Many antique shop owners have found that selling smaller items is a formula that works well for them.  Some proprietors rent space in display cases or booths to dealers who pay them a monthly fee.  Other shop owners have a mixture of furniture and smaller items of their own that they sell.  Anthony Brooks has opened a shop that specializes in larger items such as salvaged cars and industrial pieces that may have otherwise been discarded.  Reaction seems to be overwhelmingly positive with the shop drawing a steady stream of customers.

Anthony grew up in Auburn and liked to hunt for antiques since he was around ten years old.  He dug old buried bottles and salvaged things from the Auburn dump.  He liked to see the cars a neighbor, who had a salvage business, picked up.  A successful, local antique dealer also made an impression on him.

Anthony Brooks in his “Blue Collar Vintage Salvage” shop

When he got older, Anthony and his brother formed Brooks Brothers Used Auto Parts in Worcester, which they ran for 20 years.  Anthony started picking up other items besides cars and filled a container full of pieces to sell at his Southbridge Street location in Worcester.

He has now opened a shop at a new location at 468 Auburn Street in the Cherry Valley section of Leicester, where all of his wares can be viewed and purchased by the public.  The shop is open from 11:00 to 5:00 on Saturday and sometimes on Sundays.

There is an interesting mix of items to peruse.  You’ll see salvaged cars as you are pulling in along with other items ranging from vending machines to industrial components from local mills.  He seeks out old mills, machine shops, factories and other closed businesses.  He does what he calls “organic picking”.  He only sells items that he’s purchased directly from the source.

Anthony credits his parents for providing a good foundation for his entrepreneurial activities.  His wife, Heather, is also supportive of his business.  Anthony said she sometimes even accompanies him on his picks.  He said there have been instances where he has less than an hour to look through a building and he can use the extra help.

One of his best finds was when he was asked to clear out an old Worcester sports equipment factory.  He found baseball catchers’ masks from the early 1900’s and labels with colorful graphics.

Anthony said that he doesn’t typically post items on the web.  He wants people to stop by his shop and take a look at the antiques and curiosities that he finds.  He enjoys seeing people reminisce about the items in his shop.  Anthony said that he has regular buyers from the West Coast.  Some of his pieces are being used as props in the new Disney movie, “The Finest Hours”.  It’s worth a visit to check out his latest finds.

I will be taking part in a number of upcoming events.  Downsizing seminars will be held at the Paxton Senior Center on February 17^th and at the Auburn Senior Center on March 29^th.  I will also be appraising antiques for a Quaboag Historical Society on March 6^th.  Registration is taking place for my “Evaluating Your Antiques” class on April 4^th.  The class is part of the Bay Path Evening School offerings in Charlton.  Details can be found at www.centralmassauctions.com.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

Many people are finding that they no longer need the large home or number of possessions that they have accumulated.  When children grow up and leave home, buying a condominium where someone else cuts the grass and clears away the snow may become more appealing.

Of course, there are many steps that you need to take when transitioning from a home full of belongings to a smaller, more manageable space.  There are also many options to consider when selling your personal property.

The first step is to decide which items you want to keep, determine if any will be distributed to family members and evaluate what is left to be sold.  There are a number of factors that will influence your decision.  If you are moving to Florida you may want to leave all of the brown furniture behind.  Rattan furniture with light colored fabrics will fit in better there.  With the cost of shipping, it might be better to buy a furnished condo or purchase new items when you arrive at your new home.

Hartford, CT home downsizing sale in 2014

When you have decided what will be sold you need to determine how to sell it all.  Quality and quantity both matter.  If there are just a few valuable pieces like antiques, gold jewelry, Sterling silver, coins and important collections we advise people to sell them at auction.  If you have a large amount of items that aren’t antique an estate sale may be a better option.  Almost anything can be sold at an estate sale, from bath towels to cars.  Sometimes both methods are used with better items being sold at auction and the rest being offered at an estate sale.  An estate sale company will have a minimum value where it is profitable for them to run your sale though.  If you only have a few items, you may want to run a tag sale yourself or donate them.

Pricing items at an estate sale is more complicated than you might think.  If you price things too low, you lose potential profit.  If you price things too high, you have a lot of disappointed people come through and find you are left with a home full of remaining items.  Running another sale the following week won’t draw as many buyers if you overprice items.  You really have only one chance to do it right.

Prices can vary greatly between locations.  We’ve run sales throughout Massachusetts and in other New England states.  Items will command a higher price in some areas than in others.  If you are running your own yard sale or donating only a few items it might not make a big difference but it can be significant with an entire estate.  If you are unsure whether an items is valuable you should get it appraised.  You don’t want to find your item in a newspaper article showing that someone bought something at a yard sale for $5 that’s worth $50,000.

The owner of a company who assists Seniors who are relocating, a realtor who often works with Seniors who are downsizing and I are running presentations on downsizing.  The “Thinking of downsizing?” seminar will take place at the Oxford Senior Center on Thursday, February 11^th at 12:30 and at the Paxton Senior Center on Wednesday February 17^th at 11:00 AM.  Hope to see some of you there!

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

In previous columns I offered a top 10 list of antiques and collectibles that are selling well.  Items included early Asian antiques, historical memorabilia and antique paintings by listed artists.  More modern items included comic books, toys, sports memorabilia and advertising signs from the 1960’s and earlier.  Gold coins and jewelry and Sterling silver serving pieces continue to bring strong prices.  There are many other items that are still desirable, but didn’t make our list.  Rock and Roll memorabilia deserves a closer look.

Ringo Starr recently auctioned many items from his personal collection.  His copy of the “White Album” numbered 0000001 had a pre-sale estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.  It sold for $790,000.  A Rickenbacker guitar gifted to Starr by John Lennon went for $910,000.  Ringo Starr’s 1963 Ludwig drum kit used to record Beatles classics like “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” brought $2.2 Million dollars.

Having direct ties to the performer greatly affects the value of memorabilia.  Because the items listed above were consigned directly from Ringo Starr, the provenance was impeccable.  “Merriam Webster’ defines provenance as “the history of ownership of a valued object or work of art or literature”.  Other items with great provenance that sold well were Elvis Presley’s first recording which was purchased at auction by rock artist Jack White.  A recently discovered guitar used by John Lennon and George Harrison fetched $2.4 million at auction.

You may not have anything this valuable but there are many other pieces collectors want.  People often ask me about the value of record albums.  The wear on the record and the dust jacket greatly affects the value.  Many records were played over and over by the owner.  Collectors want records that are in fine condition with little wear.  Some of the earliest Beatles albums and other early Rock albums typically bring the strongest prices.  However, there are some 78 rpm Blues albums that can be worth even more than Rock records.  There are different versions of albums and the cover and label can also make a big difference in value. Promotional copies were often distributed to radio stations, reviewers, and others to help get some publicity for a new release.  Gold and platinum records are awards given to artists and others who were involved with the production of records with high sales.  Copies that were presented to the artist and the popularity of the record and the artist factor into values.  An RIAA label on the gold or platinum record means that it was issued by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Eddie Money saxophone from Rock and Roll collection that brought thousands in our September 2011 auction

Rock and Roll promotional posters aren’t uncommon to find.  Psychedelic designs from the 1960’s advertising popular bands in concert are some of the most valuable.  The artwork from these posters is highly desirable and some sell for thousands.

There are many other pieces that can be desirable.  Contracts, clothing and other personal property can be valuable.  Photos of the celebrity together with the piece that you own can prove that your item was used by them.  Having a great piece of Rock history with the right provenance can send your piece to the top of the charts.

We continue to add more photos of items in our January 28^th live antique estates auction.  We often need to run estate sales on short notice to meet client deadlines.  Please keep checking our website www.centralmassauctions.com for updates, join our email list or follow us on social media to keep updated on upcoming events.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

Marilyn Treichel’s antique Christmas collection began when her husband and she purchased a box lot at an auction.  Her $100 purchase contained paper and glass ornaments from the 1920’s and 1930’s.  She bought books on Christmas antiques and eventually joined a group of other Christmas collectors, “The Golden Glow of Christmas Past”.

Marilyn and her husband made trips to the East Coast from their Wisconsin home every summer to hunt for Christmas collectibles.  They searched along routes that were packed with antique shops in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.  The couple attended auctions and went to antique shows, including Brimfield.  Marilyn also searched for Period furniture to fill her house on her trips east.  It is a replica of a home from “Historic Deerfield” in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

       Turn of the century cotton Christmas ornament

Marilyn’s collection is focused on 1920’s and earlier Christmas items.  She is especially fond of cotton and paper ornaments from the turn of the century.  Some of the cotton ornaments look like Snow babies with children in winter clothes.  Santa Claus and animals are other popular figures.  She also collects Dresden ornaments which are embossed cardboard designs of birds, other animals, people, etc.  Her husband looks for wire wrap Christmas ornaments.  Glass ornaments and other Christmas decorations were tied together with wire to create larger ornaments.

German store display with slot for letters to Santa

Marilyn doesn’t just focus her collecting on ornaments.  Among other things, she has some Santa “woodcutter” candy containers from 4 to 29 inches in height.  They were produced in Germany around the turn of the century.  Most depict Santa with a short coat and pants.

As with other antiques and collectibles, some of the more valuable items are being reproduced.  Marilyn advises that you study books and learn as much as you can before you start to collect.  She also recommends buying items at the Golden Glow of Christmas Past’s annual show.  The group consists of 1,600 members internationally.  Their conference and show is held in different venues around the country every July.

There is good news for those of you who have antique Christmas decorations that have been passed down through your families as well as long time collectors.  Marilyn said that prices of antique Christmas items continue to rise.  Prices have more than doubled, with ornaments that she used to be able to regularly buy for $10 now selling for over $25.  Marilyn states that some early candy containers can sell for $6,000 to $7,000.  With the prices currently so high she is more of a seller than a buyer now.  I hope that all you are having a wonderful holiday season!

We continue to pickup some great items for our January 28^th live antique estates auction.  The latest is a French newspaper with a sketch on it signed by Pablo Picasso.  Please keep following us on the web as we are planning some estate sales as well.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

The Discovery Channel’s show “Oddities” profiles New York City’s “Obscura Antiques and Oddities.”  Their shop carries a wide range of bizarre objects.  Items they sell include taxidermy animals of many kinds, artwork from human hair and fingernails, poisons and some things that are just too graphic for this column.

We haven’t sold anything on that level but have auctioned some unique and often interesting items that we have found in estates.  Many antique collectors and dealers want something that is a little different.  They want that piece that will make visitors to their home take a second look.

One unusual piece that we sold was a rogue’s gallery desk for police wanted posters.  The desk had a wooden roll top.  It was originally used in a police station.  When the desk top was unrolled all of the public offenders’ posters were on view for the police to try to apprehend.   We’ve also sold wanted posters in other auctions and World War II era records from New Haven Railroad police department arrests.

Milton Berle tractor from our September 2011 auction

A number of interesting toys have been sold in our auctions.  A Marx tin windup tractor had Milton Berle driving it.  His head spun back and forth.  The tractor was plastered with sayings like “Give the Dial a Twirl to see and hear Berle” and “I’m Milton.  Who are you?”  Another toy we sold depicted a boy in a spacesuit with a bubble helmet holding a ray gun.  Space toys from the 1950’s seem kitschy to us now.  This makes them very collectible though.

Dental gold can vary in purity from 10 or 12 karats up to 20 or 22 karats.  It averages about 67% pure.  We’ve found a fair amount in estates over the years that we’ve sold.  Bidders aren’t squeamish and it sells for as much as other gold.

We’ve sold photo albums from World War I and II with photos depicting some of the horrors of war.  One pictured the scene after Teddy Roosevelt’s son, Quentin Roosevelt plane was shot down in World War I.

There are a number of other unique items we’ve handled.  We sold an antique living room set with the legs and arms made of steer horns.  There were 2 chairs and a sofa.  It was upholstered in royal purple velvet.  It may not be a good fit for many New England homes but brought a strong price at auction.  A Civil War surgeon’s set with all of the medical tools for performing operations in the field also drew strong bidding.  Mourning was very different in the Victorian era and prior.  We’ve sold mourning jewelry with the hair of the departed enclosed inside of jewelry.

Campbell’s Soup paper dress from our May 2006 auction

We once cleared out a collection that filled an entire cellar from floor to ceiling of a home.  There were many mid-century appliances, antiques and vintage collectibles, many in the original boxes.  When we sorted through everything I found a number of rolls of antique and vintage toilet paper.  After my auction staff was finished having a few laughs for offering them for sale, they brought well over $50 at auction.

We continue to pickup up items for our January 28^th live antiques auction.  See www.centralmassauctions.com for links to both events.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

As I research and share articles on social media sites like Google+ and LinkedIn, I find many that I believe would also be of interest to readers of this column.

An auctioneer from Arizona wrote a column on five collectibles he predicts will go up in value.  Porcelain and other old advertising signs and vintage toys were also in my “antiques and collectibles top 10 list” in a previous column.  His list also included vinyl records, turntables and vintage fishing lures (especially those with glass eyes).

A Casper, Wyoming newspaper column offers recommendations for hiring an estate sale company.  They suggest looking at the company on the Better Business Bureau website.  Check with friends, family and professionals such as attorneys for recommendations.  Ask if there are fees in addition to the commission and how long will the process take.  Find out how negotiations are handled.  See how items remaining after the sale are handled.

DNA technology may be used to deter art forgeries.  A forgery scandal forced the closing of the oldest gallery in Manhattan.  Many art experts won’t authenticate a previously unknown painting by a well known artist.  They are subject to lawsuits if they misidentify a piece.  A scientist from the Cancer Research Center at the University of Albany has suggested using synthetic DNA to track artwork.  When a piece has been authenticated a DNA sticker is attached to the back that can be tracked through a centralized database.

An intern made a discovery that helped save a New York City house museum.  The intern was searching through documents in the attic of the Morris-Jumel Mansion in Manhattan.  She was looking through the folder of Nicholas Roche.  Roche was an 18^th century doctor who treated slaves in New York and New Jersey.  She recognized a document from her college studies as being “The Twelve United Colonies, by their Delegates in Congress, to the Inhabitants of Great Britain.”  It was estimated that the document would bring $100,000 to $400,000 to help with the $350,000 needed for restoration of the museum.  At auction it brought over $900,000!

In other auction news, a guitar played by John Lennon and George Harrison sold for $2.4 million.  Lennon used the guitar to write and record “Love me Do” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand”.  A San Diego resident bought the guitar 50 years ago for $275.  An expert used the markings, serial number and wood grain to confirm that it belonged to the former members of the Beatles.

The “Blue Moon Diamond” recently sold for $48.4 setting an auction record.  A Hong Kong businessman recently bought the 12.08 carat diamond for his 7 year old daughter, Josephine.  He renamed the diamond “The Blue Moon of Josephine”.  He also recently purchased a pink 16.0 carat pink diamond.  He also gifted that to his7 year old daughter and it is now called “Sweet Josephine”.  It’s a great way for Josephine to start the holiday season!

1965 GMC Hot Rod Pickup in Our Ashburnham Online Auction

The preview for the Ashburnham online vintage auto parts, vehicles and home furnishings auction will be Saturday December 12^th and Sunday December 13^th from 9:00 to 3:00 at 3 Main St.  We continue to pickup up items for our January 28^th live antiques auction.  See www.centralmassauctions.com for links to both events.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

The production of United States coins has been influenced by historical events.  Wars, metal shortages, the Great Depression and other events all impacted coin production.

If you are handling a U.S. coin collection from an estate or your own home, there are coin price guides and websites that can help.  However, this column will offer a broad overview of what to check when you are looking through these coins.

I estimate that about 30% of the estates that I handle have some form of coin collection.  Only about half of these are desirable enough to be sold in our antique auctions.

Following are some guidelines that can help you determine whether you have coins that may be valuable.  Silver dollars, half dollars, quarters and dimes from 1964 are made of 90% silver.  Kennedy half dollars were made with 40% silver from 1965 to 1970.  Any coins that you have that fit into these categories are worth more than the face value of the coins.

There are other factors that influence coin value.  Age is important.  In general, older coins are typically more valuable for a number of reasons.  One reason being that there were typically fewer produced.  For example, 1964 Kennedy half dollar production numbers were 273,304,004 for the Philadelphia Mint and 156,205,446 for those made in Denver.  By comparison, 100 years earlier in 1864, only 658,000 Seated Liberty half dollars were minted in San Francisco and 379,000 were produced in Philadelphia.  Many of the older coins that were produced are now gone.  Some have been melted down for the metals while others were lost or just wore out over the years.  When older coins in better condition do turn up they command a premium well above the value of the silver.

A Morgan Silver dollar that will be sold in our January 28th auction

Here are a few additional factors that can make your coins desirable.  Where the coin was minted is important.  There was a silver rush near Carson City, Nevada when the Comstock Lode was discovered in 1859.  A mint was built in Carson City and coins with the CC mint mark are very desirable with collectors.  The mint mark and small details like the number of arrows on a particular coin can make a huge difference in the value.

The price of gold is about 75 times the price of silver as I write this column.  It is no wonder that gold coins appeal to many collectors and investors.  Like silver, gold coins also have numismatic (collector) value.  Older gold coins were typically made of 90% gold, but there are variations.  The U.S. Mint has offered a number of its more recent releases in 24 karat (99.9% pure) gold.  Many of the same rules apply to silver coins.  Older coins produced in smaller quantities and in better condition command a premium.

Of course, coins don’t have to be gold or silver to bring strong prices.  It was reported that a rare error coin with a Sacagawea dollar obverse and Washington state quarter reverse sold for $155, 250.  A Beverly Hills coin dealer paid a record price for a one cent coin.  The 1792 “Birch” cent sold for $2.5 million at auction, a pretty penny by all accounts.

Our Ashburnham auction is currently online featuring antique automobiles, vintage parts and antiques.  Coins and a wide variety of antiques and collectibles will be offered in our January 28^th live auction.  See www.centralmassauctions.com for links to both events.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

Clocks have evolved greatly, even since the mid 20^th century.  In the 1960’s and 1970’s you probably used a windup alarm clock that had a bell alarm with hour and minute hands.  You are now likely to wake up to music or the buzz of an alarm and check the time on the digital face as you reach for the snooze button.  The measurement of time has been important since prehistoric people recorded the phases of the moon and the position of the stars.  Many innovations occurred in recording time, well before the production of electric clocks.

An Egyptian sundial still exists from 800 BC according to historyworld.net.  A water clock (clepsydra) used the amount of water that dripped from a tank to measure time.  It is estimated to have been used from the 14^th to 16^th century.  An hour glass filled with sand was common in 18^th century British pulpits.

A Buddhist monk built a tower clock in 1094 that used a water wheel and incorporated mechanical clockwork.  European clock makers developed a clock in 1275 that was accurate to within a quarter hour a day.  Clocks were first used in cathedrals before becoming available to kings and nobles in the 15^th century.  The mid to late 17^th century saw the introduction of pendulums.  During the 18^th century many innovations occurred as timepieces were fine tuned to be accurate at sea.

The pendulums that were developed were used in Tall Case (also known as Grandfather) clocks in the 17^th century.  American craftsman created fine examples in the 18^th and 19^th century.  A January “Robb Report” article stated that a rare circa 1740 Philadelphia Tall Case clock sold for $1.6M in 2004.

Banjo clocks were produced in the early 19^th century by clockmakers including Simon Willard of Grafton.  They are called banjo clocks because their shape resembles the musical instrument.  Some of Willard’s clocks can bring five figure prices.   Other Willard family members were also clock makers.  The Willard museum in North Grafton, MA offers visitors the opportunity to view Willard clocks.

Effingham Embree Period bracket clock brought $13,800 at our August auction

Bracket clocks are shelf clocks that were produced in the late 18^th and early 19^th century.  Many were made by English manufacturers and labeled with American clockmakers’ names.  We sold one in our last auction that brought $13,800.

In the 1830’s Ogee clocks were developed in the United States.  The have an “S” shaped (Ogee) molding in a rectangular case.  The values are lower than earlier clocks with examples typically selling for less than $100 to the low $100’s.

Connecticut had many clock makers who produced a variety of clocks in the 19^th century.  Seth Thomas, Ansonia, New Haven, Waterbury and Ingraham are some of the more well known manufacturers.  Factories produced shelf, mantle and banjo clocks in marble, slate, metal and wood.  They manufactured many gingerbread clocks, which were ornate clocks made of pressed wood.  The gingerbread clocks sell for prices similar to Ogee clocks.

Clocks follow the same rules as most other antiques and collectibles.  Earlier pieces that are well crafted command strong prices.  Clocks in good working condition with original parts are the most desirable to collectors.

Our Ashby, MA online auction includes a 1963 GMC hot rod truck, 1934 Chevrolet Cabriolet classic kit car, John Deere tractor and vintage automobile parts along with antiques, collectibles and other personal property.  We continue to pickup some quality antiques for our January 28^th live auction.  Our website www.centralmassauctions.com has a link to both events.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

With New England having structures dating back to the 1600’s it should come as no surprise that there are many architectural antiques available and buyers who want them.  Barn boards are used by those looking to build new buildings or repair existing barns.  The movement to be green and sustainable has also made the barn wood desirable for people who repurpose or upcycle.  The wood is used to create furniture, signs and crafts.

Many other salvaged objects find their way back into homes like doors, windows, and fireplace mantels, newel posts and other stair components.  Most contractors and individuals restoring old homes prefer using parts that are original to the time period instead of reproductions.

There are some architectural antiques so desirable that rooms and even homes are designed around them.  For example, I was asked to evaluate some Tiffany stained glass church windows.  They were approximately 9’ tall.  The value was easy to determine because a similar window had been sold by a Brattleboro, Vermont church.  The Brattleboro church’s heating bill for the previous year was $34,000 and they sold the window to keep up with expenses.  The window brought $85,000.

Tile Lion from Westerly, RI post office sold for over $750 at our September 2006 auction

An original marble statue by a well known artist could make you a millionaire.  Even a copy or sculpture by a lesser artist can bring five figure sums.  Many antique cast iron fountains and sculptures can bring similar figures.  Iron gates, urns and other garden accessories often bring figures in the $100’s or more.

Chandeliers are also in demand.  We’ve had a large modern crystal chandelier bring over $900 at an online estate auction.  An old gas light chandelier brought nearly double that figure at one of our live auctions.

Terra Cotta Architectural piece from Westborough building brought nearly $400 at auction

We’ve sold some architectural items at auction that have drawn a considerable amount of interest.  A round piece of terra cotta picturing a figure in a hat came with great provenance.  An old photo showed it was part of the Arcade Building in Westborough, MA.  It sold for nearly $400.  A tile lion was purported to have been part of the old post office building in Westerly, RI.  It brought over $750.  We sold a small steel building that was manufactured in the 1910’s.  It was one of the buildings that housed a gas station in Auburn, MA near the Worcester line.  It went for over $4,000.  Many architectural pieces are works of art.  We sold an early banner, folk art weathervane that brought over $5,000.

There are buyers for all parts of a home including the bathroom and kitchen.  Worcester once housed the “American Sanitary Housing Museum”.  “The Plumbing Museum” now resides in Watertown.  Antiques on display include clawfoot wood framed bathtubs, pre-plumbing earth closets and a collection of vintage toilet paper.  You can find anything plumbing related, even the kitchen sink.

We are continuing to add photos as we make more pickups for our January 28^th auction.  Please keep checking www.centralmassauctions.com or follow us on social media to keep updated on this auction and other events.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com

Antique, collectibles and estates are the subjects of national and international news stories every day.  We monitor these articles covering a wide range of topics.  Rare antiques turn up inside old homes or are found at thrift shops and tag sales.  The antique and collectibles market is constantly in flux with some items selling well above prices from 10 years ago and others bringing less. Online auctions and other methods of selling and promoting the sale of estate personal property continue to evolve.

We continually share news from the world of antiques through our social media accounts.  From my conversations with many regular readers, I realize you may not be able to access the stories.  Here are highlights of some recent articles.

One of the biggest news stories is that a tintype photograph purchased for $2 in a California junkshop is believed to be a $5 million picture of Billy the Kid.   A San Francisco dealer of Western Americana authenticated it and insured for $5 million.  Only one other Billy the Kid photo is known to exist.  It sold at auction in 2011 for $2.3 million.  Despite the authentication, some remain skeptical that it is actually Billy the Kid pictured in the image.

The Florida Times Union reported that a 2013 storage bill led to the discovery of objects that belonged to industrialist Alfred I. DuPont.  After checking the bill, three hundred boxes were discovered that came from the Florida home and yacht of DuPont.  New York Yacht Club china, a 1919 sailing loving cup and a Tiffany sterling silver bowl were just some of the items that were discovered and auctioned.

A Danish mid-century modern dining table set an auction record when it brought 6 million Danish kroner ($1.3 million) in Copenhagen.  The previous record for a piece of Nordic design modern furniture was a 1949 Chieftain armchair by Danish designer Finn Juhl which sold for 4 million Danish kroner in 2013.

Advice for estate sale buyers and sellers is the subject of many recent articles.  A North Jersey Record article recommends that realtors run open houses in conjunction with estate sales because estate sale clients may have interest in the home.  “Dallas Homes” magazine advises estate sale buyers that they may be able to buy items at a discount when the sale end time nears.  They point out that arriving at the beginning of the sale is best for those who want a wider selection of items however.

1852 Oil painting of clipper ships in our January 28th auction

Kovels recently published their list of “Antiques and Collectibles that are Selling Now”.  Their list includes costume jewelry, studio pottery, vintage purses, fifties furniture “not brown”, space memorabilia, Hot Wheels and mechanical and still banks.   These items, along with our recent top 10 list of antiques and collectibles, may help you generate a little extra income for the upcoming holidays.

To keep updated on antique, collectibles and estate news click on the Google+ link on our website www.centralmassauctions.com.

Our next live auction on January 28^th is shaping up well.  We have been picking up items from estates ranging from an early 1800’s tall case (grandfather) clock and paintings from the early 1800’s to mid-century modern furniture and 1960’s GI Joes.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com  (508-612- 6111), info@centralmassauctions.com