Crazy for My Collectibles

I so enjoy the appeal of a retro kitchen and retro aprons and linens. Retro is so colorful and cheerful! Retro encompasses lots of Anthropomorphic elements from vintage Anthropomorphic salt and pepper shakers, Anthropomorphic fruit and veggies embroidered onto tea towels, dish towels and aprons and even Anthropomorphic chalkware wall plaques. EllynAnne Geisel has a couple great books out that bring the love of retro and vintage kitchen linens and aprons to the forefront of today and her website has so many neat downloadable “how to” like making these fabulously neat Original Egg Warmer Designs. Visit here for directions for this fun project! Make the POLKADOT EGG WARMER, APRON EGG WARMER, EGG WARMER APRON, EGG WARMER DRESS.

I love going to flea markets and junk shops and I always see lots of old funky trunks and  suitcases and also lots of tattered cabinets and display shelves that would be GREAT storage cabinets and miniature armoires if repurposed with flea market fabrics, walpapper, and some ribbons. If you are asking “how to repurpose flea market finds” DIY Ideas has a great flea market project for this so if you are looking for ways to put your stash of flea market finds to good use then you will enjoy this one!

As the country patiently waits in deep anticipation for the Alice In Wonderland movie opening this Friday March 5, 2010, the Alice In Wonderland collectibles market is soaring and has been for quite some time! Prices are REALLY going up and up and manufacturers cannot produce newer collectibles fast enough while collectors cannot buy-up vintage items quick enough. We posted an article back in February about collecting Alice In Wonderland items and mentioned that collectors felt prices were just starting to rise in anticipation of the movie release and since we have seen a very steady increase in price and values.

TOP 10 IN 2010 Alice In Wonderland Collectibles:

• Disney – Alice In Wonderland Mouse Ears Hat, Limited Edition!
• Stella McCartney’s Alice In Wonderland Jewelry Line with Swarovski Crystals
• Alice, Mad Hatter T-shirts (visit here)
• Red Queen T-shirts
• The Red Queen and Mad Hatter Coffee Tea Mugs
• Limited Edition Film Cels
• Desk Accessories Sets
• Figurines of Alice, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, Red Queen, White Queen
• Alice In Wonderland Christmas Ornaments and Holiday Decorations

Currently on EBay the below Alice In Wonderland Collectibles are HOT:
Alice In Wonderland Frida Kahlo Folk Art Painting Oil $21,000,000.00
Alice in Wonderland Beswick Figurine Royal Doulton 1974 $799
This Alice in Wonderland “White Rabbit” figurine is by Beswick.  $325
Beswick Alice in Wonderland The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Figurine $340
R JOHN WRIGHT DISNEY ALICE IN WONDERLAND DOLL $1,475
Disney Alice in Wonderland Teapot signed by Elisabete Gomes $1,275
R John Wright Mad Hatter – Alice in Wonderland $1,575
Royal Doulton Cheshire Cat Alice Series figurine $295
MADAME ALEXANDER WEEDLE DEE TWEEDLE DUM $119.99
LLADRO ALICE IN WONDERLAND PORCELAIN FIGURINE $700
7pcs. Alice in Wonderland Russian Nesting Doll  $575

Let’s just high prices for Alice In Wonderland Will Go!

Cheshire Cat Tote Bag Cheshire Cat, We’re all mad here

I just got my latest issue of Flea Market Style Magazine and boy-oh-boy is it full of good stuff! One article in particular caught my eye and it is a step-by-step guide on how to make a dog bed for your pooch from repurposed household items. This would be a great weekend project and a great way to use up some of the vintage fabrics and pillows you have been collecting. If you are handy at sewing you could also probably stitch up a few cute dog toys out of the leftover fabric. 

Since repurposing items are a very hot trend today as we are all into living green and into vintage and cottage styles and there also are some folks re-using old suitcases and fashioning them into doggie beds as well as using vintage fabrics and vintage linens and sewing them into darling little doggie dresses.

Hmmmm, think I might try making the Flea Market Style doggie bed for my fluffy little Bichon Frise- Luna and if that goes well maybe a cute little dress to match!

As early as the 1920s and 1940s is when state souvenir salt and peppershakers were sold and produced. As family “road trips” increased in popularity, and they sure did as folks could not get enough of seeing the United States by car, train, and their Air Streams. Gas prices were considerably low too so traveling the United States by way of a “road trip” was a great way to spend time together as a family and see the great country we live in and it is so much fun to pick up souvenirs along the way and souvenir salt and pepper shakers were the right size and could easily be packed and did not take up too much room. These shakers would either be stamped with the city/state/town where you picked them up or would have a sticker or label placed on them that indicated they were souvenirs from a particular city/state/location or town.

I look back with glee when I reminisce of the road trips we use to take; us kids in the backseat of the family station wagon, dog in the back, a cooler in the trunk with soda pops and sandwiches and the stops and visits into the local gift shops we would take on our way through a new city or town where we would pick out some little trinkets and S&P shakers. These were special times and today I can look at all the salt and pepper shakers we picked up on our sojourns across the USA and can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia for those good-old-days!

Today, some of the most collectible souvenir salt and pepper shakers are the Southern memorabilia, a popular collectible known also as Black Americana, Black Memorabilia, and Black Face Collectibles, and while much of the design from this genre is focused on the stereotypical household Mammy and Cook, these images were on tea towels and tablecloths too and were widely available throughout the southern states, these are attracting many collectors today. Souvenir salt and peppershakers are increasing in value every year as more folks are drawn to their charm and they are getting scarcer and more difficult to come by.

Vintage Made In Japan Salt and Pepper Shakers
The majority of US souvenir salt and pepper shakers were Made In Japan or Made in Occupied Japan and were usually stamped or marked accordingly. The term “Vintage” references items from the1920s -1980s and typically anything at least 50 years old can be considered Vintage. An Antique on the other hand should be at least 100 or more years old to be classified as an Antique.

Items stamped or marked “Made in Japan” were typically made prior to the First World War and after the Second World War as Japan was much like China and Taiwan are today; countries where items can be cheaply manufactured and mass produced. The term “Made in Occupied Japan” refers to the period in history right after the Second World War when the United States, Australia, British India, United Kingdom and New Zealand were involved in re-building Japan and were a main presence. In 1951 a peace treaty was signed that was enforced in the spring of 1952 when Japan became an independent state again. Items produced in Japan during this short time frame are stamped/marked “Made In Occupied Japan” and considered more desirable and valuable by many collectors. Many of the Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers we deal with and sell are from these eras and are fun to collect as they have an appealing charm about them that comes across in the way they were molded and painted.

A couple photos for you of some vintage Black Americana1930s souvenir salt and peppershakers. These are souvenirs from New Orleans, Louisiana, Washington D.C., York P.A., Martin,Tenn.

If you are interested in collecting Souvenir Salt and Pepper Shakers you will find that they are a little more difficult to come by then non-souvenir shakers as many collectors are seeking these and a search on EBay for souvenir shakers only returned 64 results so, keep your eyes open when visiting yard sales, garage sales, seasonal bazaars, thrift shops, flea markets, antique malls, and online websites. We hope you display and enjoy your souvenir shakers!

Pincushions have been around since the 15th century when they were first made from silver and ivory. It was during the 1800s that pincushions were being commercially produced. During the Victorian era is when pincushions were highly decorated with beads and made into shapes of shoes, dolls, teacups, fruits, umbrellas, veggies and fruits rather than just boxes and were then displayed in parlors.

Today, the pincushion has made a big comeback and is a very “hot” item especially the vintage half doll pincushions and the homemade pincushions done up in all kinds of retro fabrics and embellishments. Stuffing for your pincushions also has come a long way as some use batting, sand, and scented herbs! Below is a list that we have compiled for you for 60 Free Pincushion Patterns ranging from Ladybug Pincushions, Half Doll Pincushions, Teacup & Saucer Pincushions and so much more! Visit here for more.

1.    Martha Stewart’s Homegrown Tomato Pincushions
2.    Fantabulous Pincushion Tutorial
3.    Square Wrist Pincushion
4.    Baby Food Jar Pincushion
5.    Martha Stewart’s Wool Sweater Tea Cup Pincushions
6.    African Violet Pincushion How-to
7.    Ladybug Pincushion How-To
8.    Mushroom Pincushion How-To
9.    Small Wonder Pin Blossom
10.    Southern Girl’s Pincushion Tutorial
11.    Soda Bottle Cap Pincushion
12.    Square Pincushion Tutorial
13.    Pansy Pincushion Pattern
14.    Tin Can Pincushion
15.    Pincushion/Thread Catcher Tutorial
16.    Homespun Hearts Pincushions
17.    Busy Bees Pincushion
18.    Dress Form Pincushion
19.    Free Hedgie Pincushion
20.    Wild Flower Pincushion Pattern
21.    Make A Mini-Basket Pincushion – Tutorial
22.    Monkeyroom’s Pincushion Tutorial
23.    Pincushion Jar Tutorial
24.    Pincushion Hangup
25.    Pincushion Wristlet
26.    Flowerpot Pincushion
27.    Thumb Pincushion
28.    Sunny Wrist Pincushion Tutorial
29.    Pincushion Cuff Tutorial
30.    Patchwork Pincushion
31.    Pear Pincushion
32.    Make Do Pincushion
33.    Mouse Pincushion
34.    Bari J Pincushion
35.    Abyquilt Pincushion Tutorial
36.    Wristlet Pincushion
37.    Bottlecap Pincushions
38.    Teacup & Saucer Pincushions
39.    Flower Pincushion
40.    Patchwork Pincushion Tutorial

If you want to see really fabulous pincushions from a creatively talented individual named Elizabeth Holcombe and she uses all sorts of odds-n-ends from vintage fabric, vintage dog figurines, and more please visit here for her Flickr stream.

Alice In Wonderland has always been a very collectible item and theme and both the young and the old can’t seem to get enough. It all started as a novel titled “Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland” back in 1865 written by an English gent named Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the name Lewis Caroll. Today, we know the story as Alice in Wonderland and with the 2010 Tim Burton re-make of the classic with movie stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, and Mia Wasikowska to name a few, they have all gotten together for a very important date and so, we just know this modern day version of Alice In Wonderland will create new collectors and those that have been collecting will certainly be adding to their collections!

Alice In Wonderland items are currently Sky Rocketing in price and everyone I have spoken with recently is not a bit surprised and some felt the prices were about to really spike up as the peak has yet to be reached! Below is a random sampling of Alice In Wonderland related items and what they are currently selling for on EBay, Tias, Rubylane, Vintagedisneyalice.blog, Alice-In-Wonderland, Collectalice, and Spiralvisions (images are from these websites}.

1893 Lewis Carroll Alice In Wonderland Book SIGNED BY DODGSON $9,500
SALVADOR DALI Alice In Wonderland MAD TEA PARTY Print (From ALICE IN WONDERLAND COLLECTION) $2,499
ANTIQUE ROBINSON&LEADBEATER ENGLISH BISQUE ALICE IN WONDERLAND GIRL+DOG FIGURINE $1,400
1950s Alice in Wonderland Spinning Top Features colorful images of Alice with the Flamingo, the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, and Humpty Dumpty. Made in the USA by Colmor – $125.00
1980s Alice in Wonderland Miniature Doll, Limited Edition of 1000 made by Tina Richardson for Small Bears For A Big World series. $95.00

Disney Alice In Wonderland Items:
2001 Disney Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum Figurines on EBay $450
Alice in Wonderland Disney Animation $355
DISNEY ALICE IN WONDERLAND QUEEN BARBIE DOLL $140
ALICE IN WONDERLAND COOKIE JAR – VINTAGE & RARE $105
1950s Alice In Wonderland NAPCO Planter $125
Madame Alexander Alice In Wonderland Doll $85
3D Alice In Wonderland Cheshire Cat Souvenir Spoon $135
1930s Alice In Wonderland “Come To Life” Pop-Up Book $495
1970s Alice In Wonderland children’s board game $63
Alice In Wonderland ‘The Duchess” Pewter Figurine $35
Alice In Wonderland “Mad Hatter” Royal Doulton Toby Jug $85
Alice In Wonderland Figurine for Disney by Armani $675

The Mad Tea Party Tote Bag This Alice in Wonderland tote bag features a vintage image of the Mad Tea Party. We’ve pixilated bits, sharpened others. The image is set off center. Lekker Brand.

We are all familiar with the folkloric tales of Vampires that hail from Transylvania and want to “suck our blood” and how they only come out at night. These Vampires wore black cloaks and had very pale complexions and when they showed their teeth they had a pair of fangs on each side and if a human saw this Vampire creature they went off running and screaming and to protect themselves from these Vampires they would hang garlic from their neck, have holy water, rosaries and crucifixes near by and the only way to kill a Vampire was to drive a stake through his heart.

Today the Vampire has really made a come back and instead of running away, people are flocking towards the Vampire and can’t seem to get enough, so much so that Vampire collectibles are hotter than ever!

It all began with hit movies and television shows like Twilight, the upcoming Alicia Silverstone movie VAMPS, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and of course Count Dracula.

If you are a true Vampire fanatic you will want to visit Wikipedia.org for a very detailed and informative explanation about Vampires, where and how they originated and of course the many, many books and movies that were made depicting Vampires like – these to name a few: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire (the below are some of the titles you will find on Wikipedia.)

* Dracula (1931) – starring Bela Lugosi
* Dracula’s Daughter (1936) – starring Gloria Holden
* Son of Dracula (1943) – starring Lon Chaney Jr.
* House of Dracula (1945) – starring Carradine
* Dracula (1958; Horror of Dracula) – starring Christopher Lee
* The Brides of Dracula (1960)
* Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
* Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)
* Taste the Blood of Dracula (1969)
* Scars of Dracula (1970)
* Dracula AD 1972 (1972)
* The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

Some of the very collectible Vampire related items today are Coffins, Bloody items – the bloodier the better,Victorian Era Items Related to Vampires, Vampire Hunting Kits, Crucifixes, Rare 1st Edition Books, and Rare Movie Posters to name a few.

Right now on eBay you can find the below Vampire collectibles and what they are going for – it is shocking!:

Vampire Hunter Kit $1,000 (Vampire Hunter Kits from the Victorian era sold by Gypsies in Transylvania to travelers.)
ORIG MOVIE POSTER VAMPIRE HORROR LUGOSI $2,500
Twilight 1ST EDITION $1,500
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 32 figure $1,500
Bella’s Charm Bracelet HEART ONLY by Runs with Vampires $175

A couple interesting websites that feature Vampire collectibles:

http://www.ebay.com
http://www.vampires.com/
http://www.madametalbot.com/14vampires.htm

Fun Twilight Collectibles

The part of the country I live in happens to have several antique malls and I love it! Of course, I have my favorites and frequent them a couple times a month. The difference for me as a customer in determining which mall I prefer has a lot to do with the location, types of merchandise, price, and staff working the shop. Some antique shops have nothing but rows upon rows of glass cabinets that require someone on site to unlock the display so folks can see the merchandise up close and some of these malls do a great job at having several dealers walk the floors 7 days a week with keys so customers can access these cabinets easily and other shops could care less if they assisted customers at all. Also, some dealers have their tags and pricing clearly visible and others either hide it or make it a deliberate effort on the customer’s part to ask for assistance…not great if you cannot get customer service though.

Below are my top 10 tips as a customer to all you dealers and booth owners who either are not selling as much as you thought you would or need some fresh perspective to rejuvenate your spaces and items to sell more!

1. Sell What You Specialize In. Buyers want to feel secure that they are purchasing from an “expert”.  They want to feel confident in their purchases and that they made a good decision purchasing from you. Dealers should be onsite on the busiest days if possible and engage in conversation with their customers and if they have items for sale that require unlocking cabinets and stalls then keep the doors open while you are in your space so customers can easily access your merchandise and talk to you about it. People want to be assured that they are purchasing quality items so anything you can tell me about the item, like its history, I really like and being the expert in your field will have impact on your sales!

2. Rotate Your Merchandise. It is VERY important to keep your offerings “fresh” giving folks a reason to visit you often to see what is new! This is a huge sore point with me as there are some malls where merchandise does not rotate often and the booths look stale. I am always looking for something “new” and if your booth has relatively higher prices but new items regularly then I will most likely buy from you and not the booth with the same old stuff and same old prices.

3. Price Your Items Reasonably From The Start. Keeping your items fairly priced will yield you sales all year long. Some booths begin with outrageously high pricing and as the days, weeks, and months go by you can actually see the price tags on the unsold items appearing with crossed out prices or new price tags stuck on top of old tags and this looks tacky. If dealers need to change prices, why don’t they use a new tag? Also, the item descriptions get harder and harder to read when crossed out prices take over the tag. Buyers like to be able to read a few sentences about what it is they are buying.

4. Hire a Merchandiser. A professional can help you display your wares in appealing and eye-catching manners so your wares can attract as many buyers as possible. The majority of booths I see look horrible and I am sorry if I am offending anyone but that is my feeling. Yes, I agree that it depends on the type of mall your space is in as some malls may actually mandate that booths look a certain way to keep a cohesiveness to the overall mall and some malls frankly are open just to collect rent from the dealers and do not give an iota about the appearance. Booths that have items strewn all over the place like on the floors and on the edges of counters are so hard to maneuver around as I am either keeping my eyes on the floor so I don’t trip over your stuff or I am so afraid to turn around in your booth and am watching that my purse does not knock down the items you have on the edges of your counters. Also, some booths place items way up high on their shelves that they are un-reachable and you either knock something off the shelf or never get near the item you were after in the first place cause it is out of reach. Either way, I am not able to look over your items for fear that I will get hurt or hurt your items. So, if someone can help you out with your displays then people will feel more comfortable in your booth as well as enter your booth and that may mean some sales for you.

5. Stock Seasonal and Holiday Items. I have been so disappointed over the last couple years for the lack of seasonal/holiday items. Last Christmas and this past Christmas I have been searching for vintage Christmas Tablecloths, spaghetti Santa’s, Pixies, Christmas Salt and Pepper Shakers, Holt Howard Christmas collectibles, Feather Trees, old German Ornaments, etc.. and could hardly find any. Most of the antique malls in my state just did not have the inventory the last few years and I don’t know why.  As a customer, I am prepared to pay good money and meet your prices if you have what I am looking for so, when the holidays are approaching and seasonal changes are happening, stocking related items can boost your sales.

6. A Clean Booth Brings in More Customers. I am shocked at how many booths never dust or throw out the empty coffee cups that are left in them by folks wandering by. These are also the booths that appear to have stale old merchandise and many items are damaged. Why do so many dealers keep damaged merchandise in their booths? Honestly, when I see damaged merchandise I wonder what is hiding under the price tag – are their chips and dings too? So, occasional dusting, vacuuming if you have rugs, throwing out the trash and removing the damaged items will make me more inclined to enter your space and see what you have as you may actually have some really great items but you are not encouraging my entry with dirt and broken items being the first things I see.

7. Baskets & Carts. Having baskets or carts for customers to place their items into while shopping is HUGE! I get so frustrated when I am in a antique mall and having really good luck finding lots of goodies and my hands are full so even if I see something else I am interested in I can’t carry it so I have to get to the register which is usually way up front and pretty faraway from the booth I am standing in that by the time I get to the register I am too tired and my feet hurt to walk all the way back to where I saw something else and then I probably won’t remember which booth it was in either. So, there is literally only one mall in my area that has carts and baskets for customers and for some reason this mall seems to have no shortage of customers and the lines at the registers are long and people seem to have pretty full carts. Hmmmmm, seems to pay off when someone thinks of the customers.

8. Coffee, Tea, Water, Cookies? A lot of the antique malls in my area are very large with 100 to over 300 booths so, if I get hungry or thirsty while I am shopping it is going to cut my shopping down to less time spent in the shop. I don’t expect anyone to provide anything free but, why can’t some shops have a little snack shop or even vending machines? If I can get a refreshment it will re-energize me so I can focus on the task at hand – SHOPPING & Spending Money.

9. Customer Request Lists. Okay, this is something I would think is a GREAT idea as it lets the customer tell you what they are looking for so, why don’t more shops have this? One of my top malls allows customers to fill out a “request list” and the mall makes this available to their dealers who can contact the customer if they have the requested item(s) and as long as the sale takes place via the shop, it seems to work out well for the customer, dealer and the shop.

10. Instant Gratification. When I walk into an antique mall I REALLY want to walk out with something even if it is very small. Not everyone is in the market for a dining room table, armoire, or cookie jar so why not have a few “small” affordable goodies available like regional recipe books, necklaces, stationary, candles etc… Walking out with a purchase makes all that time I just spend walking around for 2 hours so worth it!

Thank you for taking the time to read my article from a customer’s perspective. I would love to hear from you – visit my “Contact” page to send me an email.

We here at Crazy4Me adore vintage Anthropomorphic items, everything from anthropomorphic salt and pepper shakers, Anthropomorphic kitchen towels, Anthropomorphic kitchen collectibles, and of course Anthropomorphic vintage Valentine cards. We found these GREAT vintage Valentines Day cards and they put a big SMILE on our face and we wanted to share them with you. We wish you all a Happy Valentines Day!

Images from:

Anthropomorphic Valentines

Anthropomorphic Kitchen & Food Fun