Having been away in Kentucky for Christmas, I have to admit that this has been a hard week for me to stay focus on business, but I have enjoyed seeing my mother, children, and grand children. Old friends shared stories that brought back memories that had been storied away for years and they seemed to come from everywhere. We laughed and cried but that was then and this is now so it’s back to the work we have set out to do together.

If I were to start an Antique business today in Kentucky, I would have to study different items than I would in Chicago. However, with the internet, this problem isn’t as important as it was when I first started in this business.

I have seen interesting items this week I don’t normally see in Chicago. First to come to mind is UHL Pottery. This company started in Evansville, Indiana around 1846. The company later moved to Huntingburg, Indiana around 1908, though they kept their Evansville business office until 1934. Over the years, August Uhl was joined in business by his brother, Louis who stayed until 1879, and then his son, George. It remained a family business and closed around 1944 due to union strikes, rising costs and Japanese imports. From 1944-47, the company was leased to Vogue Pottery who continued to manufacture some UHL pieces until it closed in 1947.

Perhaps the most interesting things that you might run across in your search of UHL are pieces that were produced by members of the family and signed by the potter. They are usually pieces of dinnerware, such as cup and saucers and plates. But the pieces I always looked for were the Miniature Christmas Whiskey Jugs. These little jugs often have paper labels from the twenties and thirties and can sell for several hundred dollars each.

Today’s Photo: Miniature Uhl Christmas Jug sold on ebay for $143.76 12/16/07

You might not believe this, but tobacco items are in demand today. Kentucky is still one of the biggest tobacco producing states in this country, so you would expect there to be interest for these tobacco related items.

Cigar boxes with their wonderful graphics can bring some fancy money today and so can cigarette lighters and ashtrays. These items gain additional value if they are also have advertising associated with them.

Even cigarette packs are being collected. Can you believe it? Paper matches are collected by a large group of collectors and there are even collector clubs that have been formed for the lighter and match collectors.

You might have thought that collecting wouldn’t be as popular in rural communities as it is in the city, but this presumption would be wrong. There are collectors everywhere.

Toy farm implements can sell for thousands of dollars if the have the right name on them and are produced by the right companies. All the major implement companies have toys made of their products. You can find tractors, combines and plows, plus many other items that are eagerly sought after by the collector.

I once went into a garage here in Owensboro, and up in the rafters was a paddle car that looked as if it had been there for fifty years. I ask if it was for sale. I was told I could have it if I could get it down, which I did. After examining it, I told the woman I couldn’t take it for nothing, so I gave her $200. This little car later sold to a collector for over $2,200. Great things seem to show up in the strangest places.

Quilts, guns, knives and primitive furniture bring big money in rural areas. And there can be huge money in duck decoys. A fine Kentucky sugar chest can bring $25,000 plus today, and a painting by some of the better rural artist are beginning to sell to record heights today.

There seems to be something for everyone’s taste today, and this gives us the excellent opportunity to cash in on this insatiable demand.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art according to a real wealth-building plan.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

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If it’s different, then someone usually wants to add it to their collection. Even if I don’t. That’s my rule about buying. Collections will reflect the collector’s life.

No, I don’t collect barbed wire, but someone else probably does. And it might reflect their love of the old west. Another person might like to collect cookie molds, and it bings back memories of time spent in the kitchen with their mother or grandmother. If you ever wondered if someone collects something, just check to see if there’s a book or a website about it. There probably is.

To really become the treasure hunter that you want to be, you must be able to visualize and experience the emotions that others feel. Looking at a lady’s compact must make your senses quicken as the thought of adding it to a collection crosses your mind. Yes, it might even take you back to the days of make believe when you dressed up in your mother’s clothing and put on powder from one of her old compacts.

Finding a old Barlow knife in a box lot should make you tingle all over knowing that it will have great value for the person that sat endless hours with their father carving out a horse from a solid block of wood.

Collecting is like being in another dimension. And so in treasure hunting, you must be able to put yourself in this other dimension. It’s like losing your sense of time and space like you do when you watch a movie. If you can put yourself in someone else’s shoes and imagine stepping into their mind and heart, you could find all kinds of treasures that others collect. As a child, I can remember spending hours going through my baseball card collection, and with each one I would visualize a game that came back to my mind that involved the player that I was seeing on the card.

Pretty paintings on the wall or beautiful vases on the table can return a person back to fond memories even if your day is turned up side down. We all have this side to us where we want to dream and remember our past.

One time when I was at a home looking at items to possibly purchase, I came across something nestled among many boxes and old furniture in the garage. It looked like it might have been a soap box derby car, so I asked it I could uncover it. To my surprise, it was actually a miniature of an old race car with a gasoline engine.

They told me it was their son’s, and he had raced it back in the 1950’s. I had never seen anything like it before, so I knew I had to buy it for my son, Joshua. I asked the price and was told $500. That was too high for me, and I could tell they wanted it out of their garage, so I countered with $300 and they accepted. Now I had to get it home, so I borrowed a truck and stored it in my own garage. That was until my wife, Vicki kept asking me when it was leaving.

At this point, even if I had plans for Joshua and me to spend a great amount of time driving the car, it was time to find out what I had really purchased. It turned out to be a real quarter midget racer, and it was very collectible.

Making a few inquires I soon discovered that it was too valuable for Josh and me to bang around in. A man in Texas offered $2,500.00. When I told a friend of mine about the offer, he said he’d pay that, so I sold it to him. That was sure a lot easier than sending the car to Texas.

Buying something different can bring you the most unexpected rewards.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

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As I move around from place to place and run upon what I consider noteworthy talent, I’ll write about it. This way, even if it doesn’t fit into our plans to make money today, you can keep it in your mind to watch for in the future. Some day, when others are saying, “I wish I had bought one of his paintings way back when,” you won’t be among them.

Tom Barnes, an artist from Chesapeake, Virginia is one of these noteworthy artists. He was the only other artist at Chicago’s One Of A Kind Show that reached out and grabbed me, aside from the ones I’ve already written about in previous blogs.

Self-taught, Tom Barnes works primarily in watercolors. Immediately, you notice the intensity of his watercolors, and this sets him apart from most other watercolor artists. His landscapes capture the techniques of the Fauvists, stylized with mountains, hills, plains and lush foliage. Still life subject matter usually captures a moment of repose and reflection interrupted by something unknown. There is always a sense of a passing motion in his color renderings of figures and florals.

Over the past fifteen years, his works have found their way into collections in Mexico, Bolivia, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, England, Nigeria, and Spain as well as many east coast and mountain states’ cities.

Five years ago, Tom and his wife, Gail, traveled to Abuja, Nigeria for a two-month mission trip where they taught painting techniques and interior faux finishing to twenty-four Nigerian artists as they designed and painted some 36,000 square feet of sanctuary and day care walls. They continue to travel there to work with orphans through Tattercoats, Ltd. a nonprofit, tax-exempt foundation established in 1975 to promote arts and well-being of children around the globe. They recently began work with HLIA School for the Deaf Tegucigalpa Honduras. Please contact Tom for more information on this effort.

Keep a eye out for news on Tom Barnes and you may be well advised to add one of his paintings to your personal collection, after turning a extremely successful transaction. If you can’t wait, Tom has prints of some of his paintings available on his gallery website.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don’t have to sign in to leave your message. Chime in and participate with us.

When I started on this journey just six months ago with Cindy, Chris, and Clarke, I had no idea where this adventure would lead us. The book was finished, but now what? Where was I going with this? It was in God’s hands, and thankfully, he surrounded me with people of compassion, understanding and insight.

I had been a long time subscriber to the Antique Trader when I called up Eric Bradley and said, “help”. I told him our story, and without hesitation he began to give me good advice. He even linked from our website and gave us an ad in the Antique Trader for that link when he knew that there would be very few visitors to our site at that time. What a great guy he is, and I am indebted to him .

Next came Emily Myers at AntiqueWeek and she said, yes, they would help us, too. I find these people genuinely have the best interest of all the Antique and Collectible dealers at heart. Emily never forgot to return my phone calls and I know that we will continue to work together for the betterment of this industry.

No way can I leave out Dale Flagg with the Maine Antique Digest. When I first called them and said my name was Daryle Lambert I heard “Daryle who?” I will never forget the help I got from this company from Sarah when we were launching the book back in May when I needed help the most.

And just the other day, I spoke with Phil Davies of News-Antique.com, one of our first and earliest supporters. We appeared on his news wire when I’m sure people were asking, “Who is Daryle Lambert, and what is this 31 Club all about?” But he stuck to his guns and never gave me the brush off no matter how many times I called. In fact he was always offering to help both me and Cindy whenever we asked. He’s always willing to talk with us and has such insightful ideas.

I am amazed that Michael Hudson of Antiques-Collectibles-Auction-News.com would take an upstart like us and have the confidence to feature both Cindy and me as featured writers on his news site. He has listed so many of our articles there, and in doing so, has greatly help us grow. Michael is someone who has always been eager to share information and jump in there to help. Who can ask for better qualities than these in the people you’re doing business with? The best way we can thank Michael is to produce a fantastic success story to justify his faith that we were worth the risk.

Bruce Rodgers of the Discover Mid-America helped greatly expose us when he published a full page story and Q&A section for us in their December issue. He has been a great mentor to me, and I don’t know quite where we’d be without his help.

This is truly a wonderful business, especially when we are all in it together. I can assure you that if you aren’t taking a look at all of these news resources, you are missing out. Where else can you find so much information on auctions and auction results, informative articles and indexes of up coming shows and events? I don’t think you’ll find better resources than these.

We thank all of our supporters, and especially our club members, who help make us better every day. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a New Year of peace and prosperity.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don’t have to sign in to leave your message. Chime in and participate with us.

I have outlined several different pottery companies for you to watch for throughout these blogs. I hope that you are beginning to see what an advantage having knowledge of multiple companies in your head is, as you are looking around. You are becoming the expert, and these will be your secrets to success.

Today we’re adding Marblehead Pottery to our ever-growing knowledge base. This very simple small studio was started in 1904 to help teach ceramics to sanitarium patients but it became something entirely different. Arthur Baggs, founder of Marblehead, was a master potter at that time, and Marblehead produced some of the best Arts and Crafts pottery of the period. The factory was closed in 1936.

The carved Marblehead pieces are the most valuable, and many have as many as six colors included in the design. If you run across one that is heavily carved with five to six colors, the value may be well in the five figure range or more. The favorite colors are dark green, blue, light green, pink, yellow, brown, gray and orange. The more common the piece the less desirable it is, but just having the Marblehead mark on it means that it will bring several hundred dollars.

The subject matter for most of these pieces included simple nautical designs on matte pebbled backgrounds. Also used were many geomectic designs, and these are much in demand today, bringing very high dollars. Marblehead also made tiles, so watch for those as well.

Damage on Marblehead pottery pieces will be a real problem for collectors and might reduce the price as much as fifty percent. This is because Marblehead pottery was hard and durable, so you will find less damage to these pieces than most of the other pottery pieces.

When I first became interested in Marblehead Pottery, I found a small vase that I didn’t think looked like anything special, so I offered under $100 for it. When the seller accepted my offer, I began to wonder if I had paid too much for this 4″ tall vase with a few small carved flowers with three colors.

I put the vase up on eBay, hoping to make a few dollar. Then, the questions started to roll in. “Is there any damage?” and “Are you sure it’s got three colors?” From the responses, I knew that this piece must be something special, but what were they willing to pay? After seven days I had my answer. It sold for $3,500.00. Today it would probably be even more.

Marblehead’s main mark is a circle with a ship between an M on one side and a P on the other.

Today’s Photo: Marblehead vase sold through Craftsman Auctions for $33,600 in 2006

Make sure your friends and loved ones have a copy of our book. You can sign them up for our 31 Club, and they’ll get the book for free. Or order them the book, and get the membership for free. Either way, this makes a great Christmas gift for the special people in your life.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don’t have to sign in to leave your message. Chime in and participate with us.

I find surprises come at the most unexpected times and places.

Cindy and I intended to meet outsider artist, Doug Odom and his wife at the “One of a Kind Show” at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart at around 10:00am, and then spend the rest of the day at the show. The first bit of excitement came upon arriving and immediately finding an open parking space just one block from the mart. Since I don’t like to spend money unnecessarily, especially $30 to park a car downtown, that was my first sign that a great day was in store for us.

When we entered this block-long building and made our way to the elevator bank, we discovered that Doug had already left passes for us, and we were whisked into the elevator by escort like a couple of VIP’s. When the elevator opened up, we entered a space that occupied the entire eighth floor — and as I said, this building takes up an entire city block. Artwork everywhere! We finally made our way to Doug’s fantastic booth, we were greeted with hugs and began to admire his latest creations. And then the strangest thing happened. I gazed up and over my shoulder and couldn’t believe my eyes. Right in the next booth stood none other than Charles Lotton and most of his staff. Now what are the chances of that in a place this size, with over 400 artists?

Charles’ and Doug’s booths were kitty corner to one another and both had already admired one another’s work and were in negotiation to buy or trade a piece of their work for the other’s. Both booths were filled with people for the whole time we were there. Charles had Jackie and Brenna working his booth, and I can guarantee you that I would hire those two to sell for me any day.

After spending quite a long time with Doug and Charles, we toured the rest of the show, but I found only two booths that held any interest for me. One was a painter you will hear about, and the other was a fantastic young glass artist who I will be blogging about to introduce to you. Only four out of over four hundred dealers caught my attention, Like I’ve said before, we look for only the best.

If you haven’t had a chance to see Doug Odom’s work, we’ve got two pieces available in our 31 Gallery. Be sure to take a look at them here.

Don’t forget to make sure your friends and loved ones have a copy of our book. You can sign them up for our 31 Club, and they’ll get the book for free. Or order them the book, and get the membership for free. Either way, this makes a great Christmas gift for the special people in your life.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don’t have to sign in to leave your message. Chime in and participate with us.

We will continue yesterday’s discussion of Art Tiles by looking at another great company - Rookwood.

Since I lived most of my life in Qwensboro, Kentucky, I was very unfamiliar with Cincinnati, the home of Rookwood. But the Bengals and Reds were there, and they were the closest pro teams from my home in Kentucky, so as I got older, Cincinnati became more familiar. I became acquainted with Rookwood very early. Rookwood was the first potteries that I became interested in to the extent of wanting to create a collection of their work for myself. In fact, did you know that if you visit Cincinnati, you can eat right in the kilns of the Rookwood factory?

Rookwood is known for its lovely vases, produced by many of the greatest pottery artists this country has ever known. At past World’s Fairs, Rookwood designed pieces large enough for a grown man to climb into. But aside from wonderful pottery, Rookwood make great tiles and plaques, too.

Some of the outstanding artists that worked at the Rookwood factories over the years were Matthew Daily, Maria Nichols, Sara Sax, Kataro Shirayamadani and Artus Vanbriggle. This is just a short list from the many artist that passed through the doors of the wonderful company in Cincinnati Ohio.

This company posted its first catalog, which included tiles in 1907. These pieces were from 2 by 3 inches to 12 by 18 inches in size. Most were architectural tiles at that time, but later many of their artist also produced fantastic plaques.

The tiles were called faience while the plaques were named vellum. Today, I combine them when talking about pieces that are usually put in frames and hung on the wall. The tiles are usually carved and look like something that would be around the doorway or hearth. The plaques, on the other hand, look like paintings with scenes of landscapes or other scenes.

I once attended a house sale, and one of the dealers showed me a plaque he had just bought for $100. I looked at it and realized that it was a vellum Rookwood so I offered him $4000 on the spot. He told me that he had already sold it and wouldn’t tell how much he got for it. I don’t think he received anywhere near the $4000 that I offered. Later, I saw it come up for auction and I think it hit about $7000. Don’t be afraid to make an offer to another dealer if you see something that would meet our goal of doubling the purchase price. This wouldn’t have been a double, but I think you would agree it was close enough.

I once attended one of Cincinnati Pottery Auctions, where I had several pieces consigned. There was a wonderful larger plaque that I thought might look good on my wall so I circled it in the catalog. When its number came up, I started to get excited, but that didn’t last long. The auctioneer yelled out, “Do I hear $5,000, yes, how about $10,000, how about $20,000, yes I have $50,000, thank you I have $75,000, let’s make it an even $100,000,” and it stopped there around $97,500. This plaque was of a steamship going out to sea. It showed the water breaks as it was leaving. If you ever see a Rookwood tile with a ship, buy it as fast as you can if the price is right.

“Rookwood Pottery- the Glazed Lines,” by Anita Ellis is a great book I’d recommend taking a look at.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don’t have to sign in to leave your message. Chime in and participate with us.

We have talked about the out flow of items from this country to Europe and Asia, but what about the things that are native to this country. American Indian items are bringing unbelievable prices these days, and most dealers are completely unaware of the breadth of this market.

Arrow and spear points can bring thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars, but how do you recognize them? That question is one that you, as a member of the 31 Club, should be asking The answer is books, books, and more books. There is so much written on this subject that you can really get your teeth into this research and benefit tremendously. Just think about the possibility of finding a spear point for $150 and selling it for $10,000. Wouldn’t that make your day? You can do this only if you recognize one of these special pieces when you see it. Ninety percent of what you see in the market place today is common, so most dealers don’t take the time to study where the rarity in this field of Indian artifacts lies, but not you, right?

The great thing about Indian artifact treasure is that there are so many areas to study. How about Banner Stones and Peace Pipes. Do you know much about them? Cradle Boards and Saddles are two more items that the average person would know very little about, but you can take advantage of their lack of knowledge and increase your bank account substantially it you know their value. The list is almost endless Drums, Gloves, Hats, Dolls,Clubs, Blankets, Belts, Baskets, Bags, Jars, Leggings, Moccasions, pipe bags, pipes and last but not least Rugs. I am almost tired out just listing the things that the Indians made that, today, can help us reach our goal of being financially independent.

The wonderful amount of knowledge that you will receive in your search of these items will help your understanding of our history in this country’s early days. All the things that I just listed were functional items used in everyday life, and not meant to be decorative. These are true relics of the past history of this country and will be appreciated by those who collect them.

There were many tribes in each state as they are laid out today, and these tribes often came into conflict with one another. As you study, you will find how their paths crossed and the consequences of these meetings. Wow, what a interesting subject to delve into. And while your’re at it, wouldn’t it be great if you made a huge amount of money based on your studies?

But Daryle, what kind of money are we talking about? A beaded bag may bring over $20,000, while some baskets can command $10,000 or more. Bowls and other pottery might sell for $25,000-$35,000. Beaded pipe bags might bring $20,000-$30,000. But Daryle, where is the big money?

Have you got a phase one American Indian blanket? If so, you could be looking at a half million dollars or more. Now is that enough money to get you excite?. I remember the gentleman on the Antique Road Show that was told his blanket could receive this type of bid. I thought he was going to have a heart attack. This blanket had been used as a comforter on his couch, and the dog had slept on it.

When you study this, you are introduced to real Indian life right hear in this country. Think how much fun it would be to visit the places where the items were made. Remember the phrase, “Buy American”? As items originally from Europe and Asia are being returned to their countries, here is your chance to buy American.

Remember our 31 Club Member, Cecil R.? He became friends with a lady in Evansville, Indiana who often asked him to either buy or sell items she had collected. One day she ask him to take a look at an Indian blanket she had. Cecil looked it over, and rather than try to buy it, he told her that she should have one of the leading auction houses look at it. I will never forget this story because this is the way our 31 Club will operate. We want to make money but also be honest and help others if we can. You see, she had been good to Cecil in the past, and he recognized this rug as something special, so he wanted to help her. Could he have bought the rug for $5,000 or $10,000? Maybe. When she took it to the auction house, they gave her an estimate of $250,000. Do you think Cecil made a friend for life, or what.

Discover how our book can be the tool that helps you become financially free simply buying and selling antiques, collectibles and fine art.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about The Million Dollar Challenge.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us. Contact us here.

If you wish to leave comments use the ANONYMOUS button and then you don’t have to sign in to leave your message. Chime in and participate with us.

My mailbox was full of magazines today and each was filled with auctions ads. It looks to me as if everyone is trying to get their things sold before the market drops. But do I have news for them! The Antique & Collectible Market has a long way to run before the steam goes out of it. With the dollar collapsing and real estate in a free fall in many markets, where else are you going to put your money?

Foreigners are buying the best and highest quality Antiques and Collectibles from this country at fire sale prices because of the difference in the value of currencies. No, we haven’t reached the top yet. In fact, the top is no where in sight. If we have a change in government that moves us toward socialism, we haven’t seen anything yet.

So how do we take advantage of all this uncertainty? We must see the opportunities all this uncertainty creates. Remember, you don’t need luck when you have knowledge. Educate yourself so that you will always be ahead of the curve. Art work, fine silver, jewelry, pottery and other rarities will always have value around the world. If we want to make money, we’ll need to think about global markets and quit worrying so much about what is happening at home here. We’ll need to be taking action in areas that we can actually do something about. All things change. When they do, we must change with it.

A house might drop in value here because of the credit crunch, but we can’t move it to China. This isn’t true of a painting. We can ship a painting almost anywhere.

Yes, the dollar will rebound, but when is the question. So, let’s not be waiting for the event to occur. Let’s take advantage of the circumstances as they present themselves. There is no crystal ball that can tell us how long this change might last, so let’s not be a chicken little and bury our heads in the sand. We’re going where the smart money is going. This can only be done when we are educated in the ways of the market place. This is what the 31 Club will be making every effort to guide you through. We want our members to be the best equipped individuals in the market place.

If people are rushing to get out of the market, it might be time for us to get in. They might be selling out of fear, or they might need money to make their larger house payment on the adjustable loans that are readjusting. We need to be ready to buy.

Local Auctions that aren’t well advertised should be a gold mine for our members, as there will be fewer people, and your ever-increasing knowledge level will help you immensely. Try to buy the best of these offerings, because that is where the true treasures will be found. Go to every house sale that you can attend, and look for the most expensive things offered. This isn’t the time to be buying two dollar items that might sell for four dollars. This is the time to step up to the plate while the iron is hot. We, at the 31 Club, will back up our members to the limit of our ability with our Associates Program. If you see something you might want to partner on, call or email us. Let’s take advantage of these markets together. But you must be a member, first.

I believe very shortly, the prices that we are seeing for the rarities will seem cheap, so remember: The Trend is your Friend. Let’s start the new year off with a bang.

By the way, I was asked what kind of painting I bought from Joan C. It is a beautiful little painting of flowers in a vase. I pick it up Wednesday and will show it to all of you.

Be sure to visit our web site for more information about how you can join the 31 Club Wealth Building and start your own race to your millions! Read more about it here!”The Guy in the Red Tie” — Daryle Lambert

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see what we’ve got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We’ve got an Erte Bronze, “Femme Fatale”, Lotton Glass, and many many more high quality items priced reasonably with no buyer’s premiums. If you have a high quality piece you’d like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your piece to us. No high fees selling with us.

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