Yellow Ware Mocha Loving Cup, circa 1840. Photo from Martyn Edgell Antiques.

There’s a new ending to Friday’s Blog about our adventure to the estate sale. I’ve always told you to dig into every corner and look into every cabinet. Well, I took my own advice.

After packing up my purchase of Books and Depression Glass I decided to take one more look around just to make certain I didn’t pass anything up. Sure enough, just when it looked as if there wasn’t anything else for me to buy, I spotted two Yellow Ware bowls on the floor. I picked them up, realizing they might well be treasure at the price of $3. In all these people rushing around, the two yellow ware bowls went unnoticed by most. I snatched them up and handed those bowls to the attendant. As you get out more and more, you’ll see that the knowledge you’ve gained will come into play and pay great dividends if you are patient.

When I got home, I went right to my trusty Kovel’s Price Guide. I estimate they are worth from $200 to $400 each. How’s that for a $3 purchase. Estimate that rate of return. I looked further into the Kovel’s Price Guide, I found that most Yellow Ware pieces will bring $200 or more. A pepper shaker, mold or flask could reward you with over $1,000.

The secret of compounding seems to have worked quit well at this house sale. In Friday’s Blog, I said our investment of $287 could bring as much as $2,000. With this new information on the Yellow Ware, I’ll have to raise the estimate to $2,400, possibly more.

Now, think with me here for a minute. $287 turned into $2,400. If I am able to just double the $2,400 with new purchases, I will have enhanced my bank account considerably, and could have $4,800 after deducting my cost for buying. Am I crazy, or is this simply amazing?

These simple things, when added together, can make you a believer in what we are teaching. Not getting rich quick, just getting rich. That’s our motto. Keep your Honesty, Integrity and Spiritual Purity and still receive all the blessings that God intends for you to have. I can’t think of a better way to live.

I encourage you to always do more research once you’ve read a Blog. For example, you might be asking yourself, “What exactly is Yellow Ware?” If you began researching it right after you finished reading the Blog, the time you spend researching is active time, and it will etch certain facts and pictures into your mind that you will be able to draw upon when you’re out in the field.

Remember, if you spend a little time everyday studying and researching, this time of active study builds up information in your mind layer upon layer. I’ll lead you and show you how to make money. But the activity of researching is what will build lasting knowledge. So, do a search on “Yellow Ware”. Try googling it. Search it in Yahoo, or whatever you like to use. I’ll start you out by telling you that Yellow Ware is a type of stonewear, and it’s called Yellow Ware not because of a glaze color used, but because of the color of clay used to make it. See what else you can discover today.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to build a bank account that last a lifetime with your profits. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

See the fine paintings we have listed in our gallery like the Texas Bluebonnet painting by William A. Slaughter. Works from Robert Woods, William Horton, Tom Darro and more. Our Hannah Barlow decorated Doulton Lambeth Vase is superb. Take a look here.

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Yesterday, I visited a friend from church to help her appraise some of her mother’s items. Her mother’s house was filled with items she had collected over a lifetime, and now it was my friend’s time to make some decisions about these things.

The first thing I did was to begin separating items that were truly collectible from those that could be sold in a garage sale. I spotted a pair of beautiful Vaseline Glass candle holders. The design resembled a plate with the back edge pulled up, and in the center, was the spot for the candle. They didn’t know anything about them, so I explained to them that these candle holders were special. I went on to tell them the greenish-yellow color of Vaseline Glass is very eye pleasing, and some serious collectors would even call it magical. Some will even choose a particular shade of this glass to collect.

You see, Vaseline Glass contained uranium and was made mostly before World War II. I went on to tell them that the government stopped the sale of uranium when the war broke out, and that because these pieces contained uranium, its color would change when lit under a black light.

“I have a black light,” my friend said. Her father had been a stamp collector and often used a black light for his stamps. I felt this was a challenge to prove my statement. I explained that to use the light correctly, it must be totally dark for the best effect, so I asked if there was a place we could go and look at these pieces in the dark. She thought the front room coat closet would be best. Then, she excused herself to retrieve her father’s small 6 inch black light from his old study.

The closet was packed full when I opened the door. We moved away what seemed to be an endless stream of coats as best we could. Then, I entered the closet. The ladies followed right behind me. closing the door behind us. Crammed into this small dark closet, we put the candle holders to the test. I turned on the black light, and the closet came alive with this beautiful florescent color. We all broke out in laughter, feeling like a bunch of kids, sneaking something our parents didn’t want us to have or know about.

As you know, when I talk about the 31 Club, I always talks about it being an opportunity to have fun and also make a profit. I can assure you that I had fun yesterday, and so did my friend. I’m sure this story will be repeated many times. God planned for us to spend one lifetime here on earth, and if it isn’t fun, then what’s the purpose?

At most of the shows I attend, I usually find at least one dealer that features Vaseline Glass. This glass is displayed in a showcase with black lighting, and the pieces glow in the most beautiful greenish-yellow color. The effect is amazing.

A few hundred dollars or less will buy most Vaseline Glass pieces, and in my opinion, it is one of the most undervalued items I come across. This might be something worth your time to watch for, because the better pieces will sell very quickly, and that is what we like. Some glass being made today resembles Vaseline glass, but when you put it to the test, it fails.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to build a bank account that last a lifetime with your profits. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

See the fine paintings we have listed in our gallery like the Texas Bluebonnet painting by William A. Slaughter. Works from Robert Woods, William Horton, Tom Darro and more. Our Hannah Barlow decorated Doulton Lambeth Vase is superb. Take a look here.

Read Up On The 31 Club Here.

Visit our website here.

Please leave a comment. If you don’t want to sign in, just use the ANONYMOUS button. Chime in and participate! — Daryle Lambert

Antique Dutch Silver Snuff Box Sold on eBay for $9,660 on March 17, 2008

Yesterday, I said that I would continue for a few day sharing things that will get you started on the journey to your million dollars in antiques & collectibles and help you get past your early steps of the 31 Steps. So,I’m continuing today.

Most people like to have things in their homes that remind them of trips they’ve taken or events that proved to be of great pleasure to them. Items we used in our everyday life are also items that bring back warm memories, and people will collect these. These items often end up in garage or house sales and can be purchased reasonably, then flipped for a fair profit.

There certainly are pieces of advertising that bring in tens of thousands of dollars to be found, but today I will be introducing you to some you are more likely to find.

I would suggest that anything associated with smoking and tobacco will be collected for the next 20 – 50 years. The reason for this is that smoking is going the way of so many other things that were common place fifty years ago, but today they barely exist. With that in mind, let’s examine what some of these articles might be.

The value of old plugs of chewing tobacco with the paper labels might surprise you. The same might be said of an unopened pack of cigarettes from the early days. In fact cigar boxes often command some serious money because of the wonderful designs that decorate these boxes. Let’s not forget the pipe tobacco bags and tins that are eagerly sought after or even the early snuff boxes that most women wouldn’t leave the house without.

There are ashtrays, matches, tobacco cutters, posters, tin signs, cigarette papers, cigar labels, and mirrors. And I am just getting started. I would like to list the value of all these things but it is easier just to tell you to look under advertising in the Kovels price guide you should already have purchased. There is a also a nice book by Warman’s called Tobacco Collectibles that I would highly recommend. You will be able to find many books on this subject by checking the companies at we are affiliates with, Abebooks, Amazon, and Schiffer Collector’s Books.

So many of the items that fall into this category can be purchased very inexpensively through Abebooks and Amazon when you buy them used, so please check these. We appreciate those who purchase through our affiliate because it helps keep this Blog running.

I’ll be adding these items to my next “What’s hot List.” Even items you can find on the cheap at garage, house and yard sales that canturn out to be quite valuable.

When I was little, I use to pick up cigar labels and pretend that they were rings. You would naturally ask what value is there in paper labels that when the cigar is finished. Wouldn’t they just be thrown away. But, cigar labels can bring up to $2,000 or more in today’s market. How about tin signs that advertise Tobacco products? Would you believe that certain signs bring over $5,000 and by placing it in the right auction, many times that.

There was a time when the most important thing I owned was my marbles and guess where I kept them? In Tobacco tins, of course. These tins today may bring $5,000, $10,000 or even more. Do you still have questions as to why I would ask you to search for these lowly items? I think that Tobacco collectibles are a treasure trove for the ones searching for them.

It could be well worth your while to become very knowledgeable in the area of tobacco related items, especially ones that included advertising.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting today and start building a bank account big enough to last a lifetime. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

See the fine paintings we have listed in our gallery like the Texas Bluebonnet painting of William A. Slaughter. Works from Robert Woods, William Horton, Tom Darro and more. Our Hannah Barlow decorated Doulton Lambeth Vase is superb. Take a look here.

Read Up On The 31 Club Here.

Visit our website here.

Please leave a comment. If you don’t want to sign in, just use the ANONYMOUS button. Chime in and participate! — Daryle Lambert

Vintage Chanel sunglasses sold for $620 on eBay. There were 19 bids.

I was asked by many of our members to tell them about more items that might be purchased at a reasonable sum to get them started, so that’s what I’ll do over the next couple of Blogs. Yes, $10,000 or $50,000 treasures are waiting to be discovered, but while we’re working our way up and preparing ourselves to be ready for them, why not have some fun and make a little profit for ourselves in the mean time?

Today, I stumbled upon something I hadn’t been aware of, while I was on my way to look up something else. I love when this happens because it can open up a whole new world. I think this discovery can be an item that can help you get through your early steps of the 31 Steps and put some good money in your bank account. I discovered the price of Vintage sunglasses.

So, I went to eBay, as they seem to be the first place I usually go to for my initial search. Low and Behold! There were sunglasses selling for $800 or more, and many of the vintage pairs were bringing $300 to $400 a pair. How many of these pairs of glasses have I ignored in my search? It seems that I am getting a good education for myself by posting this Blog for you. And, I’m sure enjoying each new scrap of information I’m adding to my data bank. I also hope that you can see by my writing that I am still following the principles I have set out for you. I believe that in the next 60 days or so, one or more of you will be writing me about that great find you’ve made in a pair of sun glasses bought for fifty cents to five dollars and then sold for $300-$500.

Some of the things I will be sharing with you might not be found in price guides, but through research on the web, you will find prices for most of them. As I said, a great place to start is eBay or other sites like Online Auction (ola.com).

By the way, I got an E-mail from a very nice gentleman today by the name of Dan Brownell. Dan is with the Book Division of Krause Publications, the publishers of Antique Trader. Turns out, he is a regular reader of this Blog. He also shared with me that a new price guide for Beanie Babies will be coming out in August.

As the weather warms and the garage sales start increasing in number, be sure to check for vintage sunglasses. And don’t forget the other items I’ve written about to help you get through the early steps, like vintage toys and comic books, Beanie Babies to name a few.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting today and start building a bank account big enough to last a lifetime. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

See the fine paintings we have listed in our gallery from artists like Robert Woods, William A. Slaughter, William Horton, Tom Darro, and more. Our Hannah Barlow decorated Doulton Lambeth Vase is superb. Take a look here.

Read Up On The 31 Club Here.

Visit our website here.

Please leave a comment. If you don’t want to sign in, just use the ANONYMOUS button. Chime in and participate! — Daryle Lambert

Be sure to watch this Video on Collectible Sunglasses from Antique Trader. Click on Brimfield.

Ebay Fights Back with New Promotion

Several months ago, I wrote a Blog about what I thought eBay was going to do. First I said they might do away with the listing fees all together, but instead, they raised them in a very deceptive manner after their leader left. I think now they are beginning to see that their listers have seen through their crafty manuever.

EBay is a wonderful company that is going in the wrong direction. It is a mature company that needs to think about giving back to their stockholder, for their patience, as the stock continued to grow. But it is no longer a growth stock whose earnings are going to quadruple every year. At this time, they need to service the customers they have accumulated since their inception and give them reason not to jump ship.

EBay sent out e-mails this week promoting one cent listing fees, but they come with several conditions, and none of them are in the best interest of the customer. Why not do the right thing and just eliminate the listing fees altogether instead of squeezing every last dime out of their customers they possible can?

EBay stock has been a cash cow for its investors over many years, but over the last six months, they’ve seen the stock drop by 25%. In fact, the last several years haven’t been that great for eBay stock holders. Its price has declined 50% since January, 2005. Do I still admire what they have accomplished? Yes. I just wish that they would realize who and what they are, and be responsible to the many people that depend upon their service and who have helped make them successful by their support.

EBay might think they are not replaceable, but they are. And, as I predicted months ago, their competition is coming at them from every direction. One of my favorites is Online Auction, http://www.ola.com/. If you are doing consistent business, you might want to look at their program. Another is Blackwells Live Auctions, however I’m not sure they have worked out the bugs in their program yet. Another interesting auction site for antiques and art is igavel.com. I encourage you to take a look at these other companies.

Please don’t get me wrong about eBay. The purpose of writing this Blog isn’t to knock eBay but to hopefully show them that we are all very concerned. I encourage the 31 Club members to take advantage of all the specials eBay offers, if they are to their advantage. But, if after using these specials, eBay’s regular program doesn’t present the best deal, be sure to be flexible and check your options.

Ebay has the most capable people outside of eBay who have been supporting them for years, like Skip McGrath, Terry Gibbs and Gary Henderson just to mention a few. By helping other people to learn their way around the eBay system quickly and getting thousands of individuals and merchants up and running efficiently, they have helped support eBay’s growth. But what support so they receive from eBay?

If we all worked together for the good of the customer, there will be room for all. But if we get greedy, the market will most assuredly replace us.

So, while eBay is still putting up a fight, I don’t think they are quite ready to surrender. But I don’t think the last chapter is in yet. And I have hope for this fine company.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting today and start building a bank account big enough to last a lifetime. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

See the fine paintings we have listed in our gallery from artists like Robert Woods, William A. Slaughter, William Horton, Tom Darro, and more. Our Hannah Barlow decorated Doulton Lambeth Vase is superb. Take a look here.

Read Up On The 31 Club Here.

Visit our website here.

Please leave a comment. If you don’t want to sign in, just use the ANONYMOUS button. Chime in and participate! — Daryle Lambert

Ruba Rombic Vase. Photo from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Have you ever seen something that your mind says you have seen before? This might have happen to you if you ran across a wonderful unmarked Deco glass vase, reasonably priced. You might have even passed it over, thinking the piece was a reproduction of Lalique, or some other Art Deco company’s work.

I am sure that this has happened to me, because I wasn’t up to speed on the wares of The Consolidated Glass Company. Now I’m wondering just how much money I have left on the table by not knowing more about this company and some their outstanding patterns of glass.

This Pennsylvania company was formed in 1884, producing lamps, tableware, and art glass. Their earlier pieces don’t seem to warrant much collector interest today, but their Art Deco lines produced after 1925 are the most sought after today. The company closed its doors in 1967.

Martele is a line they produced that resembles Lalique, using the same frosted effect Lalique used in their glass production during the same time period. When used along with the Deco designs of the day, the result was a creation that had great eye appeal, and today, has piqued the interest of sophisticated collectors. The geometric designs of Ruba Rombic, designed by Rueben Haley, are as modern today as they were when first manufactured, and is the ultimate in Consolidated Glass.

I have been fortune enough to buy and sell several pieces of this glass, however they have always been the large vases with molded animals or birds. Usually these pieces are decorated in green, blue or tan colors with an ivory background. The pieces I have purchase for under $50 have usually sold in the $150 to $250 range, still making it a very worthwhile purchase within our criteria. Consolidated Glass can easily be confused with Phoenix Glass. Look into these two glass companies. If you’re in the early steps of your 31 Steps, you might run across these and it could be a buy for you.

Decades ago, Depression Glass Collectors also collected Consolidated, and what is written in books about Consolidated’s Ruba Rombic and other patterns, is mostly found in books geared for Depression Glass Collectors. And by the way, if you ever run across a book at a garage or estate sale called Phoenix and Consolidated Art Glass: 1926-1980 by Jack D. Wilson, I’d buy it cheap. It’s out of print, and today on Amazon, there’s only 9 used copies starting at $69, while on Abesbooks, there’s 5 from $140 to $155.00.

Consolidated’s better pieces bring a whole lot more than their common ones. A decanter set in the Ruba Rombic patters may bring $10,000 today, while a water set made in the same pattern might command $5,000. The Martele patterns might not bring as much as the Ruba Rombic pattern, but I guarantee if you find a large vase in this pattern, you have indeed found a treasure.

This is one time that “look a likes” can bring big money, so keep your eyes sharp.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting today and start building a bank account big enough to last a lifetime. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Read Up On The 31 Club Here.

Visit our website here.

Please leave a comment. If you don’t want to sign in, just use the ANONYMOUS button. Chime in and participate!

Hot Wheels Redline Custome Mustang sold for $810.99 USD recently on eBay.

Get your best fitting shoes out, because the season for Antiquing is about to begin. The number of events will start picking up which means the treasures we hunt will be harder for just the few to find.

Because the crowds will be spread out, you’ll find your chances at treasure will increase. This is a perfect time to go back to your book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and Collectibles, for all those tips on preparing for these opportunities.

This season, I will be looking for the items on my “ What’s Hot List,” and members of 31 Club can find the 2008 list in the members only section of the website. I hope you’ve already looked at it and have taken the time to acquaint yourself with these items I’ve picked items I believe the general public might overlook, and your knowing their value will greatly enhance your bank account.

As spring rolls in, people will be bringing out the things they think will interest prospective buyers attending their sales. This is a great time to find that sports item not mark up to its right value. Old baseball gloves can bring thousands of dollars, and you could find one marked $10 because it looks so unusable. It might even be flat as a pancake, what if it’s a Wilson Roy Campanella catcher’s mit from the 50s. It could fetch as much as $7,500. Be sure to watch for signed balls and bats, too. I once sold a baseball for $1,000 and that was when a $1000 looked big to me.

As “spring cleaning” comes upon us, people often are in a rush to clean house, so much so that they sometimes “throw the baby out with the bath water.” Make sure you look in every box, leaving no rock unturned.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that because the first piece in the box has very little value that nothing in the box has worth. Remember, I found a Saturday Evening Girls plate about seven plates down in a box. I bought for twenty-five cents and sold it for well over $300. The Grueby vase that I sold for over $13,000 was found in a garage, and a painting a friend found was in the basement among items that weren’t worth $1.00, but he took it to auction and sold it for over $21,000.

What a great time to find those toys that kids have out grown. I am trying to patiently wait until one father I’ve been speaking with gives me the go ahead to buy his sons’ cars and trains. Tin toys like Tonka and Structo are going up in value every year, so keep you eye out for them. Don’t forget the Red line Hot Wheels cars. One sold not too long ago for over $18,000. Look to see these cars and the Match Box cars on Ebay’s completed listings to see the kind of prices some of these items go for.

Don’t forget about the more expensive items during these early months. If your account is up to $5,000 try to buy two or three higher end items you might be able to purchase with that money, while still meeting the goal of a profit of at least 100%. We don’t want to stay with the low end merchandise even though these purchases get us started on the journey toward our million dollars. The more quickly we begin to deal in the rare and more valuable, the sooner our goal will be reached. Your hibernation should be over and your energy levels high. I’ll see you at the finish line.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting today and start building a bank account big enough to last a lifetime. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Read Up On The 31 Club Here.

Visit our website here.

Please leave a comment. If you don’t want to sign in, just use the ANONYMOUS button. Chime in and participate!

A Minton pâte-sur-pâte flask. See additional photo slideshow assembled by Christopher Proudlove.

I have been interested in English China ever since I started collecting Doulton. In the 1800s, there were many wonderful companies producing china in England, but many of their works have been forgotten, because most people consider them old fashion. Minton is one of these. But, true collectors of Minton China are just waiting for special pieces to show their heads, and these Minton China pieces from the 1800s will bring top dollar. It is nothing for a jardiniere, plate or vase to bring $4,000 or many times more. Some Minton has the look of majolica, which refers to enamelled stoneware with high-relief decoration, and often these pieces can be rather large and bring top dollar.

Today, the difference between the dollar and the pound makes it a great time for British collectors to be watching our markets very closely for those sought after pieces to buy here in this country and ship back to England. To the English, everything in America is selling for half price, and they assuredly want to take advantage of this buying opportunity. In several years past, the currency situation was the reverse, and many a great Minton pieces found their way into this country, while many more pieces remain stashed away in the estates of their original owners.

The early Minton pieces had many marks, and they can all be found in Kovels New Dictionary of Marks. I have recommended that everyone reading this Blog and working the 31 Club Plan own a copy of this book. It doesn’t have to be a new one. In fact, I buy many of my reference books used. Amazon has many used copies of this excellent resource available for under $7. I don’t see how it’s possible for a person in this business to do well without a good mark book. It is impossible to keep the different marks of all the companies you will run across in your head.

While Minton has many pieces collectors dream of owning, they have also produced a lot of common china. This isn’t what we are looking for. The pieces we want are brightly colored and have flowers, Sea Creatures, Cherubs, Greek Goddesses, Fruit, Children and other stunning features. Do be aware that there are reproductions in the market, and if you have any doubt, be sure to have a return policy with the seller should it prove to be a reproduction. The great thing about Minton is that they made it very easy to date most of their pieces, and all Minton will have their name on it. Listings of each date with its symbol can be found in the back of the Kovels book.

Although the kind of Minton we are looking for was produced in the mid 1800s, Minton actually began production around 1793. It is still being made today by Doulton, who acquired them in 1968 and still uses the Minton name.

If you go to eBay you will not find many of the older pieces, because as I stated earlier, most people consider Minton old fashioned. But a little further research will show what the true pieces sell for, you’ll say, “Whoa!” Many of these great pieces can be seen in sales catalogs from Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

Remember, in this country, the Minton name may not carry much weight, but in England and other European countries, the Minton name is still King of the Hill.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting today and start building a bank account big enough to last a lifetime. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Read Up On The 31 Club Here.

Visit our website here.

Please leave a comment. If you don’t want to sign in, just use the ANONYMOUS button. Chime in and participate!