Garage Sale Finds

Ok, school is out the kids are home and summer is fully underway. This is a key time for any collector to get out there and snag some of those garage sale finds. It is amazing how many people will put a collectible antique out on a table for just a few dollars without ever knowing its true value. If your just getting started here is where you should be focusing your attention. You will find the best bargins early in the morning when the garage sale first opens so make sure to get a good nights sleep. If its at all possible try and hit up some of the advertised porch sales and estate sales in your area the day before when people are first setting them up.

I bought about $5000 dollars worth of pink and green depression glass from a lady that was just setting up for less than a thousand dollars. Needless to say I bought everything she had, she was so thrilled not to have to go to the trouble of actually having to set everything up that when I offered to buy the whole lot a day early she jumped at the chance. These types of situations don't happen often but when they do take advantage of them. Always remember when you our buying that just because you don't like an item doesnt mean its not highly collectible and valued by others. There have been many times where I hesitated and went against my gut feeling and not bought something only to get home and find out I missed out on a huge deal. So keep an open mind and you might just end up with the antiques and collectibles garage sale find of the century.

Collecting Antique Wall Clocks

Antique wall clocks are something often overlooked by many beginning antique collectors. When you mention wall clocks to the novice antique collector the first thing that pops to their minds are the cuckoo clocks they remember on grandma's wall as a child. Yes cuckoo clocks are a type of wall clock and are highly collectible in the antique clock market. The type is was refering too are the large wall clocks. Usually these larger wall clock have a wooden case, often cherry, walnut or oak and can vary from extremely ornate to relatively plain depending on who made it and when it was manufactured. Like most quality antique furniture the wall clocks design, shape and construction can range from mission style, victorian, oriental and even art deco. Most of these clocks you will find with two or three weight and a swinging pendulam. Some clocks will chime on the hour others on the half hour and some wont chime at all. Finding one of these clocks at garage sales is becoming more common as the youth today just doesnt seem to appreciate their elegance and beauty. I highly recommend snatching up any of these clocks, I will even buy non working ones just for their cases. You can always get them repaired later is you want to. I must caution you though there are many reproduction antique wall clocks on the market so make sure to do some research before you go out and plop down hundreds of dollars on a cheap copy.

Collecting Antique Instruments

Instruments and especially antique instruments often go unnoticed by most antique collectors and dealers. I think part of the reason is most of your average folks really just don't know anything about musical instruments. Yeah they have heard of the famous Stradivarius violins from the 16-1700's. but lets be real very few could ever afford one of those. I cant believe how many times I've been to a local estate auction and watched in amazement when they have had to almost give away vintage electric guitars, cellos, ukulele, banjos and many other instruments.


I think part of the reason is that many times these old dusty pieces of musical equipment are missing strings, have a few nicks and scratches and generally just don't look like they would ever be able to play again. You would be really surprised what a quality music store can do to restore an on banjo, drum set , violin or trumpet that has seen it's better days. Not only can these vintage instruments be used again but they make great band instruments for beginners.

If you have ever priced or bought new instruments for your child that was in the band then you know how expensive they can be. It might just be in your best intrest to take a second look at that antique clarinet, trumpet or guitar standing alone in the thrift shop. Collecting antiques doesn't mean you have to buy something and keep it in a show room often times the best part is restoring them and using them as they were originally intended. So go grab yourself an old vintage banjo and pick away out on the back porch.