The Collector Online News
November 2005, Volume 1, Edition 5


Visit our website EVENTS for current auctions, shows, conventions.
As always, it is wise to check for cancellations prior to a long trip. We will make every
effort to keep changes updated. Enjoy the excursions and the hunt for that special
collection addition.

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THIS MONTH'S CONTENTS:
The Apec Show Report
Antique Spectacular
Wonderland Doll, Toy and Bear Show and Sale
Chicagoland Antique Advertising, Slot Machine & Jukebox Show
20-30-40 Society (Depression Glass)
Ask Uncle Lar (trunks)
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APEC SHOW and Larry's Ramblings
One of the more enjoyable things we did this past month was attend the annual APEC show. As you know, pottery is one of my real loves. I was definitely not disappointed!. This is the first APEC Show I have attended since Jim and Ellen Tyne bought the show from Norm and moved it to Grayslake. It was a hundred and fifty miles or so farther to drive, but was really worth it. I got to see a lot of old friends as well as some of the finest pottery I’ve seen in many years. This was our first visit to the Gray’s Lake fairgrounds. It is really a great setup for a show. Jim said some people had flown in for the show. This rarely happened at the
Springfield show due to the logistics we south of I-80 are so familiar with.

One booth had 5 pieces of Zark, all purchased at the same auction. When did you last see a piece of Zark? I also saw lots of outstanding pieces of Newcomb, Paul Revere, Rookwood, Roseville, early McCoy and Weller. Saw several pieces of Roseville Aztec, but none that we don’t already own. Same goes for the Norse. Several pieces in the show, but none we don’t already have. I saw many pots I’d like to take home, but we’ve been slowly selling off our collection, so a purchase would have to be something I couldn’t live without.

The display of Iowa Potteries was very well done and very informative. I had meant to take my piece of Shawsheen Pottery to show them, but I forgot it. It’s the only piece of Iowa art pottery I’ve found in 30 some years of collecting.

Some of the new pots created by Common Ground Pottery www.commongroundpottery.com and Door Pottery www.doorpottery.com , both from Madison, WI , are absolutely breath taking. The feel, look, design are present as well as the right weight and all the other things we old timers use to judge quality. I managed to get out of the show without one of their pots,
but we’ll be forced to order one shortly. We made the mistake of picking up a catalog. Go to their web sites and see if you don’t agree with me. These are some of the finest new pots I’ve seen in ages.

Judy took many pictures of some of our favorite pots and jars and peds, but due to a “camera malfunction” and “software malfunction”, (sic, new camera, new operator, new software) those pictures are no longer with us.

Twenty to thirty years ago, good pottery was available at every flea market and show. Since this was before books, it could be picked up for virtually nothing-especially unmarked pieces. I can remember the finest and largest piece of Della Robia I’ve ever seen being in a flea market of twenty dealers-and I was one of them. The guy in the booth next to me had bought it for five bucks at an auction the previous day and brought it for me to identify. At that time I wrote a monthly column on pottery for this paper, so I received many such questions from dealers and collectors. Even back then, the pot had a value in the four figure range.
Hard to do, but I told him the truth and made a very fair offer. As was often the case, if I’d told him it was worth fifty dollars, he would have sold it to me. Since I’d told him its value, he then wouldn’t sell it. I do know that a fellow dealer in Decatur ended up with the Della Robia for the same price. Enough reminiscing. The point I was getting to is that you see no quality pottery today unless you go to a show like APEC. That leads to the question of where do these dealers find all this great pottery? No young collector would believe what we used to find in junk boxes for 25 cents. APEC has always been the source of pottery bargains. Coach Nichols (not Mike Nickel) used to bring boxes of mint floral Roseville to
APEC and sell them for $10 a pot. Those were the days-and I was there.

Jim and Ellen, the show was outstanding and we’ll definitely be back next year.

Uncle Lar

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Antique Spectacular coming to QCCA November 4th-6th
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Mark your calendar not to miss November 4th - 6th for antiques galore at Antique Spectacular located at the QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Avenue in Rock Island,
Illinois! The show will be overflowing with a tremendous selection of fine antiques and collectibles for sale, featuring quality antique dealers with unique pieces from across the country. Shoppers will have an opportunity all weekend to browse through a wide range of quality antiques. With the Antique Spectacular, there is always something to interest every collector including: furniture, art pottery,
books, prints, primitives, jewelry, silver pattern matching, antique glassware, china, vintage posters, postcards, vintage clothing, textiles, quilts, dolls, toys, advertising, coins, vintage textiles and period pieces. The Antique Spectacular show hours for the both November weekends are Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is FREE and show admission is $5 and is good for admittance all three days.
More information about the Antique Spectacular, as well as Melting Pot Productions, Inc. is available at www.antiquespectacular.com or by calling 888-677-4440. The Antique Spectacular is presented by Melting Pot Productions, Inc.

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22nd Annual Wonderland Doll-Toy-Bear
Show & Sale

This annual show and sale will be held at the Mississippi Valley
Fairgrounds, 2815 Locust Street, Davenport, Iowa November 13th.
Hours are 9am to 3pm with door prizes hourly

On display and sale will be an extensive assortment of quality antique,
modern and collectible dolls, toys, and bears. Dolls include antique
bisque beauties, composition, hard plastic,vinyls,and the modern
collectible dolls of today--American Girl, Sun Walkeen, Annette
Himstedt, Effanbee, Barbie etc. Kewpies and memorabilia, Disney
and many character dolls will also make an appearance.

Boyds, North Ameerican, Raikes, Cherished Teddies are a few of
the bears who will come out of hibernation for the show, along with
the older bears.

Other toys expected are Fisher Price, Hot Wheels, tractors, battery
operated and other antique and collectibe cars.

For more information, call Dora Pitts, 563-242-0139, or email:
iadollsh@yahoo.com

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.
Looking to decorate your Saloon, Gameroom, Garage or basement ? ? ? This is the place where you will find Country store collectibles, Soda Pop ( Dr. Pepper, Pepsi Cola, Mt. Dew, Coca Cola) Machines and Signs, Gas Station Signs and Pumps. Slot Machines, Brass Cash Registers, Pinball and Video Machines,
Vintage Barber Shop items, All sorts of Vintage Gambling Devices, Soda fountain collectibles, Tons of every type of advertising! The public is cordially invited to attend this semi-annual event, held in 2 exhibition halls at the beautiful Pheasant Run Resort Hotel at St. Charles, Illinois. Be sure to ask for the Chicagoland™ Show discount when making your reservations. Make your reservations early, as they fill up fast!
Be sure to visit the web site at: http://www.chicagolandshow.com/Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 9:30 am-5:00pm - $6.00 Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 9:30am-3:00pm - $6.00Friday, November 11, 2005, is Dealer Preview Day - $50.00per person - 7:00am-7:00pm ( $25.00 after 4:00 pm )

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ILLINOIS 20-30-40s GLASS SOCIETY COLLECTORS MARKETIllinois Depression Glass Club, Chicago Lands 20-30-40s Glass Society Collectors Market to be held Sunday, November 13th, 2005! Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.Location: AMERICAN LEGION HALL900 S. La Grange Rd. (Mannheim Rd)LaGrange, IL.Admission is $2.00You are sure to find a special treasure among the 50 tables full of great buys!Glass Club members sell their best depression era glass, vintage jewelry, kitchenware, linens, porcelain, restaurante ware, and other assorted collectibles. The 20-30-40s Glass Society is a not-for-profit group organized for social and educational purposes. We have 6 general meetings per year with outstanding presentations, that are
dazzling, entertaining and above all informative. The 20-30-40sGlass Society publishes 6 newsletters and has an extensive reference library for members use. The Glass Society's purpose is to gain more knowledge of American-made glassware of the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's and to further its preservation. Our common bond is our love of glass and to indulge in the pleasure of collecting. For further information you can write to:The 20-30-40 SocietyP. O. Box 856LaGrange, IL 60525OREMAIL: Glassclub@aol.com website: 20-30-40
SocietyFeel free to join us for one of our informative meetings on American made glassware of the Depression Era to the 1970's.Please come and join us! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASK UNCLE LAR

What’s Unique About Restoring Antique Trunks?

before after Larry does his thing

My first trunk was purchased at my grandfather’s auction in 1970 when he sold
out and moved to town. He said one of his grandmothers had brought it to America in the 1870s. The sale was a sad day because this farm was the last parcel of an 1812 land grant to the family. It was a small German trunk made of cardboard decorated with a printed geometric design. The leather latches were gone as well as the leather hinges. I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t restored it yet. I now understand why cobbler’s children have no shoes.

Every trunk has a unique history. Many times the restoration client will know the
story of their trunk. Immigrant ancestors brought all their possessions to America
in this trunk. “My grandfather played with Sousa and this was the trunk he used for traveling.” Since it had “J. P. Sousa Band” in large yellow letters on the side of the large red wood trunk, I tended to believe the story. (I also saved all the travel stickers adhered to the outside.) Most people tell me their trunk was used by immigrant ancestors moving to America. The part I never tell them is that, in 95% of cases, the trunk was made in this country.

Why did I get into trunks? I believe everyone in the Midwest has at least two trunks in their attic or basement rusting and rotting away. No stripping shops or restoration shops in my area do trunks…too time consuming and too many problems requiring a variety of skills such as fauxing, mold making, metal working and leather craft. They refer people to me. Another benefit is their weight and size. I need no help and they are generally kind to my bad back. And I like challenges. Every trunk is different and offers unique challenges requiring many skills. When I started restoring trunks, I only remember one supplier. Information on restoration methods was very scant. I constantly looked at restorations by other people and decided what I thought they did right and wrong and incorporated that knowledge into my procedures.

My objective when working on a trunk is to make it look like it was maintained in
excellent condition. I do not use gold or brass paint on hardware. I make every
attempt to keep any required replacement parts within the period of the trunk’s origin. If replacement parts are used, I age and distress them to match the existing parts.

To learn more about trunks and how to restore them, visit Uncle Lars Workshop on our website. Other past articles can be found on the website as well.
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