Colnect—available in 49 languages to collectors from around the world—provides a comprehensive collectibles catalog. The catalog is a wiki, created by contributing collectors on the free Web site. It is expected to replace most (if not all) printed catalogs by providing more up-to-date accurate information.

Colnect allows members to easily manage their personal collection by creating swap and wish lists using the catalog and to easily coordinate a swap with other collectors whom they are unable to meet. Colnect’s unique Auto-Matching feature can save you many hours of your time.

Many collectors use Colnect without registering and enjoy the free catalogs offered on the site, but thousands have taken advantage of the free membership to manage their personal collection with Colnect.

As part of the cooperative effort between Colnect and WorthPoint, WorthPoint members are eligible for free Premium membership on Colnect. Free members of WorthPoint will receive 1 month for free by clicking here, while WorthPoint paying members will receive two months for free by clicking here.

“We are excited to introduce WorthPoint to our collectors on Colnect” said Amir Wald, Colnect’s founder. “Valuations based on WorthPoint’s Worthopedia and Ask-a-Worthologist are bound to be of high value to our members.”

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

(Pittsfield, Mass.) – Four auctions featuring a galaxy of quality antiques, collectibles and vintage clocks are slated for the first half of 2009 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. An antique estate auction will be held Saturday, Jan. 10; a cataloged antique auction will be held Saturday, Feb. 7; another cataloged antique auction will be conducted Saturday, April 4; and vintage clocks will reign on Saturday, May 9.
“If these auctions turn out to be anything like the ones we had in 2008, they’ll be great,” said John Fontaine of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. “We’ve been very busy, securing consignments and getting ready for a banner year in 2009. I know the news regarding the economy generally isn’t good, but we’ve done very well in spite of it all. When you offer quality merchandise, people will bid on it.”
The Jan. 10 antique estate auction will begin promptly at 11 a.m., with a preview that morning from 8-11. The sale will feature over 500 lots of antiques and accessories from prominent local estates. Items will include early American, Victorian, Arts & Crafts, custom mahogany, period Empire, carved oak furniture, sterling silver, art glass, paintings, Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps, clocks and more.
The cataloged antique auction slated for Feb. 7 will begin at 11 a.m., with previews on Friday, Feb. 6, from 10-5, and Saturday morning, from 8-11. Featured will be 500 lots of fine antiques, in an array of categories. Sold will be high-end Victorian, custom mahogany, figural carved R.J. Horner, period Empire, rosewood Rococo and early American furniture.
The sale will also include over 100 pieces of Arts & Crafts furniture and accessories by Gustav Stickley, L. & J.G. Stickley, Limbert and Stickley Brothers. There will also be a selection of Arts & Crafts metalwork and pottery by Roycroft, Grueby, Rookwood, Fulper and more. Over 50 lamps will be sold, by Tiffany, Handel, Pairpoint, Moe Bridges Wilkinsen, Jefferson, Chicago Mosaic and more.
Rounding out the Feb. 7 sale will be art glass and cameo glass, KPM porcelain plaques, fine bronzes, marble statuary, oil paintings and hundreds of accessories. The second cataloged auction, on April 4, will feature a selection of laminated rosewood furniture including an outstanding “Rosalie” marble top table by John H. Belter; a selection of R.J. Horner furniture featuring a 10’ figural carved oak grandfather clock, a massive figural carved oak sideboard with curved beveled curio cabinets, and a great oak dining room set with full carved cherubs, also by Horner (circa 1885).
In all, 500 lots of quality antiques will cross the block. The auction starts at 11 a.m., with previews on Friday, April 3 (10-5) and Saturday (8-11). Another session was recently added that will see 80-100 lots of antique firearms come under the gavel. “We sold a few vintage weapons at one of our recent multi-estate sales,” Mr. Fontaine said, “and it resulted in some wonderful consignments.”
On May 9, Fontaine’s will hold a two-session Spring Antique Clock Auction. Already consigned is a Howard #61 astronomical regulator. Two of these coveted clocks were sold in previous Fontaine’s auctions. One went for $195,500 in June, while another example went for $189,750 in November. Also to be sold in April will be a Howard #70 clock with 20-inch dial, in the original finish chestnut case.
The Saturday, May 9 event will be split up into two sessions. Beginning at 10 a.m., a Discovery Session will feature many uncataloged clocks. Bidders are required to be in person at the gallery to preview and bid, as these clocks will be sold as-is. Then, starting at 1 p.m., the Main Catalog Session will commence. Offered will be many cataloged antique and rare clocks, to be sold in numbered order.
The centerpiece of the sale promises to be the Howard #61 astronomical regulator. The original owner of the clock, A.F. Robertson, was a lifelong craftsman in the art of watchmaking. In 1861, at age 16, he began to learn his craft under Louis Spaulding, formerly with the Waltham Watch Factory in San Francisco. He moved to Minnesota six years later and started his own jewelry business in St. Cloud.
The clock to be sold in May was purchased by Mr. Robertson for his store in the 1860s. The front glass pane read “A. F. Robertson.” In 1907, he moved to Harlowton, Mont., where he founded the Robertson Jewelry Firm. He lived there until his death. Two of his four sons continued to operate the business. One of them, William, changed the “A.F.” on the glass to “W.A.”, where it remains today.
The Robertson family took great care of the clock over the years, setting it on a protected custom pedestal in the store and keeping meticulous maintenance records. This continued up until William’s passing, in 1971, and with his niece, Betti, and her daughter (the current owner). “The provenance on this clock is impeccable and every record is intact,” Mr. Fontaine commented.
In addition to the Howard #61 astronomical regulator, approximately 500 other clocks – many of them rare, museum-quality pieces – will come up for bid on May 9. Fontaine’s is still accepting quality consignments for this and the other auctions slated for the first half of 2009. Clocks of every style, type and maker – provided they are vintage and collectible – are wanted for the May 9 auction. There will also be a music box session as well as a pocket watch session.
Fontaine’s Auction Gallery conducts all of its sales in a spacious gallery facility, located at 1485 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield, Mass. The firm is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call them directly, at (413) 448-8922, or e-mail them at info [at] fontaineauction [dot] com. To learn more, you may log on to www.fontainesauction.net.

- 30 -

Suggested cut lines:

Howard #61 Astronomical:
This rare and coveted Howard #61 astronomical regulator clock will be sold at the May 9 sale.

Horner dining set:
Carved cherub from an R.J. Horner carved oak dining set (circa 1885), to be sold at the Feb. 7 sale.

Antique firearms:
Over 80 antique firearms, some of them exceedingly rare, will be offered in the April 4 auction.

Winged griffin sideboard:
Phenomenal winged griffin oak sideboard by R.J. Horner, with carved crystal cabinets (Feb. 7 sale).

Belter Rosalie table:
Outstanding “Rosalie” marble-top table by John H. Belter in exceptional condition (Feb. 7 sale).

Howard #70 clock:
Howard #70 clock with 20-inch dial, in the original finish chestnut case (May 9 Spring Clock Auction).

Kovel and his wife, Terry, first came on the antiques scene in 1953 with the publication of their “Dictionary of Marks—Pottery & Porcelain.” The book was innovative in that it indexed pottery by factory markings rather than by country of origin.

Their column, “Kovels: Antiques and Collecting,” was nationally syndicated in 1954 and still appears today in more than 150 newspapers. The Kovels also produced TV series on public television, the Discovery Channel and HGTV.

Jim Kamnikar, president and CEO of GoAntiques.com, called Kovel an “icon.” “Consumers, collectors and dealers all benefited from his wealth of knowledge,” he said.

“Ralph Kovel was a pioneer in antiques price guides,” Will Seippel, founder and CEO of WorthPoint, said. “He was an innovative thinker with an entrepreneurial spirit.”

Those two characteristics were evidenced in Kovel’s endeavors outside of antiques. In the 1970s, he bought a small food company named Sar-A-Lee then sold it in 1989 to the Sara Lee Corp, for which he served as senior vice president until 2000. He was also president of a direct-marketing company and a shrimp farm in the Bahamas.

Born in Milwaukee, Kovel’s family moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio, in the 1930s. He was a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School and attended Ohio State University.

The husband-and-wife team co-authored 97 books, the last, “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide 2009,” came out this month.

Every once in a while, there is a collector-related story that receives major media attention, yet, gets a collective moan from a majority of collectors that it should be most relevant to. Remember that Velvet Underground acetate that “sold” on Ebay for over $150,000? I do. CNN even gave it coverage. However, did you catch any follow up articles on how the winning bidder didn’t even have enough money in his bank account to buy gas for his car? Numerous others had also made exorbitant bids with no intentions of ever paying. Apparently, it’s a strange ego boost to say you briefly had the high bid on one of the rarest records ever made; sad but true.

Recently, you may have caught a story in the media about the personal archive of Paul Mawhinney, owner of Record-Rama in Pittsburgh, PA. With a modest starting bid of only THREE MILLION DOLLARS, you just might have had a shot at his self-proclaimed “Worlds Greatest Music Collection” (over 3 million LPs and 45s along with 300,000 CDs). With a feature photo of Mawhinny holding one of rock’s holy grails (The Rolling Stones 1969 promotional album) and the auction’s claim that he was once offered over $28 million for his collection, one would assume the $3 million starting bid would be a great investment. Hey, that’s less than a buck each, what a steal! However, there was one catch: at Mawhinney’s request, the winning bidder should be a private collector who has no intention of breaking this collection up. Instead, they should be a philanthropist willing to create, or donate to, a museum dedicated to the “World’s Greatest Music Collection”.

Many found the self-imposed importance Mawhinney had given his own collection pretty humorous, especially when he had made minimal effort to say what was actually in his collection. I mean, do thousands of Nat King Cole and Perry Como-esque records qualify as museum quality? Who am I to say?

Paul seems like a passionate, lifelong collector so I won’t criticize the guy’s selling technique. What had my eyes rolling was the press the auction had received.
It amazed me that many in the media would write, as fact, that the collection had SOLD for $3+ million. The AP even reported that the winning bidder was legit and had already made a $300,000 down-payment. Interesting, considering that within a day of the auction’s end the winning bidder was no longer a registered user. I guess it wasn’t a red flag that the only other item this $3 million bidder had won in the last few months was a $7 memory card.

As of this evening, the AP has corrected the story, revealing that the winning bid was indeed fraudulent. The same story reported that Mawhinney has contacted the other bidders in hopes of finding a buyer. He sounded hopeful, quoted as saying “It’s still going to happen.”

I hope so, Paul. Hopefully those other bidders aren’t the same other bidders that took a shot at that Velvet Underground acetate.

But today is Sunday and I have “off” as well as tomorrow, Monday, labor day! I will then return to my next scheduled work week which should be a little better when the other nurse returns from another one of her extended vacations.(rolling eyes)LOL!

I will have to find some groups or forums here, to hang out in, so I can ask a ton ‘o questions, since I am readying myself to do listings again that are NOT in the old “bay”. I think I might list a thing or 2 for old time’s sake tooner or later, but nothing I wouldn’t worry about too much in case I get taken for a ride by a buyer and have my funds held by paypal!LOL!

Don’t get me wrong, but my ratings were pretty good over there, but I don’t trust that site enough to let them remain that way. So I figured as long as I was moving away from them, I’m going to make the best choices possible in finding a new home. After reading the news about this site combining with GoAntiques, I just was overwhelmed with being impressed! There is plenty of background and experience here and there, and lost of special folks who know what they are doing here. So..I’m glad to meet all of you fellow vintage dealers, and I can’t wait to get started!

Hi! My name is Robbie Jean, I am so pleased to have “tripped” over this site! I’m new to this & I’m looking forward to many chats about stuff! My husband & I just recieved a storage unit, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. He goes to flea markets, I clean the units. This is our 1st one, but already I’ve found some interesting things! My late aunt used to go to auctions & flea markets so that’s where I caught the “bug!” I, too, am amazed at the things people lose or just throw away.

I find that frequent attendance at art and antique shows, auctions and shops is vital as that is where I find the grand displays of the hundreds of categories that comprise the antiques and art worlds. And that’s where I find the very special and often fascinating people who spend their lives immersed in the world of arts and antiques, only too anxious to share their specialized knowledge with the rest of us. Even thrift shops and Salvation Army stores can be excellent sources for the eclectic collector.

Much of the pleasure of collecting art and antiques comes from the consistent study and fascination with a wide variety of art and antiques. Comparing, viewing, touching, feeling objects, noting their forms, the compositions, materials and styles, both visual and sensual, is immensely rewarding.

When I acquire an exciting item, I research its history: its makers and their methods, its material, style, usage and age. Thus, when finding similar objects, I have acquired some ability to determine whether they are “right” or not.

My photography plays a vital part in collecting. I study a piece from different angles, lighting it to achieve the best details. This is the way to truly see and understand the object. And, even if you should sell it one day, you will always have it with you.

Reference materials are an indispensable source of information. In my library, you will find books on Japanese, pre-Colombian, Chinese, Persian and African art. And you’ll find books on Hindu miniatures, American and European furniture, weathervanes, Western memorabilia, antique bottles, western Java puppets, antique advertising, Art Nouveau, old glass, old china, old silver, as well as copies of Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction catalogs and magazines.

I have attached four photographs of the most recent items that I have acquired: a wonderful painting of southwestern Acoma Indian pottery; a 100-year-old, Javanese Wayang Golek puppet (a similar puppet is shown in Mimi Herbert’s book, “Voices of the Puppet Masters”); a very old, brown-clay, two-handled pot, with unique hand decorations, whose origin I am in the process of investigating; and an interesting primitive painting that I believe may be from the Middle East or perhaps India.

The extent and variety of eclectic art and antique collecting is virtually limitless and brings with it over the years, a panoramic blend of education and experience that has no price.

Photos of my recent acquisitions

When asked, “What antiques do you collect?” I usually reply, “I am an eclectic collector.” Instead of limiting myself to one area, I study multiple but distinct categories of art and antiques. I’ve always thought that limiting your scope, as a collector, is depriving yourself of the beauty and histories of the hundreds of primitive, medieval and even modern cultures of our civilization.

I find that frequent attendance at art and antique shows, auctions, and shops is vital, as that is where I find the grand displays of the hundreds of categories that comprise the antique and art worlds. And that’s where I find the very special and often fascinating people who spend their lives immersed in the world of arts and antiques, only too anxious to share their specialized knowledge with the rest of us. Even thrift shops and Salvation Army stores can be excellent sources for the eclectic collector.

Much of the pleasure of collecting art and antiques comes from the consistent study and fascination with a wide variety of art and antiques. Comparing, viewing touching, feeling objects, noting their forms, the compositions, materials, and styles, both visual and sensual is immensely rewarding.

When I acquire an exciting item, I research its history: its makers and their methods, its material, style, usage, and age. Thus, when finding similar objects, I have acquired some ability to determine whether they are “right” or not.

My photography plays a vital part in collecting. I am referring to studying a piece from different angles, lighting to achieve the best details. This is the way to truly see and understand the object. And, even if you should sell it one day, you will always have it with you.

Reference materials are an indispensable source of information. In my library you will find books on Japanese, pre-Colombian, Chinese, Persian and African art. And you’ll find books on Hindu miniatures, American and European furniture, weathervanes, western memorabilia, antique bottles, western Java puppets, antique advertising, Art Nouveau, old glass, old china, old silver, as well as copies of Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction catalogues and magazines.

I have attached four photographs of the most recent items that I have acquired: a wonderful painting of southwestern Acoma Indian pottery; a 100-year-old, Javanese Wayang Golek puppet; (A similar puppet is shown in Mimi Herbert’s book: “Voices of the Puppet Masters.”) a very old, brown clay, two handled pot, with unique hand decorations, whose origin I am in the process of investigating; and an interesting primitive painting that I believe may be from the Middle East or perhaps India.

The extent and variety of eclectic art and antique collecting is virtually limitless and brings with it over the years, a panoramic blend of education and experience that has no price.

At dinner with some of my colleagues the other night, Mary and Marti, we considered the question: why do people collect stuff? We came up with a number of reasons, besides the usual ones like to invest in things that will hold or appreciate in value, to preserve family legacies or a piece of history, or for the sheer enjoyment of owning interesting items or decorating our abodes with them.

We figured that some people collect things in order to relate to an era that captures the imagination. Some collections are an expression of an individual’s sense of reverence for significant people or events that possess a certain meaning for the person, that illustrate the person’s sense of connection and continuity with history. In sum, the collection is a symbol of the person’s sense of place in the vast scheme of life.

Others may collect things in order to fill up a void — to infuse meaning into his or her life by importing concrete representations of historical value into their existence; so that the person perceives himself as a link in the long chain of humanity, rather than as a meaningless speck in an impersonal universe. In a sense, the collection is an armament in the all-too-human war against loneliness.

Still others collect things for the pleasure of imagining later generations discovering wonderful surprises about their forebear’s aesthetic sensibility.

Certainly, there are some people who collect and preserve things for reasons that include a combination of some of the above, and more.

The motives for collecting may be determined by many factors — unique as any individual. Or, the reasons may be far less complicated.

What do you think?

My name is Kerry, I am brand new here. I am not new to collecting, however. My family has been collecting obscure, unique things for years. I have just recently started to try to find information on some of the things that are a lttle puzzling to me. I look forward to talking with you!

I’ve been lurking here and enjoying Matt’s articles over the past few weeks. He has a wealth of information to share but so far its mainly been a one-sided conversation. In the hopes of opening up participation I figured an introduction thread would be in order.

My name is Marc Benton and I’m the Director of Product Development at WorthPoint…and I’m also hopelessly addicted to DC comics (ok maybe a few Marvel heroes too). Since I was a kid I’ve been hooked on the mainline heroes such as Superman, Flash, Green Lantern and many of the lesser popular ones like Dr Fate and The Phantom Stranger. My all-time favorites, the ones I’ll drop whatever I’m doing if I hear the names, are Batman and the Justice League.

Over the years my collection has similarities to the Atom, it grows and shrinks and grows and shrinks. Right now I have about two collector boxes full in the basement. Hopefully I can pull them out and scan some covers in to build a WorthPoint collection (and maybe get some advice from Matt :-) ).

If you’re a collector of comics, even Marvel comics ;-), let us know who you are. I look forward to hearing from you.

Marc…

Are you an antique collector? Before you answer, “no,” take a look around your home.

In just one room you could discover, as I did, several items well over 100 years old that continue to function admirably in either their original capacity or some creative new way.

We had no idea that an old and very heavy cabinet my husband had for years was a highly-regarded antique Pooley radio and phonograph from the early 1900′s until we had the item refinished. The refinisher informed us that the cabinet had once stood on tall, thin legs but due to the weight of the equipment, few original Pooley cabinets survive and ours has had the legs replaced with a low and sturdy base.

Another example in the same room is an antique rocking chair still comfortable and serviceable after close to a century of rocking several generations of newborns, mothers and great grandmothers. The chair was rescued from a garage and needed to have its upholstery redone and wood refinished, but it’s a lovely piece of furniture and the fact it has been in our family for so long makes it priceless to us.

An antique Seth Thomas mantel clock, which my father retrieved from a Goodwill store and repaired decades ago, still chimes the quarter hours and requires winding just once a week. My husband keeps his shoe polish inside an old wooden Ronson Roto-Shine Magnetic box bought for a song a half dozen years ago.

In the same room are other pieces, perhaps not with the same family history but purchased at second-hand stores and antique shops that bring, to us, a sense of timelessness and the comfort of familiarity. An oval mirror purchased at an antique store lights up a corner of a room. It’s frame, hand-painted with flowers and heavily shellacked is a charming piece of Americana.

While not intending to be an antique collector, you may find, as I did, that those pieces you’ve had in your family for years may have acquired the patina and age necessary to be called ‘antiques.’ The things we surround ourselves with, that we carry with us from move to move, give us a sense of continuity and place. If those things also have a history, from our own friends and families or just as unique item found at a shop or sale, they can give us satisfaction and a feeling of comfort.

Click here to see antique radios from the Museum of Radio and Technology.

Click here to read about or join the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors.

Click here to visit The American Clock & Watch Museum.

Hi, I’m Elise and I now live in Amsterdam. When I was in my twenties I lived in Japan for seven years. I wasn’t a geisha or anything like that. I led a rock and roll life as a music journalist and impresario. When all the glitter fell off my face and I decided to come down to Earth, I discovered that collecting Japanese treasures such as Arita pottery was more satisfying than, well, interviewing David Bowie.

Arita porcelain is an elaborate form of Japanese pottery dating back to the 1600s. I have four pieces in my collection, but this is one of my favorite pieces. No, it’s not four hundred years old. This one is an authorized reproduction from the Sixties.

It is shaped like a vase, but it is nearly as large as a flower pot. It has the crane as a good luck symbol and gold flourishes in squiggly lines on top. Gorgeous cobalt blue accents fill the bodies of the elegant birds. I came to this piece through the parents of a very dear boyfriend of long ago. Yujiro’s parents are pottery collectors who had shelves of Arita. The sentimental value of this piece brings tears to my eyes.

Arita porcelain is named after a town on the Japanese island of Kyushu. It is also known as Imari ware because that’s the nearby port from where it was shipped to Europe. The Japanese porcelain industry started there after Japan invaded Korea and brought back Korean artisans. One of the artisans, Yi Sam-p’young, discovered a source of special white kaolin clay near Arita in 1616. Today he is enshrined in Japan as the “father” of Arita pottery.

Arita ware contains blue and white glazes similar to Chinese Ming Dynasty porcelain. Arita designs flourish with cranes and other migratory birds and carp (the lucky fish), plus many scenes of daily life. Classic blue-and-white Arita ware was discovered by agents for the Dutch East India Company. Other styles soon emerged with elaborate and densely pattered designs, brilliant colors and gold trim. These were reserved for the Samurai class and export to Europe.

The popularity of imported Arita ware inspired artisans in Holland to expand their own industry, including the famous Delft blue-and-white pottery that often imitated of Chinese and Japanese designs.

I also collect Bizen (yaki) pottery, but I consider Arita ware to be very special because of my personal connection to a Japanese family that taught me about it. What’s ironic is that I now live in the land of Delft blue. When I visit museums I can see first-hand how the Dutch were influenced by the Japanese and compare these two artistic styles through the ages. If you’re thinking that pottery brought me to Europe, it’s not that simple. Yet life is funny in the way you come full

Collectors – usually pay 50 to 75% of retail value and pay the highest % of value for rare and unusual items.

Specialty Dealers/Collectors – pay from 30 to 75% of an items retail value-these people usually buy as an investment and their anxiety level to add this item to their collection or inventory will directly influence what they are willing to pay.

Auction Houses – exist at all levels of skill and clientele. The price that you get at auction will depend on not only the quality of the item but also its competition within the sale. The average bidder at important auctions are dealers, so be prepared to pay double or triple the amount actually payed at the auction. Prices range from a typical 15 to 60%. Only rare goods under perfect condition in important auctions will sell for 75%-100% of value or more. Remember, always, to deduct the auction house charges, which are typically 15% to 25% of the bid.

Online Auctions – like any auction present a risk, perhaps, in my opinion, even greater since you are dealing with total strangers which are quite different then dealing with experts. However it is a great way to get a deal, whether you are buying or selling.

Antique Shops – these businesses come in all shapes and sizes and generally pay 5 to 30% of retail. Higher prices are paid for faster moving, quality items. Shop owners can be dicey if they are buying outside of their specialty, they may offer you considerably less than the actual value of the item, sometimes as low as 1 to 5%.

Mall Dealers – profits are low, so the prices they pay have to be low too. They will seldom pay you anything more than 20%.

Flea Market Dealers – generally pay about 1 to 15%.

Pickers – buy from yard sales, boot sales, and anywhere else they pay from 1 to 20% of dollar value and usually less. Picking, using the adage buy low sell high can make being a Picker a profitable business.

Yard Sale Buyers – pay well for children’s clothing but few other items fare as well. Items worth 200.00 to 10,000.00 may get 5 cent to 10 cent for each 10.00 value.