Longaberger Baskets

Not really antiques, but definitely collectible, would best describe Longaberger baskets. They used to be great sellers, currently however they mostly collect dust. These baskets belong to a long list of things that used to sale for good prices and are now just a shadow of their prior selves.

A typical basket like this will sell for $10-15 each. As recently as two years ago you could get $50 for this same basket. There are, as always, higher prices for the more unusual examples of Longabergers. The higher priced baskets are low compared to where they were in the recent past.

My recommendation; stick to buying them at garage sales for $2-5 each and sell them for under $10. Getting competitive on things like this based on their past history could be detrimental to your financial health.

Niles, Home and Garden Show

This weekend we will be conducting an antiques and collectibles appraisal show at the Home and Garden show in Niles, Ohio. The show will be at the Convention Center located directly adjacent to the Eastwood Mall in Niles. The show will go from 1-3 on Saturday and Sunday. There is no admission to the show so come on out and enjoy to Home show and get a free appraisal.

Enameled Mesh Purse

Sorry about the delay in doing some posts from the Pittsburgh show. Dealing with sick relatives has been the order of the week.

Enameled mesh purses are in a category of antiques that can just plain drive you crazy. I have watched and purchased this type of purse since my early days as a dealer. The problem is, has been, and will always be inconsistency. It seems that the prices for these purses changes more often and quicker than any other item that is available. I've seen these sell for hundreds, and I've seen them sell for dollars.

Lately they seem to be on the low middle side. This particular purse was in very good condition. I would expect it to sell for around $75.00. I wish that I could have told the person when the best time to sell it would be, I can't. The next one that I see sell will probably go for $250. It is sometimes a fickle market. Purses can be the most fickle of all.

53

1. Kennedy Shot
2. Nixon Resigns
3. Two Bushes
4. The Gipper?
5. An African American President
6. Vietnam
7. Desert Storm
8. Cuban Missiles
9. Iraq
10. Falkland Islands
11. 1976
12. 2000
13. July 4
14 September 27
15. November 20
16. Black Monday
17. Jim Trafficant
18. Mayor Flask
19. Lyle Williams
20. Lenny Strollo
21. Farah Faucet
22. Linda Lovelace
23. Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders
24. Gay Rights
25.Womens Lib
26. Radial Tires
27. Color TV
28. 8 Tracks
29. Cassets
30. CD's
31. Man on the Moon
32. Space Shuttle
33. Christa McAuliff
34. First American in Space
35. Space Lab
36. Star Wars
37. The Godfather
38. Patton
39. Sound of Music
40. Indiana Jones
41. American Idol
42. Mork and Mindy
43. MTV
44. ABC, NBC & CBS
45. Who Shot JR?
46. Calculators
47. Computers
48. Internet
49. Flat Screens
50. Microchips
51. World Trade Towers
52. Camille
53. Charles Manson

I could write a million more. Its amazing what has happened in 53 years. February 3, 1959...the story continues.

Crazy Man Sells Safe...Wouldn't Recommend Doing It This Way!

The other day I wrote about purchasing this safe. I paid around $80 for it and I thought that with a little luck I could sell it at the local Amish auction for a small profit. I went to the auction where I bought it at and had them set it onto my trailer with a forklift. I'm guessing that it weighed in excess of 500 lbs. The trailer creaked and groaned as the safe was put on it. The trailer wheels sank into the soft ground from the weight.

I knew that the auction that I intended it for also had a forklift, so, in theory I would never have to touch it. Wrong again. As it was sitting on the trailer, someone noticed it and asked me how much? Being a capitalist, I responded with $150. He said "I'll take it.".

I did end up taking it to his home,where he unloaded it by hooking it to a backhoe. Moral of the story, sometimes its better to be lucky than good.