With the move into the new apartment on Sawtelle I was more concerned about storing my "craft stuff" than anything else so I separated the living area/dining area into a living area/craft area. One table, many shelves, one chair and a TV that could move from back to front was all I needed to keep me happy. I would come home from work, eat dinner, then start crafting while I watched TV. Well, you know what they say about idle hands. Every now and then I would participate in a craft show and sell my goods. I did well. I specialized in Christmas ornaments but I also did other things - I decorated baskets and Teddy Bears, I sewed lingerie bags, made purses, sachets and well, to be honest, I think I tried to make everything from every "how to" book ever published. And with each new learning experience, I knew that somewhere down the line, all the knowledge I absorbed would would be put to use some day. With the money I made at the craft shows I was able to purchase more and more antiques and collectibles. And of course the inevitable eventually happened - I had more stuff than I knew what to do with. But I also still wanted MORE!
This is the learning curve that every dealer has to go through - how to hone the eye, to learn to purchase the "best" and then discard the "less than perfect" piece. Everything I had purchsed in my "early days" I considered a learning experience, and yes, I made mistakes. Never anything major mind you, but I did get "taken" at times. Oh well. So as I bought new things for the apartment or for my Treasure Chest (every dealer has a treasure chest), I placed the "old" into a box. And so it happened that one day in 1987 I simply had too much stuff in the apartment and needed to SELL!
Santa Monica had a small 1 day antique show at the corner of Lincoln and Santa Monica Blvd. Well, somewhere in there. It was held in the parking lot of an antiques shop and it was where I honed my eye. I didn't make much money at first but I certainly learned about linens, quilts, prints, jewelry and so much more. I had some of the best teachers at that time and they were more than happy to point me in the right direction. From that show I learned of another antique show in the area, the Culver City Antique Show (now defunct) held once a month on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Yep, it clashed with the Long Beach Flea Market, but at least it was inside and air conditioned. Even today, I just can't take outside heat!
I managed to secure a space at one of the shows due to a cancellation and I showed up with high hopes. The first person I met was Pat Bates and the second, Richard Fauteux. Pat dealt in (mostly) textiles but she also carried furniture. Richard specialized in jewelry and small collectibles of the silver sort. Both were great dealers and both made their living by their trade. I was honestly amazed that one could make a living just by selling antiques/collectibles. At the time, I couldn't have existed without my job as a legal secretary at a law firm. How times have changed!
Pat welcomed me to the show and with one eye on the inventory I was unloading, she was quick to cry "I want that" every time I pulled out something that pleased her. Soon, she disappeared and the next thing I knew was that my booth was filled to bursting with other dealers from the show. No customers (we weren't open yet), just dealers. And they picked me clean! I couldn't believe it. My pockets were filled with cash and my booth was practically empty. It was one of those moments when I thought I could do this forever and I envied those who did it full time.
Well the doors to the show finally opened and when the customers approached my booth, I was greeted with groans as obviously they knew something I didn't. But even with the limited inventory still in the booth, I sold. At the end of the day, I had practically nothing left of my old inventory. Instead I had a purse full of cash and checks and, of course, couldn't wait to spend it all.
As I was packing up to leave Pat wandered over and asked how I did. I told her I had done well, $1,300 to be exact. She nodded her head and replied "that's good but do you want to know how you could have done better?" Curious I said yes. And here's a lesson for every antique newbie out there.......
"How did you price your inventory?" Interesting question, I thought.
"Well, what I paid for it and then doubled but with the best stuff, maybe a little more to the price" was my reply.
"That's what everyone does at first. Now let me ask you this, did you do any research before you put a price tag on your stuff?"
"No" I said. And Pat began to tell me how researching the market was what I had to learn. Who was selling a similar item for what price - how scarce was my item - was it common - unusual - possibly one of a kind? Well, the questions were such that I couldn't really give any answers and that's when Pat dropped the bomb.
"Okay, let's take a look at some of the stuff I bought. You sold me a quilt for $75. I'm going to ask $250. You sold me a mink wrap for $65 - I'm going to sell if for $500. You sold me a pair of beaded shoes for $125. I'm going ask $500 for them." My jaw dropped! The prices she were quoting were unfathomable to me. Even today I think back on those prices and still think they were high. But....
So, with my first lesson I was prepared to do battle. I would learn more, research more, and sell better. After all, since I had a full time job, I could afford to take a few more risks. Well, as much as my pocketbook would allow.
And on that note, I will end now and continue later.
This is the learning curve that every dealer has to go through - how to hone the eye, to learn to purchase the "best" and then discard the "less than perfect" piece. Everything I had purchsed in my "early days" I considered a learning experience, and yes, I made mistakes. Never anything major mind you, but I did get "taken" at times. Oh well. So as I bought new things for the apartment or for my Treasure Chest (every dealer has a treasure chest), I placed the "old" into a box. And so it happened that one day in 1987 I simply had too much stuff in the apartment and needed to SELL!
Santa Monica had a small 1 day antique show at the corner of Lincoln and Santa Monica Blvd. Well, somewhere in there. It was held in the parking lot of an antiques shop and it was where I honed my eye. I didn't make much money at first but I certainly learned about linens, quilts, prints, jewelry and so much more. I had some of the best teachers at that time and they were more than happy to point me in the right direction. From that show I learned of another antique show in the area, the Culver City Antique Show (now defunct) held once a month on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Yep, it clashed with the Long Beach Flea Market, but at least it was inside and air conditioned. Even today, I just can't take outside heat!
I managed to secure a space at one of the shows due to a cancellation and I showed up with high hopes. The first person I met was Pat Bates and the second, Richard Fauteux. Pat dealt in (mostly) textiles but she also carried furniture. Richard specialized in jewelry and small collectibles of the silver sort. Both were great dealers and both made their living by their trade. I was honestly amazed that one could make a living just by selling antiques/collectibles. At the time, I couldn't have existed without my job as a legal secretary at a law firm. How times have changed!
Pat welcomed me to the show and with one eye on the inventory I was unloading, she was quick to cry "I want that" every time I pulled out something that pleased her. Soon, she disappeared and the next thing I knew was that my booth was filled to bursting with other dealers from the show. No customers (we weren't open yet), just dealers. And they picked me clean! I couldn't believe it. My pockets were filled with cash and my booth was practically empty. It was one of those moments when I thought I could do this forever and I envied those who did it full time.
Well the doors to the show finally opened and when the customers approached my booth, I was greeted with groans as obviously they knew something I didn't. But even with the limited inventory still in the booth, I sold. At the end of the day, I had practically nothing left of my old inventory. Instead I had a purse full of cash and checks and, of course, couldn't wait to spend it all.
As I was packing up to leave Pat wandered over and asked how I did. I told her I had done well, $1,300 to be exact. She nodded her head and replied "that's good but do you want to know how you could have done better?" Curious I said yes. And here's a lesson for every antique newbie out there.......
"How did you price your inventory?" Interesting question, I thought.
"Well, what I paid for it and then doubled but with the best stuff, maybe a little more to the price" was my reply.
"That's what everyone does at first. Now let me ask you this, did you do any research before you put a price tag on your stuff?"
"No" I said. And Pat began to tell me how researching the market was what I had to learn. Who was selling a similar item for what price - how scarce was my item - was it common - unusual - possibly one of a kind? Well, the questions were such that I couldn't really give any answers and that's when Pat dropped the bomb.
"Okay, let's take a look at some of the stuff I bought. You sold me a quilt for $75. I'm going to ask $250. You sold me a mink wrap for $65 - I'm going to sell if for $500. You sold me a pair of beaded shoes for $125. I'm going ask $500 for them." My jaw dropped! The prices she were quoting were unfathomable to me. Even today I think back on those prices and still think they were high. But....
So, with my first lesson I was prepared to do battle. I would learn more, research more, and sell better. After all, since I had a full time job, I could afford to take a few more risks. Well, as much as my pocketbook would allow.
And on that note, I will end now and continue later.
(All images on this page are from a past CALM Antique Show held in Santa Barbara, a show where I exhibited for a few years.)
Till the next time....
Till the next time....
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