Pick for Profit

Even after 40 years of buying and selling antiques and collectibles, we're still encountering never-before-seen items. Every sale means learning something new! At this particular garage sale, hosted by fellow antiques and collectibles dealers clearing out old inventory, we learned about mid-century sports-themed tabletop games, the fascinating history of Thatcher Dairy milk bottles, whether an electrified Rayo kerosene lamp still holds its value, vintage mid-century light fixtures, and a seriously cool Raku teapot. These are all items to keep your eyes peeled for the next time you're out picking at garage sales, estate sales, and antique shops. All the details on this week's Pick for Profit.

Crafts and handmade vintage items can be a ton of fun because they're often one-of-a-kind. But how do you know which vintage crafts and collectibles are desirable? And how should you price them? In this episode, we pull a few embroidery-related items from our ephemera box, then pivot to the differences between hand-sewn and machine-made quilts. We highlight homemade Barbie clothes and a few wooden treasures (fishing lures, candle pillars, and even a souvenir baseball bat). If it's old and handcrafted, it may just be begging for a second life. This week on Pick for Profit!

Photography can be one of the most fascinating (and overlooked!) areas of antiques and collectibles. In this episode, we explore the WWII-era Yank magazine and its incredible photography, artwork, pin-ups, and firsthand glimpse into military life before diving into the history of collectible photography, including daguerreotypes, tintypes, cabinet cards, albumen prints, Kodak snapshots, and vintage Polaroids. We’ll look at what makes old photographs interesting to collectors, why unusual subjects can be more valuable than common portraits, and the kinds of vintage photographs, snapshots, and Polaroids sellers should watch for when shopping for their own inventory.

Digging into our podcast analytics, we discovered that ephemera is one of our top-two downloaded episodes of all time! Since there’s clearly a lot of interest in vintage ephemera (and because we think American illustration just might be ready to explode, thanks in part to the opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art), we’re digging into a box of ephemera we’ve had forever and have been walking around. Find out what we discovered about American illustrator Gustav Muss-Arnolt, including his incredible sporting dog lithographs, and stay tuned for additional insights into paper mache (Halloween is a great time for paper mache items), and hand-painted store signage. And we put out a call at the end: Know anything about Lillian Woolsey Hunter? We’d love to hear from you!

Fall isn't just one season for antiques and collectibles sellers—it's a collision of seasons, and that's creating all sorts of opportunities across Etsy and eBay right now. In this episode, we're digging into what's trending in John's shops as summer gives way to fall, from Native pottery and vintage pottery in warm autumn neutrals to brown dripware, floral ceramics, leather handbags, vintage coats, cookbooks, barware, and entertaining pieces. We also explore seasonal demand for sports and team-related collectibles, fishing and outdoor gear, binoculars, children's athletic clothing, vintage Christmas and holiday gifts, framed art, military buttons, and other items shoppers are already seeking. Whether you're selling on Etsy, eBay, or both, you can use this "collision of seasons" to your advantage. Changing weather, holidays, sports, decorating trends, and gift-buying behavior can help you decide what to list and promote right now.

Anyone who lived through the '80s knows there were a TON of really fun pop culture moments. And yep, they're coming back in a big way. Think: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, E.T., The Goonies, Transformers, Gremlins, Thundercats, Jem, Barbie and the Rockers, and other 1980s toys and movie memorabilia to lunch boxes, posters, VHS tapes, vinyl records, cassette tapes, arcade tokens, mall displays, concert T-shirts and programs, tickets, Trapper Keepers, Lisa Frank folders, boomboxes, Swatch watches, Caboodles, vintage clothing, acid-washed and high-waisted jeans, Guess, Jordache and Members Only. We dish on some surprising things we've found we can sell: original packaging (without the original item!), unopened makeup (totally serious), and stay tuned to the end for an item you never want to pass by. (If you lived in the '80s, you remember them well. They were free, came in the mail, and can now sell for good money.) This episode's all about digging into the 1980s if you weren't there to see it with your own eyes or refreshing your memory if you were.

You never stop learning as an antiques and collectibles dealer, and this summer has been proof of that for us. We've mentioned the embarrassment of garage-sale riches this summer, and recently, the questions we've been receiving have all circled around: What was the biggest surprise? Biggest discovery? What'd you learn? We're revealing three aha! moments from this summer: Twin Winton pottery (and how our own anti-hillbilly bias kept us from seeing it before), Hallmark Holiday Barbies (sold in Hallmark stores, not toy stores), and Juliana Jewelry (plus a fantastic website you'll want to visit to train your own eye). Stay tuned to the end for a new Tonka Trucks tip we recently learned as well. 

What makes an antique or collectible valuable? Sometimes, it’s not the object itself; it’s what the object is made of! In this episode, we explore how materials can drive collector demand, value, and sales, from glowing uranium glass and Fiesta red to Bakelite, celluloid, Lucite, ivory, sterling silver, pewter, wood, leather, silk, and unusual vintage fabrics. We discuss how to identify collectible materials, spot valuable objects in bags of “junk,” and explain why color can be a clue when attempting to identify a specific material. We also dive a bit into how knowing what an object is made of can absolutely help your online descriptions. Stay tuned for the bonus tip on ephemera (don't toss those scraps)! In short, what your pick is made of may sometimes be the most important part of its story...and your listing.

Back-to-school season is a great time for antiques and collectibles sellers to rethink what they’re putting in front of shoppers. In this episode, we look at vintage school supplies, antique desks, globes, maps, textbooks, typewriters, yearbooks, letterman jackets, caps and gowns, and nostalgic classroom collectibles. We're also witnessing a growing interest in analog desk and office accessories, which dovetails perfectly with this season: old office technology, desk sets, ink blotters, art glass paperweights, and wall art! We advise sellers here not to dismiss dorm decor and collegiate style possibilities (think preppy Ralph Lauren-inspired fashion), and discuss how staging a vintage “study area” in your booth can invite shoppers and increase sales this time of year. Whether you sell antiques online, at flea markets, or in an antique mall, these back-to-school and office trends can reveal some surprisingly strong opportunities.

You’ve researched your antique or collectible. Checked for price comps. Taken some great photos. At this point, the description can feel almost like an unnecessary hassle...in reality, it's anything but! In this episode, we're digging deep into what to include in online listings for vintage clothing, coins, books, electronics, even musical instruments and lamps. The most surprising details can actually help move an item, whether that's measurements, materials, accessories, even care instructions. We also discuss vintage clothing sizes and vanity sizing, and how to do basic coin grading (even if you're not a pro). We wrap it up at the end with a bit on successful title methods. Improving your descriptions isn't busywork. It's strategy. The better your description, the better chance you have of making the sale.