posted on June 23, 2006 01:10:12 PM new
You'd be surprised Fluff! They represent a cross-section of society. I used to think there were more men than women but I think I am seeing about 50-50 now (that may be the number of women using computers is increasing?). I joked to my husband that we had a higher percentage of people with Irish surnames but I have no REAL data on that. A lot of history buffs collect postcards -but I also sell to impulse buyers who never THOUGHT they were going to buy a postcard but found one that struck their fancy. I think some people go to ebay and don't know what to look for so they type in their name and up pops a postcard with their name on it somehow (name of a motel, a photographer, a recipient or sender (though I usually don't go to the trouble of typing all of that in) or they type in their name of their "hometown" and they get started! It's a great collecting interest for people living in smaller quarters - they can have thousands in a couple of shoeboxes tucked under the bed!
People do frame them - I remember one lady who did a complete wall in Ramona's Wedding Place postcards from San Diego! Others are lucky enough to find cards of their cottage or house.
Some people collect very specific types of postcards - one gentleman collects postcards from Washington DC postmarked on inaugral days! A frequent buyer of mine collects department stores, another Polynesian Restaurants, another trollies and interurbans (that's the national newsanchor). One lady buys my favorite real photos of people circa 1910 (if I were going to collect, I think I would collect this type of card). They are cool and take a lot less space (and collect less dust) than my Bauer mixing bowl collection or my lady figural planters/vases).
I guess some people are "collectors" and some aren't. My Grandmother Steinberg collected just about everything and she was one of the most interesting women I have ever known. Her particular passions were paperweights (and she started collecting in the 1920S), snuff bottles, netsukes and later in life (in her 70's and 80's) amber. I don't think the question for the collector is "What do you DO with it?" - it's enough just to OWN it.
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posted on June 23, 2006 02:55:52 PM new
Fluff,
why are you still selling your sterling silver jewelry for 99 cents??
My supplier is now charging me avg 6 dollars for a sterling silver charm!!!!!
/ lets all stop whining !! /
[ edited by hwahwa on Jun 23, 2006 03:18 PM ]
posted on June 24, 2006 06:44:31 AM new
Uh, because it sells, because I'm making money and because I have an exclusive contract to buy hundreds of thousands of pieces at a price that allows a profit?
I don't know, was that too hard for you to figure out?
Other sellers were charging $6 and more for charms even before the boom. It's not like you have to pay it.
One of our minor suppliers hiked their prices over 250% during the recent silver mania. They lost us as a customer and clearly they lost other people too, since they've been sending out "We don't like having to do it, really!" letters ever since. Buh-bye, folks.
None of our other suppliers raised their prices.
You're not one of those silly people who believe that you make more money if you raise prices, are you? I'm not selling gasoline, you know. Most people can go for a month without buying jewelry.
posted on June 24, 2006 06:56:10 AM new
Interesting postcard collections I've run across: music at the seaside, women reading, ladies wearing big hats, postcards with lace or buttons, altered Mona Lisas, women hugging crosses, insane asylums. Many start with one or two things they collect and spread out from there. Several have nice presentaions on their websites.
[ edited by pixiamom on Jun 24, 2006 08:23 AM ]
posted on June 24, 2006 07:42:58 AM new
well I can personally attest to the quality of Fluff's jewelry. BTW my DH's grandson loved loved loved the cross and chain - thanks!
I have framed postcards from my hometown aka "tourist trap". I got the idea from a patient who had them framed in her bathroom. It was really cute and so I copied it.
I have a header wall from across the living room and ? room with a space that was just crying out to be filled with something little. I picked up some $1.00 frames from the everythings a dollar store that are matted with an opening just right for the postcards. I like them and others have commented favorably on them so I guess it looks ok.
posted on June 24, 2006 08:06:04 AM new
'Most people can go for a month without buying jewelry.
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Some can go forever without buying jewelry!
