Blog Archive February 2013 | MARKET WARRIORS Blog | Market Warriors

Tips for Building a Toy Collection

Bene Raia | 02/25/13 at 02:50 p.m.

In Oronoco, MN, our pickers were tasked with finding toys to take to auction. Picker Bene Raia shares her tips on buying and collecting toys:

1. Consider condition

Condition, maker, and provenance are all key when it comes to building a toy collection. Condition is the top consideration, especially if you plan to trade up or resell, so try to collect toys in the best condition that you can afford. For each type of toy, there is typically a primary condition issue to be mindful of — for example, with tin lithograph cars look for color, scratches, and dents, while with bisque dolls, look for cracks or chips in the head, especially around the eyes.

2. Save the box/packaging

Sometimes the box is worth more than the toy it once held! The reason why is simple: boxes are usually discarded. That makes them rare and therefore valuable.

Auction Bargains with Quinn’s Auction Galleries

Matt Quinn | 02/21/13 at 02:17 p.m.

As auctioneers, we are often asked “why do you start the bidding so low?”

If you’ve ever been to an auction, you know that auction-goers love a great bargain. Similar to the way retail stores put items “on sale” to encourage you to buy, auctioneers often start the bidding low to increase the perception of a bargain and encourage you to bid. This strategy often results in high-energy bidding, a fun, exciting experience for buyers.

In the episodes of Market Warriors filmed at Quinn’s Auction Galleries in Falls Church, Virginia, the Warriors’ items were sold in Quinn’s Weekly Treasure Auctions, where the items are not catalogued or vetted for authenticity. It’s an “absolute” auction, meaning there are no reserves or minimum bids.

Auctioneers, like professionals in any industry, have a variety of styles and strategies to their work. Some auctioneers start bidding high to see if they can get a “bite” from a willing bidder. Often times, this strategy results in the auctioneer needing to lower his starting bid multiple times before he gets an opening offer.

World War Militaria: Ancient Demand and Modern Supply

Jeffrey Shrader | 02/18/13 at 03:14 p.m.

If the practice of taking war souvenirs isn't the oldest form of collecting, then it is certainly in the neighborhood. Organized military conflict has historically been an enterprise rich in symbols and heraldry, so collecting artifacts from a vanquished foe has been a natural part of warfare. The charming practice of displaying an opponent's severed head on a pike has fallen into disfavor among most modern cultures, but a vigorous pursuit of the foe's hats, helmets, flags, insignia, weapons, and equipment remains a constant theme, from ancient times right up to and including ongoing conflicts.

There are as many reasons to collect as there are collectors. A collector doesn't need to have a personal association with a particular battle, campaign, or individual. Military conflicts make for compelling history, and that alone can serve as the inspiration driving a collector's pursuit of artifacts. An object from the US Armed Forces can be a powerful connection to one soldier's story, our nation's history, and to a critical moment in time.

Have a Vintage Valentine's Day!

Miller Gaffney | 02/12/13 at 05:09 p.m.

When I celebrate Valentine's Day, I enjoy sending and receiving vintage cards and also using vintage elements in my home that capture the spirit of love.

Front and back of a ceramic valentine's plate. Image of cherubs on the front and a poem, My Valentine, on the back

I have long admired and been inspired by how my mother has incorporated antique items featuring cupids, roses, and hearts around the house this time of year.

Inspiration for a Nation: Norman Rockwell's "Four Freedoms"

Market Warriors | 02/11/13 at 02:00 p.m.

In Chantilly, Virginia, the pickers met with dealer Art Finkel, who specializes in vintage posters and lithographs. With him, they looked at World War II posters by the American illustrator Norman Rockwell. The pickers struggled with naming the two freedoms that, in addition to "Freedom from Fear" and "Freedom from Want," make up Rockwell's iconic "Four Freedoms" series. Though perhaps best known for the idyllic scenes of American life that frequented the covers of The Saturday Evening Post, Norman Rockwell made notable contributions to the war effort with works like the "Four Freedoms" and "Rosie the Riveter."

Photograph of two of Norman Rockwell's "Four Freedoms" posters: "Freedom from Want" which shows a family gathered around a table for an impressive meal, and "Freedom from Fear" which shows a mother and father tucking their children into bed

Collecting Miniature Furniture

Bene Raia | 02/11/13 at 10:44 a.m.

My miniature furniture collection is primarily comprised of doll- and child-size chairs. These chairs can be functional as well as decorative. Miniature furniture is especially easy to display because it lends itself to tabletop vignettes. For example, a group of similar scale chairs placed on a table can hold small vases filled with flowers.

Recently I purchased an antique bentwood highchair. While the chair isn't in perfect condition and is missing the tray, it’s still a great antique example of a doll-size highchair. I wonder if it’s a salesman’s sample because of the amount of work that went into caning the seat, and the more labor-intensive work of bending the wood to construct the chair.

dark brown bentwood highchair with cane seat

A Crash Course in High End Treasures: “Young Collectors Night” at The Winter Antiques Show

Bob Richter | 02/06/13 at 02:05 p.m.

Shopping for antiques is a way of life for me. Ever since I was a young boy going to flea markets and tag sales with my brother, and to auctions with my Dad, I have been immersed in this fun, interesting and completely addictive pastime.

It was only natural that my love of antiques would become part of my work, and finding great items for my clients brings me a lot of joy. My hunting grounds are those places where bargains can be found, like the flea markets and auctions we attend on MARKET WARRIORS. I do also frequent antiques shows and often still find great deals there. That said, there’s one show I attend each year where bargains are not the name of the game, but it’s worth it for me because I have the opportunity to see things that rarely exist outside of museums or private collections.

Considering Sanctions when Buying Antiques: Burma and Beyond

Market Warriors | 02/04/13 at 11:13 a.m.

In Long Beach, CA, Miller Gaffney found a carved wood rooster to meet the target round challenge of Asian smalls. The rooster stood less than two feet tall and faced forward with carved eyes and a red-painted beak. It was small and from Asia, but Miller's opponents questioned whether it was legal to buy or sell. Was this rooster an ordinary fowl, or a foul play?

The dealer said he purchased the rooster in Mandalay more than 20 years ago. Mandalay is a large city and former royal capital in Burma/Myanmar. (Military authorities re-named this large South Asian country Myanmar in 1989, but the US government maintains an official policy of calling it Burma.) In 2003, the US Congress passed a law banning imports from Myanmar, with the aim of putting pressure on its military leaders.

Antique objects can be caught in this crossfire, and buyers might want to consider provenance when shopping. Questions to ask include: When did this object leave the country? Who bought it? Did they have permission to bring it into the country where it's being offered for sale?

Kevin's Reflections on Collecting Asian Smalls

Kevin Bruneau | 02/01/13 at 05:37 p.m.

In my opinion, Asian smalls are pieces I can hold in my hands and, boy, have I had the pleasure of handling some wonderful pieces! Asian smalls are those objects you find in a curio cabinet, and I personally have collected them as a dealer and for my home. They can run the gamut from gilt bronze figures to shapely porcelain vases.

All societies in Asia have made great pieces at different times. I'm amazed by Japanese metalwork of the 19th century. I really enjoy the mixed metal vases made by Japanese artists. You can see in the finer hand-worked examples the hundreds of hours that went into each piece.