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The Collectors Newsletter #390 January 2006

The Collectors Newsletter #390 January 2006

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1. Comments on buying
2. Today's Headlines from News-Antique.com
3. Your Classifieds
4. Lost and Found
5. News from the Kovels
6. Newly listed items
7. Funny Old Stuff
8. Wanted ads. Can you help?
9. A Vintage Recipe
10. A Vintage Recipe Request from a Reader
11. New Online Merchants
12. Helpful Resources For Collectors
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Yes You Can Make Money Online.
Sell antiques and collectibles on the Web. Turn those flea market
and yard sale finds into cash. TIAS.com has been helping merchants
sell online for over 10 years. It's fun, fast and easy to get started.
Give it a try today. Take a look at http://www.makeashop.com
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1) After you read these stories, tell us your interesting story. Send your
story to newsletter@tias.com and we may publish it here . We want to
hear any interesting or unusual stories you would like to share with us
that are related to collecting or anything vintage.
--
Editors Note
In the last issue we published several responses to the story about the
"Old Sleepy Eye Flemish Stein" that appeared in issue #388 see:
http://tinyurl.com/ayyvw
In the story, the buyer purchased the stein for $2 from the seller at a
yard sale, knowing that it was valuable, then sold it on eBay for $500.

The big question is, does a buyer have an obligation to inform a seller
that they are underpricing an item? Along the same lines, if a buyer
sells an item for more than they paid for it, should they give some of
the money back to the person or company that they originally
purchased the item from?

This is an interesting thread that has resulted in some very thoughtful
responses from readers. In this issue we'll ponder this topic a bit
further. You are also welcome to post comments online at:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=16&31
--

I had to post a reply to the people who believe the lady who bought the
$2 stein at the garage sale did a disservice by not letting the seller
know what they had.

This buyer paid the seller the price the seller wanted. That is a contract.
Done deal. Both parties were happy. It is not up to the buyer to
educate the seller. It is the seller's responsibility to know what they are
selling.

Whether the buyer kept the item or sold it is of no consequence.

The United States was formed on capitalism. That is what has made
this nation great. Long may it rein! Beverly M.

--Another Comment--

I am writing in response to the story about the Old Sleepy Eye Flemish
Stein. Several years ago, my husband and I went to a yard sale near
our home. My husband found an old record album...the kind that holds
several different records. In it he found several old baseball cards...
Babe Ruth among them along with many more from the period. He took
the book to the woman having the sale, and asked if they were supposed
to be in there, to which she replied no. Though it was honorable of him
to bring it to her attention, I also feel that her loss is someone else's
gain. After all, just like the woman in the original story...she did research
on the item, why couldn't the seller have done the same before she stuck
a price tag on it. Connie A.

--Another Comment--

I too agree with Anonymous regarding the story of the woman who
bought an item from her neighbor for little of nothing knowing it was worth
much more when she sold it. I used to be in the antique business and I
too love to go to yard and garage sales. On many occasions, I have told
the sellers that an item was under priced and they might want to
reconsider their price. They are always grateful for the advice. Another
thing that makes me so nuts is the people who come up to you when you
are having a sale and they expect you to lower the price because after
all you are just sitting there in the hot sun for your own enjoyment! I have
had people ask if I would take .10 for a .25 item. That takes some nerve,
but I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go around. Anonymous

--Another Comment--

I also was not impressed with Connie B.'s great $2.00 find and then sell
it for $800.00 story. When I read that story I was waiting for the ending
which would should have been splitting the proceeds with that family. Not
a thing wrong with that. I appreciated other peoples thoughts about the
story too. Laura J.

--Another Comment--

Sorry - but I have to defend Connie B. and her great garage sale find!
It's different if you are deliberately cheating a relative or friend (as in the
other story that brought so much outrage when a woman purchased a
carpet for next to nothing from a FAMILY FRIEND and basically cheated
her out of the money she went on to make) - it's quite another story to
make a genuine find at a garage sale! We've all had our "finds" - items
purchased from someone who doesn't know the real value, that we then
go on to make a nice profit from on Ebay, etc. and to have such outrage
over this woman buying a mug that these strangers who obviously didn't
want or had bothered to research it themselves is ridiculous! Are we
supposed to educate every garage sale owner or store owner about the
value of their items and how much they should be selling them for? I
don't think so! It's a "buyer beware" market most of the time - meaning
we, the buyers, are the ones who usually get ripped off - so in the few
times you can find a gem amongst the garbage - you are ALLOWED to
be proud of the discovery and excited about your profit from it! Lighten
up people and don't get so righteous as I'm sure none of you are telling
the owners at garage sales that you would prefer to pay MORE for any
of their items! Kim D.

--Another Comment--

I was glad to read that other people were surprised that Connie B would
sell that stein and not share her found money. Its would be different if
you had purchased it years before and just had found out that it was
worth a lot of money. We all have to live with ourselves I guess. Gerry B.

--Another Comment--

A reader suggested that the buyer who paid $2 for a sleepy-eyed mug
and sold it for $800., cheated the seller. As an honest buyer let me explain
what cheating is: The buyer (whom I do not know) paid the asking price;
he/she did not haggle or offer a lesser price. It is not up to the buyer to
set the price...it is up the seller. The seller erred, not the buyer. The buyer
did not cheat the seller. Had he/she offered a lower price then the seller
would have been cheated. It is also not wise to gloat over the profit you
made to the seller lest he/she hire an attorney and litigate saying that you
took advantage of him. I have made some exceptional purchases. If you
paid $2 and sold for $800 you had a 1-to-400 ratio; I paid 5 cents for a
ring which I sold for $75. That's a 1-to-1500 ratio. This sure is a fun game.
Tom H.

--Another Comment--

I'm really surprised (or not) at the sanctimony of people who scolded a
woman for buying a valuable Old Sleep Eye Flemish Stein at a garage sale,
knowing it was more valuable, then making money on it. They wouldn't want
her for a neighbor! Tell that to Lynn, The Queen of Auctions who is a power
seller on eBay and author/teacher for eBay sellers. She recommends
buying this way, as do all eBay sellers. It's how we make our money. You
hunt, and sometimes you're fortunate. The original seller got the money
she wanted - she could have taken time to do research and chose not to.
If it was my neighbor I wouldn't have taken advantage of her, but this was
someone she didn't know. More power to her! Amy M. Tomball, TX
--
SEND US YOUR VINTAGE STORIES! send them to newsletter@tias.com
--
Comments, thoughts? Post them online at:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=16&31
We collect interesting stories about collecting. Things like your best find,
unusual collections, bizarre collectibles. Anything and everything that is
interesting that has to do with collecting. We may publish it here. Send
your story to newsletter@tias.com
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2) The Latest Antique News
Get the latest news about antiques and collectibles delivered once a week
to your email inbox. Sign up at: http://www.news-antique.com

Today's Antiques & Collectibles Headlines from http://News-Antique.com

Advertising opportunity in the USA for the British antiques trade.
Click Here-- http://tinyurl.com/btj3d

Found elephant tusks sell for $637,640 at auction
Click Here-- http://tinyurl.com/cdtqr

Historic Double Eagle Gold Coin Sells for $1.9 million
Click Here-- http://tinyurl.com/93gxf

Vintage Clothing and Textile Show in Manhattan
Click Here-- http://tinyurl.com/ap6dl

Antiques In The West of England & Wales
Click Here-- http://tinyurl.com/cw4k7

16th Century Chinese Bamboo Carving Masterpiece by Zhu Sansong
Click Here-- http://tinyurl.com/cortf

The Antique Dolls and Toys of the LEGO Collections at Theriault's
Click Here-- http://tinyurl.com/8vxfl

- There are MANY more fresh news stories online at:
http://News-Antique.com/

Put the latest DAILY news about antiques and collectibles on your Web site.
It's easy to do. Go to http://javafeed.news-antique.com/ to get the code.
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3) Your Classifieds...
Do you have antiques or collectibles you are just itching to sell? A simple
classified ad in this newsletter might just be your answer. Over 200,000
readers subscribe to this newsletter. One of them just might be able
to help you out. Place your ad today at: http://www.tias.com/classifieds

Limited Edition Doll by Fay Zah Spanos
http://pages.tiasexchange.com/1653693/PictPage/1922796627.html

PEDAL CARS GORGEOUS VINTAGE TOY REPRODUCTIONS
http://pages.tiasexchange.com/1362494/PictPage/1922802324.html
--
Want to know what our advertisers think? Check out the testimonials at:
http://tinyurl.com/8xqyw
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4) Lost and Found
We have a new email address for lost and found comments and requests!
Send them to -- LostAndFound@tias.com

We accept two types of Lost and found submissions for publication in this
newsletter.

1. You have a vintage item in hand and you are trying to find relatives of
the original owner(s). This could be an old photo album, baby book, diploma,
Family Bible, or other vintage items that can be linked to a specific person
or family.

2. You are looking for a fairly common vintage item that has deep personal
meaning for you or someone you know. I'm sorry, but we do not post
requests for "one of a kind items" that have been lost or stolen.

Remember to include as many details about the item(s) as you can. For
your story to run in this section, you must include your email address and
allow us to publish it. If this service helps you eventually track down the
relatives or find an item, please tell us about it in a follow-up story.
--
A Thank You
Sorry this has taken so long to get back to all of you about my brother's
movie scrapbook. (Lost and Found section issue #373) see:
http://tinyurl.com/ddghg
I had over 35 interested letters from all over the US....
I was at a loss to choose which one to reply to. I was looking for a place
that would collect such memorabilia. One contact in NYC, who is a
retired theatre memorabilia archivist, asked if it would be alright for him
to forward my letter on to archivists around the country. I gave him
permission, and suddenly I got an interested party from Beverly Hills, CA.
the Academy Library/ B'hend-Kaufmann Collection was indeed very
interested. I finally sent it last week and the reply today was so wonderful
as they are quite excited with it. I am happy about that and know it will be
preserved for posterity. I am sure my brother would be pleased. I want
to thank TIAS for this opportunity and thank all the wonderful people who
responded to my request. By the w ay, this same Library, who specialize
in theatre Marquees is now looking for any pictures of theaters with the
marquee of "The Graduate" movie.....are there any out there??
Thank you again...very sincerely, eviede86@yahoo.com
--
Do You Have An Old Yearbook, Or Need One?
Do you have some old yearbooks? Are you looking for an old yearbook?
Post your yearbook's school and year online at:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=17848
--
How about you? Do you have some special vintage item that is in need of
its owner or are you looking for a special item or person? Maybe we can
help. Send us info at LostAndFound@tias.com
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5) NEWS FROM THE KOVELS
Charm bracelets are not new. According to KOVELS ON ANTIQUES
AND COLLECTIBLES newsletter, Queen Victoria wore one with little
lockets containing pictures of her family. She is said to have been buried
with 150 charms, including her children's baby teeth on bracelets.

For more information on the Kovels' newsletter, click http://www.tias.com/stores/kovel/specialnews.html
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6) Newly listed items for your online shopping pleasure for Friday
January 20, 2006 Stop by and check out today's fresh inventory at:
TIAS - http://www.tias.com/showcase
CollectorOnline - http://cgi.tias.com/showcase/?groupKey=7
AntiqueArts - http://cgi.tias.com/showcase/?groupKey=3
Earthling - http://cgi.tias.com/showcase/?groupKey=6
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7) Funny Old Stuff
This is our humor section. These are humorous stories and comments that
are sent in by readers. If you have a submission you would like to share,
please send it to newsletter@tias.com and we may run it in the next issue.
---
When reading Linda B's story about the Yorkshire Terrier and her brother
raiding the fridge...the fridge brought back a very funny incident that
happened in our house.

It was our family get-together Christmas time, back in the 70's. I had worked
for months preparing many special foods. You know, busy making a spread
with just about everything one could imagine for our holiday meal. Because I
made so many things, I used the freezer for storage for the majority that
could be prepared in advance, giving me time to make those vittles needing to
be made within a day or so of serving them.

To make a long story short, that particular year, I had chosen a rather new
(to me) 7 layer jello mold, filled with many delights. Prior to the dinner, I had
taken the molds out of the refrigerator, and I placed them one on to p of the
other, until all seven layers stood magnificently in a pyramid on a lovely platter.
The process had to be done quickly so there wasn't much melting of the
gelatin. The dessert then went back into the fridge for the jello that had melted
could harden, becoming the cement to hold every layer together.

When the time came to present the masterpiece, my oldest daughter, who
had come home for the holiday with her family, said, "Mom, I'll get the special
dessert...you just sit there and relax." All of a sudden, this shrill scream
reverberated into the dining room, followed by a crash of glass slamming onto
the floor. ! I ran to the kitchen to see my poor daughter, pale and shaking,
even shaking more than what must have been a blast of rainbow gelatin with
all of its goodies as it came flying out at her when she opened the fridge door.

Well, you can imagine the mess that we had to clean up. Lucky for me that
I had made so many other deserts. No one missed that 7-layer gelatin desert,
and needless to say, I never made another magnificent pyramid. We can
laugh now, but at the time I thought both my daughter and I were going into
cardiac arrest.

I hope you enjoy the visuals that this Christmas drama projects. It will always
be remembered with the joy that only time can provide. Betty S. Dixon, IL
---
Do you have a funny family story you would like to share? Make someone
feel good by sharing it with us. Send it to newsletter@tias.com and we may
publish it here.
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8) Wanted ads. Can you help?
Here are the latest wanted ads from the TIAS Exchange. Can
you help someone out? To place an ad of your own take a look at:
http://www.tias.com/classifieds

WANTED: Images of Camille Faure enamel vases
http://pages.tiasexchange.com/1355837/PictPage/1922804489.html
--
Looking for something? Place a "Wanted" ad in this newsletter. Over
248,000 subscribers. It's easy, go to: http://www.tias.com/classifieds
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9) A Vintage Recipe
Barbara M. was looking for a recipe for "tuna casserole that was made
with spaghetti". Several suggestions came in. See below....
If you have a variation of either recipe that you would like to share with
our readers, please post it to:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=16
Be sure to also check out this weeks recipe request, below.
--
A reader was looking for Spaghetti Tuna Casserole. I used to make
this all the time in student days in Tennessee and early marriage days
in the 70's. I still have the Franco-American can label with the recipe,
glued into my "favorites" recipe notebook.

1 can (15 oz) Franco-American Spaghetti
1 can (7 oz) tuna, drained and flaked
1 can (2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

In 1-qt casserole, combine spaghetti, tuna, mushrooms, onion. Cook
garlic in butter; stir in bread crumbs; sprinkle on casserole. Bake at
400 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

For those not familiar with Franco American Spaghetti: I neglected to
mention in the recipe that the canned product is cooked spaghetti
noodles in tomato/cheese sauce. Sometimes I also sprinkled Parmesan
over the bread crumbs...Linda from Oregon

--ANother Version--

I have two different recipes for that. Hopefully one is what they are
looking for.

Tuna and Spaghetti casserole Recipe

Ingredients:
1 can tuna (drained & flaked)
200 g boiled spaghetti
2 cups tomatoes (blanched, deseeded & finely chopped)
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup onion (finely chopped)
2 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
salt to taste
1 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
6-8 stuffed olives (halved)
1 tsp black pepper powder

Directions:
Heat 2 tbsp. oil (you could use the oil from the tuna can) in a pan,
add garlic and fry till aromatic. Then add onion and saute till
transparent. Then add tuna and mix well. Add tomatoes, salt and cook
till the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Next, add sugar, parsley, pepper
and sprinkly some water. Allow the gravy to reduce slightly and then
add the halved olives and boiled spaghetti, and toss gently. Transfer
this mixture to an oven-proof dish, sprinkle grated cheese on top, and
bake in a preheated oven till the cheese melts (about 10-15 minutes).
Serve hot.
----------
Tuna Casserole with Spaghetti

INGREDIENTS:

* 4 ounces spaghetti, broken, cooked, and drained
* 1 can or pouch (approximately 7 ounces) tuna, drained and flaked
* 1/4 cup (2 ounces) chopped drained pimiento
* 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 cup shredded American or mild Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup crushed potato chips

PREPARATION:
Directions for tuna casserole
In a bowl, combine cooked spaghetti, tuna, and pimiento. In a large
saucepan, combine soup, milk, and cheese. Heat and stir until cheese
is melted. Add tuna casserole mixture and mix well.
Pour into a 1-1/2 quart casserole; sprinkle tuna casserole with crushed
potato chips. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Tuna casserole serves 4.
Kindest regards, Karen S.
--
Did you know TIAS merchants have over 1000 vintage
cookbooks for sale online? They make great gifts. Take a
look at: http://www.tias.com/cookbooks
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10) A vintage recipe request from a reader
As with collectibles, people also have very strong feelings about foods
from their past. Sometimes these special recipes get lost. This section
is to help people who are looking for lost recipes from their past. If you
submit a request, please include the geographical region where
you had this recipe.
--
Hi everybody,
My Dad's Mom, my Grandmother, died before I was born. My Dad was
only six years old when she passed. He remembers she used to make
a dish for the family that included sauerkraut and she somehow with it,
or out of it, she would make a gravy. My Daddy is now in his seventies
and he still remembers the sauerkraut with the gravy and I would love to
surprise him and make him some. Does anybody have any kind of clue
what a recipe like this would be like ? Any help or guidance would be so
much appreciated. I do not know if the recipe included meat or
anything . My Grandmother was from Northern Italy. Lisa M.
--
If you can help this reader with this recipe, please forward it to
recipes@tias.com . If you have a vintage recipe request send it to
recipes@tias.com and we might just publish it here.
--
Be sure to check out our vintage kitchen collectibles section online at:
http://www.tias.com/kitchen
-------------

11) New Online Merchants
This merchant just opened shop online. Stop by and check out their
fresh inventory.

Fabulous Finds
http://www.tias.com/stores/moutlaw
Vintage glass by Tiara, Fenton, Imperial and many others. Large
assortment of Vaseline glass and vintage costume jewelry.

The Wrinkled Raisin'
http://www.tias.com/stores/wrinkledraisin
Vintage Kitchen Collectibles and More ~ 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, and
1970's. I also sell Depression Glass, Art Glass, Pottery, Antique
Dinnerware, Collector's Plates, Advertising, Ephemera, Vintage Sporting
Goods, and Vintage Clothing.
--

This year, open your own online Antique & Collectible Shop.
If you have one or a few items to sell, try our classifieds at
http://www.tiasexchange.com. If you have more than a few items to sell,
open your own store at TIAS. It's easy and fun. Over 200,000 customers
visit us on an average day. It costs you nothing to get started. Take a
look at: http://www.makeashop.com
-------------

12) Helpful Resources:
1. What's it worth? Try Kovels' free online price guide to over 300,000
antiques and collectibles. It can be found online at http://www.kovels.com

2. Looking for an expert to help you with repairs, or an appraisal?
Or just some help finding an auction house or a collectors club? Try this
free service at http://www.tias.com/stores/kovelsyellow/

3. Looking for prices for antiques and collectibles?
PriceMiner.com has millions of them. Most items listed include color photos
as well. Sign up today at: http://tinyurl.com/c6oqc
(Not affiliated with Kovels.com)

4. Get an online appraisal
For just $9.95 from "What's It Worth To You?"
http://www.whatsitworthtoyou.com/tias.htm (Not affiliated with Kovels.com)

5. The Latest News regarding Antiques & Collectibles
Take a look at http://www.news-antique.com
--------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading. Feel free to forward this to a friend. To subscribe to this
newsletter go to: http://www.tias.com/subscribe Please note that stories and
recipes from readers are not checked for accuracy. They may be edited
prior to publication. For questions or comments, you can reach us at
newsletter@TIAS.com ©1995-2006 TIAS.com Inc.

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