Part of my antique booth do-o
ver or is it make-over was to take out some of my "better" and or "fragile" collectibles out of the dark tall (b
ut darling glass curio cabinet they were in and "let them be seen".Grouping All The Floral Cottage Collectibles Together
I grouped my sweet floral plates, salt and pepper shakers, vanity items, etc together on a hand made cottage chic garden table which I bought from another dealer.
Should China Collectibles Always Be In Glass Cabinets?
I know, many of us who have shops or booths in antique malls, worry about keeping delicate collectibles out for a variety of obvious reasons. But, I have to be honest, many of my kitchen collectibles are as valuable (and even harder to find) than the floral decorative pieces. The difference is that the kitchenwares handle better. In fact, when you think about it, some of these kitchen collectibles we all buy and sell were used in kitchens 60-70 years ago and they held up really well.
Delicate porcelain objects are a totally different genre.
Delicate Collectibles
But on the flip side, I thought I might try featuring some of these lovely hand painted items. They are not that precious.
Not Having To Ask Staff Members For The Key
I wondered if my attractive porcelain collectibles would be of more interest to customers didn't have to bother to ask staff to get the key to the locked cabinet they were previously in.
We shall see what happens this month. My theory is, that if customers can get up close to these beautiful floral pieces, they will be more apt to want them in their homes and my sales will increase. It's just a thought!
If you love this kind of stuff...you will adore my second book, Hot Cottage Collectibles For Vintage Style Homes (Collectorbooks.com).
C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.
To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff
Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com
Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com
Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.
Oh they are so pretty thank you for sharing your lovelies with us, have a very blessed Friday, and stop by my blog and see my Friendship Friday, hugs my friend, and have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteLots of Hugs, Barbara
I have to be honest. I rarely look in cabinets at antique stores, especially if they are locked and I have to go get someone to open it for me. I like to be able to handle things without someone standing over me. I understand when it's something like jewelry. Dealers have no choice but to lock that away. I bet your gorgeous china will sell better now that it's out there for all to see and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteIf I am to be honest I too rarely ask for someone to open a case for me. I often find that things in cases are not always priced so I can see them beofre I bother the sales clerk. If I can't wee a price tag without the case being open I usually walk by assuming the prices are too high. Knowing cost before hand lets me know whether or not I want to see the item up close. Even items that are not encased are sometimes not tagged and I figure if the seller can't be bothered to price it they probably aren't that interested in selling. My friends and I go out antiquing and thrifting quite often and our biggest pet peeve is items marked not for sale! I'm not talking about big fruniture pieces for display but smaller items used solely as accents. If you don't want to sell it don't put it out.
ReplyDeleteIf you feel the need to keep items in a locked case, perhaps you could have a printed list of the items and their prices available for your customers. Everyone has their own comfort zone. If a customer knows the price of an item beforehand, and they are still interested they will ask someone to open the case. If the price is unknown, many will feel awkward about asking for help and having to put the piece back if they feel the price is too high. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
Locked cases are an issue with me.....especially when the price tag is hidden/flipped over. I often move on to another display and forget about the item of interest.
ReplyDelete