What Do You Collect - Articles - Zimbio

Towle Old Master Silver Flatware

Mon, 9 Sep 2008 17:45:00 GMT

posted by randomthinker

Towle is known for their high quality, beautiful silver flatware and this is certainly true with the Towle Old Master pattern. This pattern has been one of Towle’s most popular silver flatware designers for over 50 years now. It’s evident by the design that much care was taken to make this a beautiful Early Victorian design. The good news is that this popular designer is still being made today and you can also find many great deals on full sets or individual pieces of antique Towle Old Master silver flatware through internet auctions.

Collecting Lady Head Vases

Mon, 18 Mar 2008 20:11:07 GMT

posted by dazzled

Lady head vases were made primarily in Japan and were popular in America from the late 1940s through the early ’70’s. These ceramic vases were used in florists’ flower arrangements.

There were dozens of manufacturers and thousands of different kinds of vases. As a result, you’ll find them at flea markets and yard sales, antiques malls, and auctions for lady head vases including on eBay.

Makers include Napco, Enesco, Rubens and Betty Lou Nichols, whose marks make good identifiers, but unfortunately not all vases have them. One good way to identify quality vases is to look for flourishes such as necklaces and dangling earrings. These should have a patina about them, and not look new and shiny.

Prices vary, and you can find a nice vase for $15, but expect to pay more like $50 for a lady head vase in good condition. Some sell for as much as $1,500.

Make Sure Your Lady Head Vase is Not a Reproduction

If you are looking for a vintage lady head vase, make sure the one you’re thinking about buying is a genuine vintage vase and not a poorly made imported headvase being sold as old or vintage.

There are a lot of imported reproduction lady head vases being sold as vintage. Fortunately, these fakes are often easy to spot. Genuine vintage head vases are beautiful, with finely painted delicate features. They have thick eyelashes and beautiful skin tones. Some have feathers, earrings, or other jewelry details.

On the other hand, the imported lady head vases are rather unattractive, with poorly painted or skimpy details and lacking the lovely colors used in authentic vintage head vases.
To protect yourself, go to the library, find a book on lady head vases, and compare the vase you want to buy with the genuine headvase in the book. Compare the number if there is one.

Once you study the older pieces, you’ll learn to recognize the small details that separate the quickly produced, cheap reproductions from the older vintage lady head vases.

You want to treasure your collectible vintage lady head vase for years to come!

Some good resources are the Head Vase Museum and Antique Head Vases.

Article reprinted from Lady Head Vases.

Post from: Recreation Lounge

Anything Can Be a Collectible

Tue, 7 Nov 2007 21:26:15 GMT

posted by dazzled

I am proof positive that anything you like can become a collectible.

I few years ago I got on a donkey and mule kick (no pun intended). I owned a mule at the time, and although I’m a horse fanatic, the unusual aspect of these equines - probably the ears - interested me enough that when I came across a cute donkey figurine on eBay I bought it.

After about 40 more darling items I forced myself to stop - the UPS guy and I were seeing waaaay too much of each other, and I had more donkeys and mules than I knew where to display. They include figurines from Russia, Poland, Brazil, Italy, England, and Germany, and are made of porcelain, ceramic, papier mache, wood, fabric, glass; one is made of coffee grounds and another is Eeyore.

I have a tiny 1/2 inch Bakelite donkey with a compass in his middle that I wear as a pendant, and one made of Vaseline glass that glows under a blacklight. Some have babies, some wear hats, a few are salt and pepper shakers, one holds toothpicks, and one is a lamp. I refused to buy the one that has a cigarette come out of its butt when you push a lever.

We all have our limits.

Welcome to our wikizine called "What Do You Collect"

Tue, 7 Nov 2007 22:53:29 GMT

posted by dazzled
Wikizines are interactive magazines that anyone can create or edit - and this one is called "What Do You Collect". Here you can find fresh voices and respond in real time. Some members write articles about recent news and trends related to the wikizine's topic, others recount relevant personal stories or share their favorite pictures and video clips. Got an interesting idea or story to share with other members of this wikizine? Well, then put on your journalist's cap and add your own article!

SilverFlatwareShoppe.com » Blog Archive » Towle Old Master Silver Flatware

Mon, 9 Sep 2008 17:46:13 GMT

posted by randomthinker

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