Playing with flea-market finds | Auction Finds

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Playing with flea-market finds

Posted by sherry on 10/01/09 • Categorized as Art

Flea markets, auctions, collectibles can wound up in the most interesting of places.

I was reading a story in my local newspaper, the Philadephia Inquirer, this morning about a theater production that sells objects from its set before each night’s performance.

So, if you attend the Gas & Electric Arts production of Cabinet of Wonders: An Impossible History, and see something you like, you can pay for it and take it home that night. Instant tag sale.

78records

The company asked an antiques and collectibles dealer to fill the set with items found at actual flea markets, including 78 rpm records, ladies gloves, salt and pepper shakers, sofas, chairs, lamps and head vases. The prices start at 50 cents, and each new performance offers new buys.

What an innovative way to extend the performance by allowing your audience to take a piece of the experience home with them.

Those of us who love auctions and flea markets may be willing to go see a play just to shop. Agree?

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Tagged as: 78 rpm records, auction, collectibles, finds, flea market, tag sale, theater

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About Sherry Howard

I started going to auctions to fuel my love for African American art – but at a bargain. I love the old masters: Lois Mailou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, Hughie Lee-Smith. I wanted to find their works and discover other veteran artists whose works may have been hiding in an attic or basement, and forgotten.

I’m a journalist by profession: I was a newspaper reporter and editor. Now, I’m taking what I did as a journalist – peeling back the covers of people’s lives and writing about what I found – and applying it to auctions. And I’m loving it.

Visit me often to see what I come up with. I would also like to share stories and photos of what you find and your collections. Click my Contact page.

What is my stuff worth?

Here are some tips for things you can do on your own to help determine what your items are worth:

First, try the web. Search for items similar to yours.
Go to the library or browse at a bookstore. Look through price and collector's guides pertaining to your item.
Get a free or reduced-price appraisal. Find local auction houses in your town and check their websites to see if they offer these quick appraisals. You can find auction houses near you via auctionzip.com.
Pay for a real appraisal. This could be your last step or your first step (if you have an item that you already know is valuable).

You can get more detailed information on each of these tips in my blog post on the subject.

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