The Collectors Newsletter #19 March 2002

Tracing your roots.
Family bibles have been used to record births, deaths,
marriages and sometimes other major events in peoples lives.
These bibles were handed down from generation to
generation. These bibles have a great deal of value to
families trying to trace their heritage. This reader took an
interesting path when she found one of these special books.

In the 1980s my brother bought an old German bible from
a flea market to give to my mother, who was a Sunday
School teacher in Philadelphia. About 7 years ago she got
Alzheimer's and came to live with my family. I brought many
of her things with her, including the Bible. I noticed that
between the Testaments was a complete history of a family
centered in Reading, Pennsylvania. I tried calling people
with that name to no avail. I planned to donate the Bible to
the Reading Historical Society, but forgot about it and stored
the Bible in our attic.

Recently I saw the Bible and figured that the internet had
grown so much in the intervening years that I'd try to find the
family online. I logged onto a big genealogy site, searched
for the family name and posted a message about my Bible.
Within a week a woman from Texas of all places e-mailed
me and said that she was sure it was her family! I sent the
Bible to her, and she promised that, if it wasn't her family, she
would post it again on the genealogy site. Well, it turned out
that it WAS her family, and it opened up her research as never
before. We've continued to stay in touch, and it was
a wonderful feeling to know I'd helped someone in their search,
through a flea market find.

I hope that others will realize that any collectibles they have
with information about other families can find their way "home"
by posting a message on geneaology.com, too. It's the
information that's important, not so much the original
documents, and it can help someone who's looking for their
ancestors......Sara Thurston

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.
Send your story to us. We may publish it here. Send your note
to support@tias.com
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Interesting classified ads
Check out this weeks classifieds.

"Flea Market Finds with the Kovels" - Wednesday, March 20.

Royal Haeger pottery, antique wooden decoys, Pyrex
kitchenware, an antique rolling pin, board puzzles, rubber
toys, handmade quilts, 19th-century coverlets, and collectible
microphones, including the microphone Frank Sinatra used
for his first radio broadcast, all will be featured on HGTV's
"Flea Market Finds with the Kovels" on Wednesday, March 20.

Ralph and Terry will visit Renninger's flea market in Mount
Dora, Florida; the Metrolina Expo in Charlotte, North
Carolina; the Atlantique City Mega Fair in New Jersey; and
the Antique & Collectible Market in Long Beach, California.

"Flea Market Finds with the Kovels" airs weekly on Home and
Garden Television on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. and
11:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. CT, 6:00 p.m. and
9:00 p.m. MT, and 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PT.
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MyStuff software was designed by collectors for collectors.
Give it a try today. You'll love it. Questions? How about a
phone number to get them answered. Give them a call
at (800) 932-5811
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eBay Search Tip from timeBLASTER - A search for Nippon.
Last week's HGTV show "Flea Market Finds With The
Kovels" covered Nippon ceramics. Nippon is very popular
on eBay and other Internet markets - we thought we'd do a
search for bowls with raised decorations, which carry more
value. You can adapt the search phrase below to the
Nippon items you collect.

Paste this line into the eBay Search field:
nippon -lens -mm -wheel* +raised +(bowl*)
Check "Search title and description"
If you want to see all bowls, take out "+raised". If you want "tea"
items, for example, substitute "tea*" for "bowl*". Happy searching!

New items at AntiqueArts.com
These items were recently added online by merchants
at AntiqueArts.com

A Vintage Recipe.
A World of Good Eating
Early American Recipes c. 1951

Scotch Shortbread
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg, unbeaten
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
grated rind of 1 lemon

Sift flour, baking powder together.
Cream butter thoroughly and add
sugar slowly, creaming well. Stir
in the unbeaten egg and lemon rind.
Add sifted dry ingredients to the
mixture and work together on
lightly floured board until smooth.

Divide dough in two parts and place
each half on a greased 9 inch pie
pan. Flatten with fingers and press
into shape on bottom of pans. Mark into
pie-shaped wedges with back of knife.
Prick the dough with a fork. Bake in a
slow oven (300 degrees F) for 30
minutes.

This dough makes 16 servings of
shortbread, or may be cut into
fancy shapes with cookie cutters if
preferred.

It's a Scotch custom to serve shortbread,
fruitcake and a "wee drap" when
friends drop in on holidays.

Got a great family recipe you would like to share with our
readers? Send it to: support@tias.com. We may publish it
here.
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Yahoo! Auctions
Check out these great auctions, being run by our
dealers.

Today's new stuff
These items were just offered for sale online within the
past few hours....

These folks just opened shop online.

SECRET SALE April 21st
Yup, the world famous TIAS Secret sale is coming. Stay
tuned for details. This should be our biggest sale ever.
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