The Weird and Wonderful; Trying To Make A Buck Selling Antiques

German Portrait circa. 1820's, unsigned

THE WEIRD AND THE WONDERFUL - WHAT YOU MAY NOT APPRECIATE ABOUT ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES

OUR UNIQUE MUSKOKA FINDS - OUR COLLECTOR'S HALLMARK

     TRUST ME, I DIDN'T DECIDE TO BECOME AN ANTIQUE DEALER TO MAKE THE "BIG BUCKS." I GOT HOOKED ON ANTIQUES EARLY IN LIFE. CALL IT A LOVE FOR HISTORY, IN ALL ITS SHAPES AND SIZES. IT'S WHAT INSPIRED ME TO ATTEND DAY LONG AUCTIONS, AND DIG OLD BOTTLES FROM HOMESTEAD DUMP-SITES, SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE VAST HINTERLAND. AS FOR THE BIG MONEY, I KNOW A FEW DEALERS WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE CASE FOR THEM, BUT THEY FAILED LONG BEFORE THEIR FIFTH YEAR IN BUSINESS. I'VE LISTENED TO BIG TALK FROM SOME BIG SHOTS, WHO WERE GOING TO KICK OUR ASSES AS COMPETITORS, AND MOST HAVE GONE ON TO OTHER PROFESSIONS NOW, AFTER A VERY BRIEF FLASH IN THE PROVERBIAL PAN. THIS ISN'T TO SAY WE'RE BIGGER, OR SMARTER COMPETITORS IN THE FIELD OF ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES, BUT I WILL SUGGEST, THAT OUR DURABILITY IN THE PROFESSION, HAS HAD A LOT TO DO WITH SERIOUS, IN-YOUR-FACE TRIAL AND ERROR....AND LIKE GOING INTO A SKID ON ICE WITH YOUR CAR, HOW TO REGAIN CONTROL QUICKLY IS THE END-ALL. CRASH AND BURN, OR BRING IT BACK ON TRACK. SUZANNE AND I HAVE MADE SOME BAD CALLS, WITH PURCHASES, AND LEARNED HOW TO RECOVER FAST. IT'S OUR CAPABILITY TO RECOVER FROM MISADVENTURE, THAT GIVES US CONFIDENCE WE CAN WEATHER QUITE A FEW ECONOMIC STORMS, AND KEEP ON TICKING. I'VE KNOWN DEALERS WHO BET THE FARM, SO TO SPEAK, AND LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SPRING OFF ONE DISASTER, BACK TO THE MAIN STREAM. THESE ARE TRADE SECRETS THAT WE CAN'T REVEAL, AND AS WE EXPECT FAR MORE COMPETITION THIS COMING YEAR, CLOSE BY, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TO HOLD BACK A FEW OF OUR COVERT PLANS OF ATTACK. ALL I CAN SAY, IS THAT ANY ANTIQUE DEALER, WORTH HIS OR HER CREDENTIALS, KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, TO BE ABLE TO SHAKE OFF A BAD INVESTMENT, AND REBOUND WITH ENOUGH SUCCESSIVE WINNER-PURCHASES, TO MAKE THE BAD TASTE GO AWAY.
     IN THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION, AS WITH THE STUDY OF MEDICINE, ENGINEERING, THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES, ETC., THERE IS NO LEARNING CURVE......JUST A NEVER ENDING DEMAND TO UPGRADE YOUR CAPABILITIES TO HANDLE NEW REALITIES. I KNOW DEALERS EVEN TODAY, WHO "WING-IT," WHEN IT COMES TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY THEY ARE ENTRENCHED. THEY'VE GOT THEIR PRETTY LITTLE SHOPS, FULL OF WHAT THEY KNOW BEST, AND ARE ENORMOUSLY SATISFIED DOING THE SAME THING EVERY DAY, FOR THE BALANCE OF THEIR CAREERS IN THIS EVER-CHANGING FIELD. THERE ARE READERS, I'M SURE, WHO WOULD CHALLENGE ME, ON MY ASSESSMENT THAT THE ANTIQUE TRADE CAN BE SO CHALLENGING, WHEN AFTERALL, IT'S JUST ABOUT "OLD STUFF"; BUYING IT AND THEN SELLING IT FOR A PROFIT. HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED TO KNOW, IN ORDER TO DO THIS BASIC "BUY-SELL" ENTERPRISE? I HEAR THIS FROM DEALERS THEMSELVES, WHO REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT UPGRADING, AND EVEN IF THEY WANTED TO, IT WOULD ONLY BE IN THEIR BALLYWICK. A LOT OF DEALERS FIND THE COMFORT ZONES EARLY IN THEIR CAREERS, AND SATISFY THEMSELVES WITH GETTING GOOD IN THEIR AREAS OF SPECIALTY. THIS IS FINE. SAFE. BUT THE WAY I'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE PROFESSION, SPECIALIZING IS ONE THING.....BEING INFORMED GENERALLY, IS CRITICAL, IF YOU ARE IN THE FIELD TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT PROFIT. YOU SEE, MOST ANTIQUE DEALERS UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE OF "HAPPENSTANCE." EVENTS HAPPEN THAT YOU CAN'T PREPARE FOR IN ADVANCE, OTHER THAN TO BROADEN YOUR HORIZON IN EXPECTATION, THAT ONE DAY, SOMEONE IS GOING TO ARRIVE ON YOUR DOORSTEP, WITH BOXES OF AMAZING PIECES TO SELL, FOR A VERY MODEST PRICE. SENDING THEM OFF, DOWN THE STREET, TO AN ANTIQUE COMPETITOR, WILL OBVIOUSLY MEAN, A PROFIT FOR THEM.....WHILE YOU SETTLE FOR LESS. I CALL IT "FOBBING-OFF," AND I DO A LOT LESS THAN MOST THESE DAYS. I DON'T WANT MY COMPETITORS GETTING SOMETHING WE CAN BENEFIT FROM. I WILL TELL CUSTOMERS WHERE THE OTHER ANTIQUE SHOPS ARE LOCATED IN OUR TOWN AND REGION, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SEND PEOPLE WITH GOOD STUFF TO SELL, ANYWHERE NEAR THEM. I'M SURE THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME OPINION OF US.
    THE GLARING, HALF-HUMOROUS EXCEPTION IS, WHEN SOMEONE ARRIVES AT THEIR SALE'S DESK WITH ABSOLUTE CRAP IN TOW. AND THEY SMIRK WITH EVIL DELIGHT, WHILE SENDING A LITTLE MESSAGE TO COMPETITORS.....BY POINTING THESE CONFUSED SELLERS TO THE OTHER DEALERS IN THE AREA, THEY DON'T PARTICULARLY CARE FOR. THIS IS AN AGE-OLD TRADITION. SO WE "FOB-OFF" THESE SELLERS.....SENDING A PLAYFUL MESSAGE TO ONE ANOTHER, THAT WE'RE ALIVE AND WELL AT OUR RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE COMMUNITY. WE OFTEN HEAR SOME PRETTY NEAT STORIES FROM THE SELLERS THEMSELVES, WHO WILL VOLUNTEER INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE FIRST DEALER SAID, WHILE FOBBING OFF, FRANKLY, TO GET RID OF THEM. STORIES LIKE, "OH YES, BIRCH HOLLOW WILL DEFINITELY WANT THESE BROKEN POCKET WATCHES....IT'S THEIR SPECIALTY." OR "YES, THESE PIECES ARE VALUABLE, AND WE'RE SURE THE DEALERS UP THE STREET, WILL PAY YOU A LOT OF MONEY TO BUY THEM." THUS, YOU GET SOME GREAT EXPECTATIONS FROM THESE HAPLESS SELLERS, WHO HAVE JUST BEEN PLAYED BY COMPETITION DEALERS. WE HAVE TO BREAK THEIR HEARTS, BY TELLING THEM THEIR ARTICLES FOR SALE ARE WORTHLESS. I ALWAYS SUGGEST THEY SHOULD RETURN TO OUR COMPETITOR'S STORE, WITH THANKS FOR SENDING THEM ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE. I AGREE, IT'S NOT A NICE PRACTICE. SOMETIMES IT IS A LEGITIMATE REFERRAL, BUT MOSTLY, IT'S JUST A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW, TO LET US KNOW, HOW OUR COMPETITORS FEEL ABOUT US. THE SAME GOES WITH PROBLEM CUSTOMERS. THESE ARE THE ONES WHO ANNOY US, AND WHO WILL TRY TO BEAT US DOWN IN PRICE, BECAUSE IT'S THEIR HOBBY. WHEN WE WON'T SURRENDER TO THEIR MANIPULATIONS....AND BELIEVE ME, WE'VE SEEN THEM ALL, WE WILL SEND THEM DOWN TO VISIT WITH OUR COMPETITORS....WHO WE SAY, "ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO MAKE DEALS." I KNOW OUR COLLEAGUES DO THE SAME TO US. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE INSIDE GAMES WE LIKE TO PLAY ON EACH OTHER, ONCE AGAIN, JUST TO KEEP US ON THE BALL, SO TO SPEAK......MAINTAINING OUR COMPETITIVE PEAK.
     SINCE I GOT INTO THE PROFESSION, FROM THOSE EARLY DAYS SPENDING ALL DAY AT COUNTRY AUCTIONS, I HAVE LEARNED MANY LESSONS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING EVERYTHING YOU CAN, ABOUT THE ARRAY OF ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES....THAT JUST MIGHT SHOW UP AT A SALE.....THAT NO ONE ELSE APPRECIATES; AND ADVANTAGES LIKE THIS MEAN, THE WELL-SCHOOLED DEALER (OR COLLECTOR), KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO BID, BASED ON UNDERSTOOD EVALUATIONS. IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN FLOODED WITH THESE SITUATIONS, THANKS TO SOME OF OUR PICKER ASSOCIATES, AND BOTH SUZANNE AND I HAVE BEEN MUCH BUSIER, RESEARCHING FINDS, THAN ACTUALLY SELLING THEM. ACQUISITIONS THAT REQUIRE SOME INVESTIGATION ARE LONG TERM INVESTMENTS, AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT REGIONAL ANTIQUE DEALERS AT ALL, JANUARY COMMENCES OUR SIX MONTH RUSH TO GET READY FOR THE SUMMER SEASON. SO BY THEN, THE BOXES OF UNUSUAL COLLECTABLES WE'VE PURCHASED OVER THE COUNTER, WILL BE PROPERLY IDENTIFIED AND EVALUATED, AND THEN IMBEDDED IN THE STORE. YOU'D BE SURPRISED JUST HOW MANY PIECES WE ACQUIRE, THAT MUST BE RESEARCHED BEYOND WHAT WE KNOW TO START WITH....ESPECIALLY ART WORK; AND THE CREATORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM. AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT VALUATIONS TO PLEASE US EITHER. WE WOULD HATE TO KNOW WE SERIOUSLY OVER-PRICED A PAINTING, BASED ON INACCURATE INFORMATION. WE HAVE AT LEAST TEN ART PIECES IN THE WINGS, BEING RESEARCHED AT THIS MOMENT, BECAUSE WE ARE FEARFUL OF OVER-EVALUATING, AND THUS, BEING UNFAIR TO OUR CUSTOMERS. WE HAVE ROUGH IDEAS, BUT THAT DOESN'T HELP US ARRIVE AT A FAIR PRICE. BESIDES THIS, WE TRY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO ATTACH PROVENANCE TO PIECES, WHEN WE EITHER KNOW IT, OR COME UPON IT, DURING RESEARCH. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
     THE PAINTING PUBLISHED WITH TODAY'S BLOG, GIVES APPEARANCE OF BEING FROM EITHER THE LATE 1700'S, TO EARLY 1800'S. THIS IS BASED ON THE ART PANEL USED, AND THE NAIVE, FOLKISH DEPICTION OF THE YOUNG LADY. THE FRAME, NOT IN THE PICTURE, IS AN ELABORATE PATTERNED METAL-SURROUND, THAT APPEARS HAND CRAFTED. THE ART WORK IS NOT SIGNED. WE KNOW, FROM THE PROVENANCE OF THE ESTATE, THAT IT IS GERMAN IN ORIGIN, AND WAS FAMILY TO THE WOMAN WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY. THERE ARE OBVIOUS FACIAL SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THIS PORTRAIT, AND THE MODERN DAY PHOTOGRAPHS, OF THE DECEASED FORMER OWNER. WHILE WE DON'T EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ARTIST, FROM ONLY THE PORTRAIT ITSELF, WE CAN, OVER TIME AND EFFORT, LEARN MORE ABOUT ITS AGE BY COMPARISON WITH OTHER NAIVE PORTRAITS FROM GERMANY. ON THIS LENGTHY ROAD, WE WILL ALSO LEARN MORE ABOUT VALUATIONS, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A LITTLE HARDER WHEN THE ARTIST IS UNKNOWN. WHAT COULD BE WORTH SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS WHEN ATTRIBUTED TO AN ARTIST, COULD PARE DOWN TO MUCH LESS, BASED ON AVERAGES, TAKEN FROM AN ASSORTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL AUCTION AND SALE RESULTS, POSTED REGULARLY ONLINE. THERE ARE MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF COLLECTORS AND DEALERS JUST LIKE US, SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES.....TRYING TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE ITEMS IN THEIR POSSESSION. WE USED TO BENEFIT FROM AN EXTENSIVE BOOK COLLECTION, DEALING WITH ANTIQUES, BUT NOW IT'S FAR MORE EFFICIENT TO SEARCH ONLINE. NOT ALWAYS, BUT IT IS EFFECTIVE NINETY PERCENT OF THE TIME. THIS ONE PAINTING ALONE, HAS ALREADY TAKEN APPROXIMATELY FIVE HOURS OF RESEARCH TIME, PUTTING US A LITTLE CLOSER TO IDENTIFICATION, BUT STILL MISSING ITS CRITICAL PROVENANCE. IT CAN HAPPEN, THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE WILL FIND OTHER SIMILAR PAINTINGS, THAT WE CAN ATTRIBUTE OURS TO A PARTICULAR PAINTER, YET IT COULD TAKE MONTHS AND MONTHS TO GET THAT CLOSE. AS TIME IS MONEY, WHAT A DRAG IT IS FOLKS, TO FIND OUT THAT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN QUESTING FOR, ALL OVER GOD'S HALF ACRE, IS WORTH A FRACTION OF WHAT YOU HAD ENVISIONED, AND INVESTED; THE PRICE BEING INKED ONTO THE ACCOMPANYING PRICE TAG, WELL BELOW THE BEST CASE SCENARIO WHEN YOU AGREED TO THE PURCHASE. IT DOES OCCASIONALLY WORK THE OTHER WAY AS WELL. BUT MOST OF THE TIME, IN THE URGENCY TO SETTLE ESTATES, WE MAKE PURCHASES BASED ON OUR LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE, THAT THE SUBJECT PIECE, REGARDLESS, WILL GENERATE AN ACCEPTABLE PROFIT, WHEN IT FINALLY SELLS IN THE SHOP. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD OF ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE BUYING AND SELLING. SOME TIMES YOU WIN, AND OFTEN YOU LOSE. IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE, YOU LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, TO MITIGATE THE REALITIES OF GAMBLING ON PURCHASES. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
     WE'VE OVER-PAID FOR COLLECTIONS, IN THE PAST, AND HAD TO SWALLOW THE LOSSES....WHICH ARE TEMPORARY SHORTFALLS...NOT LONG-TERM. HERE'S WHY. THE EASIEST WAY OF DOING THIS, IS FIRST OF ALL, ALWAYS PURCHASING ITEMS YOU LIKE YOURSELF, AND PIECES OF HIGH QUALITY. THE RETAIL VALUES MAY BE LESSER THAN YOU CAN AFFORD TO SELL THEM OFF, AT THE TIME OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE, BUT AS ANTIQUE DEALERS ARE FAMOUS, WE KNOW THAT PATIENCE IS A RETAIL VIRTUE. IF WE LIKE THE PIECES, BUT THE VALUES ARE LOW BASED ON MARKET-DEMAND, THESE ITEMS COME HOME FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UNTIL THE DESIRABILITY FOR THEM IMPROVES. THEREFORE, WE GET TO DECORATE OUR HOMES WITH THESE ATTRACTIVE ITEMS, UNTIL THE DAY THEY BECOME IN SHORT SUPPLY ON THE MARKET; AND PRICES ACTUALLY NOTCH UP A TAD. ANTIQUE DEALERS GENERALLY STAY AWAY FROM LOSS-LEADER STRATEGIES, PREFERRING INSTEAD, TO RELEASE MORE INTERESTING ITEMS THEY'VE HAD STORED IN THE WINGS....AS I HAVE JUST MENTIONED. IT CAN WORK AS WELL AS LOSS LEADERS, IN A BOX STORE, BECAUSE EVERY ANTIQUE SHOP HAS ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS, WHO OFTEN SHOW UP EVERY WEEK TO SEE WHAT HAS NEWLY ARRIVED. THERE ARE COLLECTORS WHO WANT TO GRAB-UP THESE ARRIVALS IN FEAR OF SOMEONE ELSE GETTING THEM. IN SOME CASES, THEY ARE JUSTIFIED. THE IDEA FOR US, IS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE THE NEXT MONTH'S RENT. SO WE HAVE TO PLAY THE RETAIL GAME. BUT WE WON'T ACTUALLY SELL MUCH AT ALL, UNDER WHAT WE PAID IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT DOES HAPPEN BUT NOT FREQUENTLY. WHAT YOU SEE IN A SHOP, AT ANY ONE TIME, ISN'T ALL THAT WE POSSESS. IT'S WHY A LOT OF CUSTOMERS ALWAYS ASK, IF WE HAVE ITEMS THEY'RE INTERESTED IN....THAT, AT THE MOMENT, ARE NOT IN THE SHOP-PROPER. THEY KNOW WE HAVE A PRIVATE STASH, THAT CAN BE PUT UP FOR SALE, TO THE RIGHT CUSTOMER FOR THE RIGHT PRICE. IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. THIS DOESN'T MEAN WE ALWAYS DIP INTO THE RESERVES. SOMETIMES, THE CUSTOMER WILL THEN THINK IT APPROPRIATE TO BARTER ON THE ASKING PRICE. THAT'S WHEN THE PIECE GOES BACK HOME AGAIN. THE CUSTOMER STANDS THERE WITH HIS OR HER SAD FACE PAINTED ON....BUT WE'RE USED TO THAT SECOND ACT, SAME AS THE FIRST. THESE CUSTOMERS ACT LIKE STRAIGHT-SHOOTERS INITIALLY, AND APPEAR WILLING TO PAY OUR ASKING PRICE.....AND THEN, AFTER CONSIDERABLE EFFORT ON OUR PART, DECIDE TO PLAY GAMES WITH OUR EMOTIONS. SO WE JUST SHUT THEM DOWN RIGHT AWAY. THERE ARE TIMES, WHEN WE'RE SO ANNOYED, THAT EVEN IF THEY OFFERED TO PAY OUR PRICE, WE'D TURN THEM DOWN. I NEVER SAID THAT ANTIQUE DEALERS AREN'T VINDICTIVE AND GRUMPY. IT KIND OF COMES WITH THE TERRITORY OF SELLING OLD STUFF....AND DEALING WITH THOSE WHO LIKE TO HAGGLE AS A PASTIME. THAT WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF A SPECIAL SERIES OF COLUMNS ABOUT "THE JOYS, AND NOT SO MUCH, OF BEING AN ANTIQUE RETAILER."
     THANKS FOR VISITING WITH ME TODAY. LOTS MORE INSIDER INFORMATION TO COME.