what's your niche?

[grasswire]

For resale, I buy antique and vintage paper items, especially sheet music, post cards, travel stuff, menus, prints, other ephemera. Also vintage linens. Lately I have been buying old homemade wooden boxes, shelves and small wall cabinets. And I'm picking up the occasional mid-century piece of furniture if it's a real bargain.

For myself, I buy old books to build a classics library for my teenage grandson, I keep some sheet music and postcards for my own pleasure.

And I buy anything I see that I KNOW for certain I can at least quadruple my money on, no matter what the category.

[Vinca]

1. My niche is whatever will make money, but I do love art pottery.

Sometimes I get too ambitious, though. A few weeks ago I bought a stamp collection from a 93 year old lady at a yard sale. There are thousands and thousands of stamps. I figured, incorrectly, how hard can it be to research these things and resell them? Very hard . . . and tedious . . . as it turns out. My knowledge of stamps amounts to looking for the "inverted Jenny." I'll probably photograph them in a pile and put them on ebay. I just haven't got the patience.

(Editing to add a pottery question - years ago I found a gorgeous, irridescent vase with a very old gift shop sticker from Michigan. The potter's mark is incised in longhand "Pansy the Potter." For years I've searched for upper midwestern potters named Pansy, with no luck and the gift shop is long gone. Anyone know any potters named Pansy?)

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Can you post a pic of that vase?

And the sticker?

Sounds intriguing.

[Vinca]

5. Oops - I made a mistake on the gift shop sticker.

It's actually from something called the "Old Salt Gifte Shoppe" in Washington Island, Wisconsin. I'll post a picture if I can figure out how (technically-challenged person here).

[Whoa_Nelly]

7. Here's a listing of pottery places on Washington Island

Maybe by emailing and sending a photo of the vase, and one of the artist signature, you may get some answers.

6) Take photos from several angles. Usually a straight on photo tends to capture less, not more of incised or stamped mark.

http://tinyurl.com/3aozm9



Especially from these folks,

http://www.potterswheelgallery.com/

who have a review that states:

Abe and Ginka Cohn have been in the Art business for 50 years. Almost every working potter you meet in Wisconsi has been affected in some way by Abe Cohn. Their gallery in Fish Creek features Abe's work of course, but it also features other wonderful ceramic work from around the country. There is salt fired work by Don Reitz and pit fire pieces by John Dietrich. There is ceramic work from Door County artists and ceramic work from New Mexico. the prices are very reasonable and you won't be disappointed if you vist between late May and late October. You might even be lucky enough to view a throwing demonstration by Abe himself.


Tips on taking signature on the vase:

1) Use a tripod or set camera on a level surface. You want your camera steady so there's no blur.

2) Have vase set about 28 inches away from the camera, and sparingly use your zoom. End photo can be cropped as close up.

3) Use the Close Up feature on your camera -- most digital cameras have auto, landscape, etc., and Close Up is usually one of the feature.

**note** The Close Up feature usually automatically turns off the flash. But, if it doesn't, turn off the flash.
4) Select the Menu button on your camera. Scroll down until you see ISO Settings. Select a 200 ISO to allow for more light when phot o is taken.

5) Make sure your ambient lighting is creating highlighting and shadows on the signature.

[Vinca]

8. Wow! Thanks for the tip. Years ago I tried to research the

piece and came up empty. It's been on the shelf ever since. I'll have to wash it before I take a picture. LOL.

[Whoa_Nelly]

9. Oops! In setting up my response to you

I inadvertently didn't get Tip # 6 moved to the proper place of sequence.... :blush:

I had typed it all out, and then decided to move the tips down to bottom of post, and missed it in my editing :eyes:

Am sure you can put those tips all together though! ;)

[InvisibleTouch]

2. Sci-Fi toys and collectibles.

It's what I collected for years, so it's what I know best. By now I have almost everything I want, which is a good thing, since I can't afford to splurge much these days! There are still a few unfilled niches on my want-list, however. From a seller's perspective, unfortunately, that market has dropped drastically in recent years - but good rare items will still fetch a decent price.

But I'll list anything I think I can sell, and if it's an item I don't know much about, I'll do some research so I can write a decent desc. I look for brand names (even if I don't recognize them) as a starting point to do a Google search. Sometimes it's just an instinct at a live auction, a realization that "Yeah, someone will pay more for this than what I can get it for." And if I truly don't know what it is, I'll bid low and play it safe. One auctioneer refered to me jokingly as the "dollar bidder" because I was seldom willing to go over $1 per lot - but if it's something I know the value of, I'll bid accordingly.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. Mostly sell collectibles and vintage items

I buy art, specifically Impressionist paintings from the 1920-40s, and sculpture.

Many of those types of paintings I've collected over the years are signed by J. Vera and a few by M.A. Vera.
These oil paintings depict Peruvian life in the Andes, many of which have llamas and simple folk on the shores of Lake Titicaca with the Andes Mountains in the background.

Some of these also have hand chipped wood frames very much from the 1920-30s.

I have yet to find out who these artists are, but their work is wonderful. I've written to several places in Peru, but have never received a response.

It's possible these paintings were created for the tourist trade, but real talent is shown in the paintings.

[Double T]

6. Anything and everything early, before 1840.............

but will also buy anything that can turn a reasonable profit. I really like ALL types, origins and ages of art pottery and art glass.

[brer cat]

10. Vintage & antique children's books and old sterling silver

are my specialties, but our b&m shop is a mix of just about everything. Sales are very slow this year, so I have no clue what to buy. We have been selling some on ebay. We hate selling on ebay during the summer because prices are so low, but cash flow is cash flow. :shrug:

[demgrrrll]

11. 27 Year veteran here. I buy anything I know I can sell for a profit.

I like to buy in volume and wholesale if possible so I buy a lot of paper, linens and vintage clothes books etc. I am wondering if the markets in other places are as rabidly competitive as the St. Louis Market. It is WILD here, I have developed a very thick skin as a result of all the rough and tumble in ole St. Lou. I started in the business collecting art pottery years ago.

[grasswire]

12. do you buy at auction?

Or do you buy estates? Or what?

[demgrrrll]

13. Both. I buy at estate sales and auctions but predominately at estate

sales. I also haunt the thrift shops. Believe it or not I still get lucky now and then in the thrifts. The estate sales are rabidly competitive.

[Fiendish Thingy]

14. Beatles records and memorabilia, animation art, Hawaiian sheet music,

some 60's toys, and Star Wars- too much stuff! I mostly buy, but I do sell extras from my Beatle collection on my website.
We're hoping to immigrate to Canada in a year or two, and I may be faced with reducing my collections...or hiring an additional truck to lug it all from California to BC...

[democraticinsurgent]

15. Vinyl records here

All types, whatever moves on eBay. I also have a tendency to buy other collectibles but they never seem to make it to the selling part of the equation.

[Horse with no Name]

16. I stick mainly with books

I am just re-opening my book store however but this time plan to include collectibles and name brand children's clothing.
I agree with the "anything that makes money" caveat though.:D

[Dulcinea]

17. Clothes my kids have outgrown and sports jerseys.

But I'm squarely in the "anything that makes money" crowd too.

[sufrommich]

18. Wow. I just found this group

I buy thrift store mid century modern stuff(mostly pottery and dinnerware) I'm seriously thinking of leaving e-bay because of the costs and opening my own online store. Anybody have any experience with that?

[grasswire]

19. I'd be interested in hearing about that, too

Maybe it deserves its own thread.

[demgrrrll]

20. Me too. Sounds like a great idea.

[ariesgem]

21. I sell designer women's clothing purchased at thrift stores.

I shop at thrift stores located in areas near well-to-do neighborhoods and I find an incredible amount of pieces, some new w/tags. If you know what labels are top sellers and know how to display the clothes on the auctions, a bag of clothes purchased for about $25 can easily sell for hundreds. Some days shopping at these stores are like looking down and finding money on the floor. Some days are a bust. The weekends are usually not good days to shop for ebay profits.