Grapenut Glass and More! Dealer in Vintage Glass, Pottery, Porcelain Jewelry & More

Do you ever get the feeling that you have a “sixth sense” or maybe have really fine-honed intuition about certain things? I’m not talking about vintage items “speaking” to you; I think we’ve all had that happen, and my home is just full of chatty items. I mean, do you ever pick up on “vibes” given off by an item? This is a topic I’ll bet gets discussed a lot; I have never seen any of the “Haunted Antiques”-type television shows; He-Who-Controls-The-Remote doesn’t deign those shows watch-worthy. I understand the premise; bad vibes coming from vintage or antique items, in a nutshell. I’d never really thought much about it, other than trying to smudge my home occasionally; I do believe that it is possible for strong feelings and emotions to attach themselves to personal items. So, just in case, I’ll smudge every so often, because of bringing so much of Other-People’s-Stuff into my home.

But recently, I acquired a piece at a sale that I just don’t care much for. It’s nice enough, well-made and all that. It just has a heaviness about it; a foreboding, even. I wear my vintage jewelry often; I just can’t wear this piece. It makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think it’s “just me”; I’ve put it on, got that weird feeling and then switched to another piece; it’s like night and day.

I’ve never gotten such a strong feeling from anything before, except for a stuffed Santa doll that I was never so glad to see something go to a new home; it was Creep Factor 5 on a ‘1 being not creepy and 10 making your skin crawl’ scale.  He turned up in the oddest places. I suspect my kids had picked up on me being creeped-out by it and managed to move him around when I was otherwise occupied. At any rate, he’s gone to a good home a couple of years past and I cannot say I miss him.

I’m hoping that this jewelry item goes off to a new home soon. I can’t help thinking the piece picked me, though. The sale was a crowded one; it was the second day of a three-day sale and I know at least one of my major competitors had been there the day before and had left this piece unbought. We’ll see; maybe I am just the right vessel to bring the item and its desired owner together.

In an attempt to solve my storage problems, I have tried several different containers and methods of sorting. I find that the clear plastic “drawers” work very well for jewelry, when coupled with the rubber kitchen-drawer mats available for lining silverware drawers. I use shallow plastic ones; I do know of people who use deeper drawers and layer their jewelry but I am not comfortable with that; I like to be able to see at a glance what is inside.

Of course, the old stand-by vintage jewelry boxes are usually easy to find and inexpensive to buy at garage and estate sales. I think I have about five of these in medium to large sizes in my staging area (unlisted) and another five to six for listed items that I use to sort by bracelets, brooches, etc. and then by flowers, figurals, signed, unsigned and so forth. Funny, it didn’t seem like that much until I started counting………where was I?

Oh yes, storage. The big, breakable pottery or glass that isn’t on display in my curio cabinets is packed into plastic totes, of which I (very proudly) have a Word file listing what is in each tote, able to be updated on a regular basis, (this updating to be announced, of course. I’ll get around to it). This is a giant step up from my handwritten inventory list, with much scratching through and whiting-out of items. I am happy to say that I have not had to unpack every ding-dang-frakking tote to find something that was supposed to be in a certain container in, oh, at least 3 months. Go, me.

I also try to keep a file of sold items, with picture and description, because there have been times when I came across identical items months or years apart. It does help to have this information with a photo to refresh your memory.

My system is not perfect, and not as organized as I’d like. I have heard tell of people who alphabetize, categorize, and label all their items; they know at any given time how many items are on hand, where they are located, and how much they paid. I am happy to be able to find my inventory after looking for only a few minutes……usually in a place I had already searched.

Obviously, I have done something wrong. After all my planning, here it is 3 hours into the sale and the only items sold have been two Fire King casseroles, to my Mother. I’ve seen almost no traffic; had four sets of browsers, all of which looked but commented under their breath (they thought) that the prices were too high. So what went wrong?? Not good enough advertising? Possibly. I hung signs in town and put an ad in the local paper and Craigslist. The newspaper conveniently left off the part about it being an “Estate Sale”, which I had hoped would alert shoppers to the fact that the prices would be more in line with, well, an estate sale. Prices too high? Apparently the few who came looking for rummage-sale prices thought so.

So, how does one compromise? I have no trouble spending money; all one has to do is look around at the collection I’ve accumulated to see that. Why does it seem that everyone else has trouble parting with cash? Is it because of the fall season that no one gets out at the crack of dawn like they do in the spring and summer to hit the sales? I have no answers; if I did, I wouldn’t be writing this now and apologizing to the nice old ladies who just left about my prices being “too high”. I’d be taking money and wrapping purchases, instead of typing out a forlorn missive on what a bust this morning has been. And malevolently eyeballing the empty totes I will soon be filling back up with stock.

Oh, well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. At least I can inventory my stock as I re-pack everything.

Some friends of mine have started a Facebook page for posting memories of our hometown. It has really brought home to me the importance of how you present yourself to other people. The page has members of all ages and social strata. Even if I weren’t selling online and in a brick-and-mortar shop, my upbringing was such that I try to put my best foot forward in writing and communicating. Not being a person who took to Math and Geometry, and being woefully inept at sports, I gravitated towards English, finding something I could “grasp” in reading and writing. I had some very fine teachers whole helped me discover History and Humanities as well.

I find it disturbing now to see the trend toward abbreviation, slang, and downright mangling of words that is being perpetrated on the English language by mostly younger people, but also by people of my own generation and younger who have fallen into bad communication habits. One must remember that the Internet is a huge place; and your words, even though you may think they have disappeared after a time, are still there, floating around and funneling through cyberspace like undetonated bombs.

Of course we use proper English and Grammar when writing listings; but sometimes we let our guard down when we are relaxing, chatting and just having fun on a group page or chatroom; if these are private, members-only, not-open-for-all-to-see areas, there probably would never be a problem. However, when posting to a public forum like Facebook, MySpace or one of the several Help Forums available online, as sellers who are trying to market our inventory, we ought to remember that we are also, in a way, selling ourselves. With our exposure on Ruby Lane, usually with our surnames attached, it is not inconceivable that a potential customer might run across a seller on an Internet page. How embarrassing would it be to receive a message from someone, “There’s a widget I’d really love to buy from you, but after seeing the horrible way you ‘talked’ on the Stupendous Wonderful Collector’s Page, I’m going to pass.”

No, I don’t really think anyone would ever go to the length of emailing someone to tell them that; they would just file any distasteful exchange they read away, and maybe not bother bookmarking any of that seller’s items anymore. And yes, I have been guilty of forgetting my “raising” and engaging my fingers with brain in neutral. I hope to practice better control of myself and try to always remember what Sting said best, “Every single day, every word you say…..I’ll be watching you.”

I’ve been pondering lately about how much difference a “name” makes when selling an item. When I got into selling and collecting jewelry over the past 2 years, I got to see several different examples of a certain brooch that had been found with different designer/maker names on them. There was much discussion about how some companies used “jobbers” to craft their designs and how difficult this made giving an attribution to an unmarked piece. We all know that having the “name” gives the piece a better chance of selling. We find this in glass and pottery also; there are many companies who marked with stickers and also many times the molds would become worn and the signature would be almost non-existent. Or in cases of studio pottery, many times the name is illegible or just is so obscure that no information can be found.

It’s human nature, I suppose, to enjoy the cachet of owning a “name” piece. In looking at some pottery items, I find many that I would not give a second look if I were not familiar with the name on it. Like Dale Chihuly’s glass works, it’s a matter of taste; you either love it or hate it! George Ohr pottery being another good example; I’d buy it for resale but not to start a collection, never mind the fact that I could not afford an Ohr collection.

Put two similar glass vases together on a table at a brick and mortar shop. Watch the reactions when a customer stops to look at them. One is unmarked; one has “Lalique” etched on the base. Which one do you think the customer will choose? It is not a stretch to say that nine times out of ten, the customer will choose the marked vase.

I’m waiting to find a good piece of Lalique to test this theory.

While I am not part of an estate sale company, I do know several people who are and I was hoping to give the families who might be in the situation to use such a company a few ideas that might be helpful to them before they even start looking for a company. The people who deal with estates on a professional level are there to make money for the families and for themselves; this means maximizing sales and minimizing loss or donations. Several times I’ve been talking to my friends during or after sales and they mention that sometimes the families, in the spirit of “cleaning out the trash”, inadvertently throw away items that might have been collectible. It’s human nature to want to have things looking nice when strangers come to look at your house or belongings, but in this case it’s better to wait until the pros get a chance to look over all the goodies before you start to throw items away. As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and those old magazines and books may be just what someone has been looking for. Speaking of books, this is a prime place where older people sometimes hide paper money and other things of value; never, ever throw out books without first looking through them.

Also, while it can’t always be possible to do so, try to have at least an idea of what items your family members will want to keep. It’s very discouraging to estate sale companies to go to the work of itemizing, pricing and advertising, only to have some of the inventory get “claimed” at the last minute by relatives. Try to have all this worked out before you make a decision on hiring a company. Things will run much more smoothly for all concerned; usually the circumstances forcing an estate sale are not the best and any stress that can be avoided by the family is a worthwhile goal.

As far as finding and hiring a company, my best advice is to ask friends and neighbors who have used companies about a recommendation. Word of mouth is a good indicator of a company’s reputation. There should also be advertising either online or in your local phone book. You might remember to ask if the company has a warehouse where overflow from your initial sale could be moved to be offered for further buying opportunities, like a monthly “Open House” sale.

The amount of work to set up and run an estate sell the right way is tremendous; while some people decide to have a family-run sale, oftentimes the best idea is to hire a professional; while the family will be paying the pro for their services, the chances are that the total profit from the sale will be much greater if a professional is used. And keep in mind that usually the estate sale service deals with the disposal of left-over items by donating to charities, which is one more chore that the family will not have to deal with.

Having been a buyer long before I started selling on the Internet, I have had my share of experience on both sides of the table. Most of my online purchases were smooth, quick, and satisfactory. The few that have been unpleasant have left me with the heartfelt desire to make sure that I never treat any of my buyers with anything less than the most courteous of customer service and the swiftest possible conclusion to ensure the buyer’s satisfaction.

Never, ever let your customer feel as if you doubt their intentions when asking to return an item. Keep all correspondence factual and to the point. Do not make the mistake of reacting unprofessionally, i.e. trying to place blame on the buyer, shipping company or the weather. Ruby Lane has the best return policy anywhere, and that is a key reason why buyers are attracted to it. Keep in mind that word of mouth goes a long towards bringing new customers to your shop.

I have had an experience where the seller commented “don’t worry, I had someone offer me $50.00 more for the item, so just return it”, as if I should have been concerned that somehow the item would be unsellable after a return. Never, but never make a statement like this; it only serves to alienate your buyer and may come back to haunt you later. I know it alienated me.

Do keep a professional and calm demeanor, even if it means walking away for a ‘time-out’ before you answer an email. In the long run, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that no matter how the transaction turned out, you put your best, most positive foot forward. At the end of the day, you know you treated your customer the way you would like to be treated in those circumstances.

I find myself wondering these days about what effect some of the new “reality collectibles” TV shows may have on the collectibles market in general and the price of collectibles in particular. Much like the effect that one Online auction venue has had on garage sales and thrift stores (you know what I am taking about-the ubiquitous print-outs of “what this is selling for on….”), I am wondering if the same thing may occur due to the popularity of these television shows. Entertaining? Absolutely! I love watching all of them, from the “pickers” to the “pawn people” and especially the “storage unit buyers”. It is a free bit of education. Do I believe that they actually realize the “sold for” prices they tout? Of course not! And what most people who are not well-versed in the collectibles resale world don’t realize is that all those wonderful “valuations” that are given are NOT NECESSARILY what the item actually realized.

Has anyone actually ever seen one of these shows that portray the re-sale transaction? If so, I must have missed it. I have seen the experts give their opinion on value; I have seen the graphics showing the “amount of profit”, but really, as any dealer who has been around collectibles for any length of time knows, “an item is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, no matter what the book says!”, as I have often been informed.

I suppose time will tell and we will just have to hope that the new television exposure will help dealers in these economically challenged times. And I’ll keep watching; the information about items that are outside my areas of expertise is valuable, no question about it. It’s interesting to see how the various buyers go about making deals and finding that “needle in a haystack” that will translate into money for them.

You’ve read those humorous tales of senility & early dementia. It’s happening to me.

I am at the computer, getting ready to order stones for repair jobs. But I need my calipers. Finally find them; yep, battery is still dead. So I pry off the back, after looking for my magnifying visor for 10 minutes, during which time I also remembered I need to dig out some boxes to put the stuff that sold in. OK, back to the calipers; read the battery, memorize the numbers but take it with me, TG, to the pharmacy to get a new battery. Of course, they don’t have the exact battery I need. We decide on one that looks close; come home, just as the dryer buzzer goes off. Take out clothes to fold. But first I really need to get the battery in & get the stones ordered. It works! Measure stones and put clothes in washer.

OK, off to the website. Gee, he’s got lots of pretty stones. Now, what size did I need again? Surely I can remember this time. So, what do we want? Crystals, check. Sapphire blue cabs, check. Oh crud-I almost forgot I need marcasites for DD’s ring too. So many choices; just get the mixed bag & be done with it. Now, back to the clothes. But first I walk past the kitchen & see all the empty cups that need gathered & thrown away. As I am picking them up I remember I need to feed the cats, too.

Back to the computer to confirm my order. Read some emails. Oops, need to water the Christmas tree. In the kitchen again, I’d better start my grocery list. Looking inside and dang, my fridge needs cleaned!

Why do I have a glass of water in my hand?

With the impossible ease of finding almost any collectible one would dream of owning, thanks to the Internet, there has been an explosion of buying and selling Online. Those of us who sell on Ruby Lane know that we are held to a higher standard than some other Internet sellers, due to the iron-clad “No Questions Asked” return policy Ruby Lane is famous for. But aside from the return policy, what else can we as sellers do to stand out from the sea of Internet sellers? Here are some things that may help your customers decide to buy.

Try offering free insurance on all sales. This is a small investment on each package for certain companies and a big weight off both party’s mind, and most certainly worth the cost. Also offer free shipping on lightweight items, especially jewelry.

Reuse some materials but always use new bubble mailers. Once shipped, send an email to inform the buyer of the date shipped and tracking information. You won’t always “hear back” from buyers, but when you do, I always reply with a “Thank you and please come back” email. These simple steps can help make you successful in your endeavors and allow you to place items with happy buyers. It will allow you to have beautiful items in your charge for a time, and be able to enjoy them until they go to their new homes.