Someone asked what this 'kitsch site' was all about. They wondered if I was educating people. I said 'no.' I guess, since kitsch is 'bad taste,' my ultimate goal would be to re-educate & help we tasteless folks to find the path of worthy junque. But matters of taste aside, they questioned if I educated in the worth of collectibles. Hah. My response was that the site was a time-waster, a brief little collection of the oddities already found by others. Something to keep all of use 'alive' until the next garage sale, thrift shoppe, or dumpster dive. At least, I hope that is what this is all about. I can't educate you about any Primitive antique furniture. Where I come from, all that kindling was tossed into the fire pits long ago... I can't educate you in the matters of forged art, how to tell depression glassware from reproductions, or how to know the difference between synthetic & natural dyes in antique Persian rugs - I can't give you more than the basics of conditions for any category of antiques & collectibles. And I don't think I am qualified to determine the values of other people's objects as some sort of 'expert.' Well, perhaps I could, but I have no desire to be come a dry old Kovel. When it comes right down to it, there is really only one way to define the value of any item: How much is someone willing to pay for it? Yes, condition plays a role, and in many cases, so does age. But really what puts that value on an item is how badly someone wants it. It might be some sentimental factor - a memory, finding the last piece in a collection your family has had for years, or even generations. For others, it might be that it is rare, hard to find - either from the "it's so elusive & I thrill at the hunt!" or from the "I want to be the only one with one!" mentalities. For others, it may be the plain old aesthetic appeal - it's lovely, they want it. (Lovely being relative, you know.) And who knows which motivation will win? Well, the one with the biggest pocketbook - or the one who is present to find it - those are the winners. So, the only real way to evaluate what something is worth, is to put it up for sale. If that hurts, well, you can research what other items have sold for. You can use eBay & shows such as Antiques Roadshow. But remember, those were the prices with those individuals present - maybe now the big spenders are all satisfied, and now your item is not so desirable... While there are trends in collecting, they are not as bankable as investing in other things, such as gold, platinum, or hogs. I know of one dealer who stashed away Persian rugs, some 'big names in pottery,' and several other items in categories that were 'hot.' He put them in a safe place, and thought he'd wait to bring them out & make a killing for retirement. Funny thing happened on his way to the storage area - those items fell out of favor. Sure, there are still buyers. But those items, now sold, were worth less than what he paid & the storage costs. Was it simply a case of not buying low & selling high? Was his timing off? Maybe. But it's just not so easy to predict people's love of interior design objects for the next several years. Especially when the mass population is being told what color is in this year, and none of those colors are in those huge rugs... Most of you already knew this. So, like I started off saying, I don't teach in this column. I just preach to choir, get some heads nodding, & send you all off with ways to rationalize to yourself, your spouse, your landlord...
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