Antiques Roadshow Interesting Item, Jane Austen’s Toys

By Jamie

I found a very interesting clip today from Antiques Roadshow. I always like to look for the unique items that you won’t find in an antiques price guide and this one didn’t disappoint. The featured collection consisted of items that belong to one of Jane Austen’s direct descendents and some of them were used by Jane herself. There are several pictures of her relatives, an ivory cup and ball game, along with a beautiful board game and other toys. Check it out!



Jane Austen was an English Novelist in the late 1700s and early 1800s. She is one of the most celebrated writers of all time. I have always been a huge fan of her work. Many of her books have been made into movies such as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Predjudice and Persuasion. My personal favorite hands down is Sense and Sensibility, though most people love Emma. There are even recent movies about her life like Becoming Jane.

Apparently Jane’s family was very close-knit. She had six brothers and one sister. Her sister, Cassandra was her closest friend and a gifted artist. Jane was also very close to her brother Henry, who was her literary agent and a clergyman. The descendent on the show was from Edward, another of Jane’s brothers. I haven’t seen any of the movies about Jane Austen’s life, but now my interest is piqued and I’m going to have to go out and rent one. It will be fun to see if Edward is heavily featured in the films. I can’t help but value collectibles like this, that make historical figures seem so much more real.

Besides being interesting, this appraisal was one of the more entertaining antique appraisals I’ve ever seen. It almost seemed as if the appraiser didn’t believe the owner of the collection that he was directly related to Jane Austen. I imagine antique appraisers really have to be careful what they believe. To truly value collectibles accurately, they need reliable information and facts. He had the family tree there to prove it, but I guess you are always better safe than sorry.

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Antique Roadshow Interesting Item: Navajo Blanket Worth Half a Million

By Jamie Gilliam


Today’s featured item is something really special. Not only, is it one of the most valuable antiques collectibles to ever appear on Antique Roadshow, but it is truly a National Treasure. The blanket at first seems insignificant at best, but looks can be deceiving. It was given to the owner’s Grandmother’s Foster-father by Kit Carson himself. Carson was the frontiersman in charge of rounding up and imprisoning Navajo Indians in the late 1800s. Apparently they can tell by the pattern on the blanket that it is very old and one of the first most pure patterns the Navajo ever used. They also say that it is a chief’s blanket, which is also very exciting. Check out this video clip of the appraisal to learn more.



Even with financial and historical importance aside, I have to say that it was honestly one of the most entertaining antique appraisals I have ever seen from the show. The antique appraiser, Donald Ellis, is so excited he can barely contain himself, and when he tells the owner the value, the man is so shocked that he is moved to tears. The fact that the appraisal wasn’t even based on the fact that Carson had owned the blanket is very exciting too. The value of antiques rise significantly based on historical figures. My favorite line would have to be “When you walked in with this, I just about died.” What a great appraisal!

Rumor has it that the blanket later sold for $550,000. This appraisal was in 2002. I wonder what the value of that blanket is today. Maybe one day they’ll do a revisit episode on Antique Road Show.

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Antique Roadshow Interesting Item 1957 Fender Stratocaster

I was browsing the web today and I came across one of the most surprising antique appraisals I’ve ever seen. I’ve always been pretty fond of guitars and I have even owned a few. I thought I knew a little bit about them, so I was shocked when the seemingly normal old guitar on the video below was valued at $60,000. I wonder if that is the highest value antiques like guitars have gotten on Antique Road Show.



My interested was piqued so I did some research. Fender has been making Stratocasters since 1954. They were designed by George Fullerton, Leo Fender and Freddie Tavares. Apparently, the design of this guitar has been widely celebrated and featured in museums. Many year models of the guitar are highly sought-after collectibles, though the highest value is generally placed on strats from 1954 to 1958.

The 1957 model is particularly collectible because of style and material changes made over the years. Buddy Holly and other famous stars have owned and played 57 strats throughout their careers, which also lends to the model’s popularity. Fender still makes and sells Stratocasters today and even has a custom shop where your guitar will be made to your specifications. Who knows, in fifty years or so, your guitar could be one of the hottest antique collectibles out there.

Apparently, there are a lot of fakes out there so it is important to be an informed buyer and to find a trustworthy dealer. While I was researching, I noticed that many strat collectors out there have horror stories of bad sellers that they are more than willing to share. I hate that those people were tricked, but at least they are sharing what they learned from their mistakes. It is always good to see collectors who are so willing to look out for each other. I hope you enjoyed th

Antique Roadshow Recap 3/24-3/30

This weeks Antique Roadshow was shot in San Antonio, Texas, and originally aired this Tuesday. As I’ve said in previous blogs, I’m partial to the shows shot here in Texas, so I was pretty excited about this one.

The first item I wanted to talk about today was a painted candy box from 1910. I selected this item because it was so interesting to me that it was made of China. Of course antique china is fairly common. I’ve seen so many antique collectibles made of china, I can hardly count them, but never a candy box. Suzanne Perrault valued the professionally hand painted candy box at up to $600 dollars. I thought it was such an interesting item, because the original owner’s uncle had her childhood portrait painted on it for her as a gift. Apparently, professional portraits on china are rare from that time period. What a sweet story and sentimental item. Out of all the antique appraisals this week, this one was by far the lowest valued item on the show but I thought it was one of the most touching.

The next item on the show I thought I should talk about was a 1943 Ernie Lombardi “Giants” practice jersey. It isn’t very often that I see sports memorabilia from this era, so of course it is exciting. This item had another sweet story to go along with it. The owner had received the jersey as a child in Meeker, Oklahoma. The town’s doctor had asked professional baseball player, Carl Hubbell, to donate some jersey’s for the town’s baseball team to use. Since Meeker was Hubbell’s hometown, he happily sent Giant’s practice jerseys to the team. The lucky owner received a jersey formerly owned by Ernie Lombardi, a hall-of-famer. Simeon Lipman, the appraiser valued this item at up to $15,000, but I can’t imagine the owner would ever sell it, from the look on his face as he told the story.

This week’s show was sentimental and touching as could be, I got a warm fuzzy feeling watching all the people tell the stories of their prized possessions. Whether it’s antique furniture, or antique bottles, these items mean so much to the people who collect them.I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching this show!

By Jamie.

No Need to Check Your Antique Price Guide to Find Worlds Most Valuable Coin

If you want to find the world’s most valuable coin, an antique price guide isn’t the place to look. You don’t even need to go on Antiques Roadshow, I’ve got the info for you right here. The 1933 Double Eagle is an extremely rare gold coin, and it holds the distinction of being the World’s most valuable coin. Few antique collectibles can hold a candle to its interesting past.

Over 400,000 of the coins were minted but none made it into circulation. Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102 in 1933 to end the 1930s general bank crisis by making it illegal to use gold coins as legal tender.

It was originally thought that only three of the coins survived, but apparently 20 coins were stolen and circulated among collectors, including ten coins that were discovered in 2005. Two of the original three went to museums, the third was stolen and later ended up in a private collection. It was sold at auction in New York in 2002 for 7.59 million dollars.

Regardless of the number of coins in existence today, chances are slim you will end up with one. Except for the coin sold at auction, it is illegal to own the Double Eagle as they all belong to the United States Government. If you buy one, make sure it is a reproduction and if it isn’t you’ll want to keep it under your hat or the Secret Service will be along to collect it.

Coin values are often determined by rarity, but I’d be more interested in collecting coins that are legal to own and not so much trouble to come by.

By Jamie.

Historic Town and Antique Collectibles For Sale

The ultimate antique collectible will soon be auctioned, an entire historic town. The town of Garryowen, Montana is located across the Little Bighorn River from the National Park Service’s Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

Garryowen is home to the Custer Battlefield Museum. The sale of the town includes a 4,000 square foot home, a trading post, the museum, an office complex, a bed and breakfast, a post office, a gas station, a restaurant and an archive of Elizabeth Custer’s papers. The starting bid at the auction will be $6.5 million dollars.

The town’s owner, Chris Kortlander has owned Garryowen since 1993, and is selling the town in the hopes that someone with more resources will buy the town and build a museum and research facility for Elizabeth Custer’s archive. If you value antiques, you’ll love the archive, it contains photographs, correspondence, drawings, notes, book drafts, invitations and even a card from her and George Custer’s 1864 wedding.

I’m not sure exactly what the Custer Battlefield Museum holds, but I doubt you could find most of it from your local antique dealer. The Battle of Little Bighorn is one of the most famous battles in all of the Indian Wars. The value of antiques found on that battlefield must be more than I can imagine.

Hopefully, the person who ends up with this town will put all the historical items to good use. I’d hate to see our Nation’s history used by a corporation to make money.

By Jamie.

Antique Roadshow Recap #5

This week’s Antique Roadshow was the third in a row shot in Tampa. Like the two previous, it originally aired in 2006. Tampa has been fun to watch, next week will be from a new city and possibly even not previously aired. As usual there were lots of interesting items this week, but I think I picked the best two.

The first item I’m going to talk about was given the highest value of all of the antique appraisals just like last week. I don’t know why but the most valuable items always have the best stories. The item is a marine painting by James E. Butterworth. This item is particularly interesting since two weeks ago on Tampa hour #1 there was a painting misidentified as a Butterworth. I imagine the antique appraisers double checked this one before telling the owner.

James E. Butterworth was a celebrated painter who took boats out on the water to paint marine scenes in the 1800s. Nan Chisholm, the antique appraiser, valued the painting at around $90,000. The owner of the painting inherited it from her mother who had it hanging in her trailer near the bathroom. I could tell by her entertaining reaction that she had no idea the painting was worth anything. As you can see in the photo the painting is beautiful, but it was nothing compared to the owners reaction when she was told the antiques value. If you didn’t see this appraisal you should really go to Antique Roadshow’s official site and check out the video.

The next item I chose was a collection of Chinese snuff bottles. I thought these antique collectibles would be perfect for my blog. Not only are they antique bottles, but also Asian antiques, two of the most popular categories on iTaggit.com. The owner of the bottles had been collecting them for three years. He paid as low as $12 dollars and as much as $250 dollars for the bottles. I could tell he was very passionate about his impressive collection as he listened to appraiser Marvin Sokolow describe each bottle. He must have been so pleased to hear that it was worth up to $15,000 dollars.

Well, that was the show, as always feel free to comment and let me know what you thought of the items I covered.

By Jamie.

Postcards, The New Antique Collectible

I was looking around on iTaggit last night and I came across a really cool collection of postcards owned by Stoney. Postcards aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when I think about an antique collectible, but if you think about it they are one of the best. They are easy to find and easy to display. They can be very inexpensive and they give us a wonderful snapshot into all areas of the past, from specific locations to important people or even just fashions and products of the time.

I liked all of Stoney’s vintage postcards a lot but my favorite would have to be the postcard for Gaidos Restaurant in Galveston Texas. I’ve been to the restaurant many times, so it was really cool to see how it looked a long time ago. Another interesting card Stoney has is of Balanced Rock which has been written on. I love how that adds a human touch to the card. The person dated it 1908. What an amazing piece for any collection.

After seeing all the cool postcards on itaggit I decided to do some research. Apparently the study and collection of postcards is called deltiology. If you are thinking about starting your own collection, you should know that it can be difficult to determine the value of antiques like postcards because their production is not heavily regulated. Before you start buying you’ll probably want to pick up an antique price guide or check out a few antique appraisals.

Antique Roadshow Recap #4

Antique Roadshow this week was pretty good. The show was shot in Tampa and like last weeks show, I’m afraid it was a a rerun. The show originally aired in 2006, which was before I really got into watching so again, like last week’s show, it is new to me. I’m not really a history buff, but the historical items on this weeks show were so interesting to me.

The first item I selected was given the highest value of all the antique appraisals this week. I imagine the antique appraisers were pretty excited when they saw what the owner had brought them. It was a Lahcotah Dictionary and Other Native American Artifacts all from the 1800s. Being part Native American myself, I was particularly interested in this item and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Apparently, the owner’s great-great-uncle was one of the authors of the Sioux language dictionary and this copy had his penciled in notes and corrections in the margins. The idea that the author of the book wrote extra little bits of information in the margins is so exciting to me. Wouldn’t you love to see what changes he made? As much as that would affect the antiques value, that is nothing compared to the fact that this was the first book printed in Wyoming. Can you imagine owning an antique collectible with such historical relevance? The lucky owner has two other copies at home of a book that has only been auctioned once in the past thirty years. What an amazing find!

The Native American artifacts that accompanied the book were jewelry pieces owned by two important Sioux Tribe members, worth up to 12,000 each and brought the total lot’s worth up to $150,000. If I were the owner I might have to sell. Even with the sentimental value, that is quite a lot of money for an item you have more than one copy of. You can see how plain the book and jewelry look in the picture from Antique Roadshow’s official site. I guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover.

The next item I chose because it reminded me of a really cool scrimshaw collection on iTaggit owned by ScrimCollector. The collection up for valuation on the show consisted of five Chinese paintings and one Scrimshaw. The value of antiques like scrimshaws can vary based on the condition, and I noticed that the scrimshaw on the show had some sort of red stain on it. The appraiser didn’t address it so I’m not sure if it affected the antiques value or not. The items featured in the segment were valued at up to $18,000 which is a lot of money. I’ve made a mental note to buy any scrimshaw I find at affordable prices at my local antique dealer.

So that was my take on the show this week, if I missed anything let me know!

By Jamie.

Antique Roadshow Recap Tampa Hour One

What a great Antique Roadshow this week! The city featured this time was Tampa, which seems to be a rerun. Luckily, I had never seen this one so it was new to me. There were too many interesting antique appraisals to choose just two, but I think I picked the best ones.

The first piece was easy to choose, after all what Texan wouldn’t select an artifact from a hero from the Battle of the Alamo? Of all the antique appraisers, Francis Wahlgren was the lucky one who got to value David Crockett’s Unexecuted Marriage License. He didn’t have much work to do since the owner of the document knew the interesting story behind it. Apparently Crockett was supposed to be married when he was 19 years old, but his bride ran away and eloped with another man. Years later, the courthouse was going to throw the document away but a man there was a fan of Crockett’s so he kept it and passed it down in his family until the current owner finally inherited it. Even with all the information the owner had, this seems like such a difficult piece to value. If I were Wahlgren, I would have kept asking myself “how do I value antiques that are one of a kind and can never be replaced?” He seemed to have managed fine though, and determined the antiques value is between $30,000 and $50,000. Check out a picture of the amazing document from Antique Roadshow’s official site.



The next item was a beautiful collection of Lenox China Sample Plates appraised by David Lackey who is a Houstonian like me. Now antique china is something that most everyone I know has gathering dust in a cabinet somewhere, so I always pay special attention when it is featured. The Owner’s father had rescued the plates from the trash when he worked at Lenox fifty years ago. Lackey explained that the plates were hand-painted treasures worth up to $6,000 for only 7 plates. I’m sure the owner was thanking her lucky stars, since she had even more plates than were displayed in this picture from Antique Roadshow’s official site.



I guess what we should learn from this is to learn the value of antiques before tossing them out. These two people should feel very lucky that their treasured items were rescued instead of ending up at the dump.

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The True Value of Antiques

Lately I’ve found myself wondering “How do I value antiques?” Should the value be based on the age? Maybe the condition should determine the value antiques have, but the more I thought about it, the more it seems to me that the true value of antiques comes from their history and the stories they can tell us.

When I look at an antique or vintage item, I can’t help but wonder who bought it brand new? Who used it every day to give it the wonderful patina it now has? Who loved it before I did? I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels this way. Antiques are so interesting to us because they’ve been around longer than we have. They’ve managed to survive so many years and so many things that we can’t even imagine.

Shows like Antique Roadshow are fun to watch not only because we learn antiques value, but also because we learn the history of the item. This can be even more special and interesting if the item was handed down from family member to family member. In my Fiance’s family an antique sword with their family named etched on it has been handed down for years and in my family the granddaughters inherit jewelry and figurines. So many families have traditions like these, which makes me think that we all feel the same way about antiques. If your family has an interesting item or too that gets passed down through the generations let me know!

By Jamie.

Justice League Now on DVD

DC Comic's Justice League: The New Frontier has been released on DVD. For those of you who aren't familiar with The New Frontier, it is an animated movie based on the graphic novels by Darwyn Cook, Michael Goguen and Bruce Timm. I recently learned that a comic book having a successful movie increases its value. So once this movie hits it big, take your Justice League comics in for new comic book appraisals.

David Borneanaz, or Angel as we know him, and Neil Patrick Harris of Doogie Howser fame are among the interesting voice cast. I might get the movie just to see how those two along with Brooke Shields work in one film. Seriously though, the Justice League alone has enough big names to sell the movie. Who is bigger than Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman?

I think it is pretty smart that the Justice League movie is being released on Blu-Ray. They are also releasing it on HD DVD in March, but since Toshiba has abandoned the format, that probably isn't a really wise move. Check out this video about the end of HD DVD.



All of these format changes are making it hard for me to organize collections of movies at my house. I can't believe DVD's are becoming obsolete. I guess I should start posting some of mine as items for sale or trade on iTaggit. From iTaggit's site www.itaggit.com, users can sell or trade items to other users, post them on eBay, Amazon, or craigslist all from one spot. This makes the process a lot easir. I guess I'll have to sell off most of my DVD collection to be able to afford one of those expensive Blu-Ray players. Most people I know, are just buying a PS3, it plays both Blu-Ray and DVD formatted discs.

By Jamie.

New Antique Price Guide for Mickey

Nearly everyone at one time or another has owned a piece of Mickey Mouse Memorabilia. My most memorable piece was a wonderful Mickey Mouse sweat-shirt. Mickey was positioned on the shirt so that if I put my hands in the pocket it looked like I had Mickey gloves on. I wore it to my 5th birthday party and I'll never forget it. Take a look at me in all my early 80s glory.


Unfortunately, I lost track of my favorite Mickey shirt before I could write in cursive. If you somehow managed to keep all your Mickey Mouse memorabilia you might want to check out the new Official Price Guide to Mickey Mouse Collectibles. Unlike a normal antiques price guide, the Mickey guide has both antiques and newer items. As long as it is a Mickey collectible it should be in there.

Of course newer items are usually easy to price based on retail prices. The problem is finding accurate value of antiques. An antique price guide can be a good reference for collectibles, but in my opinion the best way to go is always antique appraisals. An appraisal allows your specific item to get looked at by an expert. If you really think your item is valueable, it's worth the money to get the item appraised. If you collect or are looking to collect Mickey Mouse memorabilia you should really browse through the book. You can find it from Geppi Entertainment Publishing.

By Jamie.

Art Auction Price Stuns Antique Appraisers

If you are asking yourself how do I value antiques? you are not alone. A 14th century painting by Allegretto Nuzi, an Italian artist, was valued at less than $150,000. Imagine the antique appraisers surprise when it sold for over $290,000 at a multi-estate auction by Philip Weiss Auctions earlier this month. The painting, which was once thought to be lost, depicts the beheading of Saint Blaise, a Catholic martyr.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate antique art, and art in general, but there aren't many places I could see myself hanging a painting of a beheading scene. I mean, really, a beheading painting? That can't make the guests feel too welcome. I guess everyone interprets art differently. I'm more of a landscape girl.

Nuzi's painting is proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes history, just as much as beauty can affect the value antiques hold. The age, and the religious depiction and the fact that it was once lost all contribute to this antiques value.

Philip Weiss, from the company that auctioned the painting, was surprised by the high prices because of the slow economy we're dealing with. The event grossed nearly $900,000 even though they were expecting only $300,000 from the auction! Antiques and art can be a guessing game, but the more information you have on your piece and similar pieces, the more accurate your valuation will be. As I've covered in a past blog, art prices continue to rise because they are usually a safe investment despite the economy. I know I can't wait until I can start buying a few paintings here and there. My personal dream painting would be Mark by Chuck Close. I doubt I'll ever own it though since it is hanging at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as you can see in the photo.



Weiss' event grossed nearly $900,000 even though they were expecting only $300,000 from the auction. Antiques and art can be a guessing game, but the more information you have on your piece and similar pieces, the more accurate your valuation will be.

By Jamie.

Fans Value Collectibles from Sopranos Garage

Fans of the Sopranos might want to head out to West Palm Beach this March for the 6th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event. Eight vehicles from the show are going to be auctioned with no reserve, including the 2003 Escalade ESV. The net proceeds will benefit Children's Hospital Los Angeles. What better reason to buy yourself a new collector car? I can just imagine the person who ends up with Tony's car driving around listening to the theme song like in the video below.



I think it is wonderful that the Sopranos' popularity is going to help such a worthy cause. I've done some volunteer work at a Children Hospital and it was a really special experience. The extremely high value collectibles from popular TV shows have will really help children who need it.

If antique collectible cars are more your speed, you won't be let down. There is a lovely 1934 Custom Cabriolet Roadster on the docket as well as a 1937 Custom Fire truck. Who doesn't want a fire truck in their collection? That isn't an item you probably won't find at your local antique dealer but who knows.

by Jamie.

Antique Roadshow Recap San Antonio Hour 2

This week the Roadshow was in San Antonio, Texas! In my opinion, it is always more fun to watch shows when they were shot in your home state. I love that the show tours so we can see an antique collectible from almost anywhere. Another fun part of the show is seeing how hopeful people are when they first start the interview. The antique appraisers never let them down, items are usually worth more than they think.

One of my favorite items this week was a vintage diamond, sapphire and emerald jewelry set. It was appraised by Peter Shemonsky. Peter did a great job telling the history of the jewelry's creator, Oscar Heyman and identifying the types of gemstones used. I imagine the owner was very pleased to hear that her fifty-three year old piece of jewelry was worth between $30,000 and $70,000. You can see in the photograph below from Antiques Roadshow's official site how beautiful the set is.



Another great item this week was an antique child's desk. I found this particularly interesting because my mother has something a little similar. The appraiser was Leslie Keno. He explained that the top portion of the desk was authentic and rare, but the bottom frame was faked. He valued the item at between $1500, and $2,000 which is much lower than the $30,000 it would have been worth if it was entirely authentic. The owner didn't seem too disappointed since he'd only paid around $200 for the desk at an estate sale. The picture below from Antiques Roadshow's official site shows how easy it can be to be fooled by antiques. The whole thing looks amazing to me.

Even though it wasn't a huge amount of money, the item was still a large profit for the owner. What a lucky find. I feel inspired to go see what I can find at my local antique dealer.

Due to the popularity of my last Antique Roadshow recap blog, I'm going to be doing it weekly. If I miss something good be sure to comment on my blog or message me so I can include it next time.

By Jamie.

Free Antique Appraisals!

If you collect antique duck and goose decoys, have I got news for you. Stephen O’Brien, The CEO of Copley Fine Arts Auctions is giving away free antique appraisals on decoys at this year’s Ohio Decoy and Wildlife Show in Westlake, Ohio in mid March.

Apparently O’Brien is no stranger to decoys. Not only has he written books about them, but he has even brokered deals on them for over a million dollars. That must have been some decoy. I know I’ve seen a few decoys on display at family member’s houses, I’m tempted to grab them and take a road trip to Ohio. You never really know the value of antiques unless you get them appraised. Even an old hunter’s tool like a decoy could be your ticket to millions.

Luckily, finding out antiques prices is easier than a cross country trip. I can just use iTaggit.com like as my antiques price guide. Of course, there are other reasons to attend the Decoy and Wildlife show. You can meet other collectors and see all the works of Elmer Crowell that are going to be displayed. Even people who aren’t interested in decoys have to take notice of a Crowell piece. They are not only worth hundreds of thousands, they are beautiful. Just take a look at this photo from Guyette & Schmidt Decoy Auction Firm, a beautiful decoy and for less than one hundred thousand, seems like a steal to me! What do you think?




By Jamie.

Total Eclipse of the Moon

For those of you who don’t know, last night was a total lunar eclipse. According to wikipedia, a total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes completely through the earth's shadow. This is called the umbral shadow. The moon took about an hour and 20 minutes to pass through the penumbral shadow before and after the total eclipse, during which the otherwise full moon may be mistaken as having a phase.

Apparently, the eclipse was visible in most parts of the world. Due to clouds and rain, it wasn’t visible from my house. There won’t be another one until December of 2010 but don’t worry. You can see the whole thing in the following video.

I don’t know about you, but I love eclipses and other similar events in space. I still remember the first one I saw when I was a child. I just couldn’t get enough of it. Luckily for me, we’re having another eclipse this year. August 1st we’ll have a total solar eclipse. I’m crossing my fingers for clear skies.

I wonder what kind of collectibles can be found relating to space. People have been interested in the cosmos since man first gazed at the sky. I’m sure some antique dealer out there has loads of telescopes from over the years. I bet I could even find some moon rocks for sale if I searched hard enough. It must be difficult to determine these antiques value though. I imagine moon rocks aren’t usually listed in an antique price guide. Some items are best left to the experts.

All of this space talk has gotten me in the mood for a good space movie. iTaggit user Sleeplessdave has a collectible copy of Apollo 13, which is my favorite space movie. What are your favorite movies concerning outer space?

by Jamie

JFK Memorabilia Controversy

I’m sure you’ve all heard the news that a transcript concerning John F. Kennedy’s assassination was recently discovered among boxes of memorabilia. Apparently, all the items were in an old safe in the county courthouse in Dallas. Some articles call the boxes lost, some call them hidden. Personally, I think they were lost. It doesn’t make sense to me that all of the items would be hidden. Hiding or even destroying a transcript would have been so much easier than hiding all of these items.

Conspiracy theorists are salivating over the transcript, which seems to be a conversation between Oswald and Ruby where they discuss killing President Kennedy. The validity of the document has not been verified, from what I’ve read it seems a bit far-fetched.

I don’t really see what the big fuss is about the transcript. I think people have pretty much agreed to disagree about JFK’s killer(s) years ago. What I’m excited about is the rest of the memorabilia. Letters to and from Henry Wade, the prosecutor in Ruby’s trial, letters to Ruby, a gun holster and clothing that belonged to Ruby and Oswald. These are the real treasures locked in that safe.

These aren’t items you will find in an antique price guide. I’d even venture to say that these antiques prices can hardly be determined at all. They are pieces of our Nation’s history, a particularly dark portion of history, but still our history. How can you really appraise antiques that are so important? I don’t envy the person who has that job.
I’m interested to see what they will end up doing with the memorabilia. They could put it directly into a museum, or it could end up at auction. I think things like these belong in a museum where everyone can see them. Do you think private collectors should have a chance at buying them?

Although this discovery stirs up many feelings among people, we should all try to focus on what he had to say instead of who killed him and why. Check out his inaugural address below.

Antique Bottles, Collecting or Bootlegging

Collecting antique bottles might be a little more difficult than you thought depending on where you live. Several states and counties have laws concerning items for sale or trade that contain alcohol. According to this article, a Tennessee man was recently arrested for bootlegging because he sold a collectible signed Jack Daniels bottle without a license.

The man, Randy Piper, was released on a $25,000 bond. He was indicted on four counts of illegally possessing and selling liquor. Over two-thousand bottles were confiscated from his collection and are valued at nearly one million dollars. The value collections like this truly hold can be hard to determine and Piper and his lawyer are still in the discovery phase, but one early 20th century bottle is known to be worth $12,000 alone.

The worst part is that the police were going to pour his entire collection down the drain before they decided to keep it for a museum. Can you believe that here in America they can just take a person's belongings like this for no good reason? I think it is outrageous. If his collection is so dangerous and illegal they shouldn't be allowed to keep it for themselves and profit from outdated laws.

Due to the confusion these laws cause, online auction sites like eBay have policies about how an antique collectible containing alcohol like Piper's can be listed. The seller must note eBay's official policy on the auction stating:

• The value of the item is in the collectible container, not its contents. Bottles of wine are *not* permitted because their value is often based on the wine, not the bottle.


• The container has not been opened and any incidental contents are not intended for consumption.


• The item is not available at any retail outlet, and the container has a value that substantially exceeds the current retail price of the alcohol in the container.


• The bidder must be at least 21 years of age and by placing a bid, you are stating that you are over the age of 21 and assuming all risks.


• Both the buyers and the sellers ensure that the sale complies with all applicable laws and shipping regulations.

One way to avoid the confusion is to collect empty bottles exclusively. iTaggit user TheHammondHouse has an empty bottle of Dr. Thacher's Liver and Blood Syrup from the 1900's worth around $25.00. Prices of bottles can range from less than a dollar to well over $500.00 and several different kinds are widely available. You can choose soda bottles, household products, medicine and even poison bottles for your collection. I personally find the poison bottles most interesting because of color and detail but any bottle has the potential to be interesting. I'd be interested to know if any of my readers has a particularly interesting or valuable bottle.

To find antique bottles, check the web, your local antique dealer, or you can even dig for them like the people in the video below. I can't imagine digging through decades of "out house dirt" for any collectible but if someone else is willing to do it, then good for them! I'd love to hear from anyone who has experienced one of these digs to see if it really as bad as I think.

That is all I have to say for now about antique bottles but remember, whatever you do, be careful... who knows what crazy law they'll come after you with.

Valentine's Day Gift Panic?

If you haven't found that perfect Valentine's Day gift for your sweetie, don't worry there is still time! I know we've all gotten a gift that looks like the person picked it up on the way home. It is the thought that counts but sometimes you just
can't imagine what they were thinking. Waiting until the last minute doesn't have to mean a bad gift. If you don't know where to begin, try thinking outside the box this year, instead of candy, flowers or dinner check out the ideas I've compiled for you.
For Him:

• If your man is messy why not hire someone to clean his apartment? Coming home to a fresh clean home will be just what he needs to focus on a romantic evening for the two of you. If he is pretty clean on his own maybe he just needs someone to organize collections that he hasn't had time to focus on. I know my fiance has a collection of baseball cards that really needs to be organized and displayed properly. He'd love it if I took care of that for him.
• Maybe your guy's passion is comic books. If he already has an extensive collection of graphic novels, you can look into finding out the worthof comics he owns through comic book appraisals. If he doesn't have a collection, find out which books or characters he loved the most growing up, and start one for him. Check the Marvel Comics website for popular titles.
• If your boyfriend loves working with his hands, look in to getting him a tool set. It is the perfect gift to help him complete all of his projects. If you can't fit an entire set into your budget, get him a single high quality tool and get it engraved with his initials. For future holidays, you can buy him additional tools and eventually he'll have a high quality personalized set. This one works out for you too since he might become Mr. Handyman.
• For the sports nut in your life, why not try sports card memorabilia? Every sport has a set of cards these days, so it won't be hard to find something he'll love. Budget won't be a problem on this gift, you can easily find baseball cards worth hundreds, or if that is too pricey you can find cards for less than a dollar. Maybe your boyfriend doesn't really value baseball cards, don't worry! There are tons of other kinds of sports memorabilia out there. An autographed jersey or maybe even just a shirt with his favorite team's logo would make him happy and sports stuff is just so easy to find.

For Her:

• If your girlfriend is the sentimental type, why not find out what her favorite childhood toy was and buy it for her. A vintage toy is a sweet way to show her how well you know her. They are easy to find in antique stores and on the web. When I was a little girl, I had a my little pony named Ember. It would melt my heart if a guy bought that for me.
• If you are on a tight budget a sweet and inexpensive gift is a photo collage of the two of you. You can print the photos yourself and put them in a discount frame, or if you have the means, you can have it put together at a frame shop or by a local artist. Either way, your lady will be impressed by your thoughtful gift!
• Jewelry is usually a safe bet for Valentine's day, but it doesn't have to be brand new or cost two months salary for your girl to love it. Interesting and beautiful jewelry can be found easily in antique stores. Don't be afraid that the antiques prices will be too high, jewelry from several eras can be found at inexpensive prices. Some of the most fashionable periods right now are Edwardian, Art Deco and Art Nouveau.
• A gift that would be perfect for any lady in your life is an outing with you. Personalize the trip to her interests. If she likes drama, buy two tickets to a play. If music is her thing, why not a concert? If she loves animals take her to the zoo, just get creative and think of a place where the two of you can spend time together doing something fun and interesting. There is no greater gift than time with someone you love!

Hopefully this list has given you some ideas for treating your loved one this holiday. You don't have to roam the aisles full of candy boxes and singing stuffed animals, find something he or she can really treasure forever! They'll never know you waited until the last minute if you put real thought into your gift.

That is my take on great Valentine's day gifts, but I could be wrong about all of this. Maybe diamonds really are a girls best friend. Maybe a giant teddy bear balloon is what you were dreaming of. Let me know if I'm a genius, or if my ideas are crazy. I'd also love to hear the best and worst gifts given to you by your sweetie.

Ebay Cutting Fees and Rating System

eBay has recently announced that it will be cutting listing fees up to 50 percent this month. The company, which was started in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar, has been facing tough competition from other online merchants like Amazon.com, resulting in flattening growth. To balance the fee cut, eBay will also be raising commissions on items for sale or trade.The largest commission increase will be on items listed for under twenty-five dollars. eBay will now collect 8.75 percent of the final sell price. With changes like this, you’ll want to be careful how you value collectibles you are looking to sell.

Another change the site is making is removing the ability of sellers to rate buyers. This has caused quite a stir, because sellers feel that they no longer have a voice against unscrupulous buyers. eBay has responded by making it easier for sellers to take action against buyers who do not pay, and feels that removing the possible negativity of bickering buyers and sellers will improve the site for all involved.


eBay, UK and Germany will also soon have pricing changes. Hopefully, eBay’s new system and new CEO will make the site even better for people looking to buy an antique toy, or research the latest comic prices.

Barbie, Our Favorite Vintage Toy

Barbie was launched in 1959, when Ruth Handler suggested the idea for an adult-bodied doll for children to her husband Elliot who was a co-founder of Mattel.  Barbie entered the toy scene as a teen-aged fashion model, and since then has held as many jobs as you can think of. She was originally blonde or brunette, but has now had as many hair colors as outfits. Over a billion Barbie Dolls have been sold worldwide and Mattel claims that three are sold every second.



If you are looking for a vintage toy to collect, Barbie is your girl.  There are so many Barbie products, any collector can find what they are looking for. Before you know it, you’ll need a way to organize collections of dolls, shoes, and clothes online. There is no need to buy software for collecting, just use iTaggit.com. You can upload photos, information and videos to showcase your collectibles.



The value collections of vintage Barbies hold is extremely high. One original doll can sell for over $3000.00 at auction. One of the most sought after items is a Barbie in Midnight Red from 1965 who sold for $17,000 at auction.

If your collecting budget is lower don’t worry, you can still find really inexpensive Barbie collectibles out there, check the web, garage sales and maybe even an antique store in your area.

If your collecting budget is lower don’t worry, you can still find really inexpensive Barbie collectibles out there, check the web, garage sales and maybe even an antique store in your area. 

Myott Antique China

Myott, Son & CO. Limited started as a family run business in 1898. Originally, it operated from the Alexander Pottery in Stoke, Staffordshire, which is in Northern England. Two brothers, Ashley and Sydney Myott moved the company to Brownfield’s Works in Cobridge. Because of growing demand, the company was expanded again to Upper Hanley Potter in 1925 which was adjacent to Brownfield’s Works.

In addition to antique china, Myott produced hand painted Art Deco wares. Some of the most popular Myott products are geometric shaped vases and jugs from this era. Vital pattern info and office files were lost in a fire at the factory in 1949, and the company was eventually taken over by the Churchill Group in 1976.

If you are asking yourself “How do I value antiques like Myott,” don’t worry there are several ways. You can check an antiques price guide, or an auction site and find a wide variety of prices for Myott wares. Depending on the era of your item, which you can tell by the different crown marks the company used, the price can range from around ten dollars to over two hundred dollars.

If you think you have a rare piece, it would definitely be in your best interest to look into antique appraisals. These days, you can find the worth and history of your item easily and very inexpensively on websites like iTaggit. iTaggit user Caryjaysells has a beautiful three-piece tea set by Myott, Son & CO. Limited. If you like the look and history that comes with Myott check your local antique dealer today for a piece of your very own.

Antique Road Show Recap

Antique Roadshow is one of the most popular shows on PBS these days. It isn’t hard to understand why; watching people find the value of their mysterious family heirlooms, or thrift shop finds is interesting and fun. This weeks’ show was shot in Orlando Florida. As usual, there were many amazingly valuable items featured, but the most valuable antique collectible was a 1936 Frank Schoonover Illustration valued at up to $75,000.

The illustration was given to the owner’s mother during the Second World War by the artist himself. Schoonover was born in the late 19th century, and it widely considered to be the great master of American illustration. The appraiser, Colleene Fesko explained that Schoonover was set apart from other American illustrators because he liked action and activity.

The value of antiques can’t always be determined by their purchase prices. The owner of a collection of Victorian gold jewelry knew that all of the pieces had been bought for $50 or less. Her father, a butcher, had given the jewelry to her mother. Boy was she surprised when the antique appraisers told her the collection was worth over $37,000.

These two examples just go to show you that you never know what you have until you have it appraised.

Fall in love with Blythe

If you are looking for a great new vintage toy to add to your collection, you should consider a Blythe doll. Blythe was created in 1972 by Allison Katzman and produced by Kenner. The dolls are known for their large heads and large eyes that change color and direction with a pull string in the back.

Though Blythe dolls were only sold for one year here in the United States, they started regaining popularity thirty years later in 1997. The value collectibles like these have, has been growing daily by leaps and bounds.Today the dolls have a huge cult following on the web. Collectors not only modify the dolls faces, hair and clothing, but they also enjoy photographing the dolls in all sorts of surroundings. If you are interested in getting involved with Blythe just search the web, you’ll find a lovely doll for your collection right away.

If you buy one Blythe, chances are you’ll be hooked in no time. Before you know it you’ll need a way to organize collections of Blythe dolls, shoes, and clothes online. You don’t need to buy software for collecting, just use iTaggit.com. You can upload photos, information and videos to showcase your collectibles.

Appraising Antiques with iTaggit

If you find yourself wondering “How do I value antiques?” Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many Collectors today want to know exactly how much their investment is worth. You may have antique china, or maybe several pieces of furniture, but If you ever want to sell the items individually or if you want to auction off your entire collection, you’ll need to know the fair market value. With such a wide variety of items, it can be hard to know enough to guess the value of your items. Luckily, the answer is simple. The only way to find accurate antiques value is to have them appraised.

Getting an appraisal is easier than ever. Upload your collection on to iTaggit.com, fill in the fields and upload some pictures. Click on the piece you’d like to value, hit the “Item Actions” button and then select “Appraise This Item” at the bottom of the list. Make your selection and follow the remaining steps. Before you know it, you’ll know the worth of your antique from a real antique appraisal.

Royal Antiques and Art for Sale at Auction

This isn’t your run of the mill antique roadshow, the private collection of the Princes of Liechtenstein is going up on the auction block at Christie’s Amsterdam in April.

Liechtenstein, a small German-speaking country in Western Europe, is known for it’s winter sports. The Princes of Liechtenstein, however, are known for having one of the greatest private collections of art and antiques in the world. 450 lots will be sold, including paintings, antique furniture, clocks, tapestry and other artwork. The value of antiques like these is staggering.

If you are an antique dealer, or just looking for that special piece for your collection, you should definitely check out this historic auction.

“What’s It Worth To You” Announces Valuation API Used on iTaggit.com

Recently, iTaggit.com gave users a sneak peek of a new feature that helped users appraise antiques and other collectibles. Today WIW2U.com officially announced the API.

The company issued a press release, which you can see here, explaining how the program works. iTaggit users can easily have all of the necessary data about their item passed to WIW2U.com, providing the appraisers with the information that they need to do their jobs.

If you want to try this exciting new service, go to iTaggit.com, and upload your item. Once you’ve entered what you know about your item, it is easy to have all the information sent to the antique appraisers. Click on the item you are curious about in your collection, push the “Item Action” button and then select “Appraise this item.” There are several choices you can make regarding the amount of information you need on the item. Before you know it your prized possession will no longer be a mystery!

iTaggit.com is proud to bring users such a easy useful tool. If you are wondering how much that family heirloom or antique store find is really worth, leave it to the experts. It is easier now than it has ever been.

Art Prices Rising or Falling?

It wasn’t very long ago when a million dollar painting was hard to find. These days, you don’t have to be one of the Masters to sell art for over a million dollars. According to this article by Ernest Beck, contemporary artists’ paintings are going for millions of dollars.

Just like every boom, The Art boom can’t go on forever. With the economy on a downward turn, art prices are likely to come down. Art Collectors shouldn’t worry, a dip in prices will only get you that much closer to owning that masterpiece that you’ve had your eye on.

Smart investors will keep up with artwork appraisals to see where the market is going. Prices have been known to rise and fall, but the best thing about art is no matter what the price the beauty remains the same.

Are Your Antiques Covered?

Many antique collectors might think that home owners insurance is all they need to protect their investment, but that isn’t always the case. If you don’t appraise antiques then their value can only be estimated. iTaggit.com’s appraisal applications can help you value antiques accurately. Once you know the value of your item, you’ll want to make sure that your home owners insurance policy covers it.

Many collectors are taking it one step further and getting specific collectible insurance. Insurance for your prized antiques can easily be found on iTaggit.com. With the push of a button you can get started protecting your cherished items.

Everybody knows we’re better off safe than sorry so look into appraisal and insurance for your collectibles and antiques today at iTaggit.com.

Antique Auctions Houses Turning to the Web

More and more antique auction houses are using tools provided by the internet to appraise antiques. Rarely is an auction held, when the items are not also listed on eBay or another live auction site. Buyers no longer have to attend an auction or call in to find the item their collection needs.

If you don’t know the worth of your collection dthe antique appraisers do and look to the internet for help. iTaggit.com has several ways to help collectors find the value and history of an item. The “What’s it Worth to You” application can find as much or as little information as you need about whatever it is you collect. The “What’s my Item Worth” gallery is a feature that allows Expert Eric to help you research your item and find an accurate value for free.

Once you know the value of your item, iTaggit.com can help you sell or trade it as well. Listing an item is as easy as pushing the “Sell your item on eBay” button. Creating your own sell or trade collection makes all of your unique collectibles available for people who are looking to buy. iTaggit.com is really a one stop site for antique collector.

Autograph Prices Wow Antique Appraisers at Auction

President Abraham Lincoln, our Nation’s sixteenth president, and his widow, Mary’s habit of writing letters has benefited antique collectors today. Letters written and signed by the pair sold for nearly $30,000 at an auction in Manhattan.

In the same auction, a Norman Rockwell autograph sold for over $5000 when it had only been appraised for $650. Just goes to show you that gems like these can show up in any collection. If you find yourself asking “How do I value antiques?” don’t worry. iTaggit.com has many reliable services that can help you find an accurate value.