Fresh Picks: Scandi Style

A pure white kitchen is the perfect backdrop for Scandinavian style décor, a perennial trend made hot hot hot with the rise of a certain big blue retail empire. You can soften the look with vintage folk elements that emphasize home, hearth and harmony in cheery primary colors. Here I have expanded the theme to include Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), Finland, Switzerland (originator of fondue) and even their American cousin: Pennsylvania Dutch (Germanic and Swiss).

vintage scandinavian style e... thecreekhouse $24.00	Oiva Toikka for Nuutajarvi B... mascarajones $295.00	Fab 1960s Striped Kitchen To... in2vintageclot... $20.00
Vintage Anodized Aluminum Tr... AllTheRageRetr... $23.00	vintage hex sign BLESS THIS ... stuartroadvint... $12.00	1975 M. Kamenstein 2 Quart P... jenzee09 $44.00

Treasury tool by whalesharkwebsites.

Small Isn't All That Small At All

I love that collectors cover the vast range of everything that's made. If it was made or is being made, someone is collecting it, no matter what the size. It is human instinct to think big is better. According to the Discovery Channel, it's a part of who we are-big means more protection, more security and more value. That said, it's time to turn Mother Nature on her head. 

Gucci Pill Box by mascarajones

Big isn't better-not all of the time. I can think of countless small and even tiny items that command high prices. (Ink wells, enamel pins, fountain pens, buttons, magnifying loops, perfume bottles, cuff links, etc) Yet when I shop on various websites, including etsy, I find most of the small items being offered for give away prices. I personally have been able to buy some of these online finds and re offer them for their true values. I know I don't want this to happen to me as a seller! 

Sheaffer Fountain Pen by marybethhale

Take for example an experience we had at Nachokitty just yesterday. My coworker, Suuzi, had gone through a large batch of vintage jewelry and was listing items as I added photos. She had done a great job of describing a vintage set of cuff links that were Wedgwood blue in color with a cameo set inside a gold toned metal. She priced them at $25, a reasonable price for cuff links that aren't signed, aren't a precious metal, and are oh so tiny.

Antique Sterling Compact by CompactQueen

While photographing them, the camera picked up a makers mark. Still convinced they weren't much to write home about, I popped the makers name + cuff link into Google. Whoa. Not only were these valuable, they were desirable. They were selling out on other websites. My $25 non-researched little set became a $225 fabulous pair of cuff links! 

Little Metal Boot by tippleandsnack

A couple of weeks ago, I was going through an old wooden cigar box filled with bits and pieces. All covered with dirt and dust, just yucky. I pulled out a metal button from the mire and examined it. No makers mark. Typed the style of it into Google and boom! There were several other examples selling for $80-90 (for a little button!). Lesson learned. I tend to need a reminder about valuing tiny things.

Heart Shaped Cameo by popgoesmyvintage

Look at your small & tiny finds with a finer eye. Pretend you're a child. My kids do a great job of valuing items that are scaled to their size. Necessary to this is a great photography set up. You'll have to capture those tiny details for your customers. Go small and think of all the extra room you'll have in your office! 

What's Trivial to You May Be Vital To Your Customer

When you have an item right in front of you, it's often easy to overlook the obvious. That's why it's always important to pretend you're looking at your item from your computer screen. If you only had a 2 dimensional view, what kinds of questions would you want answered about it?

1960s Sterling Modernist Dove by mascarajones

Take for example sterling and gold. Most listings I see think about these objects in terms of color and condition. I suggest you consider weight as well. With silver hovering around $30 an ounce and gold around $1400, it's worth mentioning what these items weigh. I use a digital kitchen scale to measure ounces.

1904 US Coin Gold Quarter by FascinatingHobbies

If you're not sure if your item is gold, I suggest testing it. For what gold is currently selling for, it's worth that little bit of effort. eHow has suggestions on how to test for gold. If you're listing items that are made of precious metals, I suggest checking that days price per ounce, just so you price accordingly. I'm not suggesting you judge a vintage item just on the per ounce value! Certainly not. But knowing the baseline is always good information to have.

Taxco Inlaid Silver Earrings by YesterdaysSilhouette

Another piece of information to provide is the makers mark. If you can, always provide a photograph of it. Always. I know five photos often doesn't seem like enough for some vintage items, but that makers mark is critical. Even if you describe it, most people just want the visual confirmation. Think of how much info you glean from a makers mark-provide that same data to your potential customers.

Chadburns Engine Telegraph CheekyChicVintage

Along with that, try to show an interior shot of the entire inside. I have had some nasty experiences with partial shots. I invested in a Dansk cooking pot last year and trusted the sellers "good condition" and partial photo. The hidden corner was badly rusted out. Again, let your customers trust their eyes. Give them the same amount of information they would have if they were holding the item in their hands.

Dansk Paella Pan by bitofbutter

When describing items, be very specific. Don't just say "great condition". Condition is variable with too many definitions. One thing I now try to remember is be very clear. I'm wary of customers who just skim the page. I used to say "there are no chips, cracks, crazing, etc". Now I say: "there are no chips, no cracks, no crazing, blah, blah, blah." That extra no makes a difference.

Federal Eagle Wall Mirror by moxiethrift

Lastly, try to mention the potential flaws that are NOT present.

For metal: there are no dents, no cracks, no repairs.
For ceramic & glass: there are no chips, no cracks, no crazing and no hidden repairs. (this will require black light testing-something I highly recommend)
For paper items: there are no wrinkles, no fading, no writing, etc.

Providing this level of detail will build confidence in your potential buyer. It will also cause you to examine your items even more closely, which can help with hidden flaws you might have missed. A little extra time spent when listing, means no wasted time & money after the sale.

Knowing What That Thingamajig Is!

You're driving to an errand and spot an estate sale sign. Not one to pass up some fun, you go in. You spot some unusual looking pieces that you recall seeing once before and the price is right. Now you have to figure out what they are and what they're worth. I've included photos today of items that could be quite a challenge to properly identify. Most people would check eBay and let that be their deal maker or breaker. I suggest you use it as a rough guideline only. eBay is inconsistent. Times of day, year, location in the world, photograph quality, etc can all affect the final auction price radically. I generally use eBay for identification purposes. It can be quite helpful to find enough information to then go pop into google.

Vintage Art Object by marybethhale

If you still don't know what you have, that's not a problem. Someone else out there doesn't know either and they can help you! I find that by giving a general description of the item's physical attributes, other similar items usually turn up. I use Google for this, but Bing has been useful too. For example, this antique lamp from India puzzled me for months. At first, I couldn't even tell it was an oil lamp; I thought it was for candles. It was so far removed from the mid century modern estate that I found it in, and my brain couldn't quite comprehend it. I kept typing in variations of brass stand, birds, hollow, etc. Finally! I found a website (only one!) selling 3 of these. Then I was enlightened. (okay, bad pun)

Vintage Tie Display Stand by Birdie1

The other tool that is tremendously helpful is Google Images. It's fairly hit and miss in some cases, but it also can be Whammo! Spot on. I've found many helpful websites by linking to them from images. I find the search to be most helpful when I'm in the dark and just describing things blindly. 9 times out of 10, someone else is doing the same thing. They usually have just enough extra info to aim me in the proper direction.

Antique Victorian Needlepoint by HouseofLinens

Another site that I find helpful is Worthpoint. Not from the angle of accurate pricing-they, like eBay that they pull from, are wildly all over the map. Worthpoint helps aggregate information about the history of items by pulling descriptions. I pay for it, and I generally use it up every month-but I'm also dealing with thousands of items that I have to identify for my business. I suggest sharing a membership with another seller or two if you won't use it up. (It gives you a set number of searches each month for a flat rate.)

Vintage Scottish Rite Hat by calloohcallay

Collector websites are a treasure trove of information. So many people love to compile all the information they can about their passions and share them. I find sites where every item by a maker is catalogued with history, marks and photographs. I bookmark these sites and refer to them often. Let the homework someone elso has done help you.

Vintage Granny Shoes by kowkirlkitsch

And of course, Etsy and Google Shopping can both be informative. Since Etsy doesn't reveal sold prices, I've found it helpful to email sellers asking if they'll share that info. So far, all have. I've also helped people emailing me. Again, I just use it as a guideline since many people just price within their own personal comfort zone. Google Shopping aggregates info from a few different places, including Etsy. It's cool to accidentally run across your own items being sold!

1970's Ikebana Vase by mascarajones

I can't stress enough how vital it is to gather proper information and identification. I've learned this the hard way. Once long ago, I gave up on researching on an item just to get the cash. Found it later online for 150 times what I'd sold it for, in the high thousands. I'm more patient now!

Blenko Glass Love

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a series of articles by guest writers, which we plan to run more or less weekly on various topics of interest to vintage lovers. Thanks to Jennifer of jenzee09 for sharing her love of Blenko Glass.

It all happened about 5 years ago. I was looking online at random pieces of Art Glass, when I stumbled on a piece of glass called Blenko. This was by far one of the most beautiful pieces of hand-blown glass I had ever seen. After further online investigation, I was in love! I had no idea all this beautiful glass was being manufactured right here in the good ol’ USA for more than 100 years.

Winslow 920-L from jenzee09

William J. Blenko founded the Blenko Glass Company in 1893. Originally located in Kokomo, Indiana, Blenko manufactured mouth blown (antique) sheet glass for stained glass windows. In the late 1930s Blenko began producing tableware. The Depression had ruined the stained glass market, forcing Blenko to expand and broaden its horizons.

In 1947 Blenko hired its first design director, Winslow Anderson. Mr. Anderson was given full creative freedom. His ideas changed Blenko Glass forever. New, creative, and unique pieces were manufactured. Vases and decanters were designed with sleek style and beautiful curves. Newer, brighter, bolder colors were used.

Blenko 6138

Through the years Blenko continued to work with design directors, most notably Winslow Anderson, Wayne Husted, Joel Philip Myers, and John Nickerson. These brilliant artists evolved Blenko’s designs even further, including designing monumental architectural scale pieces, standing 3 feet tall! 

Blenko glass has been a growing collectible since the 1960s and is easily distinguished by its shapes and colors (for reference, follow this link).

Blenko has used foil labels over the years, except for a short time, from 1958 to 1961, when a sandblasted mark reading BLENKO was used. The best way to identify authentic pieces is by referencing one of the catalogs produced by the company. Catalogs have been reproduced in hardcover books by Leslie Pina and are available online and in many local libraries.

Blenko #6527 from mascarajones

1977 Blue Top Mountain Line, from Modnique

 

Once I began to familiarize myself with the Blenko designs, I realized that Blenko Glass is everywhere. I’ve even spotted pieces on sets of old and new television shows!
 

Throughout the years, the company has remained in the family and has been passed down from father to son to grandson. Today, Blenko is still designing and selling beautiful tableware and art glass. They are located in Milton, WV, where they have been since 1921. They offer factory tours, a visitor’s center, and a gift shop filled with their newest pieces.

As for me, I now own nearly 40 pieces of Blenko in all shapes, sizes and colors. It sure is a lot of dusting, but boy does my apartment look pretty!

Welcome New Member: Mascara Jones and Jonquil

The vintage dealer so nice, she joins us twice! One of the newest members of the Etsy Vintage Team has two equally delicious shops. For sleek mid century modern objects and jewelry, check out Mascara Jones. For a stunning selection of vintage couture clothing and accessories, her sister shop is Jonquil. Welcome, Jonesy!