posted on January 5, 2001 01:03:38 PM new
HARTCOTTAGEQUILTS
Hello, I hate to ask but your knowledge is impressive. Can you give me a realistic value for a round table doily, apprx. 24" diameter, excellent condition, Cantu Lace with fantasy or mythical animal figures in insets, from a Victorian estate, dated about 1900?
posted on January 5, 2001 01:35:48 PM new
Blurocks: We had a regulation antique shop ... actually at one point we had two shops (that was before the previous ... early 90s ... recession got to us and we closed one of them). A regular shop with all kinds of antiques and collectibles including furniture, pottery, glass, silver, linens, toys and even jewelry -- just about anything that we could get our hands on. We have never believed in specializing - yeah, it can sure help your knowledge of one area to specialize and makes you a real expert. BUT, you sure don't make a lot of money if you specialize -- that is, if you are in the traditional Brick and Mortar retail. The internet has changed that. I do think that the people who are doing best on eBay now are the specialists ... because they are the ones who have the most product knowledge. Us 'generalists' are out there skating around trying to sound smart!
I wish you a lot of luck. Get out of retail! You'll never regret it. Actually you're never REALLY OUT of it. On the internet you still have to deal with nasty emails and nutty customers -- but at least you don't have them in your face!
posted on January 5, 2001 03:58:27 PM newrdee - My "expertise," such as it is, is in vintage yard goods and quilts, although my knowledge does overlap a bit. Lace is a specialty of its own; although I'm not qualified to do an appraisal, I can do a bit of research. But I can't do anything at all without a pic!
