RI Picker.com's Blog

New Blog on www.RIpicker.com

2012-12-05T10:11:00.003-05:00

We are pleased to annouce we now have a new blog located directly on the updated www.RIpicker.com website. From now on all posts can be found on RI Picker.

Thank you!

Do you have Junk in your basement or attic's?

2012-10-12T10:54:00.002-04:00

If you are in the Rhode Island and Massachusett's region and would like to make some money off that old junk hanging around in your basement, attic, barn, or garage please contact me at Sales@RIpicker.com. We pay fair prices in cash.

www.RIpicker.com's Ad in the Valley Breeze

2012-07-18T11:56:00.001-04:00

We now have an advertisement on the Valley Breeze newspapers website (www.valleybreeze.com). This is a local Rhode Island newspaper that covers current events in Northern RI. You can find the ad by visiting the link below:
http://yourquickads.com/valleybreeze/browse/?section=27

Remember to visit www.RIpicker.com for great deals on antiques toys, old tools, collectibles and more!

Saint Joseph's Church - Woonsocket, RI Flea Market

2012-06-21T10:34:00.000-04:00

Saint Joseph's Church in Woonsocket, RI 02895 will be hosting a flea market inside the gym at Saint Joseph's/Good Shepherd School located on Mendon Rd. The flea market starts June 23rd 2012 at 9am.

Precious Blood Church - Woonsocket, RI - Flea Market

2012-06-15T14:26:00.001-04:00

Flea Market Alert!

Precious Blood Church in Woonsocket, RI will be having a flea market in their church hall on June 16^th 2012 from 9am to 2pm. The church is located on Hamlet Ave.

RI Picker's Current eBay Auctions!

2012-06-12T16:47:00.000-04:00

Our current eBay Auctions can be viewed by going to: http://myworld.ebay.com/ripicker1/

The Lowdown: ‘Antiques Roadshow’ appraises Norman Rockwell painting

2012-06-12T14:08:00.000-04:00

A Norman Rockwell painting of a young Vermont school kid eating Kellogg’s Corn Flakes could pay off big for Melinda “Chickie” Murphy.

Paintings of the southern New Hampshire woman and her brother, Gene, who posed for their dad’s painter friend when he was commissioned by Kellogg’s in the early ’50s, were rejected by the Battle Creek, Mich., cereal company.

Over the weekend, Melinda, now 65, was bowled over when the folks at PBS’ “Antiques Roadshow” appraised the one she still has by the master of Americana’s painting at $40,000 to $60,000!

“(Kellogg’s thought) we were too pretty,” Murphy (nee Pelham) told the Track at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. “They wanted red hair and freckles!”

But not all antiques aficionados, hand-me-down hoarders and yard sale scavengers are as lucky as Melinda, who said she’s going to hang onto her Rockwellian breakfast scene for the moment.

Appraiser Colleene Fesko, who specializes in American paintings from the 18th through 21st centuries, said that more often than not, folks who come to her thinking they’ve found a masterpiece are generally mistaken.

“It’s because of the accessibility of the Internet,” said Fesko, who once was approached with a painting signed by “Winslow Homer.”

Upon a quick analysis, Colleene knew the painting was no work of art.

“It was painted three or four weeks ago!” she told the Track.

Among the masses of eager New Englanders who packed into the convention hall on Saturday was Boston Mayor Tom Menino, who brought along an Aldro Hibbard painting rescued from the attic at the Mather School in Dorchester. It’s been hanging in the Parkman House.

“I heard everybody said its worth a lot,” the mayor told us.

And he was right. Fesko appraised the winter landscape scene, a classic example of the artist’s post-Impressionist style, at $50,000.

But don’t expect Hizzoner to sell off the Hibbard for some quick cash for city coffers.

“No, no, no,” said Menino, who plans to insure the painting. “We know how special it is.”

Source: www.BostonHerald.com

Overpriced Flea Markets & Yardsales

2012-06-11T14:33:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I visited about a dozen or so yardsales/garagesales/flea markets. For the most part I saw items for sale for $1 or so. However, it amazes me when I pull up to a yardsale and see everything tagged. Once I see these yardsales I know I am not going to buy anything there. The owners seem to want outrages prices on their products they are selling. People who go to yardsales do not intend to pay retail. Just because you paid $10 for it in new condition, does not mean it is worth $8 in used condition. If you have stuff you truly want to get rid of, than you must price it to sell. If you want to try to get full value or what you perceive is a "fair" price, then put it up on eBay.

A shop on a mission

2012-06-06T10:41:00.000-04:00

LIMERICK – For the past two years, Heather Labbe has made Labrador retrievers her life, running a rescue operation from her Limerick home and, she says, saving more than 600 animals from being euthanized at out-of-state shelters.

“I realized, ‘Oh, I can make a difference,’” she said.

Now, Labbe, 61, is looking to give the effort, called New England Lab Rescue, a more permanent home, and has taken an innovative approach to doing that. She has bought a 19th-century house in town that she converted into a new antiques shop, Custom House Antiques. Part of that building, Labbe said, will be used as office space for the nonprofit rescue, and a barn in the back will be converted to help house a small number of dogs waiting for adoption.

“To have an actual building (for the rescue) is a really big thing,” she said.

The building itself is huge, with three stories, including a ballroom on the top floor that Labbe hopes to rent out. Labbe said that the portion of the whole building dedicated to the rescue will be small, and the barn will be closed off from the rest of the building.

No animals will be allowed in with the antiques, and Labbe said even once the barn is fully renovated, she only imagines two to three animals staying there at any one time. The rest, she said, will live in foster homes run by volunteers, just as the rescue has always done.

“It’s a very, very short-term visit,” she said.

Meanwhile, the rest of the building will be dedicated to showing off antiques for sale. Kathy Braley, a volunteer who is helping Labbe find antiques sellers, said that in less than a month, Custom House has found about 12 vendors who are renting display space for their items, and the building could accommodate up to twice that many.

With those renters, Custom House already has a full first floor, and part of the second floor is also spoken for. There is everything from plates, candleholders and fireplace pokers to furniture such as couches, chairs, tables and cabinets. Braley said she ran an antiques shop in Limington for years, and knew how to help Labbe find sellers to rent space in the new shop.

“I have a lot of stuff, and a lot of friends with stuff,” Braley said with a laugh.
Labbe’s husband, Gary, said the building, located at the intersection of routes 5 and 11 in Limerick, dates back to 1803, and was known as a bed-and-breakfast until about 20 years ago. After that closed, he said, the building was home to an interior decorator’s shop, but the decorator moved out about three years ago. Since then, it’s been empty. The selling price, Heather Labbe said, dropped hundreds of thousands of dollars before the Labbes bought it a month ago for $112,000.

Heather Labbe said she and her husband came to Limerick in 1999, moving from Windham, where they had lived since coming from Cape Cod, Mass., in 1996. Gary Labbe noted that his wife already runs the Clipper Merchant Tea House, which is also in a refurbished 19th-century house, which went a long way with convincing the locals that the Labbes would be treating their newest acquisition right.

“They were thrilled to hear that we were now in this building,” he said. “They knew that it would be in good hands.”

Heather Labbe said she started the lab rescue informally about two years ago, when she learned via the Internet that a shelter in North Carolina was planning to euthanize a dog because no home could be found for it. Labbe bought the dog, and would have kept it had she not found someone right away who wanted to adopt it. Since then, she said, the effort has grown into an official nonprofit organization, with full licensing and vetting from the state.

As to why she wants to use an antiques shop to support it, Labbe said she has grown to love history and historic buildings, and it seemed a natural move for a building that has been a fixture in town for more than two centuries.

“We decided the town could use an antiques building,” she said. “The history is very rich here.”

The shop is open, but Labbe is planning a formal grand opening on July 1. She said the shop already is making enough money in rental income to sustain itself, and in time, she expects it will go a long way toward supporting the rescue, which has existed so far on grants and donations that can be hard to come by.

“It’s a way of supporting the rescue in the long run,” she said.

Source: www.Keepmecurrent.com

Antiques Fair is an Old Favorite

2012-06-05T12:40:00.000-04:00

The Grafton Historical Society has announced its 45^th annual Antiques and Arts Fair will be held Saturday, June 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the Grafton Common. About 50 antiques and collectibles vendors will have their wares on display.“The annual Antiques and Arts Fair has become a defining event in Grafton,” said Linda Casey, Grafton Historical Society president, in a prepared statement. “It is such a pleasure for us to keep this rich and wonderful tradition alive. We hope everyone will come and join us for what is sure to be a great day of fun and enjoyment.”
In addition to antiques and collectibles booths, there will be live music on the gazebo, antique appraisals, and a wide variety of food vendors. The fair also will feature a variety of crafts demonstrations.
Admission is $5. In case of rain, the fair will be held at the Grafton Middle School, 60 North St. For more information, call 508-839-0000.

Source: www.Grafton.Patch.com

New England Antiques Journal - Review

2012-05-22T10:23:00.000-04:00

I ordered my subscription of the New England Antiques Journal in March through their website. After a month went by and I didn't receive the magazine I decided to call. I was told their website subscription area didn't work, so they never received my order. I then gave the lady my credit card and shipping info over the phone and was told I should receive it around May 5th. I was also told she was going to send me April's magazine for my troubles. May 5th came and went and I still didn't receive the magazine. I called again and was told I should receive it in June. The department handling the circulation is very poor. I am looking forward to post a real review of the content. Hopefully, the magazine will get to me soon....

Brighten Any Room In Your Home With Mickey Mouse Collectibles

2012-05-18T14:37:00.000-04:00

We may not remember exactly when it was that we first saw Mickey Mouse. But we probably do remember the joy of being a child, savoring the beginning of the weekend by getting ourselves a big bowl of cereal and milk and sitting down in front of the television to watch Saturday cartoons. Mickey and his friends were no doubt a jovial part of those Saturday mornings, and thus we have a soft spot in our hearts for Disney's beloved mouse.

You can continue to remember those happy times into adulthood and put a smile on your face each time you look at your collection of Mickey collectibles. You can also get a child off to a great start with Mickey by giving him or her Mickey Mouse figurines, watches or rings as a memento of a simpler and happier time when it did not take much to make us happy.

There are many types of Mickey Mouse decorative objects that are available. For those who like wearable designs, you might select from Mickey Mouse watches or Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse watches originated in 1933; due to the early popularity of the comic mouse, who was loved by millions, the Disney company began manufacturing accessories featuring his likeness.

Today, you can find replicas of these lovely vintage watches that feature Mickey Mouse on the face of the watch, with his arms and hands in use as the watch arms. There are other Mickey likenesses also placed on the wristband. Rings, bracelets and necklaces feature the lovable mouse as well. A Swarovski Crystal charm bracelet shows all of the incarnations of Mickey Mouse through the years as he has been depicted in cartoons and Swarovski also features their stunning crystals in a necklace pendant that showcases the face of Mickey with his winning smile.

Figurines featuring Mickey and his female friend, Minnie Mouse, are available through the "Precious Moments" collection line, which shows a little girl Precious Moments figurine with the characteristic teardrop-shaped dark eyes, who is sitting in a chair with Mickey and Minnie, reading a favorite book. Mickey dressed up in an Elvis Presley outfit, Mickey driving a John Deere tractor, and a Mickey Mouse telephone, which is also a music box, can make wonderful additions to anyone's Mickey Mouse collection and offer stylish ways to dress up your home.

Source: www.Articlesbase.com

Street Rods for sale - Do a lot of research before buying

2012-05-17T15:47:00.002-04:00

If you are in the market buying street rods then you might feel that choosing one amongst the plethora of cars is a daunting task. These automobiles are different from the ones that are driven daily and there isn’t a concrete price structure for buying these cars. These automobiles are mostly the ones which belong to the times of 1930s and 1960s and they don’t have a lot of resemblance to the original model. There aren’t any conditions or options for comparing in price guide and you will have to do a little bit of homework for finding true value regarding what kind of street rods you can buy with the amount of money that you have to spend. Some of the vintage cars aren’t even original models; they are just built using the kits that you can purchase today for building your own rods. Just like other collector car or classic car out there, you will have to do a bit of research beforehand and it will certainly improve your experience when you drive the automobile.

If you are purchasing hot rod, then there are few basics that you need to know about cars. You can also visit club meets of Street Rods and read some of the car magazines that are out there, they will be really helpful. You can also talk to owners at car shows or meets and you will find out everything that you ever wanted to know. There are cars that have been bought in the past and some people have more than one vintage cars in their collection. There are also some people who are offering vintage cars for sale. You should ask questions to the owners and they will tell you all that you need to know. Don’t be shy about, the more questions you ask, the more you will get to know about the vehicles.

There are also a lot of online forums from where you can gather information. You can also ask questions here. It is often seen that there isn’t any substitute to having an owner close to his side; you will get to know everything you want from here starting from the looks of the car to the engine inside. There are plenty of wheel rods for sale out there which will certainly make you drool by smell of exhaust and loud engine roar. If you aren’t intrigued by these sounds; then these automobiles aren’t made for you.

Source: www.Amazines.com

Meg's Secondhand Store - Uxbridge, MA

2012-05-13T10:40:00.000-04:00

I recently paid a visit to Meg's Place on Quaker Hwy in Uxbridge, MA. This is a small but neat place to find some great picks. They have furniture, books, tools, and other odds and ends. The lady behind the desk was great to negoiate with. I got some great old tools for a bargain. The inventory is alwaysbturning over since the owner bus out estates and cleans out houses. They are located in a very small strip of stores, but should be easy to find.

eBay bringing down profits and bastardizing the marketplace

2012-05-07T11:06:00.000-04:00

I started buying and selling on eBay since the beginning. But over the last 10-12 years the marketplace has become saturated. Antique and collectible stores now have to try to compete with this juggernaut. This means that in most cases, slashing your prices by 50% to 60%. What does this mean to the average collector? Your prized comic book collection is now worth only a few hundred dollars instead of a few thousand. This is great for the average collector that wants a few pieces at a bargain price. But if you have been collecting for decades and planned on using your collection to either put you through college or help buy your first home, you are out of luck. In the end eBay can be a great outlet to quickly get rid of a few things you have no need for. But it has been destroying the antique market many many years by bringing down profits of the seller’s that have searched for that prized action figure you have been looking for.

www.RIHobbyShop.com - Revell, Monogram, Airsoft Guns, Testors, and more!

2012-05-04T09:48:00.000-04:00

www.RIHobbyShop.com is our new website dedicated to plastic model kits, airplanes, diecast toys, paints, enamels, and Airsoft Guns. Please check out our ever growing selection. We are based in Cumberland, RI and will ship throughout North America.

Ted Williams memorabilia to be auctioned in Boston

2012-04-25T11:59:00.000-04:00

BOSTON (AP) -- He was a skilled fisherman, a veteran of two wars and an accomplished hunter. Oh, and Ted Williams also played baseball.

Fans seeking to buy items once owned by the legendary Red Sox slugger will flock to Boston's Fenway Park beginning Wednesday for a preview of the first major auction of sports, military and personal memorabilia documenting Williams' life.

The preview, open to the public, is set to last through Friday at the world's oldest baseball park and home field of the only team that Williams played for during his 1939-1960 major league career. The auction will be Saturday and some of the proceeds will benefit The Jimmy Fund, a charity affiliated with Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for which the slugger helped raise money during his lifetime.

Williams, the last major league hitter to bat .400 — posting a .406 average in 1941 — enjoyed a diverse life, including as a U.S. Marine in World War II and the Korean War, a member of the fishing hall of fame and a skilled and accomplished hunter. He flew 39 combat missions in Korea and took enemy fire three times, including during an encounter that forced him to land his stricken jet on its belly.

"There're not many elements of his life that did not exude the same excellence as he did on the baseball field," said David Hunt, whose firm, Hunt Auctions Inc., is selling the memorabilia on behalf of Williams' daughter, Claudia Williams of Hernando, Fla. "And that is really unique ... He's sort of like the John Wayne of baseball and sports of that time period and I think that's evidenced by all these artifacts that documents his life."

Among the nearly 800 items up for auction is a baseball in pristine condition that Babe Ruth autographed for Williams with the inscription "To my pal Ted Williams, From Babe Ruth." That unique ball is expected to go for between $100,000 and $200,000, Hunt said.

The ball, which was stolen from the family's Florida home in the 1970s and not recovered until 2005, had a special place in Ted Williams' heart, his daughter said.

"Of course, the one item in the sale which meant so much to him as a baseball fan was the personalized baseball given to him by Babe Ruth," Claudia Williams said in an email to The Associated Press. "It influenced his personalizations to so many kids in the future, as he always loved the way Mr. Ruth signed the ball, 'Your pal.'"

Others items include Williams' 1949 American League Most Valuable Player award valued between $150,000 and $250,000, a silver bat for winning the American League batting championship in 1957 valued between $100,000 and $200,000, as well as bats and jerseys that the slugger used, Hunt said as workers unpacked the memorabilia for display at a luxury suite at Fenway Park.

"These objects really just chronicle this man's life and, I think, show how great he was, not just as a baseball player," Hunt said.

Claudia Williams says her dad's intent was always to auction the items for charity.

"I'm rather certain, in his last year with the Red Sox, he earned less than $100,000," she said. "So, my dad was always amazed at the sale prices garnered from sales of sports memorabilia.

"It is dearly important to me to include The Jimmy Fund in this event as it was at the center of my father's heart for so many years."

Hunt said the auction caps a process that began nearly six years ago when his firm did some appraisals for her.

Williams' daughter, Hunt said, had discussed selling some of the items with her father and brother, who both supported the idea. That occurred before Williams died in 2002, followed by his son in 2004.

The 10-year anniversary of Williams' death at age 83 and Fenway Park's ongoing 100th anniversary celebrations provided an ideal timing for the auction, Hunt said.

"Claudia kept things that are important to her, donated things to museums ... Why not do this in celebration of his life, benefit the charity that he loved and make it a positive thing for everybody," Hunt said.

Claudia Williams said: "I am incredibly proud of my father. My father lived a wonderful life, and did all he could for his fans, his country, and his family."

Source: Written by Rodrique Ngowi from the Associated Press.

Rare 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card sells for $1.2 million in online auction

2012-04-20T13:51:00.000-04:00

ST. LOUIS - A New Jersey man has paid $1.2 million for an extremely rare 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card.

The buyer placed the highest of 14 bids in an online auction that ended Friday.

Missouri collectibles dealer Bill Goodwin, who auctioned off the card for a Houston seller, says he is thrilled by the sale price. He says the seller wishes to remain anonymous and the buyer hasn't decided whether to come forward publicly.

Only about 60 of the 200 cards that were made are believed to still exist. Many are in poor condition, but Goodwin says the card sold Friday is among those in the best condition.

Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick paid a record $2.8 million last year for the highest-graded Wagner card.

Source: The Associated Press & Yahoo! News

Stamp Collecting Software to Choose From

2012-04-18T15:06:00.000-04:00

The traditional way of compiling of stamp collections requires more effort in arranging and distributing the types of stamps. The most common tool that is used to organize a stamp collection is the album list. Today, there are software that can easily help a collector in filing, securing, detecting, upgrading, and providing information about the stamps. These software are now used to make the collection easier to manage. There are many software that are now advertised in the market. Here are some of them.

1. StampManage 2006 can catalog and file all stamps that came from Canada, USA, and UK. This software can contain 30,000 stamps in its database and can feature 21,200 images. These are all compiled in Scott numbering system. This numbering system is standardized and was introduced by the SCOTT Company. They provided the license to StampManage to practice this kind of numbering system. The 2006 latest edition now features an integrated report designer that has the ability to document personal reports. These Reports can be transferred through HTML, PDF, and Excel.

2. The Stamp Organizer Deluxe software can recover and view all information about a stamp. The software shows great efficiency and accessibility to gather all information in a compiled data. The stamps could be arranged in various ways. The collector has his options on how he can organize his collection using this software.

3. The Stamp Collection Wizard 1.04 can create personal records and accumulate reports about the stamps origin, price value and other informative data. A collector may enjoy the benefit of being updated and informed using the stamp collection database of the program. It has also the capacity to store and track the price value and the date of all special stamps.

4. The Report Label Wizard can easily determine and print various kinds of reports listed on this software. There are specific sets of wizard catalogs that allow a user to determine the report category. The stamps can be defined according to color, graphics, size, perforation, and margins. He may also outline the report using headers and footers. To save any of these program settings, he may index it using templates.

5. Customized Display Data Software can set any settings displayed on the windows regardless of the size and amount of data information. A collector has the option to choose from what type of size, color, and font to use in compiling the collection in the organizer. He may change the information on the data entry controls by determining the customize reports on the program.

6. Stamp Collector Professional 3.0S can compile and arrange all personal stamp collections. This program helps a collector to have an organized compilation of those special and rare stamps that may have a good price value. It also identifies and shows all records and information about the date issuance, place of origin, characteristics, theme, and the price value of the stamp.

7. The Specialized Data Fields Controls can speed up any new entry records on the database. It can also create new command responses related to the data entry. Any graphical features are scanned from the List Box program, which also sets up a particular element from the first category of characters. This software also features a Date Field calendar, Email Field Integrated, and a Data Field with calculator.

8. The Organized Deluxe Designer can modify and upgrade the structure of any stamp. Similar to other organizer programs, it has the functionality to determine different kinds of data fields where a user would like to store huge number of compilations.

9. The StampManage Canada 2005 specializes on stamps that came from Canada. This program catalogs and files all information about Canadian stamps. It has a special software that determines all Canadian and provincial stamp data that features images and report data fields about the compiled information.

10. The Web ready View Page Software can update and read all record fields on a section basis. Ha may display his file collection of stamps from the database to the web page of the site. They can be featured with complete background images using the browse page to edit all the necessary information that he may add on the web page.

Source: www.Amazines.com

GOMES ESTATE ATTRACTS STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD

2012-04-06T11:55:00.002-04:00

Dedham , MA- Never before has the Dedham gallery of Grogan and Company Fine Art Auctioneers and Appraisers been so alive and filled to capacity, as it was for the March 24th auction of property from the Estate of the Reverend Peter J. Gomes. The large collection of fine art, antiques furniture and decorations from the Reverend’s two residences: Sparks House, Cambridge and Oceanside, Plymouth, Massachusetts, brought friends, colleagues, collectors and admirers together and realized over $350,000 for the Estate.

The Reverend Peter J. Gomes (1942 – 2011), Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister of the Memorial Church at Harvard University, has been described as one of the most distinguished Christian preachers in the history of the English-speaking pulpit. Born in Boston and raised in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Reverend Gomes was a self professed anglophile who had a passion for collecting. “Not only do we bring other people’s things into our world and make them, however, temporarily, out own, but we are also possessed by that which we possess and seek;” writes Gomes in an article titled “An Unruly Passion for Things”, published in Every Room Tells a Story, Tales from the Pages of Nest Magazine, edited by Joseph Holtzman, “Thus does the past live, recreated by our hands. Collecting is the ultimate redistribution of wealth and beauty.”

Highlights from Reverend Gomes Spark’s house collection included a Scottish Tall Case Clock, circa 1820, that he acquired in 1970 for $500, which sold for $4,425 to a former student of Peter’s. His Harvard chair commemorating his 25 years of service sparked competitive bidding before it finally sold to a local woman bidding from the back of the room for $3,068, and an American school Landscape depicting a Native American by a Lake at Sunset, sold for $3,245 to another former student of Gomes. The five piece American Tea Service that Gome’s used at his coveted Wednesday tea parties, sold for $3,245 to a local antiques dealer, within it’s $2,000-4,000 presale estimate, while an American Silver Chalice, monogrammed PJG and inscribed Good Life December 2002, was bought for $3,068 by one of his closest friends. The chalice will be donated to the Bates College Chapel, which is slated to be renamed this fall in memory of Peter J. Gomes.

Property from his Oceanside Plymouth residence included a Gilt Metal and Crystal Twelve Light Chandelier, once gracing the dining room, which sold for $7,080 and a George III Inlaid Mahogany Secretary Bookcase, estimated at $3,000-5,000, which brought $6,490. The living room’s Oushak Carpet sold for $5,310 and a pair of Gothic White Painted Iron Hall Benches, exceeding the $1,500-2,000 presale estimate to sell for $4,425. “The auction attracted a large number of new clients,” commented President and Chief Auctioneer, Michael B. Grogan, “Many of them expressed how pleased they were to purchase a memento from Reverend Gome’s collection.”

The second session of the auction was held on Sunday, March 25th and was comprised of property from various estates and collections. The 450 lots of Fine Art, Furniture and Decorations, Silver, Jewelry and Rugs, achieved over eight hundred thousand dollars, more than 70% of the weekends total.

The most exciting moment of the sale occurred when two pairs of Imperial Russian Porcelain Plates from the period of Nicholas I soared well beyond their $5,000-7,000 pre-sale estimates. Fifteen phone lines competed with bidders in the room, when the Pair of Gold bordered plates from the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory of St. Petersburg, came up. The bidding opened up at $4,000, however quickly soared to $25,000 when a New York dealer jumped the bid. The fierce bidding continued between Moscow, New York, London, Germany and Florida before finally acheiving for $79,650. The next pair, with Green border, from the same manufactory, sold to the same phone bidder from Moscow for $76,700.

The top fine art lot was 19th century French artist, Emile Munier’s Girl with Kitten, an oil on canvas circa 1878, which sold over the phone to a dealer for $70,800, against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-40,000. Other highlights included contemporary Greek artist Spyros Vassiliou’s Figures with Ship Masts, a large oil on masonite, which brought $15,340 and Spanish artist, Emilio Sanchez Perrier’s Figures in a Rowboat, a small oil on canvas, which sold for $14,160.

A set of three Rhode Island Revolutionary War period documents pertaining to military appointments for William Jones, former Governor of Rhode Island attracted significant presale interest, which resulted in several phone lines competing against each other before it finally sold to a Rhode Island collector for $11,800 (presale estimate $3,000-5,000). Other highlights included a 19th century French Silver Coffee Service by Alexandre-Auguste Turquet, which sold for $11,800, against a $10,000-15,000 pre sale estimate; and a Second Phase Native American Chief’s Blanket, from the Navajo tribe, circa 1870, once in the collection of Irene Jewett Lunt, former restorer of Navajo Rugs for the Denver Art Museum sold for $8,850 (presale estimate $6,000-9,000). Internet bidding was brisk, with a Pair of Continental Neoclassical Demilune Console Tables selling for $10,030 and a Steinway Piano brought $9,440 to bidders using Artfact Live.

A complete list of auction results can be found at www.groganco.com. For more information regarding upcoming auctions, consigning or appraisal services, please call the gallery at 781-461-9500. Prices include buyer’s premium.

Source: www.artfixdaily.com

Princess Diana Photographs: New Unseen Antique Picture With Her Boys Revealed

2012-04-04T14:05:00.000-04:00

The BBC's Antiques Roadshow surprised its viewers on Tuesday by revealing an unseen photograph of Princess Diana posing with her barefoot sons.

The photograph was presented to the program by the personal assistant of Lord Snowdon, the former husband of Princess Margaret.

Estimated at £400 - £500 ($615 - $770,) the photograph shows Diana with a radiant smile and her two sons Harry and William, kneeling at her feet.

"It really is fantastic. It's an odd one, because the boys are dressed in sort of country casuals and don't have any shoes on, and their nanny has not given them any socks as far as I can see. But the Princess of Wales is dressed up to kill," Antique expert Clive Farahar, told the Daily Telegraph.

Diana is glowing in the picture wearing a pink dress embroidered with gold intricate lace stitching. "So Mum went out of something casual, slipped into something formal and got the boys in. I love the story behind that. It shows how unstuffy she was," Farahar added.

The photograph has not been released before and according to Lord Snowdon's personal assistant, the Royal archives do not even have a copy of it.

There were other photos presented from Snowdon's collection. One was of a formal picnic scene featuring Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Harry and William, but Farahar was far less impressed by this shot, saying it was too posed. Another black and white photograph showed Prince Harry in Princess Diana's arms, taken at the end of his christening.

The picnic scene was valued at £200 to £300 and the christening picture at £500 to £800.

Lord Snowdon, now aged 82, was divorced from Princess Margaret in 1978 and from Lucy Lyndsay-Hogg in 2000.

Royal Dresses

Meanwhile, Princess Diana's royal dresses will go on display at The People's Princess' Exhibit at the Michigan International Women's Show in May, Patch reported.

"Showgoers will see a replica of Princess Diana's wedding gown as they enter the show and the gown she wore dancing with John Travolta at a White House state dinner in the exhibit," Beth Anderson, executive show manager of Southern Shows told Patch. "The display has photographs and video covering a retrospective of her life as princess, mother, fashion icon and humanitarian.

The exhibition will tell the story of Diana's life through the possessions she auctioned off to charity. Informational panels will also be held as a part of the show between May 3-6.

The exhibit will be spilt into different sections, according to Patch:

1. Entrance: A 15 minute introductory documentary tells Diana's story.

2. Diana's Childhood: Diana's ancestral background, early childhood experiences and lineage that factored into her future relationship with Britain's Royal Family.

3. Engagement and Wedding: A video story of the engagement announcement and Royal wedding, which was viewed by more than 750 million people worldwide.

4. A Princess of Style & Charity: Video, graphics, sketches, notes and commentary from Diana's favorite fashion designers tell the story of Diana's legendary transformation from ingénue to style icon.

5. The Servant Princess: The story of Diana's tireless approach to her duties as a "princess with purpose" as she ascended to global humanitarian, highlighted by the perspectives of those who benefitted from her compassion and generous use of her royal platform.

6. Goodbye England's Rose-The Painful Passing of The Princess: Video of her brother's eulogy as well as the Royal Family's reaction to her death and ultimate honoring of her life. Guests can leave words of endearment and tokens if they wish.

7. Finale Royal Dresses: Five dresses from Diana's wardrobe will be on display, including three by one of Diana's favorite designers, Catherine Walker:

Source: www.IBTimes.com

Product Spotlight - Primitive Hand Drills & Wood Planes

2012-04-03T11:55:00.000-04:00

RI Picker has 3 antique hand drills and 2 old wood planes. The wood planes are made by Bailey and Hercules. We are offering all pieces for just $9.99 each. Full descriptions and additional photos can be found on www.RIpicker.com. Any questions can be sent to Sales@RIpicker.com or by calling 401-405-1480.

Finding Antique Auto Parts

2012-04-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

There are thousands of people in the auto industry who are antique car buffs and there are actually many reasons to get involved with collecting antique cars. Not only are antique cars worth a pretty penny if they are in pristine condition, but they are also hot collector's items if they run and meet certain criteria. Furthermore, many people love collecting antique cars because they like to restore them to their original condition; however, many times this requires some auto parts that are needed for various systems throughout the automobile.

On the other hand, if you or someone you know has ever tried to get their hands on some antique auto parts then you already know how much of a pain they can be to find. Indeed, the reason that antique auto parts are very hard to find is because normal auto parts retail stores hardly ever carry them or anything else that's related to antique cars. The main reason for this is that there is very little profit in doing so, except from the antique car collectors themselves.

In order to find antique auto parts, many people are forced to search high and low for these much sought after parts. These auto parts are definitely needed, though, in order to restore an antique car to its original condition. However, one suggestion to find these antique auto parts is to ask around through connections that are forged and acquaintances that are met through antique car shows. Most people, especially antique car owners, will be more than happy to divulge the information since there is no profit in hiding the information and keeping it a secret.

Another suggestion that one has to find antique auto parts is the resources on the World Wide Web. There are many specialty groups that can be found online and one of these groups is devoted to antique auto parts. You may be very surprised to find out that there are a great deal of antique car owners that are located on the web for the sole purpose of connecting with other antique car owners and to start up antique car groups throughout the whole United States. Within these antique car groups on the internet, though, there is bound to be some antique auto parts resources that one is able to use in order to help restore their antique car they're working on.

On the other hand, its very possible that the antique auto part that you are looking for is no longer available and there's nobody that is carrying the part anymore. If this situation arises then the very next best thing to do would be to make modifications and adjustments to the antique auto parts that you can find that will nearly do the trick.

All in all, even though some antique auto parts are very hard to find, there are always going to be options and alternatives available in place of the antique auto parts themselves. Even though it may be difficult to grasp the notion that no part is available anywhere, life must go on and the restoration of the antique car must continue if one is to succeed with the goal of getting it back to pristine and working condition!

Source: www.ArticleCity.com

www.RIpicker.com has a new phone number: 401-405-1480

2012-03-30T10:57:00.000-04:00

www.RIpicker.com now has a new phone number to help better serve our customers. You can now reach us at 401-405-1480. We can also be contacted by email: Sales@RIpicker.com.

Fun Merchandise And Superhero Toys & Collectibles

2012-03-29T13:52:00.002-04:00

Over the past decade, the American public has been entertained at the box office with movies featuring many of the Marvel Universe's big name superheroes. Epic sagas such as the Spiderman and Iron Man series as well as recent films featuring Thor, Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men and many others have captivated millions. Such tales have also spilled over into the realm of merchandising with video games, action figures, toys, apparel and many great collectables. Because of Marvel's rise within the merchandising industry, online shopping has become a prime market for those looking to bring these toys and great collectables home. From myreviewsnow, below is a brief history of this companies rise to an industry leader as well as some of the main aspects of their merchandising campaign.

Built on the ideas of creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko in 1939, Marvel started as a comic book company, introducing America to such superheroes as the Fantastic Four, Captain America, the Amazing Spiderman and many others. Spinning tales of epic battle between good versus evil, Marvel continued to grow and flourish throughout the twentieth century eventually spinning into the world of toys, games and movies based on its vast universe of characters. Marvel.com lists all of the information about their universe of characters for individuals to find.

Switching gears to the merchandising aspect of Marvel's approach, many of the toys sold by Marvel today are sold via online shopping. Whether it is the latest video games, board games, action figures or apparel, one can buy or sell any of these items online. In addition, the best part of online shopping is the ease in which one is able to shop from the comfort of one's home, while having the products delivered right to the buyer's front door. Furthermore, should this online shopping for Marvel products be a gift for someone outside the home, delivery to the recipient's home address is a piece of cake.

The first of the three main areas where Marvel merchandises its products are video games. With over half of the United States owning at least one, if not more video game systems in their home, the market for video games featuring a plethora of Marvel superheroes is as expansive as the Marvel Universe itself. These games allow for single-player action that in many cases follows the latest movie Marvel released featuring the same superheroes. In addition to the single-player variety, many of these video games also feature multi-player options allowing the gamer to play not only others in their home, but with online capabilities, they can play alongside someone on the other side of the globe. This has proven a multi-million dollar industry for Marvel.

Coming up a close second to the video game side of the business, the action figure and toy line Marvel boasts is equally impressive. One of the best things about this market is the ability to have multiple versions of the same character that support the same movie for which they are released. For example, with the movie Spiderman III, one could buy a standard Spiderman action figure featuring the classic well-known red and blue outfit, the black Spiderman suit featured in the movie, or a Peter Parker action figure that featured Peter Parker in plain clothes.

Finally, there is the line of apparel that features any number of Marvel superheroes. From baby clothes up through adult sizes, there is no shortage of variety when it comes to featuring the Marvel Universe on individual apparel. Whereas this third brand is not pulling in as much money as the first two mentioned, it is still a multi-million dollar industry year after year.

Ultimately, much like many of the superheroes they feature, Marvel is an industry-leading juggernaut in its own right. Offering a variety of options through online shopping, whether it be video games, toys or apparel, if there is something out there consumers want when it comes to superheroes, Marvel most likely offers it in many varieties to please them.

Source: www.ArticleTrader.com