The popularity of Coca Cola collectibles is likely connected both with the longevity of the beverage and also the unique shape that the bottle eventually assumed. It is also fairly ubiquitous around the world, and the brand even better known than McDonalds. The word ‘Coke’ has become synonymous with cola, just as ‘Hoover’ has with vacuum cleaners, and the fact that Coca Cola antiques are highly collectible comes as no surprise.

The distinctive Coke bottle shape was found by serendipity, in that it was intended to reflect the shape of the kola nut, but the artist was just an accountant and got it all wrong using the cacao pod instead. Without the mistake of an accountant, we would have had an altogether different shape of bottle to collect – but that’s accountants for you!

The worth on an old bottle depends on its age, shape, color and the design of the script. The very first bottles were Biedenharn Coca Cola bottles using a Hutchinson patent design. After 1900, however, the bottles were straight-sided with a crown top and had paper labels. They came in five colors of glass, namely clear, green, blue, amber and brown. You will generally pay more for an amber bottle than any of the others, although, as with any antique, the value of old Coca Cola bottles depends a lot on their condition.

The traditional Coke bottle shape, known as the hobble-skirt shape, was patented in 1915 and came into general use in 1917. These had the script embossed proud of the bottle as part of the mold. If you are seeking prices, straight-sided bottles are selling online at under $20 each. Some are a lot more, but the attraction of Coca Cola collectibles is their variety and their history, not their price. Nor are all collectibles antiques, because many people love collecting modern items – it is the name they collect rather than the age.

However, in saying that, it is the older items that most people tend to be interested in. Some will pay large sums of money for very rare items, such as the 50th anniversary cardboard poster issued in 1936 that sold at auction for $2,070 in 2008, or a 35″ x 11.5″ tin Coca Cola sign, selling for $805 in the same year. If you are interested in a price guide, check out Allan Petretti’s Coca Cola Collectibles Price Guide. You should be able to Google it for some useful pricing information.

This will give you information on prices for Coca Cola antiques, including antique bottles and collectibles in general. One 1934 tray is worth anything from $1 to $1800, depending upon the condition. As stated earlier, not all collectibles are antiques.

While most believe that those that are interested in Coke memorabilia must be restricted to bottles and advertising give-aways, this is not true because the company has issued a fabulous range of advertising paraphernalia that reflects the history of the cultural and artistic trends of the time. We can see the art nouveau influence of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the art deco of the 1920s to the 1940s, and the influence of the Second World War.

The posters offer an insight into the optimism of the 1950s, and then the freedoms that came in subsequent decades. There are no doubts that the company is unique in enabling collectors to follow the history of the entire 20th century in the reflection in its advertising of the social conditions and artistic developments of the day.

If you are interested in Coca Cola collectibles, or are already heavily involved in collecting old Coca Cola bottles or other antiques, what should you be looking for now? Who knows what will be collectible in the future, but modern technology has been responsible for the introduction of the plastic bottle, though it is interesting that these are available in both the straight and the hobble-skirt shapes. It is almost inconceivable that plastic bottles will one day attain some antique value, but then again, they said the same when iron and steel replaced the beautiful bronze sculptures of yesteryear, let alone the weapons!

However, back to the original question: why are Coca Cola antiques so popular? Perhaps because there are so many of them at such low prices, and that they indeed do reflect the society of their times. Perhaps because they can be easily categorized into trays, bottles, boxes and advertising posters, to name but a few. Specialization is possible, but not only that: they are colorful after a certain period.

And NO, coke is not an effective contraceptive, it did not become carbonated unintentionally, it has not been poisoned by Al Qaeda, it did not invent Santa Claus, it will not dissolve your teeth overnight and it will not get you high when mixed with aspirin. But, YES, it was once considered anti-Semitic, and yes, it did once contain cocaine.

And YES, Coca Cola collectibles are among the most collected items in the USA, and YES, prices of coca cola antiques can vary in price by 180,000% for the same item depending on condition. Happy hunting and collecting!

Vintage clothing is HOT! You see it in magazines, on television or when you’re simply walking down the street. Funky, colorful, jazzy and cool, it’s put a bit of spice into the current fashion flavor.

What’s interesting is that generally, we don’t think of vintage clothing in terms of antiques and collectibles because it’s a fashion thing. But connoisseurs of vintage clothes are just as passionate about their interests and collections as the rest of us.

Take Michelle Rose for example. Featured in the Lifestyle section of the March 2010 issue of Black Enterprise magazine, Michelle has turned her passion into a business, selling high-end vintage duds from her converted New York studio apartment.

Twenty or thirty years ago, the people interested in vintage clothing usually fell into two distinct categories; those who bought used clothing because they couldn’t afford to buy new (or couldn’t afford to buy the type/quality of clothing they desired new) or those individuals generally considered to be outside of the societal mainstream (retro, grunge, punk, hippies, hipsters…you get the idea).

I can remember when Goodwill, thrift and vintage clothing stores were only found in working-class or poorer sections of town, because that’s generally where their clientèle came from. Now they’re located in suburban shopping centers or strategic locations of trendy neighborhood shopping districts.

So, if you’re interested in shopping for vintage clothes, what should you look for?

Shop for what’s in style. Look for vintage clothing that resonates with what’s currently fashionable. Select items from current color palettes. Look for design patterns that will make your outfits “pop”, and select pieces that will complement your overall ensemble. In other words, even though you’re shopping vintage, make your fashion decisions using the same criteria you would when shopping for new creations.

Choose items with a Classic look. The cut, shape and lines of a garment, pair of shoes or boots and accessories are fundamental to their design. Search for pieces that possess tried and true characteristics in shape and cut, that can be mixed and matched to a number of different overall looks. By doing so, you will be investing your money in pieces that will provide you with years of use and enjoyment, not just a short season.

Shop for Quality. One of the best reasons for buying vintage clothes is that you can buy quality items for much less than what they were priced when new. Spending a couple hundred dollars on a exquisitely designed leather bag or fashionable suit that originally cost hundreds or even thousands more is not only a smart financial move, but it also allows you to accumulate a much more desirable, fashionable and longer-lasting wardrobe than you would otherwise have. Now you can afford things like hand-stitching, tailor-made and authentic, natural materials – those characteristics that together define quality and thus make for a better investment.

One last thing to consider when buying vintage clothes is size. Size doesn’t lie. Younger fashionistas may not be aware of it, but today’s clothing industry has been lying to you for quite a while. In what way you may ask? Well, the complete answer to that question is not one we have time or space for here, but in the context of this discussion, I’m referring to size.

The current industry has adjusted the measurements for clothing sizes to accommodate an ever larger portion of the population; literally. In simple terms, a size 10 from twenty or thirty or forty years ago is not the same as a size 10 today. It’s smaller and tighter. And twenty or twenty-five years ago, there was no such thing as size 0. So as you shop for vintage clothing, be mindful that it’s always recommended that you try on clothing and shoes to ensure that what you think will fit you, actually will.

So whether it’s Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, Sarmi, Mary Quant, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Pendleton, Fendi, Coco Chanel, Liz Claiborne or any number of countless other vintage designs and brands in which you’re interested, shop smart, shop well and revel in the fun and adventure vintage clothing can bring.

Shop for vintage clothing in Central Kentucky!

In the hope that Spring will be here soon, I finally got out and on the road this weekend. I had an opportunity to visit Goss Avenue Antiques & Interiors, touted as Louisville’s largest antique mall, and located in a fantastic 120 year old historic cotton mill building on the southeast side of Louisville.

The business is under new ownership and in November 2009, its exhibit space was expanded by 15,000 square feet to include some 75,000 square feet total (Ladies, bring your walking shoes!).

When I visit someplace new and peruse the merchandise, I invariably look for out-of-the-ordinary items; things that make a new place stand out from other shops. And among the regular items of merchandise I found here – antique furniture, lamps, china, vintage clothing, rugs, silverware, antique and vintage glassware and the like, I found more than a few items of exception; a horsehair desk and chest, a museum-quality 19th century canopy bed, and a dresser purportedly from the home of “Devil Anse” Hatfield. Now those are not your run-of-the-mill items. And there was much, much more to see.

It is difficult for me to express the variety and selection of merchandise available at Goss Avenue; you really have to visit and experience it for yourself. However, from fabrics to furniture and jars to jewelry, I would arguably characterize it as the ultimate happy hunting ground for antiquers and collectors, and an interior decorator’s “dream come true”.

Last but not least, on the day that I visited when there were quite a number of shoppers in the antique mall, there seemed to be plenty courteous staff members available to assist customers with their purchases and to answer any questions.

If you do decide to visit, a word of caution; plan to spend at least a couple hours for your trip. It will take at least that long to browse through the many booths available to find what you want, or to let something find you. And as an added treat while you’re shopping, you may just want to take a break at Olivia’s inside the mall for a scrumptious lunch, then resume your antiques adventures.

If you go:

Goss Avenue Antiques & Interiors
946 Goss Avenue
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 637 – 4878
Email: info@gossantiques.com

In a recent article appearing on the website WalletPop, author Zac Bissonnette bemoans the downfall of Hummel Figurines as attractive and popular collectible items. It seems that the adorable figurines, first collected in the 1930’s by GIs overseas in Germany for family and friends at home, have lost their desirability among collectors.

Bissonnette sites renowned antiques and collectibles aficionado Terry Kovel as stating that the value of the once highly-sought-after Hummel pieces has for all intents and purposes landed in the toilet. She attributes the downfall, at least in great part, to the Goebel company’s desire to artificially create and enhance the secondary market for the collectibles when they began to manufacture “limited edition” Hummel pieces during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Now it seems, not only are everyday people not collecting Hummels (at least at the rates and higher prices they have in years past), but the collectors aren’t buying either. As a result, the value of the pieces has plummeted, leaving them worth a mere fraction of their previous values.

That’s one reason why it’s always smart to collect what you like rather than to collect strictly for investment. Markets can be fickle and highly susceptible to change; and those changes may not result in your financial favor.

So, if you like really cutesy boys and girls dressed in outfits from years ago, now might be the best time to buy Hummel figurines or keep those you’ve found stashed away in Grandma’s closet.

But if you’re looking for somewhere to put all your hard-earned investment dollars, you’d be well-advised to look somewhere else. And give grandma’s cherished box of Hummels to some deserving boy or girl who will appreciate them.

Occupied Japan collectibles are not only an important part of World history, they’re cute and affordable – not to mention fun to collect. After World War II, Japan was held under occupation of the United States. They were forced to mark their exported wares with “Made in Occupied Japan” or “Occupied Japan” during this time period, which dated from 1945 through 1952.

While most of the exports during this time were decorative bisque and porcelain, the mark can be found on other exported wares as well. Occupied Japan collectors, sometimes abbreviated to OJ collectors, normally focus on a more specific area to really hone in on the best for their collections.

Occupied Japan Figurines

Many Occupied Japan collections focus solely on the bisque and porcelain figurines that were heavily imported during this time period. While some were very crudely modeled after the delicate German Dresden porcelain figurines of the early 20th Century, others were quite nicely decorated.

Occupied Japan figurines are still affordable and not too difficult to find. Smaller figurines can cost under $10, while the larger, better made examples are worth from $25 – $250. Look for finely decorated figures with no condition issues and those that are clearly marked “Occupied Japan”.

Occupied Japan Dishes

Many dishes were imported during this time, and collectors normally focus on the more decorative and whimsical pieces, rather than sets of dishes. Ashtrays, cup and saucer sets, ewers and vases are popular with Occupied Japan collectors. Again, look for well decorated pieces in good condition. They can often be found for under $45.

Occupied Japan Toby Jugs

Toby jugs are small jugs or pitchers that are normally in the form of a seated person. Toby jugs were quite popular in England in the early 20th Century. Occupied Japan Toby jugs are modeled after their English counterparts and range in size from miniature ½ inch examples to large 8 inch examples. Prices range from $5 to $100, so they can still be an affordable Occupied Japan collectible.

Occupied Japan pieces are affordable and fun to collect. They make sweet displays and are still fairly easy to find, although it seems to be getting more difficult to find pieces in perfect condition with no flaws. If you’re considering investing in Occupied Japan collectibles, buy the best you can afford once you learn the basics of collecting. The finer Occupied Japan pieces that are more rare and difficult to find are the pieces that will go up in value as they become more scarce.