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"ANTICS AND ADDICTS FROM THE ATTIC OF NORTH STAR ANTIQUES"

In 2020 we set a goal to provide you with 12 great Blogs giving you information about all sorts of topics near and dear to the most people. Every day we are asked many of the same questions as the Baby Boomers deal with estates of their parents and grandparents as well as their own. One of those subjects we often get numerous inquiries about is Estate Jewelry. Our own Dealer Karin Jelsma purchases a nice variety of jewelry including Turquoise, Sterling, some gold and costume jewelry. But like all things, we believe it's important to direct people to other professionals when necessary. So this month, we at North Star Antiques are pleased to share this information from Cliff Yankovich of Chimera Designs. Cliff has been in the Fine jewelry business for 23 years, 18 of which has been in business right here in Lowell Michigan. He is a 1998 GIA Diamond's Graduate. We hope you find this information as useful as we do and we hope this blog will be a great source of information for you in 2020.

- Tonia North, North Star Antiques

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03 Dec, 2020
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24 Jan, 2020
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23 May, 2019
Two of the most common mistakes people make when selling their antiques and collectibles in a garage sale is overpricing them and underpricing them. I know it sounds contradictory but since garage sale season is upon us, I thought it was an important subject to address. Before I go into more detail, let me just say that pricing antiques and collectibles is also a significant challenge for the professional dealer. The mistakes I go into are universal challenges whether you are selling at your garage sale or whether a dealer is selling them at a show or business. The big difference is that a dealer has invested money into an item hoping to sell it for more that he or she paid for it. While you as a consumer, has likely either inherited the item or enjoyed it for years and has now decided to part with it. Overpricing: First, let’s address over pricing. I hear it all the time “somebody has one listed on eBay for _____”. The first thing I say is “That is excellent that you’ve done some research. Now can you tell me what it SOLD for?” But there are plenty of other questions that follow this one simple question. This explains why you may see prices all over the board on your item. Is it the same size, color, condition as what you have? - Years ago, I purchased a turquoise/blue canister made by Indiana Glass from a customer. I had quickly researched it and was excited that her asking price seemed reasonable and I could sell it on eBay for a profit, if it did not sell in the store first. Unfortunately, my research was done in a rush and I missed one key factor. This is actually a common mistake. The canister I saw that was selling for the most money was actually the smallest one of the four canister set. I had not taken the time to check which size I had vs. the one I was looking at. It turned out, that the canister I had was the most common size. The smallest one of the four was not made in the same quantities as the first three. So the supply was smaller on this particular canister and the demand was higher than for the other three sizes. So do your research, but know your limitations. Unless you are a specialist in selling what you are selling then you likely do not understand the market you are selling in and who the top buyers of what you have are vs those just buying it because they ‘like it’. In some instances, it can mean you should be talking to somebody who specializes in what you have who knows it. Another reason people often over-price their Antiques and collectibles in a garage sale is that they mistakenly believe ‘Old means valuable”. “Old” does not always mean valuable. Ultimately its value depends not on age, but does somebody want what you have. This point can also go both ways - Just because it’s “Old” doesn’t mean you should throw it away either. My husband inherited some dishes that date to late 1800’s from his Aunt. They have sentimental value to the family tree since they were owned my husband’s grandparents. But they were chipped and crazed and had no monetary value outside of that. This does not mean we should throw them away. Some of your old items may be great to put out as ‘free to good home’ at your garage sale. Or even donate them to a local dealer or charity. In our market today, I would include things like old clear glass items. These items are in an abundance and there is little or no demand for them. But crafters like to make things with them so don’t throw them away. You may want to confirm with the charity you donate to confirm they will accept what you have. Underpricing Antiques: The other common mistake made by people is underpricing their antiques. But before I go into depth on this mistake, that ‘underpricing’ is relative and sometimes it should be done intentionally to move items quickly. And to clarify, I am talking about higher priced Antiques and collectibles. Not a $10 item that could sell for $20. Time= Money so the lower your prices, the faster some items will sell which IS the goal of a garage sale since it’s not something most do every weekend. One way to find some balance is price wisely but fairly based on your market, condition, etc. But also make sure you are negotiable and that people know you’ll entertain offers. People love to negotiate and when you can sweeten a deal with a better price or throw in something to sweeten the deal it can be a win-win. The other thing to consider is who is buying it and why. There are essentially three types of buyers at garage sales. An end user, a picker or a dealer. The end user intends to use the item and is more likely to buy an item closer to retail value. A picker buys an item hoping to flip the item to a professional dealer for more. They often focus on small margins and more quantity. A dealer will buy and offer less because they are willing to buy the risk that they can sell the item at a profit by taking it to a different market. This means they will invest more time and money to do that. Pickers and dealers NEVER sell 100% of what they buy. Remember, people don’t go to garage sales to pay retail. And ‘retail’ is subject to a supply and demand market which is essentially buyers trends. So trying to get ‘retail’ should be reserved for the most unique and sought after items. For instance, you’re selling your dad’s antique metal Gas sign, it’s large and original and you know one recently sold for $500. You know it’s rare and there isn’t another one out there. You can assume you should be able to sell yours for that or close to it. Maybe even more if it’s in better condition. But Taking $400-500 on this to a guy who wants it bad enough is fair. Taking $200 means you’re probably underpriced because you can probably consign that $500 item for for 30-50% of what it sells for and there is no need to risk taking less. There is nothing wrong with staying high on a price and are willing to bring the item back into your home and try to sell it another way. This just means you are accepting you will have more time, $ and risk into selling it. Social Media has provided lots of new opportunities to sell things but let’s face it, it can be a real hassle when you have to deal with no shows. But selling on social media is still easier than taking all you have and will likely reach more people than your garage sale. And it is also easier than taking everything to an Antique show or flea market. But maybe you have enough to consider having a booth to manage it all at a retail location or having them sell it by consignment. To summarize how to best avoid either of these mistakes, do the research. When possible, find somebody that specializes in what you buy or sell, don’t assume old=valuable and consider what alternative ways you are willing to do to sell what you have. Either as an end buyer or a dealer who specializes in what you have. Understand the correlation in your situation between time and money. Cleaning, researching, pricing, moving, displaying, photographing all take time and often patience for the “right buyer.” Good Luck & Happy Selling! For more information about what you are selling, feel free to contact Tonia at North Star Antiques at 616-897-0898.
13 May, 2019
Losing a loved one or family member can be a very difficult and stressful time. Often those feelings can elevate to a level of high anxiety, especially when that person has an estate that needs to managed. Often times the estate can be so overwhelming, whether large or small, that selling parts of the estate are the best way to consolidate. Guilt may be another feeling you contend with when deciding to sell a loved ones estate. Knowing that you are making the right decision for every item you hope to sell or donate can be a difficult decision to make. The way to attack each estate can be unique. Here are 5 Tips that will give you ideas for the variety of circumstances from the big estates to the smaller estates. For those who want professional help or for those who want to brave it on their own, I hope this list finds you comfort and knowledge to help you thru this difficult time. I will eventually address each of these on the list more in depth down the road. But for now, I wanted to give you a short overview to get you started on the journey. These tips can also be used for anybody looking to downsize themselves or to help a loved one start working on their own “Elephant.” 1) A BITE AT A TIME - Getting over the overwhelming feeling of having to disperse an estate is a lot like eating an Elephant. You can do it, just do it a bite at a time. Creating a list of goals, a project list, and delegating tasks whenever possible is going to make the journey much easier. The shorter your timeline is, and having too few to help means the greater the challenge and may indicate the need to turn to a professional. If you have to be out of a home or apartment by a deadline, the first goal may need to involve moving/ storage vs. a quick sale or donation. Otherwise you may risk hasty decisions on selling vs donation. The fact that you are reading this now suggests you may not want to make hasteful decisions about the items you are entrusted to sell. Family may need time to congregate to discuss items they are interested in. Slowing down whenever possible gives you time to process grief and not make decisions you may later regret. Because I specialize in Vintage Postcards, I have heard countless stories that include “Oh we had no idea grandma’s postcards were worth anything; we threw them all away.” I have spent as much as $500 on a shoebox full of vintage postcards. Unless you are okay with throwing away money, it’s always a good idea to slow down and get advice! 2) SET A DATE/ DEADLINE - Most of us will get more accomplished hours before we leave on a vacation that we do on a typical day. This is not a coincidence! Having a date with a deadline can energize you and the task at hand rather than give you anxiety about it going on forever. Trust me, I’ve seen people let this drag on FOREVER! I suggest avoiding this in order to reduce any further anxiety. Do not procrastinate this project. It’s an easy one to procrastinate if you have the room to store it all!! Before you know it years will pass, and you still have not attacked it the way you should have or when you should have, leaving you with even more anxiety. Once you accept this fact, you will know whether to proceed with a sale or donate. Refer back to Tip #1 and establish a list of goals that work within your timeline. If you are going to have your own sale, set a date. Many of us underestimate the time it takes to do a sale with OUR things, now you have to sell a loved ones things. Be confident and set goals, set a date/deadline you know you can meet, be sure to factor in any delays that may prevent you from reaching the deadline; such as holidays, birthdays, or vacations. 3) SORT ITEMS - Sort the items by category. Avoid throwing things away until you have a plan. When my mother died, we sorted things by four basic categories. You can always break these down further later. 1. “Old” or historic items to donate to the Museum, My mother had a business in downtown Lowell and she still had shopping bags with their logo that she had kept. I didn’t want to throw them away so I donated some to the museum. 2. Family heirlooms/ family history is a must to keep 3.Things to Donate to our FROM (Flat River OutReach Ministries - Our local Goodwill) 4. Everything else you may want to sell or pass down to family. Sometimes these things go by list. In all honesty, sometimes sorting out the last two gets tricky for some people. I could go on and on about this one and mistakes people make. So I will just say one of the most common mistakes is throwing old paper items away. Like “Postcards”, “newspapers”, “Magazines”, Calendars,etc. But I will go into more depth about this in another article. 4) INCORPORATE THE RIGHT APPROACH- Choosing the various options you can use to sell that you believe work with your needs. Some examples are, Garage Sale, Antique shows, Rent a Booth in an establishment, Consignment with a business, Selling online or hiring a company that specializes in 1-3 day Estate Sales. 5) HIRE A PRO- There are several ways you can hire professionals. Estate Companies are one of the most common to use. You can also auction houses, hire dealers, appraisers or work with consignment companies to help you sell. When I was dealing with my families estate, I used to think the percentage estate companies took (around 20-30%) was a lot until I understood more about the business. Of course, the quantity and quality of the estate items means the value and their pay is subjective. Consider what quantity and quality you have to sell. Contact at least 3 professionals to give you estimates and find out their background and experience. Their expertise will help you decide what is right for you. If you decide to do your own sale, you may make mistakes that cost you more than the money an Estate Dealer can bring to your sale. They are expensive (or seem so), because they are worth it. I remember selling some Fire King Coffee Mugs that my mom had for .25 each not knowing they were worth much more than that at the time. Not a huge loss but we also over-priced items because they were “old”. Old does not always = “valuable”. Antiques and Collectibles have cycles. Dealers usually can tell you what is ‘in’ and isn’t. Also, when choosing to run the sale yourself, it may benefit you to hire a local antique dealer to help you organize and price your items and understand the market you live in. The sister that sells Antiques in Chicago may have a different market than the one you live in. Often you can pay them by the hour and their advice can save you time and money. Be sure to pick an individual that matches the needs of your estate. For instance, if your loved one had a large fishing collection, find a person that knows this market. If money to pay somebody is a challenge, consider offering them items in trade for their time. If you have one or two items that seem difficult to find information on, there are dealers who may be able to help. Sometimes rare items can be hard to find. For instance, we subscribe to a website that allows us deeper and older research. Their are also websites that specialize in helping people appraise their items. I once had a customer utilize one of these sites to give him detailed information about a rare Airplane propeller he had. It’s a lot like hiring the librarian to do the research for you! It can be quite affordable for the right pieces. Perhaps not for the art print that has limited value, because Art can be one of the more difficult things to value. I suggest you see a professional for real art. Hopefully these ideas provide you with the confidence you need to begin your journey. Remember knowledge is power and power will give you the confidence you need to attack any project. This is true with any project and even more so when managing an Estate! In the end, all of us have to measure the value of hiring professionals vs our own time Time= $.
06 May, 2019
I had a conversation with my youngest the other day that shocked me a little bit. He is 15, the youngest of four, and I realized he knew NOTHING about his grandparents; neither my parents nor my husbands parents. It was particularly shocking because his proclamation included that he believed both sets of his Grandparents had died in a car accident. “WHAT” I proclaimed! How could he possibly think this? I LOVE history, we talk about family history a lot (or so I thought). He can even tell you how we are connected to the Richmond Castle in England. Had he ignored my stories and tales of his Grandparents? Perhaps he had a dream that took over his understanding of the family history I shared with him? I honestly thought I was pretty good about telling little stories about my parents and even grandparents now and again. There are family pictures all over my house and pieces of family history. But it seems I have not been nearly as good as I thought. Or perhaps the reality of what grabs his attention and holds it isn’t as good as my optimistic view of it. In this age of technology, we are all constantly challenged by social media, memes, etc. As all parents, I too am pulled in several directions while caring for my kids. School functions and studies, sports, friends, any and all extracurricular activities, and still trying to maintain a happy home amongst the everyday chaos that goes on!! Life just isn’t as laid back as it used to be for parents of today’s generation! I am jealous of the young mothers today. Here is the reason why… Posting and sharing all the days activities with their children is easy with today’s technology. Journaling those things are SO much easier today than they ever were for my generation or those before me. Creating permanent memories that are so permanent and accessible are great, and with the help of Facebook reminding us of memories from a year ago! Meanwhile, my generation of parents have actual photographs. If we are lucky, most are in color with a high pixel image and a hand written, detailed short story on the back side to aid in our memory. Today, Social media such as Facebook and Instagram help today’s generation document events in their lives. No reason for a hand written explanation of their existence. It’s nothing short of amazing! Today a Grandma or Grandpa can see what is happening on the SAME day it happened. As the youngest of four, I got the raw end of the deal as it pertains to pictures in our family. Mom told me later “I had no time for professional photographs by then, I was too busy raising four kids!” I’m pretty sure this is how I ended up with four. Just so she could look down from heaven and giggle as she watched me struggle all these years raising my four children as she did. All of this brings me to the point of this article. This Mother’s Day, make a plan that will outlive the day. Find a fun and perhaps a unique way to share something special about your own Mother or Grandmother and even yourself to share with your children. Something that will last in their memory as if it were a reminder on their social media outlets. Here is a list of some ideas that I hope will inspire you to pass on what really matters. Start a Mom journal - share memories of you, your mom and/or Grandmother for your kids to be able to read one day. It can be specific memories or just sharing what motherhood meant to you. How it changed you. Write a fun or important specific memory in your card to your Mother, Grandmother, or even a daughter whom is now a mother. And don’t forget the Daughter In Law that is raising your grandchildren! Make a book with both photos and stories of your memories of your Mother and Grandmother. Today there are all kinds of companies like Shutterfly, Snapfish, etc that will let you put your photos and stories into a hard covered keepsake book. It has never been so easy to do! But you also don’t need to get extravagant can also do this for much less with a binder and paper. Write a story about a specific item in your family that was passed onto you by your mother or grandmother. Maybe you have Grandma’s wedding dishes, your mother’s ring or a special dish they always ate at the dinner table. My kids know the syrup container that we use every Sunday for French Toast was the same one my mom used when I was a kid. And the chipped turquoise Fiesta Bowl that I mix the egg batter in is the same one my mom used as well. Make a recipe book. Pass on the most special recipes to those you love. Take Mom or Grandma for a ride into the neighborhood where she grew up or has significant memories and have her share some stories. Then write them down when you get back so they are not lost forever. Or take along somebody that can video the conversation so you have the permanent record. Do a “LIVE” 23 & Me! The popular thing to do now is have your DNA tested for your Ancestry. But you don’t need to spend $100 to share your genealogy! Start or share your basic genealogy tree. After my son revealed how clueless he was about his grandparents (whom had all passed before he was born), he started to ask more questions. He asked me to write our basic family tree down on a piece of paper. Now, I must point out that I have done extensive work on our family tree and I attempted to get that book out to share it with him. But he stopped me and said, “no, just write it right here and I will study it.” So I wrote my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents names down. I also wrote that my mothers grandparents came from Denmark so were full-blooded “Dane’s”. And I shared where the Irish roots of “O’Neil” came from on my father’s Mother’s side. Will he remember? I can’t say. But the memory we shared going through that was priceless to me! As you may have noticed, these suggestions share a common theme. They cost little or nothing to do and are about sharing, making and keeping memories alive. I also made mention of writing these stories down. Not just verbally sharing them. But use video, write them down, or both! Because with so many things vying for our attention in our lives, it is easy to see how my son had NO clue what happened to his Grandparents. I can assure you I have spoken about them over the years. But either his age, his activity level, or a combination of both have prevented any sort of retention to my stories. Such is life for all of us. I hope that these inspire you to take action and make this Mother’s Day one of your most special days. Memories are the most valuable gifts of all. When you take action this Mother’ Day to share with your family, and create a new memory, we want to hear from you! Share with me what you did, how you did it, and how it affected your day!
01 May, 2019
Let me start with the intent of my blog and the goals I hope to reach. Each and everyone of us have things common. One commonality we share is the simple fact that one day we will eventually decide that we have “things” to donate or sell. These things may be our own, or perhaps things from distant family members and our dearest loved ones; siblings, aunts, uncles, or grandparents. Regardless, you will likely one day be faced with this challenge. Some of those items may be old, collectible or even qualify as an Antique. Some of the things may be new items, perhaps just not your style, ever. Either way, I do hope I can help you find a solution for said “things” when the time comes.  Since the loss of my mother and father over 20 years ago, I have been a student of managing and selling “things”’ from the estates of families. Many of these things include but are not limited to collectibles and antiques. I will be sharing the trials and tribulations of being that person who manages, determines the worth, and then sells a loved ones things. I first start with a clear understanding what “Dealer-Seller” means. (Disclaimer: I am NOT an “Expert” in Antiques. This is a broad category. I specialize in buying and selling vintage postcards. ( I DO specialize in Vintage Postcards). The antique market is wide and deep and has a variety of categories at many levels. have been and I continue to be a student of the market I work in. I research and learn daily. I expect to learn as much from my readers as they will from me. The ultimate goal is to help educate and prepare my readers, and use my guidance to help make the best decisions with “things” when the time cones. I hope you will enjoy this journey as much as I hope to. Some topics will range from downsizing your current estate, estate dispersal tips, and how to care for your furniture, antiques and collectibles. Nobody knows every thing about everything, so I hope to have some “guest” bloggers or talented people to interview along the way. I may also use this blogging method to answer frequently asked questions.
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