Excite Your Mind With Antiques

By: Marc Washicheck

As seen in The Antique Shoppe Newspaper, August 2006

The Antique and Collectible market is as vast as the sky. There are thousands of different categories, manufacturers, patterns, colors, names, uses of antiques. It is impossible to  know everything, even in one category. I always confessed I was not an Antique dealer, but was a dabbler, and I knew enough to get by and make a living. The more antique seminars I attend as host for the Cherry Hill Collectors Club Antique Educational Seminar Series,  the more I realize, I have much more to learn.

I’m not a Doll person, but learned so much at the Doll seminar given by Lynda Marks, on Feb 5th. I now can really appreciate the entire Doll category. I had no idea that the hard plastic dolls from the 40’s and 50’s can get moldy inside the bodies. They will smell awful. The only thing you can do with these dolls is to burn them, since the mold will spread to other dolls, and the odor will never leave. For this reason it is very hard to buy these dolls on eBay or online since the seller (if they don’t know about the mold) will tell you it’s a musty smell and the odor will go away. Buyers must also check the eyes, not only to see if they open and close, but to make sure they haven’t been replaced. Lynda also gave great hints of how to wash dolls hair, and how much you can restore a doll before losing value. Of course these differ with each doll.

On May 7th, Frank Gready, a collector of Depression glass for over 12 years,  presented a wonderful seminar which included some history of the United States and how that influenced Depression glass. We learned that until 1935 only 50% of the United States had electricity, which means 50% still had ice boxes. Tupperware or plastic leftover dishes weren’t invented yet, so that’s why there are ice box dishes in many different sizes, and color of glass. Depression glass towel bars were used in the home, where as metal towel bars with Depression glass knobs where used in bunk houses, or back porches where the men would wash up. Frank also set a table with all mismatched Depression glass dishes to show what the average table looked like back in the 20’s and 30’s. Most Depression glass was given out in flour sacks, soap, or even at movie theaters so women never knew what color was in the bag. Housewives would try to trade with other housewives so they could have a matching set of dishes, but that didn’t always work. To this date green is still the most popular. This seminar was about kitchen glassware, so we were also introduced to some very rare pieces of Depression glass such as a fly catcher, ice grinder, apple peeler and even a huge pickle jar. Mr. Gready also explained that since celophane tape wasn’t invented yet, every kitchen and store had a string holder, which was the only way to bundle things together. Mr. Buddy West said “I loved the way Frank spoke of the U.S. history and how it pertained to Depression glass.”  There is so much to know about Depression glass. Everyone is thrilled that Frank will be speaking at another seminar with emphasis on dinnerware including elegant glass. Elegant Depression glass was mostly for the upper class and rarely would be found on a kitchen table.  He will be setting dinning room tables the way they looked in the 20’s and 30’s, very elegant.

Bob Lebeux was the speaker at the Paperweight seminar in March,  (a 30 year collector), brought about 30 beautiful paperweights, and many very rare. He showed the students that canes are the burst of color inside a paperweight, and each artist had his own canes. That is the main way to tell who made a paperweight, but unfortunately the glass artist would go from one factory to another, so it was hard to tell the manufacturer. He explained that paperweights that are signed are usually the newer ones, and also showed us the main sizes (mini, regular and large) they come in. Bob also told about the perils of buying paperweights on eBay or online since you can’t look very close at flaws, and even a small flaw can lower the value drastically. When shopping for paperweights an eye loop or magnifying glass is a must. Bob discussed the major paperweight manufacturers, where the major paperweight museums are located, and also which books to buy to learn more about these beautiful treasures. Ms. Steepy stated “I never paid any attention to paperweights before, but now that I know what to look for I hunt out the paperweights first. It opened up a whole new world of beauty for me, since every paperweight is an original and truly a work of art.” Bob will be speaking at the second seminar in his series of  three. This informative and fun seminar will take place July 30. 

Speaker John Shriner discussed Rookwood, Roseville, and Van Briggle pottery at his American Art Seminar which took place March 12th. He talked about the manufacturers and dates of operation, and basics of American Art Pottery. He discussed the patterns of Rookwood, Roseville, and Van Briggle and how rare many of these pieces are. Shriner brought about 30 pieces from his private collection.  Many are very rare. He strongly suggested going to antique stores, pottery shows, antique shows and buying books to study the huge pottery subject. Shriner explained it is hard to buy pottery on eBay or online since it is very easy to change a color of a vase simply by changing the camera angle or changing the light. This can mean the difference between an authentic piece of Roseville or a reproduction, since the new pottery is a slightly different color. Mrs. Spering said “This opened up a whole new world of collecting. I never knew these beautiful creations existed. I’m going to save up for a few choice pieces of Roseville pottery rather than buy a lot of small inexpensive pieces of 'nothing' pottery.”   

Cherry Hill Collectors Club Seminars are for dedicated browsers or avid collectors. Seminars guest speakers are collectors who are passionate about their collections, and want to share their knowledge and enthusiasm so customers can make an educated decision when buying, whether it is an antique or not. Admission includes membership into the Collectors Club for one year, a “Meet and Greet” party including all instructors and students, and discounts at Cherry Hill Antiques. All seminars include a light lunch and only cost $20.00 per student. Contact Marc at 863-993-2344, email info@CherryHillAntiques.com or visit the website www.CherryHillAntiques.com for more information, reservations, questions or comments. Seminars take place Sundays at Cherry Hill Antiques, 120 W. Oak Street, Arcadia, Fl, 34266.

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