Antiques, Collectibles and Memories from Yesteryear

SOMETIMES LOYALTY IS EVERYTHING….

2012-01-16T11:49:00.005-05:00

Recently I have received a tremendous amount of emails from people asking me why I am so unwavering in my support of the team at GoAntiques. Soon the brand new “GoAntiques” (which will have a totally new vibe and format) will be rolling out in March, 2012, thus I wanted to address all the questions, before the new site hits!

Most people expect magic to happen immediately. If that is what you are looking for, then you may as well look to other sites to turn over your stuff cheaply, and quickly. To make a meaningful impact in your pocket and in your business, you need to nurture it and find the right place to sell on. I think we have been on every site on the internet through the years, and not one has compared to GoAntiques (www.goantiques.com) for us.

The most important part of why I support and stay with GoAntiques and am happy to promote them, is the customer service department. Nobody, in our opinion is comparable to the service that is provided at GoAntiques. At anytime, we can contact a representative and they will stay with us, to resolve an issue. They listen to suggestions, and most importantly they back their dealers up. They don’t play that blame game, they realize that although our customers are important, so are the dealers, and not always is the customer being fair to the dealer.

I would like to share a very personal true story to you guys. A few years ago I was very ill, and had to go for chemotherapy and surgery. I called GoAntiques and spoke to Jason Robins (jason.robins@worthpoint.com), the Director of Sales Support. I will never forget Jason telling me to “relax, and take it slow”. He told me that he would watch my store, and he would check in on my staff to make sure everything ran smooth. Just the way he spoke to me, I knew everything would be okay. That year I went into the hospital twice, and both times, Jason made sure my store stayed up, ran smooth, and checked with my staff on a daily basis. You cannot get better than that.

Loyalty is everything. That is what GoAntiques has over the competition. Live people who care and have loyalty to their dealers. They have your back. You cannot get that with any other site on the internet. It’s a family, and we are building a village. The new GoAntiques will roll out in March, 2012, but we will be demonstrating the site at The Original Miami Beach Antique Show the first week of February. Tune into Facebook on the GoAntiques page for details at www.facebook.com/goantiques - we are working on getting a live web link up the day we launch it.

If any of you guys want to pick my brain give me a yell at customerservice@truetiques.com -- remember, without a site backing their dealers up, you have an incomplete experience that is skewered and unfair in so many senses of the word. I will always support the team at GoAntiques. They have proven to be true friends, professionals, and had Truetiques, Inc. back more times than I can count!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE .... COMING SOON THE NEW GOANTIQUES

2011-11-07T16:31:00.011-05:00

It’s been along time since there has been an antique memorabilia site that can really fill your soul.

It is true, we have sold on just about every antique collectible memorabilia site that exists on the internet. We have left almost every site in turn. Not one of them has truly lived up to their hype, except for one. Only one has kept us interested enough to stay on, ride the storm of economic dissent, and has remained the number one site we still sell on and promote. That would be GoAntiques -- a site with heart and soul. (You can either click on the hyperlink for GoAntiques or visit them by typing in to your browser www.goantiques.com)

I can now share some exciting news from my friends at GoAntiques that will make all antique memorabilia dealers hearts sing! The entire team has been working around the clock, to bring the website into the groove with social media, dealer webstores, forums for dealers and buyers to use, as well as a fully updated interface that is not only easier to use, but will be pleasing to everyone's eye.

I caught up with Jason Robins, the Director of Sales & Support (you can reach him at jason.robins@worthpoint.com) to get the lowdown on the changes and the launch date.GoAntiques is changing in so many ways next year, I think it will be beneficial to all dealers and buyers alike. Check out some of the changes coming your way in the first quarter of 2012 for GoAntiques.

Q: When is the official opening date of the new interface?

A: Will probably be the last week of January or a little before. There will be a full demonstration at the Original Miami Beach Antique Show which starts February 2nd. Complimentary accounts will also be awarded (for a limited time).

Q: What cosmetic changes are being implemented for the new site?

A: We are going for a cleaner look and feel, something that is easy to navigate. This will help buyers and sellers find what they’re looking for faster. The new layout will be more inventory focused and our member pages more customizable.

Q: What are the new tier plans for dealers?

A: There will be 3 subscription plans. The entry level will be about the $25 and the highest level $75. Each level has a specific benefit package including listing volume and marketing exposure through inventory distribution on partner sites. WorthPoint subscriptions are also bundled with some plans.

Q: Are dealers bound by a contract?

A: No longer. Each plan is a month to month deal which continues ongoing unless the member decides to terminate. We are confident that the new GoAntiques will retain dealers because it will help their business in many ways.

Q: What social media is being planned for the new website?

A: We have been very successful at engaging our members on Twitter and FaceBook with our WorthPoint website. We’re going to engage our GoAntiques Buyers and Sellers the same way. Articles, news worthy stories, and answering questions generated by our users will all be a big part of our social media outreach.

Q: What sort of advertising will GoAntiques devote to promoting the website and traffic to the site?

A: The launch will be supported by publicity, ads in trade publications; social media; WorthPoint.com site exposure; and partner co-marketing both in the US and the UK. As in the past, there will be ongoing marketing support through partners and SEO that will draw traffic. In addition, the WorthPoint Shopping Assistant is now active on WorthPoint.com which showcases items for sale by GoAntiques dealers when a user searches for the same or similar items.

Q: Will each dealer have their own online storefront?

A: Yes, we’ve offered this to our members in the past as well. The new member pages will feel more like individual websites than they have in the past. We’re working on the finer details now, but I can tell you that the dealer will have a lot more control over the look and feel of their page.

Q: Will I be able to import my listings from other sites I sell on?

A: Yes, we have a couple different ways of doing this. It’s usually best if you’re able to export the inventory into a tab delimited file for us.

Q: What product portals will you be advertising the site on?

A: We’re still in the early stages of programming for this but we’re going to allow our sellers to choose where they want to send their items. Google Shopping is done for you automatically by GO, but say you want to get more exposure for a few items. You could then send the items to Shopping.com and Shopzilla.com for little or no fee depending on your membership. We’ll continue to add more options as we move forward and we test which sites have the best conversion for antiques and collectibles.

Q: What is the advantage of buying from GoAntiques as opposed to other sites? A: It’s a combination of things; being able to set your FIND Item Alerts, you tell us what you’re interested and we’ll email you when it becomes available. GO Dealers will be able to access those alerts now. So, they’ll be able to post an item to the site that they know a buyer is waiting for. We’re also adding a new “Make an Offer” system and a Clearance Section. Buyers will be able to find great deals even more often and check out faster with our new shopping cart. Above all the new Go is a site dedicated to putting our members in charge – they pick their own store; identify their alerts; choose where their inventory is displayed and what offers they want to see.

Sounds pretty exciting to me! Now for all of you that only thought I was an avatar, I will be at the GoAntiques Booth in Miami with Jason and the team! See you then. I hear there might even be a sighting of the CEO of Worthpoint, the very knowledgeable, William Seippel.

If you want more information give me a yell at facebook at our webpage for Truetiques, Inc. - twitter us at rvt01 or you can good old fashioned email me at customerservice@truetiques.com

You can visit my friends at www.goantiques.com and www.worthpoint.com very exciting changes coming for all!

Prop Girl Rides Again

2011-10-04T12:10:00.004-04:00

We love working with our friends at www.worthpoint.com - made up of a team of incredible professionals, it is always fun to write a new piece for their newsletter. Hope you like my newest installment on props for Men In Black III. Just click the title above to be taking to our newest endeavor! Hearts, Peace & Cheerios, Truetiques

Past Articles We Are Proud Of

2011-03-16T12:51:00.010-04:00

It is indeed a pleasure and a honor when I can share our experiences in selling, whether its working on a movie prop work or we are helping others to grow their businesses. For those who have missed our past posts here is a walk down memory lane of some of our more notable articles:

1. For businesses that face a calamity - when it rains it pours sadly, sometimes: http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/lessons-learned-rains-pours

2. The funniest "pick" we ever did find were a bunch of FBI posters, that turned into a comedy of people playing where's my grandfather, even as far across as the pond: http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/unusual-family-mementos-granddads-fbi-wanted-poster

3. Retro New Years Eve meets vintage: http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/tossing-retro-new-years-eve-bash

4. Movie work on "Public Enemies": http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/running-guns-mobster-providing-toy-pistols-hollywood

Look for our new articles we will be presenting for The Examiner online for ideas on growing your e-commerce business: http://www.examiner.com/user-alkaia100

See you online kids, as we keep on building our 20,000 piece inventory at www.truetiques.com

Movie Prop Work is so much FUN!

2011-03-05T21:44:00.006-05:00

Sometimes the beauty of this business is actually getting to do something super duper fun. I have been fortunate to repeatedly work with wonderful propmasters as well as super theatre production masters. It's a rewarding fun job, and one I wouldn't change for the world. Recently I had a chance to share with my good friends at http://www.worthpoint.com/ one of my most favorite movie experiences to date. They were good enough to let this girl ramble on and if you click the link at the top (called Movie Prop Work is so much FUN!) you will be able to read the wonderful finished product in all its beautiful glory, Johnny Depp and all.

A big shout out thank you to Greg Watkins from Worthpoint for always being the guiding force in editing my work, and Jason Robins the Senior Marketing Guru for always calling to ask about ideas. Most importantly I can always depend on the guys at Worthpoint to support me in every endeavor I have undertaken. They are true friends and compadres in every sense of the word. Not to leave anybody out, I really should say a big hug to the founder of worthpoint, my dear friend William Seippel who is building an empire of knowledge that nobody is going to be able to compete with. Will keep up the good work, the research on the site is phenomenal and worth every penny for the subscription cost. Now onto me remember, this was about me. Check out the article, and let me know what you think.

A Texas Rose

2011-01-09T15:53:00.014-05:00

Sometimes I do things because they feel right - this happens to be one of those days. This is a tribute in sorts to a woman who inspires me daily, and a tribute (I hope), that will due justice to her beautiful, feisty momma who past away in November of last year.

My friend Lisa Baker is an incredible woman. She never ceases to amaze me on how she inspires those who are lucky enough to know her. Lisa has a rare gift in her natural ability to listen and nurture all that surround her. Lisa is in remission for MS. She is the current Team Captain and Director of Team Chain Gang (http://www.teamchaingang.com/), a Southern California based cycling group striving for a cure for MS - Multiple Sclerosis. Recently, Lisa lost her beautiful mother, Katherine Sheftall Wright (b. January, 1943 - d. November, 2010) after a long struggle with Hodgkins disease (and heart disease). Katherine's legacy to her beautiful daughter has been incredible pieces of art (including a Picasso we are getting verified in France), as well as the flip-side of her humor her Cowgirl Hat collections, which she so proudly wore in many a day when she was promenading in a Rodeo procession.

(just an example of some of Katherine's beautiful hats we are representing for her estate on behalf of Lisa at www.rvt01.com)

Katherine Sheftall Wright, was a top agent with Aflac which afforded her the opportunity to travel and experience all that life had to offer. She became a collector of fine art and collectibles as her travels took her all over the world. Katherine was a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Committee member for many years and had been part of the Rodeo procession on several occasions. Her friends included Ronnie Milsap, Kenney Rogers, Patrick Swazye and many others as she was a public relations manager for many events in Houston as well as the events coordinator for The Whitehall Hotel in downtown Houston. She studied dance at the Swazye Dance Studio in Houston and later excelled in Ballroom dancing. Katherine loved people and had a zest for life! That zest and passion continues on through her daughter, my friend Lisa Baker.

(Gorgeous unique German silver fighting roosters - extremely rare c1950s)

Come check out more of the beautiful treasures we are selling for Lisa in memory of her incredible mother, Katherine at www.rvt01.com --

Creating a New You Without Your Blankie 2011 Ver. 1.0

2011-01-01T15:06:00.008-05:00

Seize the moment! Carpe Diem! 2011 will go down in history as one of the best years ever for people who sell antiques and collectibles (that is only if they read this blog). So what if the economic flow is not flowing. This is a time to really get your juices flowing, whether you deal antiques and collectibles, sell clothes, bake killer oatmeal cookies.

This is the year of the middle person. It's time to be creative people - TIME TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE JAVA. The best way to get ourselves out of the pit of despair is to become self-employed and self-aware.

We have lived the life of being beholden to others for a paycheck and it has become so clear that those days are over. Let's stimulate America the old fashioned way. We need to make the jobs happen. That is my new mantra of the New Year! A really wise lady I know recently told me "don't put your eggs in all one basket".

That means for those scratching your head, not only start a business you can work at diligently but diversify yourself. I'm not talking portfolios people. The days of portfolio planning are over for now. I'm talking diversify your dreams. Get involved with different items to market. Seize the opportunities that make sense. If you are unemployed, you have nothing to lose. If you are lucky enough to be working right now then seize the opportunity to part-time work at a new endeavor. My thoughts for a brand new and what is shaping up to be an exciting new year.

Check us out at www.rvt01.com as we continue to build our new standalone website to be live February 1, 2011 at www.truetiques.com

Follow us on Twitter @rvt01
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ltru1

So Remiss

2010-11-19T23:56:00.000-05:00

My dear followers .... I am so sorry that it has been a whole year since we generated any information on our blog. My promise for 2011 is to blog at least a few times a week. I promise, or you can get something free from the store. We are currently working on our own website (www.truetiques.com) which will be independent from anybody else. No more eBay, no more malls, we're done. We have been doing this 15 years and it is time to get the eggs out of the one basket theory and stand proud. See you soon. I promise to write before Xmas 2010. Laur.

Auction Wally's Wild Circus

2009-09-02T10:34:00.006-04:00

Guess what! I had the most amazing experience on August 17, 2009. To my surprise, I was selected to be a guest on Auction Wally's Live Talk Show, a well known internet podcast.

The Selling Circus originally started out as a singular forum for Bonanzle (an online alternative ecommerce site for sellers). However, pretty soon Wally and Phaedra (who host the show), realized that the listeners were not "one market" ecommerce sellers. They were multi-platform sellers and wanted a show with more variety in it (thus, "The Selling Circus" was born). One of the things I love about the show, is that it covers all aspects of ecommerce, marketing and branding.

Walt Kolenda (a/k/a AuctionWally), has been a professional auctioneer, antiques dealer and appraiser in the antiques business for 25 years. His co-host on the show, Phaedra Stockstill is a well known business consultant for ecommerce on http://www.bonanzle.com/ as well as owning her own ecommerce shop called At The Boutique (which offers natural products for skin care concerns). You can obviously see why I felt a little overwhelmed and in over my head with company like this!

Wally and Phaedra interviewed me with the professionalism they exhibit with each show. They were genuinely interested in the markets that I reach, and the products I sell. The questions from the listeners were intuitive and fun to answer. I would say the experience was invaluable and I encourage anyone interested in selling in an ecommerce market to tune in.

For more information, or to listen to the podcast, click on the links below.

To find out more about Wally and Phaedra you can click on their individual links below.

Thanks guys for an experience of a lifetime! xoxo Laur.

SHOW LINKS:
http://auctionworld.squarespace.com/circus/2009/8/18/ep10-rene-vintage-treasures-supplying-hollywood-with-props.html

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/53449

WALT KOLENDA (A/K/A/ AUCTIONWALLY) LINKS:
http://www.auctionwally.com/
twitter: http://twitter.com/auctionwally
email: wkolenda@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/auctionwally
http://www.sellingcircus.com/
http://www.examiner.com/x-312-Auctions-and-Antiques-Examiner

PHAEDRA STOCKSTILL LINKS:
Learn to Sell on Bonanzle
http://wholesaleincensesticks.com/
http://www.bonanzle.com/attheboutique
Twitter http://twitter.com/attheboutique1
http://facebook.com/attheboutique
http://dayinthelifeofanamericanwoman.blogspot.com/

Giving for a Worthy Cause, Children!

2009-06-11T09:15:00.014-04:00

One of the most rewarding parts of owning a business is the ability to give back to those who need a smile the most, children! Twice a year we donate our toys to children's hospitals or shelters (once in the summer and than at Christmas time).

This summer we have selected one of my favorite hospitals, St. Judes Hospital (http://www.stjude.org/) in Memphis, TN as the recipient of our donation. St. Jude is completely unique in their pediatric treatment of children. They have made numerous discoveries that have helped change how children are treated for cancer and other like diseases. Please take a few moments out of your busy day to look at their website, and read their literature. It will change your life forever.

As an owner of a collectible/antique business, you have to be fully aware of the selection of toys you donate, as there have been many safety changes in toys over the years (most vintage toys are only suitable for displaying purposes).

Because of this dynamic, I have decided the best toys to donate will be our reproduction toy line. Giving is something that everyone should take seriously and think about (whether you own a business or not). If you are fortunate enough to be walking around healthy, I believe it is your duty to help others that are not so fortunate.

Please consider giving to those who need. Remember, there is always somebody in the world worse off than you are, and giving simply does make you feel better (it’s not just a cliché).

You can catch up with us on twitter (rvt01), email us at alkaia100@nyc.rr.com or visit our websites at http://www.rvt01.com/ and http://www.rvt02.com/ - Rene Vintage Treasures has been in business since 1997 and is a long time supporter of St. Judes Hospital. We are an exclusive seller on http://www.goantiques.com/ and http://www.worthpoint.com/ - please come and visit us to browse and enjoy a walk down memory lane.

Tin Lithograph Friction Toys

2009-06-02T11:50:00.005-04:00

Often people select a certain type of item that they are collecting. Could be that you just collect tin lithographed friction motor toys. Or perhaps you are a baby doll collector? You will find that people who collect are varied in their tastes and for the most part will stick with one particular type of item in the category that they are collecting in.

For example a regular customer in Italy only collects vintage friction motor motorcycle toys. For him it cannot be a car, helicopter, plane, etc. So here is where the difference in collecting styles gets interesting and varied. What I have found, is the most pleasing of all, is that collectors are buying these items not for profit but to enjoy the memories of when they were kids. There's nothing like getting your hands on a toy you had when you were 9 years old and playing with it again. For me, I am a bit of a ham. My all time favorite toy is a vintage piano that was made by Fisher Price. I finally got my piano back, after 40 years and while I don't play with it, I have it prominently displayed in my bedroom for my enjoyment.

Rene Vintage Treasures has been a dealer online for 13 years. Our main selective site we display our items on is www.goantiques.com and www.worthpoint.com for classified ads. You can visit all our wonderful collectibles by simply clicking either our collectible store at www.rvt01.com or our primitives at www.rvt02.com

Vintage Toys are the New Rage in Collecting!

2009-05-31T09:49:00.012-04:00

Over the past few weeks, I have been asked what trends I am seeing in the collectible market.

This was a question I needed to think about carefully, because we sell a large variety of vintage items at Rene Vintage Treasures (http://www.rvt01.com/ & http://www.rvt02.com/) (over 6,000 items and adding more each day!).

In analyzing the last three months of sales, I see that old toys are back in style! Big sellers right now are gumball vending toys, dolls and related toy accessories (still in the header packages) and carnival dice (a big favorite). One of the joys of selling these items are the wonderful folks we get to meet along the way. It is a pleasure and a privilege to connect with our customers, and find out what their passion(s) in collecting are (I appreciate all the responses I got back from my informal email survey). Collectors in general are supportive people, always up for discussions and ready to give an opinion or an answer without any fuss!

So (drumroll please) the answer is ................. most people are collecting these wonderful old toys because it makes them feel really good. It's a reminder of a simpler time, one that you cannot recapture today with the technological toys that are on the market. People remember being little and begging mom for a penny so they could go to the gumball machine in the local candy store. Out would tumble the little prized toy, which they would play with all day! Some folks remember going to the dimestore to get one of the little toys hanging on the spikes on the walls. Our folks didn't complain because the toys were always cheap (but oh how we loved them).

A few of my customers said they were passing the old toys down to their children or grandchildren. (As always, we always warn our customers to be careful as all of these toys should be used for display purposes, and not for playing with.) Vintage toys right now are the collecting rage. A piece of childhood history that is extremely affordable for you to build a collection with.

Goantiques GOOGLE TOOL For All Dealers and Sellers

2009-05-23T08:29:00.003-04:00

Kudos to Mary Brennenman, VP of Content of Goantiques. How she figures these things out is beyond me. However, whether you are a dealer or a person who loves antiques and collectibles - check out the coolest tool I have seen yet ... http://www.google.com/ig/adde?hl=en&moduleurl=www.goantiques.com/rss/newitems.rss&source=imag -- once you click you will get a new Google page that shows you all the new items listed on http://www.goantiques.com/. It's a fantastic way to stay up and up on the new incoming listings and it integrates so easily into your system. Thanks Mary for always thinking of your dealers!

Creating Your Own Summer Get-A-Away in Your Backyard!

2009-05-14T11:39:00.011-04:00

I have been writing this one particular piece for about 2 weeks. For some reason, my brain refused to wrap itself around the concept I am trying to project. Finally, thanks to my dear friend, Mary Brenneman, the VP of Content at Worthpoint (http://www.worthpoint.com/) (here's Mary's bio on worthpoint http://www.worthpoint.com/management if you are interested to know why I value her opinion so much), I am now able to unfreeze the fog and write freely through these little tiny fingers.

The economy is bad and the politicians tell us it's going to get better. The truth is though, everyone of us is feeling the economic reverberation of this downturn. We are cutting back on life the way we knew it. Vacations are no longer a regular consideration once or twice a year (perhaps right now a dream for the future). WELCOME TO THE NEW VACATION, CALLED STAYCATION!

I wanted to share some of the comments that my customers have made to me in the last weeks with summer so quickly upon us. It's important in a very interesting way. It shows how American life is shifting to adjust to this new burgeoning crisis. We adapt fast, and we make changes to grow with these adaptatins. The new vacation spots are .......... YOUR OWN BACKYARDS, HOMES, APARTMENTS. If you can't get away to another place, make your place a sanctuary to relax, enjoy your living space and this year vacation in your own backyard! People are turning back to rustic, antique, primitive country looks, to be their mojo. They are bringing the shabby charm of yesteryear into their gardens, - a hint of warmth that can Feng Shui the balance that feels unbalanced!

For instance one of our customers just bought this antique Cast Iron Water Basin. Her theme was an English garden where she could sip delicious merlot at night and listen to the tinkle of the water coming out of this antique basin. So she got a plumber to change it into a fountain and wahlah - she now has, with her Wisteria overlooking the fountain, a little sanctuary that costs her 10 times less than a vacation would! Now I did warn her that she simply cannot buy $100 bottles of wine otherwise it will defeat the purpose of economizing. She has slyly told me that they will stick with the $11 jug wine - my kindof girl!

Another customer has bought some of our galvanized washtubs to plant her flowers in. She has intermittently placed them throughout her garden. Made the backyard look homey, and a place I want to relax and enjoy the sunshine in.

Now here is the best of all (WHICH has nothing to do with garden). A New York City customer, who does not have the space for a garden, had her husband purchase two of our French Wine Jugs in a Crate.

Last week I got a call from her, apparently her husband turned them into art deco lamps and so many people liked them that they need to buy more from us so he can start his new hobby/business!!! (Sadly these are antiques and the stock we have is almost gone, so it will be a short-lived business, although he has already targeted the thought of our Ox Cart Wheels and Antique Wine Jugs in Wire Crates to further his craft). I would love to hear more from all of you on how you are using antiques to decorate your envioronment!

Come visit us online at http://www.rvt02.com/ to find some great deals on primitive antiques. You can email me at alkaia100@nyc.rr.com. I am always happy to make a deal for you on an antique. The most important thing to me is that they find a happy home!

You can find Rene Vintage Treasures as an exclusive dealer on http://www.goantiques.com/ and http://www.worthpoint.com/. Our sister site is http://www.rvt01.com/ for vintage collectibles and estate pieces. We are always ready to make a reasonable deal!

Building a Vintage Paper Soda Cup Collection

2009-04-25T09:11:00.016-04:00

Isn't it fun to look at old stuff from other time periods? Many people who want to start collecting don't realize how affordable building a collection can be. Vintage paper soda cups are affordable, and can be a terrific way to spruce up a gameroom, basement, or even a fun way to decorate a party. Try that with any other form of collectible and I dare say you won't be able to build a meaningful collection! Just like citrus crate labels, paper soda cups of yesteryear are a lost artwork that you no longer see today. So many brands overtime had their own cups: Jic Jac, Double Cola, Fanta, Vernors, Canada Dry, Pepsi etc. (the most popular and plentiful collectible you will find is Coca-Cola memorabilia since it has been around since the 1880s and was by far and is still is the most popular of all sodas)!

Who first thought of making a disposable cup out of paper? Honestly I have personally searched and to this day, I still don't know the answer! What I do know is that around the beginning of the 1900s, paper cups started to become popular when people became more concious of sharing drink glasses which meant also sharing germs. Sometime around the early 1900s, Lawrence Luellen created the Dixie Cup to help promote public hygiene. So perhaps that's the answer.

What I think must have happened from here is this. So many Soda Fountain stores had soda glasses just for the soda brand they were serving, and the public outcry for hygiene was so strong, that the soda companies conformed and started producing the soda paper cups we collect and hold near and dear to our hearts to this day.

Come visit us online at http://www.rvt01.com/ to check out some of the beautiful vintage soda cups we have for sale in our collectible store!

Pros/Cons of Goantiques and Worthpoint

2009-04-20T09:17:00.005-04:00

Okay, so you have now seen how it all began ... (have you guessed our original name yet?) -- anyway here is my TOP TEN REASONS why any dealer would want to join WorthPoint and GoAntiques (or if you want to click http://www.worthpoint.com/ and http://www.goantiques.com/)

1. WorthPoint Numbers Have It! WorthPoint is ranked 3,580 out of the top 1,000,000 websites. They have 640,500 visitors each month. (The website went public on December, 2007.) In my book that's pretty rocking numbers. That means I don't have do the work of getting people to my site, WorthPoint has built it all in. I put up my classified ads, I get offers, I make money. Period. Doesn't get better than that!

2. GoAntiques Numbers Have It! GoAntiques is ranked 3,567 out of the top 1,000,000 websites. They have 616,300 viewers each month. Most of them are my customers (just kidding). However once again GoAntiques does all the promoting and I make the dough.

3. What's in it for a Buyer? WorthPoint has the largest database of art, antiques and collectibles thanks to their partnerships with auction houses and Terrapeak and as we speak, it grows larger each day. The estimate is that they will have a minimum of 100 million realized prices in the database and possibly 5 times that number. Obviously for a buyer it's a no-brainer. Here you can go to the Worthopedia (isn't that the cutest name ever?) and look up the true value of what you are looking to buy.

4. In a Nutshell. What is significant about the number of people coming to WorthPoint and GoAntiques is this -- in a nutshell. A pretty large nutshell at that. The people that are viewing and joining GoAntiques and WorthPoint are interested and knowledgeable in art, antiques, and collectibles. They know what they are looking for. This is not a yard sale baby.

5. Why Not Have My Own Website? Seriously, let's think about this. Think about having to spend the money to hire a company to build your website, then maintain it every month (making sure you are optimized for the search engines). You have to be making alot of money for all of that to work out for you. Now think about GoAntiques and WorthPoint taking care of that optimization for you. You are just paying a monthly membership fee. Will your site register in the top million? In my mind, a targeted market of collectors with a ranking in the top 5000 websites would be justification enough to join this crew. I think (please no hitting me over the head with a wet noodle if you disagree), I would want to be where people are interested in art, antiques and collectibles. Thus, if you joined GoAntiques and WorthPoint you could now be doubling your "footprint" on the Internet. Reaching twice as many people, thus twice as likely to find the people who want to buy the stuff you are selling. Make sense? Does to me.

6. My Most Favorite Person in the Entire Industry is.... Will Seippel. CEO of WorthPoint. First and foremost passionate collector and dealer. Will's vision of WorthPoint is to have a site that is a portal for art, antiques, and collectibles. WorthPoint will be a starting point where you can learn about, evaluate, buy and sell art, antiques and collectibles. A home, community, a gathering of people focused and interested in the same things! This will allow customers to get to know the store owners, and interact.

The other thing I liked immediately upon meeting Will is his accessibility. Remember the eBay story? Will is not like that. Seriously. He is one of us. You can email him, he responds back. The teams at WorthPoint and GoAntiques are equally as knowledgeable, nice and responsive. Will is keeping it real!

7. How does WorthPoint promote GoAntiques? WorthPoint uses GoAntiques dealer inventory in many of their stories with direct links to the inventory on the GoAntiques site. Now that Will has acquired GoAntiques (thus revitalizing the site), THE NEW GOANTIQUES AUCTIONS will have ads featuring the auction on both sites. There are stories on the home page of http://www.worthpoint.com/ promoting the auctions. There are informational videos directing people on the auctions (no I am not in the video but I sure would like to do a Robert Palmer video for them).

8. Worthologists? Chuckle. I know its cute right. Worthopedia. Well hand-in-hand you have to have WORTHOLOGISTS. These are people who are experts in a wide variety of items including coins, currency, antique farm tractors, classical furniture, movie memorabilia, sports memorabilia, etc. Their backgrounds include auctioneering, appraising, publishing, teaching and consulting. What all Worthologists have in common is their passion and knowledge for collecting in their given area of expertise and a desire to give back to the collecting community.

9. The Team at GoAntiques and WorthPoint. For many of the key people at both these companies, this is more than just a job. It is their passion. They have a chance to improve the antique and collectible business. They work hard, are dedicated, and yet accessible and kind.

Will Seippel has built a phenomenal dream team. For more information / bios on my favorite people that are shaping WorthPoint and GoAntiques http://www.worthpoint.com/management (I would like to add that this is extremely important to any dealer to have the accessibility, the dedication, the knowledge.)

10. The Future. The economy, life, the world is changing so rapidly. It becomes for anyone harder and harder to align yourself and keep up with the changes, whether its pricing, customers, etc. Here is a company that has not only grown tremendously in less than two years, but is extremely open to their dealers giving input into their site growth. It don't get better than that!

Oh yeah, one last thing, I am part of both sites to. Already you should join!

The Cons. Now, I try to be extremely fair so I want you to know what I consider to be the downside (the Cons as you will) to the sites. Not quite there with revamping the sites -- GoAntiques needs a total makeover on their software. As we speak they are working on thes issues (however it takes time -- (GoAntiques BEFORE WorthPoint acquired it had never updated their software!!!).

On the WorthPoint end, there needs to be more dealer participation when it comes to the classified ads. You know the adage if you build it they will come. Well to make everything even more successful, dealers need to be more involved. This of course will improve once the Community Forums are put back online. But even there (now remember this is my opinion), WorthPoint will need to be careful, because as it has been proven before, forums can become bloodbaths.

How We Came To Roost at Goantiques / Worthpoint

2009-04-20T07:13:00.004-04:00

Okay I admit it. I am a Worthpoint / Goantiques fan. Many buyers and dealers have asked me why -- it's a long story, but I will try to make it short and sweet and say it once so you can understand how we morphed oursevles into the the Worthpoint community, and came to respect each and evey person on their team. (Sadly I must mention the scourge of the internet, eBay as they are part of this cautionary tale).

Many years ago I started my business on eBay. We grew our business (at the time we were not Rene Vintage Treasures - and if you can guess our original name any crate label in the store will be free to the first FIVE winners who guess correctly!), we became happy, independent, part of their community.

We made friends on eBay, that weren't virtual as time went by. Business continued to prosper, althoughwe did hear whispers of dissatisfaction with eBay's business pratices and paypal's underhanded ways. I couldn't believe this could be true from a company that had literally given me my independence! Unbeknowst to me I was dead wrong. All it took was one person claiming an item was not what it was, (now mind you we didn't even have a chance to rebut), within hours - VERO came in and I watched sadly as all our listings were torn down (at the time I believe it was 2,000 of them).

I frantically tried to write eBay (I never realized you couldn't call the Third Reich), but all I got from their live help was "don't worry, we'll do what is best for you" (sure as hell sounds like Nazi Germany to me).

I still believed, but as days went by, (and customers were sent emails besmirching our good name) there was no phonecall from eBay, there was no email telling me it was going to be okay. However there was a final fee bill. Oh yes, they wanted to get paid, and I couldn't work - I had no store, no way to make a living.

I wrote Meg Whitman, and she wrote me back (or some lackey that worked for her). She assured me that things would all work out. But alas they did not. She didn't care about what had happened to me. I was nothing, just another small potatoes dealer.

And that's how I stumbed onto http://www.goantiques.com/.

Frantic to get back to work (by now I had my assistant working with me so I had a salary to pay), and restore our good name, I called Jason Robins at Goantiques (to this day, Jason mans the ship at Goantiques.com as their Senior Manager and you can reach him at jrobins@goantiques.com).

I was very embarrased to tell Jason what had happened (don't know why ... I realize we didn't do anything wong), but I was. He was not only sympathetic, apprarently he knew the scenario well. Many a dealer had been screwed by the evil empire (as I came to know them as). Through time, Goantiques was acquired by Worthpoint. And the story continues above ......

If you can guess our original name, let me know ... the first FIVE WINNERS will get a free citrus crate label of their choice @ www.rvt01.com

The History of the Citrus Crate Label

2009-04-04T13:59:00.008-04:00

Citrus Crate Labels. Vegetable Crate Labels. Sunkist. Sound familiar? We have seen our clients use them as wallpaper, frame them, alter art collage projects, used as invitations! There are so many wonderful things that can be done with the old crate labels. One of my customers recently asked for a little background. She is a new collector starting out, so Helen this one is for you!

Paper labels started to be used in the 19th century, via a printing process known as lithography. Most of the artists that created the labels were not well known. They were German immigrants who came to the bustling cities of America. One of the most popular places that the immigrants decided to live was California, where they learned their craft while working for large printng houses such as Schmidt Litho in San Fransico. They attended classes at trade schools to learn basic skills for creating this artwork. Individual artists were very rarely credited for their work.

The labels were glued onto fruit and vegetable crates and farmers would use them to advertise their crops. Most of the time the labels drawn had nothing to do with the product sold. Crate labels were printed on a heavier stock paper than is used today (thus this is how you can tell if you have received a reproduction). The original artwork was drawn on linen or paper and then painted with watercolor.

Sadly most of the original artwork has been destroyed, though from time to time a collector is lucky enough to find an original piece. From these, the lithographed labels would be printed. It should be noted that there are very few printer's samples left in existence (but if you are lucky enough to get one, you will know it because it is heavy rubber stamped on the back of the label).

As with anything in time, manufacturers found cheaper ways to do things and in the 1950s, cheaper cardboard boxes were made and caused the wooden crates with the labels to become obsolete.

Many of the labels that were produced were left in storage and thus memorabilia sellers have over the years been fortnate enough to salvage them and create a new appreciation for the art and beauty of an era gone by.

Soda Bottle Caps

2009-03-26T09:26:00.006-04:00

During times of economic decline collectors still enjoy putting together collections, even if it is not as elaborate as they would like it to be. Today we are going to talk about soda bottle caps, an art within itself, an inexpensive way to expand your current soda collection or if you are a crafter a funky way to make jewelry (some back belt buckles!) and other fantastic projects!

The cork lined crown bottle cap was patented in 1892 by William Painter, a Baltimore Machine Operator. He came up with a single use cap with a cork lining he called a crown since it looked like the Queen’s crown. These were the primary cap used on soda and beer bottles all the way up until the late 1960s. During the mid 1960s cork got more expensive and plastic began replacing the cork in crown caps. Another advantage to collecting bottle caps is that they are easily stored, and are relatively cheap to buy (even the rare ones). Try doing that with any other collectible! More later.

Worthpoint Site is the Bomb!

2009-03-25T16:58:00.000-04:00

Well I am in bliss! Utter sheer bliss! To what you may ask has made me so happy? It's the mothersite of Goantiques.com. Worthpoint.com !! It's a vintage antique collectible dream come true. If you go to worthpoint.com you will see dealers show calendars, classified ads where you can buy or sell items, an entire worthapedia (play on words) of antiques and collectibles.

What a positively brilliant site and now we are part of it. You can join the fray and experience this site for yourself. To tell you a bit about Worthpoint, the founder of the site, Will Seippel is an avid collector of antiques. Through this passion he envisioned an online global community where he could bring quality information to buyers and collectors alike. WorthPoint has organized the world’s information on collectibles into a central library or “worth” database - the Worthopedia. Here you can find data on prices, descriptions, pictures and sale dates, compiled from hundreds of auction houses. What a truly amazing concept and what a truly amazing tool for everyone who has a passion for antiques and collectibles.

As always we will catch you on twitter (rvt01), our website which is part of goantiques (www.rvt01.com) or you can always just plain old fashion email us for anything you want to say or ask at alkaia100@nyc.rr.com. More to come on Worthpoint in the coming days!

Bonanzle the new eBay

2009-02-18T15:52:00.000-05:00

Guess what! I found a new site. A site that is just like my once beloved eBay was. The support is great, the people who sell are amazing, and even I, an old hand at this business have learned new things such as blogging and tweeting thanks to my friends at Bonanzle. What a crazy name huh? Sounds like bananas. But their not! Here is the way it used to be. Here is the future.

My booth to visit is: http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/vintagetimez
And their wonderful website is: www.bonanzle.com

Come on change is good!

The Economy and Collectibles

2009-02-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

Ahhh the Economy .... this is almost a cathartic type of diary for me .... believe it or not collectors will still buy, albeit smaller items, and people will still purchase that smaller gift to make a loved one happy. Had quite a few sales yesterday at www.rvt01.com -- the problem here is everytime a politician gets on the television and spouts new stuff on the economy the market dives and people for the next few days hoard their money! Hey if we don't spend we don't get out of economic crisis. What a dilema ... but even in the depression people collected and bought toys from thrift shops caps and cups, simple affordable items that added a little happiness to their lives. Back to listing my friends ....

Breaking an Old Habit.

2009-01-24T16:02:00.000-05:00

Well the time finally came .... after 8+ years selling on eBay I finally cut the ties. I do indeed match their service to working in a communist setting. There was never any customer service, there was no support for Sellers, the fees always were way to high, but I like everyone else bought into the scuttlebutt that they were the be all of AUCTION sales. The truth is they were like nicotine to me. I ccouldn't break the habit. No matter that I never made any money because by the time i was done paying the fees it was a wash at the end of the month. I couldn't see that bigger picture. You know everyone kept saying they just globally reach everyone. But finally I couldn't take it anymore. They have made people follow their way or the highway. Use paypal or don't become a seller. Don't send out an item in 24 hours and get a negative. It was hard, but I have found new places to roost like goantiques.com which I believe will rival eBay auctions in the next few months, ecrater.com and bonanzle.com. I can't see a downside as already it feels like a huge weight has been lifted from my chest. I always knew that this is what I should do, but I could never break the habit. Now I feel free!

Vintage Collectibles

2009-01-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

A walk down memory lane. In these hard times everyone has a good memory of days gone by. We have been collecting memorabilia and selling for 10 years and it's hard to believe that even 10 years ago is considered vintage today. Come visit us at www.rvt01.com for a walk down memory lane. If you got inspired from our blog post let us know and we will offer you 10 percent off on your first purchase from us. We are going to be listing some really incredible soda memorabilia at reasonable prices! Come and take a look and enjoy your visit with Rene Vintage Treasures.