Central Kentucky Antiques and Collectibles

Copyright 2010 – Kimberly Clay

Believe it or not, the history of Nintendo starts in Kyoto as far back as 1889 with a card game known as Hanafuda, and it was not until 1974 that the company broke into video games by purchasing the Japanese distribution rights for the Magnavox Odyssey video game console.

The company expanded into the video arcade game industry the following year, but it finally established its position when the then little-known designer known as Shigeru Miyamoto designed Donkey Kong, the first of the massively popular arcade games entirely designed and marketed by Nintendo.

Nintendo engineer, Gunpei Yokoi, was responsible for hardware development and came up with the Game Boy in 1989, offering Miyamoto a fabulous platform for his software development. In fact, the Game Boy is Nintendo’s most successful games platform of all time. But what was Atari doing all this time?

Atari was inaugurated in the USA in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, who developed the famous Pong tennis game using a black-and-white TV, a laundromat coin mechanism and a milk carton to collect the coins. In fact, at one time the game seized up because the carton got over-filled with coins, blocking the mechanism. They developed the rest of the hardware themselves in addition to the game software.

The company then branched into the developing home computer market with the Atari 2600 that rapidly developed into the 800 and the smaller 400. These were perceived by many as more advanced than the Sinclair Spectrum, but the company was running into difficulties, probably due to its rapid success and a lack of business acumen. The Arcade, Home Computer and Video Game Divisions were operated as independent units, and there was very little cooperation between them. It might have been better had they been integrated, with each working for a combined cause.

A poor version of PacMan resulted in large losses, although by 1982-83 Atari led the video game market everywhere but in Japan. Nintendo was by this time in the ascendancy with its Famicon system, or NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in the USA. This was followed by the Super Famicon, then Nintendo 64 in 1996. Although the 64 was not very successful, the 2001 GameCube was even less so. It was not until the Wii was released in 2006 that the success of the GameBoy was at least partially emulated.

As for Atari, arguments of the distribution rights of Donkey Kong were the last nail in the company’s coffin and it was effectively finished in 1984. So what games will Atari be remembered for? What are the classic Atari games that people will be looking for as collector’s items? Pong consoles, obviously. The original consoles were large, around the same size of normal slot gaming machines.

These include Asteroids, Battlezone, Crystal Castles and Gravitar – all large console-based in their original form. Of the games produced for computers or hand-held devices Yar’s Revenge was an original Atari 2600 game, and Adventure was the original adventure game. However, not all sell for over $5000 such as the ‘The Music Machine’ that fetched that on eBay. Nevertheless, if you have a copy of Pepsi Invaders (125 copies made) or Video Life (made for Magicard owners only), then you have a good chance.

Classic games are not rare: rarity comes from special editions and games developed for restricted distribution, and they do not become classics! However, Atari was ephemeral in comparison to Nintendo, so could any Nintendo games be rare enough to become worth collecting? In fact, several produced in the 1990s could be worth a bit today, including ’1990 Nintendo World Championships: Gold Edition’, possibly up to $20,000 and ‘Nintendo Campus Challenge’ is worth a few grand.

Lower priced, but still worth finding are ‘Bubble Bath Babes’, ‘Hot Slots’ and ‘Cheetah Man II’. ‘California Raisins’ is worth a bit, but many copies of these are already in the hands of those that are aware of their value. If you want to find a bargain, you are likely to be more successful trawling the junkshops and flea markets than searching online or in specialist games stores. You will be very highly unlikely to find classic Atari games of any real value in popular outlets, and the same is likely true of vintage Nintendo games.

Nintendo produced many more console and computer games than Atari, and you could conceivably be lucky at garage sales, flea markets, estate or moving sales and the like. Once you find an old game you think might be worth something, check out eBay and find if any other copies are for sale. If not, then make sure you have some idea of its potential worth before listing it: you could sell a $10,000 game for $1.99 if you are not careful.

Now that wouldn’t be good, would it? So get acquainted with the history of Nintendo games and of classic Atari games, and make sure that you know what you are doing buying or selling these potentially very valuable items. I sure wish I had an original Pong console! But I might know a man who . . .

Copyright 2010 – Kimberly Clay

One mark of a well-heeled home is often that first thing you see on the entryway floor – a beautiful Persian rug. Since Persian rugs are such a valuable piece of art, it pays to ensure you are investing in the genuine article, rather than one of the many imitations that can be found in most showrooms.

Oriental Rug? Persian Rug? What’s the Difference?

An Oriental rug is one that has been hand-woven in cities, towns, and villages across Asia. Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, and the areas near the Mediterranean Sea are all well-known for their beautiful Oriental Rugs. The Persian Rug, however, comes only from Iran, and is considered to be the finest of any rug in the world.

How to Spot a Good Quality Rug

Learning to spot a good quality Persian rug takes time and patience. When shopping, learn to study several rugs before you make a decision, and keep these tips in mind when you begin your search:

• True Persian rugs are made in Iran. Very fine reproductions can be made in other places with traditional methods, but they are not true Persian rugs.
• How does the rug move? If it folds like a blanket, it’s probably handmade, and that’s what you want to see.
• Check the knots at the sides of the rug. They should blend seamlessly with the design. An abrupt change in color indicates a machine-made rug.
• Look at the corners. Handmade rugs will not be perfect; their corners might not be entirely even, and the knots might have small imperfections.
• Measure the number of knots in one square inch of a synthetic rug, and then compare the number of knots to that in a Persian rug. The Persian rug will have twice as many knots, if not more. This attention to detail is what makes Persian rugs so special.
• The colors of the Persian rug should not fade dramatically, nor should they bleed. You can test for this by pressing a damp, white washcloth to the rug. If color leaches away, it is not a true Persian rug.

Ensuring a Sound Investment

To learn even more about your Persian rug, ask for the purchase history of the rug—though there might be some exceptions, most reputable and established dealers will have this in writing. Also ask for information about the pattern, and take the time to verify what the dealer says.

The pattern of a Persian rug is named after the city, town, tribe, or village where it was created. Bokhara, Kashan, and Turkeman patterns are rare and becoming more so as time goes on, so you can expect to find them priced in the upper ranges. However, they are also the most frequent targets of reproduction, so be doubly-sure what you are purchasing is the genuine article.

A good Persian rug is not only a beautiful, functional work of art, but a wise investment as well. As with anything worth your hard-earned money, learn about what you’re purchasing, take your time and invest wisely!

Copyright 2010 – Kimberly Clay

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.

Copyright 2010 – Kimberly Clay

Antiques price guides have always been an important tool for antique dealers and collectors alike.

With the internet taking front and center stage in offering the most current information, antiques price guides can now offer up-to-the-minute information to help you identify and value your treasure. But how do you make the most of price guides to help you price or value your antique?

1. Use the correct antiques price guide

Make sure the antiques price guide you are using is appropriate for your piece. While general price guides for antiques are helpful in identifying some items, many areas of collecting offer specific price guides, such as:

• Hummel price guides;
• Depression glass price guides;
• Quilt pattern identification and price guides;
• Primitive antique price guides; and
• Antique silver price guides.

Identify the type of antique, such as glassware, porcelain, furniture or collectible; and use the most specific antiques price guide you can find.

2. View pictures carefully

It can be difficult for the novice or beginner collector to find the correct terms to even start them on their way to searching on the internet. Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words, they can help not only in valuing your antique, but in finding the right terminology to help you describe it.

Antiques price guides offer hundreds of photographs, so they can be a good starting point for your search. Google images is another starting point in identifying antiques and is the best bet when you’re not quite sure what it is that you have.

3. Compare apples to apples

While that antiques price guide may say that a Limoges punch bowl is worth $3,500, it doesn’t necessarily mean that YOUR Limoges punch bowl is worth that much.

Factors that can affect values in antiques price guides include condition, size, maker, decoration and rarity. All those items together make up the value of an antique, and it can mean your cracked Limoges bowl decorated by an amateur artist may be only worth $50.

Using antiques price guides is just one step in determining the value of your antique. While the guides may tell you that your grandmother’s handmade quilt is worth only $25, its value to you and your family’s history – priceless.

Copyright 2010 – Kimberly Clay

Looking for a gorgeous collectible that’s still affordable and stunning when displayed? Antique transferware is just the ticket for collectors who love to mix antiques and décor. In fact, antique transferware collections can often be found displayed in homes featured in interior design magazines. It’s the variety, colors and looks that make transferware “oh-so popular” for casual and serious collectors alike.

Antique transferware is a group made up of dishes that were decorated by the process of transfer of the decoration rather than being hand painted. These dishes became popular in 18th Century England as a new middle class began to emerge from the ranks of Englishmen. With this middle class came the need for dishes that were less expensive than the hand painted masterpieces that were made for the aristocracy.

Transferware enabled dishes to be decorated in an early form of mass production. The pattern of the dish is etched into a copper plate, which is then transferred to a paper, and from the paper the decoration is transferred onto the piece itself. The transfer process is normally found on pottery or earthenware, but ironstone, china and porcelain were also used in the transfer decorating process.

Since antique transferware covers such a broad spectrum, collectors generally specialize in more specific areas. The most popular transferware collections are normally made up of Staffordshire transferware – Staffordshire is a region of England. Staffordshire transferware is normally broken down into two broad collecting areas:

Blue and White Transferware

Decorated in the manner of the early, hand painted Chinese porcelain dishes, blue and white transferware has remained popular over two centuries later. Late 18th Century and early 19th Century English plates, particularly those depicting European views and scenes of everyday life are extremely popular and affordable for transferware collections. Blue and white transferware dishes can still be found for under $50, while larger serving pieces can run as much as $1,000 for finer or rare pieces.

Mulberry, Sepia or Pink Transferware

While blue and white transferware remains popular, other colors of English transfer dishes are favorites for collectors. Dishes decorated in transfer colors of black, deep brown and red are also popular for collections. The colors are normally termed mulberry, sepia and pink in transferware, and like their blue and white counterparts, affordable examples can still be found. They tend to be a little more expensive than blue and white dishes, but can still be found for under $60, and the rare examples can run in to the thousands of dollars.

The patterns and colors of antique transferware are too numerous to detail, but suffice it to say, there’s a piece of transferware to suit any taste or décor. If you plan on building a collection of antique transferware, try to focus on a particular color, pattern or maker and buy pieces with strong, crisp details with no condition issues.

Loch Lea Antiques in Paris, KY is a great place to find quality antiques like transferware in central Kentucky.