are highly collectible and are fetching the best prices.
There are so many Halloween niches that as a collector it’s best to decide on the items you like best and stick to collecting them. A dealer would research the niches and pick the most profitable.
Don’t neglect to hide away some modern things for the future though, you could be the owner of that rare plastic witch that turns out to the big ticket item of the future.
There’s a good article here with advice on keeping kids safe at Halloween and it has links to further reading on the history of Halloween costumes and the true origins of Halloween.
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Article Author Dave Knight
The shortest answer to this question is yes but as there are exceptions it is better to answer “it depends”. As with all antiques and future antiques care should be taken when cleaning and some items are best lefty to experts to deal with.
Silver Coins
Never polish collectible or antique coins whatever the metal. This is a job for experts and cleaning at all can ruin the value.
Silver Tableware
It is okay to polish most sterling silver tableware but do it the right way. Don’t use a polish or cloth that is too abrasive as this could ruin and devalue the piece. Never use a power polisher on silverware.
Here are some tips to remember when cleaning and polishing silver:
Use Your Silverware. Handling helps keep silver free of tarnish, so use your pieces regularly.
Wash By Hand. Wash and dry silver by hand. Use a little detergent-based liquid soap in warm water.
Dry By Hand. Use a soft dish towel, don’t leave to dry as water may stain the silver. Never leave your silver to dry on stainless steel drainers or rubber mats.
Use Silver Polish. Buy a quality silver polish and follow the instructions carefully. Rub the polish into the items thoroughly as this will achieve the best result when buffing.
Buff. After a short time allowing the polish to dry use a clean, soft and dry cloth to buff your silverware to a bright sheen. Only do this by hand.
Store Carefully. If you intend to store your silver for a long period apply a tarnish retardant.
Wash Before Use. Silver polish tastes horrible so wash your silverware before use in the way suggested above.
Silver-Plated Items. You will wear the silver plating away if you polish such items too frequently. It is preferable to use them often and wash as above to prevent tarnish forming.
Whether you collect antique or modern silverware these tips should ensure you protect the value of your investment. When buying new items there is normally a product-care leaflet included. Read it carefully for additional or special instructions.
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Article Author: Dave Knight
People collect so many different things now that many of the items will never get universally popular. There must be thousands of collectors who share their passion with only a handful of other enthusiasts.
Magazines, especially antique and specialist-subject publications, are popular collectors items. But the varied subjects covered by them mean the market for them is as fragmented as the topics. So are special interest magazines worth collecting?
Some time ago I auctioned a collection of Wheels & Tracks magazines on eBay. They were given to me by a guy who was having a clear out at home and fortunately he didn’t just ditch them into the trash. 
As a result of that sale I think that magazines, even special interest magazines like Wheels & Tracks, should only be collected for there value and interest to the owner. They are not a big earner so as a general rule they are not an investment. As with all things there are exceptions to the rule but W&T is not one of them. Maybe in the future someone’s grandchildren will get to sell them for a tidy sum but there is no immediate profit to be had.
Wheels & Tracks was first published in 1982 and continued to arrive on the news-stands every three months until 2001. Just why it was discontinued I don’t know but the articles are just as interesting now as they were when first published.
Inside is the pages are packed with photos, detailed drawings and reviews. There is a readers forum, a section named Indentifile that asks readers to identify vehicles and other objects from photos. There’s a discoveries section, book reviews and lots of other features. Not only a historical record of military hardware but a veritable treasure trove of information for the military enthusiast.
While focusing on the vehicles used by the armed services during the 20th Century it is inevitable that both WWI & WWII are covered throughout the series. Vehicles of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Republic of Germany, most other European nations and many other countries around the world are featured. A lot of the vehicles, which were total wrecks when found, have been restored by collectors and exhibited at military shows. Those articles, usually accompanied with progress photos are particularly interesting.
If military vehicles and military history are your thing then look out for Wheels & Tracks, they have a wealth of interesting articles, facts and photos in their pages. As for collecting magazines and other publications pick a subject you enjoy. You may not get a monetary return on your investment but the pleasure you’ll derive from reading the articles and looking at the photos cannot be quantified in profit terms.
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by: Sydney Johnston
Recently, a friend asked me to help her brother sell his collection on Lladro glass figurines on eBay. These are expensive glass collectibles and I knew nothing about them – but I don’t have to. The principles for selling expensive collectibles on eBay are the same, regardless of what is being sold.Obviously, like any eBay auction, the seller must have a powerful listing with great pictures. This is always true regardless of what the merchandise is. Expensive collectibles offer splendid opportunities, but also need special precautions.
Tip 1.Price: decide the lowest amount you will accept for each figurine and set that price as a reserve. Then make your opening bid absurdly low – yes, absurdly.
Example: if you will accept $1,000 – make your opening bid $25. There is no risk in this, because you don’t have to sell unless the bidding reaches $1000, but the low price attracts buyers, (assuming there is demand, of course).
Looking at completed eBay auctions allows us to track prices, Again and again we learn that starting the price where the seller hopes it will end is not a wise tactic.
For instance, a seller wants to get $750 for his figurine. An opening bid of $750 won’t attract nearly as many buyers as an opening bid of $25 and – surprisingly – the lower bid almost always gets higher prices. There is some psychology at work with the cheap price. It may not make logical sense, but it’s the reality of life on eBay.
Tip 2.Devote space in your auction listing explaining how you will pack your item to ensure safe transit. This is critically important because in the back of every buyer’s mind is the dread of receiving a package that rattles. A collectibles buyer will inevitably be thinking of the hassle she will have to go through – and the possible loss of purchase price – if her item is broken. She needs to know that the seller has carefully considered this issue and has a solution.
Tip 3.For the protection of both of you, insist that the buyer pay for appropriate insurance. Don’t allow this to be an option. You definitely do not want the liability of a broken collectible that costs hundreds of dollars. In fact, if a customer objects to paying for insurance, this might possibly be a red flag. A genuine collector is very eager to add to her collection and wants her figurine to be protected.
Tip 4.We can safely assume that every Internet buyer has heard stories of fraud on eBay and elsewhere on the Net. Therefore, anything you can do to prove the authenticity of your collectible is well worth your time. Is there a marking on the bottom? Do you have the original box or other container? Does it have a label? Is there a certificate of authenticity or an appraisal by a respected organization? If the answer to any of these is “yes”, then be certain to emphasize your authenticity in your auction. Taking pictures of your proof is especially effective.
Tip 5.I don’t suggest offering a guarantee except in the most general way – that is, you, the seller, are telling the truth about the product. Anyone bidding on a collectible is knowledgeable and therefore they know what they’re buying so there should be no reason for a return. If someone expresses dissatisfaction and mails your merchandise back, there is every likelihood of it being broken. You do not want the hassle of trying to collect on broken merchandise or putting yourself into a litigious situation with someone who refuses to believe that the collectible was broken via return shipping.
Also, you don’t want to take a loss on your eBay fees, which might be substantial if the price is high.
Tip 6.With a really expensive item, always offer the option of an escrow service – at the buyer’s expense, of course. They may not want this service, but make certain they have the option. You, of course, know that your merchandise is legitimate, but the buyer isn’t so certain. eBay recommends an escrow service that is available to all members.
Tip 7.If you’re willing to ship worldwide, you need to take special steps to protect yourself. In the US we have AVS (Address Verification System) which offers some protection. A very large portion of the fraud suffered by buyers occurs outside the United States and you are justified in protecting yourself. Losing the purchase price on a $5 item isn’t such a big deal – but a $1,000 collectible absolutely does matter.
Your bank can advise you on the time it will take to verify foreign funds. Be certain to let any prospective buyer know in your auction that there will be a delay if they are outside of your country. Do not let your merchandise out of your hands until you are sure!
If you follow these ‘rules’, the chances of selling your expensive collectibles at the highest possible prices will be greatly increased.
About The Author
Sydney Johnston
Learn how to sell on eBay with 16 hours of online instruction taught by a 10 year eBay veteran. Own an eBay business instead of an eBay hobby. http://auction-genius-course.com Many of the photographs on this site are provided by FOTOLIA.com Tweet This Post
Update: September 2, Still some work to do but I’m happy with the theme, I hope you are too. I’ve now incorporated Expert’s Articles completely within the blog so no more clicking links just to read the article.
The next job is to introduce more articles more frequently and change the colour scheme.
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This beat up old Remington typewriter was up for grabs on eBay but there were no takers.
It’s a Remington Standard Model 2 and I must admit it looks a tad sad and needs a loving new owner who will restore it to its original glory.
There are some bits missing and I am pretty sure Remington are right out of stock of anything for this model. I did a search with Google and found stickers and useful info for a restoration job but be prepared to spend some hours making the missing parts.
UPDATE: 18 September 2009. Last Saturday I took my Remington to a Car Boot Sale (A kind of open-air flea market here in the UK) and got the princely sum of £8 (approx. $13) for it. Antique typewriters don’t command a lot of money and should only be collected for the pleasure they give the owner not as an investment.
 Remington Standard Model 2 For Sale Tweet This Post
by: John N. Cohen
Some personal guidance on how to begin buying antiques from dealers, or in the auction room, as a collector. Some valuable insights not generally known, that will equally apply to all types of antique collecting.
ABOUT BECOMING AN ANTIQUE COLLECTOR
 Gavel & Antique Books by Danil Vachegin - Fotolia.com Before buying anything; make a point of studying books and catalogues (even old ones) on your subject, then attend a few auctions, be sure to inspect your choice of antiques on the viewing days before the auction, always allow enough time to visit and explore the main dealers’ stock, both before and after any auction sales. This way you will gradually be able to assess what quality items are available and the prices being currently asked. Make a point of chatting to dealers, or well-known collectors, about what has happened after an auction. Not always, but sometimes one can gain quite a lot of useful guidance about particular pieces, what to look out for and importantly about the general feelings about any record breaking prices.
After an auction it can be possible sometimes to find that a dealer might have a similar quality piece, or even a better one, for much less than has just been paid! A note of caution here, sometimes a really silly price is paid in the auction room, simply because two determined people badly wanted that piece. In such a case of course, that value has to be discounted to a certain extent. It is this sort of information that should be sought (in my earlier suggestion of chatting at the end of the auction).
BUYING GUIDANCE
The best advice for anyone tempted to collect any antiques would be, first, to study your choice of subject and attend auctions, meet and talk to the dealers, handle and see as many pieces as possible. Do not rush in to buy because unfortunately trying to collect, in any specialised antique area, it often takes many years to acquire the necessary expertise, without which, very costly mistakes can be made. Once you feel more confident you should then be prepared to commission a well-known specialist dealer to bid for you. You would have to expect to pay at least 10% (of the bid price) for this service. But this can be well worth paying, as you will not only benefit from his knowledge and guidance, you will also stop him bidding against you!
Only another collector can fully appreciate that overpowering urge, that comes over one, on finding a treasure really wanted. It is the closest feeling to that of love at first sight. I have been told that one?s pupils tend to enlarge, and this is one of the signs that dealers watch out for, and as collectors, of course, we always try desperately to camouflage our interest.
AUCTIONS
Strange things certainly do happen at auction! If there is only one spectacular piece amongst some fairly good items, there is a good chance of picking up a bargain, both just before and just after, the really super piece. Before, the main buyers are often holding back hoping they can be in with a chance with their maximum bid, so they tend to stop bidding as high as they might have done in normal circumstances. Immediately after, because everyone is discussing what has just been paid, especially if a record price was reached, all this can be going on whilst another piece slips through and is sold.
There are also items known as ’sleepers’ and often these are pieces that are sold at bargain prices, just because no one present required it, or for some reason it was overlooked.
Attending a poor auction (this is one with only one or two good items in it, amongst a lot of junk) can be advantageous, if there is a fine example to be had. Quite a number of buyers feel they cannot afford the time in attending such a poor auction. Sadly this does not happen so much now.
Sometimes too, but not often, a piece is wrongly described. Then one can, if lucky, really find a bargain. Once we bought a jade snuff bottle that is so remarkably well hollowed and such a flawless piece of stone, that it was in fact sold wrongly catalogued as glass! We had to buy it from a well-known dealer (preferring to pay him a good profit, rather than keep bidding it up against him) in the end it wasn’t cheap – but it is one of the finest we have ever seen!
We no longer believe much in trying to find bargains, as we have found that the most expensive, but finest examples, over time, are often by far the best buys! We have worried about having paid too much on several occasions. They were very rare, superb examples, but still we worried. Yet these are now the treasures that have proved to be the most wonderful bargains of all!
BEYOND VALUE
Lastly, there is one important factor that has not been mentioned, as it is so impossible to measure! That is the value of the pleasure one enjoys from participating, as a collector, in such a fascinating hobby as collecting antiques is hard to describe.
You also meet such interesting people from all over the world, for there is an immediate bond amongst fellow collectors, except when met at the beginning of an auction!
Then there is the intrigue of the hunt and the excitement at every new addition that only another collector can fully appreciate. Life is so enriched, I do believe that such hobbies are vital, and so many people who have hardly any outside interests, beyond their world of work, have no idea of just how much fun they are missing!
The author has been a very keen collector for many years in helping to create ‘The Cohen collection’. To learn more about ‘The Cohen collection’ please use the following link: -
Many of the photographs on this site are provided by FOTOLIA.com
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Do you love to collect antiques? Are you a serious collector that is looking for a specific antique such as a certain piece of furniture, a unique car, or perhaps a specific antique painting that suits your taste? If so, then you know it is not always an easy task to find the items you are looking for, especially if you don’t know where to look.
 Antique Silverare at a Flea Market by Massimo Usai - Fotolia.com Maybe you just love to shop for different antiques on a smaller scale. This could include collectible items such as toys and figurines. There are many different types of antique art that can be purchased and even a wide variety of antique books may be found. The key is to know where to find all of the great items that are out there.
Locating Your Antiques
So the question that many collectors have is just where to find the good stuff anyway? The thing that makes being an antique collector different is that you can’t just go to the store and buy the item you want, no matter how much money you have. It can literally be an Easter egg hunt to try to find the treasures you seek.
When you are shopping for antique collectibles but do not have a specific item in mind or if you do not plan to spend a large amount of money, then a flea market is a great place to shop. However, if it is a specific item you are looking for, then many sites on the Internet can provide you with a wide variety of these items.
Shopping Online
There are many places online where you can look for antiques. The great thing about the internet is that it brings a much larger world straight to you. There are thousands of sites that can help you locate a specific item by pinpointing precisely where you should look. If the item is being sold in more than one place, they can give you this information, allowing you the opportunity to find the best price available for the antique of your choice.
eBay is becoming a very popular place to look online for antique collectibles. There are people from all over the world buying, selling, and trading collectibles and antiques on eBay. Some of the best deals out there can be found on eBay. Another great thing about finding your collectibles online is the wonderful and wider selection than you would find at a local show or sale. If you do not have a specific item in mind but are looking in certain categories such as, books, paintings, or coins, online sites such as eBay is a terrific place to look for these types of antiques. Antique jewelry and dishes are also a big hit with collectors and can be found on this site. It is one of the fastest and easiest ways to shop for collectibles.
Joining Clubs and Groups
You might also want to check to see if your local town or city has an antique collector’s club or group that you can join. This would be a way for you to meet other people who share your passion and who can guide you to some of the best places to find what you are looking for. If none can be found in your town, why not start one yourself? Antique collecting is a great passion for many people. Finding the right collectibles may not always be easy. However, with perseverance and patience, you will be sure to find that perfect antique collectible you have been seeking.
To find great deals and a variety of antique collectibles visit:
Canada- http://www.antiquesbizarre.ca
United Kingdom- http://www.antiquesbizarre.co.uk
United States- http://www.antiquesbizarre.com
For author bio visit: Stevie Baby’s Blog
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By Dave Knight
The Remington Standard 2 typewriter first made in 1878 was the successor to the “Sholes & Glidden Type Writer”. The Sholes & Glidden machine was produced in the Remington factory and is regarded as the first Remington typewriter, the Remington 1. The Remington 2 was the first model to be sold in substantial quantities though and had a number of improvements over the Sholes & Glidden design. It is generally accepted that over 100,000 R2 machines were sold.
The QWERTY keyboard was designed by Sholes and featured on the S&G machine which was first produced only four years before the Remington 2. It only typed upper case letters and didn’t have a ’shift key’. The Remington 2 remained an up-strike machine just like it’s predecessor.
An up-strike machine has the type bars hanging down in a circle in what is called the type basket. When the keys are hit the type bars swing up against the platen and transfer a small quantity of ink to the paper from the ink-saturated ribbon that is stretched under the platen. The typist lifted the carriage to read what was written and check for errors. A front-strike machine which allows the reading of the document as it is being typed was many years away.
So what was different with the new Remington?
Probably the most important improvement was it’s capability to type in upper and lower case. This was made possible by the introduction of the ’shift key’ that literally shifted the carriage to the front to type capitals. This key is still sometimes referred to as the ’shift key’ even on computers that do not have a carriage. However, it is now more commonly called the ‘Enter’ key.
The S&G model had decorated panels surrounding the mechanism but these were removed on the Remington 2 in favour of a black open frame. This change made it quieter and established the open-black-box look typewriters would have for decades to come.
The Remington 2 was being being sold well into the 1890s and it wasn’t until 1908 that Remington yielded to market pressure to produce a front-strike machine named the Remington 10. There were various other Remington models produced and sold alongside the Remington 2 but it alone set the standard for typewriter design for many decades.
A Short History
Remington played a leading role in typewriter production for years but the original Remington Arms factory was only making typewriters for a short time. Remington originally owned only a minority share in the project but between 1877 and 1882 became the majority owners.
Later, between 1883 and 1886 marketers Wyckoff, Seamans and Benedict obtained full ownership and the right to use the Remington name. A new factory was built and manufacture transferred from the original Remington family arms factory.
Collectible or not?
So many of this model were made it is doubtful it will ever become valuable but for the antique typewriter collector this fact makes it more likely to obtain one.
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By Dave Knight
The manual typewriter and indeed it’s successor the electric typewriter is regarded by most people a relic of a bygone age. Modern offices and home businesses now use computers to produce both hard copy documents and electronic documents that whisk across the world in seconds.
However, the personal computer is the latest development in the evolution of the writing. It all started with early man scratching words on cave walls and from these humble beginnings various implements have been invented so mankind can communicate via the written word.
In the late nineteenth century the evolution of the writing instrument took a monumental leap forward. The “Type Writer” was invented.
E. Remington & Sons produced what is considered the first typewriter but it wasn’t invented by Remington. In 1868 at Kleinsteuber’s Machine Shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Christopher Latham Sholes and others were busy inventing devices that would take the tedium out of repetitious and time-consuming work. It was here the idea for the “Sholes & Glidden Type Writer” was born. Carlos Glidden worked on the device with Sholes.
Sholes made a demonstration device that only typed one letter but it proved the idea a possibility. The idea accepted by the gentlemen of “Scientific America” he went on to produce the prototype that could do the whole alphabet. The prototype, pictured below, was sent to Washington as the required Patent Model and the original still exists.
The printing type is mounted on the end of a type-bar and pressing a key swings the type-bar up to the cylindrical platen. A inked ribbon is threaded between the type head and the platen. The typing wasn’t immediately viewable so the machine was called a “blind-writer” and the carriage was hinged so that the operator could check the result.
The original Sholes & Glidden used the QWERTY keyboard and typed capitals letters only. The machine was sluggish, fiddly and inefficient but investor James Densmore had enough faith in the machine to buy the patent from Sholes. This is how Remington came to produce the device.
The original “Type Writer” came mounted on a table with foot treadle to operate the carriage return. It was also heavily decorated with gold paint and colorful decals. Their was also a table model with a handle that operated the carriage return in place of the foot treadle.
A decade later the Remington 2 was produced. It was quieter, typed in upper and lower case and had a shift key. Remington was responsible for mass producing and marketing the manual typewriter but the industry that changed the world began with the Sholes & Glidden manual typewriter.
It is a a valuable and desirable collectors item although not that rare. It is estimated that a couple of hundred survive with values from $1000 for a black model and $5000 for an ornately-decorated model on a treadle stand.
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