Comments on: Remembering the Good Old Days of the Early 1990s http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/remembering-good-days-early-1990s Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles Fri, 24 May 2013 18:02:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Chris Hughes http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/remembering-good-days-early-1990s/comment-page-1#comment-2047 Chris Hughes Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:00:32 +0000 http://www.worthpoint.com/?p=2470384#comment-2047 Carol, Thank you for reading. I agree that a deal can be had when bartering in a shop with a dealer, but I've also found that online dealers create opportunities for a bargain. Two weeks ago, I bought an item online that was unknowingly priced at least 2/3 below market value. There are deals to be had everywhere, especially in this economy! I also like to recall the items that got away because it keeps me charged up, hoping to get a second chance if a comparable item pops up. --Chris Carol,

Thank you for reading. I agree that a deal can be had when bartering in a shop with a dealer, but I’ve also found that online dealers create opportunities for a bargain.

Two weeks ago, I bought an item online that was unknowingly priced at least 2/3 below market value. There are deals to be had everywhere, especially in this economy!

I also like to recall the items that got away because it keeps me charged up, hoping to get a second chance if a comparable item pops up.

–Chris

]]> By: Carol Horvath http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/remembering-good-days-early-1990s/comment-page-1#comment-2020 Carol Horvath Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:09:30 +0000 http://www.worthpoint.com/?p=2470384#comment-2020 Enjoyed this article and loved the Willie the Picker piece. I, personally, love to go to shops. We still have a bunch here in Ohio, although some have totally closed to do online business only. It is much easier to get a good deal and the interaction and just putzing around handling stuff is fun. Granted it is more difficult to find really good buys anymore because of the internet. Lots of options; even more competition. Just like looking for a job. For me, online is just not the same. I just go by instinct--sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong and I always recall--fondly or otherwise--the ones that got away :)! Enjoyed this article and loved the Willie the Picker piece. I, personally, love to go to shops. We still have a bunch here in Ohio, although some have totally closed to do online business only.

It is much easier to get a good deal and the interaction and just putzing around handling stuff is fun. Granted it is more difficult to find really good buys anymore because of the internet. Lots of options; even more competition. Just like looking for a job. For me, online is just not the same. I just go by instinct–sometimes I’m right, sometimes I’m wrong and I always recall–fondly or otherwise–the ones that got away :)!

]]> By: Chris Hughes http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/remembering-good-days-early-1990s/comment-page-1#comment-1571 Chris Hughes Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:26:31 +0000 http://www.worthpoint.com/?p=2470384#comment-1571 Wally, Thanks for reading. In my parts, pickers have incorporated the internet into their business model, where they work out an arrangement with an ebay lister to handle the listing, e-commerce and shipping for their goods. This frees up their time to hunt. These are the guys who are waiting in line since 6AM for a 9AM tag sale. Wally,
Thanks for reading. In my parts, pickers have incorporated the internet into their business model, where they work out an arrangement with an ebay lister to handle the listing, e-commerce and shipping for their goods. This frees up their time to hunt. These are the guys who are waiting in line since 6AM for a 9AM tag sale.

]]> By: walt kolenda http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/remembering-good-days-early-1990s/comment-page-1#comment-1472 walt kolenda Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:43:22 +0000 http://www.worthpoint.com/?p=2470384#comment-1472 Hey Chris, nice article. I agree that there's nothing like finding that old shop that seems to be trapped in time. Up here in New England there are still a great many of them around thankfully. It was great to see Mike W's comment here about the importance of the "Picker". The picker is the most important person in the antiques world and does not get the respect they deserve. Many people have never even heard the term, but pickers are still out there and operating in the same way. If anyone is interested, they can hear a bit my friend "Willie the Picker" did for episode 3 of The AuctionWally Show, here's the link: http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-25106/TS-171934.mp3 Thanks for pointing out this important facet of the antiques business that must be preserved. Without the independent shop owner, we are in trouble. AW Hey Chris, nice article. I agree that there’s nothing like finding that old shop that seems to be trapped in time.
Up here in New England there are still a great many of them around thankfully.
It was great to see Mike W’s comment here about the importance of the “Picker”.
The picker is the most important person in the antiques world and does not get the respect they deserve. Many people have never even heard the term, but pickers are still out there and operating in the same way.
If anyone is interested, they can hear a bit my friend “Willie the Picker” did for episode 3 of The AuctionWally Show, here’s the link:
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-25106/TS-171934.mp3

Thanks for pointing out this important facet of the antiques business that must be preserved. Without the independent shop owner, we are in trouble.

AW

]]> By: Mike Wilcox http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/remembering-good-days-early-1990s/comment-page-1#comment-1284 Mike Wilcox Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:29:06 +0000 http://www.worthpoint.com/?p=2470384#comment-1284 I go back quite a bit farther than most in the Antique biz, about 1959. It was a fledgling of a business then in Canada, our start in it was as a branch of the cabinetmaking business, which in the late 50's was dying off. The difference from then to now is like night and day, at that time there was very little in the way of reference material, no price guides or sources of current values other than attending the local auctions religiously or buying auction catalogs from the "Big Houses" Sotheby's or Christies. What I miss most is how business used to transpire and the people you had to deal with. To make a dollar one had grease palms, do favors, swap & trade your way up the ladder. Back then the bottom end of the scale was the " Picker", colorful characters, most of them survived by picking up stuff where ever they could find it and selling it on " Up the Chain" for a quick profit. How well you treated your Pickers made a great deal of difference in your bottom line, treat them well, buy stuff off them occasionally you didn't want and you got first pick on their route. Cross them and they would " Bid you up" at the next auction or worse yet "warn off" other pickers from dealing with you. Today there are very few Pickers about, I've only got two on my list today, and they do it now mainly out of the thrill of the deal rather than an occupation ;~)There's lots more to tell, but that's another story. I go back quite a bit farther than most in the Antique biz, about 1959. It was a fledgling of a business then in Canada, our start in it was as a branch of the cabinetmaking business, which in the late 50′s was dying off. The difference from then to now is like night and day, at that time there was very little in the way of reference material, no price guides or sources of current values other than attending the local auctions religiously or buying auction catalogs from the “Big Houses” Sotheby’s or Christies.

What I miss most is how business used to transpire and the people you had to deal with. To make a dollar one had grease palms, do favors, swap & trade your way up the ladder. Back then the bottom end of the scale was the ” Picker”, colorful characters, most of them survived by picking up stuff where ever they could find it and selling it on ” Up the Chain” for a quick profit.

How well you treated your Pickers made a great deal of difference in your bottom line, treat them well, buy stuff off them occasionally you didn’t want and you got first pick on their route. Cross them and they would ” Bid you up” at the next auction or worse yet “warn off” other pickers from dealing with you.

Today there are very few Pickers about, I’ve only got two on my list today, and they do it now mainly out of the thrill of the deal rather than an occupation ;~)There’s lots more to tell, but that’s another story.

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