The Collectibles Care Guide
All rights reserved.
No part of this manuscript may be reproduced and/or published
in any way or form without the expressed written permission of
Hans J. Schindhelm
and CollectorsResources.com.
Copyright 1998
Please bookmark our home page, forward it to your fellow collectors and/or link
to it.
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Thank
you.
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related site in our collectors resources directory.
Foreword
Disclaimers,
Copyrights & User Guidelines
Buying
Collectibles - Chapter 1
Selling Collectibles
- Capter 2
Appraising Collectibles -
Chapter 3
Insuring Collectibles - Capter
4
Shipping Collectibles - Chapter 5
Displaying
Collectibles - Capter 6
Storing Collectibles
- Chapter 7
Cleaning Collectibles - Chapter
8
Repairing Collectibles - Chapter 9
Collectibles
Appraisers - Chapter 10
Collectibles
Price Guides - Chapter 11
Collectibles
Insurers - Chapter 12
Collectibles Restorers
- Chapter 13
Collector’s Clubs - Chapter
14
Collectibles Internet Resources - Chapter
15
Collectibles Publications - Chapter
16
Foreword
The Collectibles Care Guide
has been created for the novice and advanced
connoisseur of porcelain and ceramic
art objects and collectibles as an
informative and handy reference covering the
most important
aspects of collecting such. All information in this manual has
been
compiled and edited by our expert,
retired M.I. Hummel Master Painter
Hans J. Schindhelm.
Mr. Schindhelm apprenticed in Germany from 1972 throughout
1975 with
W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik, the manufacturer of the world-famous M.I.
Hummel
collectibles; and worked thereafter for the company until 1986 in a variety
of
prestigious positions such as Limited Edition Painter, Prototype & Sample
Painter
and Product Designer. During his tenure with Goebel he also
completed his formal
education and received his Masters Degree in the Ceramic Arts.
Since 1986 he
still occasionally represents W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik at
conventions, galleries
and stores in the United States, demonstrating the skills
required to manufacture
M.I. Hummel figurines to the interested collector.
Hans is also the founder and
chief operating officer of Ceramic Restorations of
Westchester, Inc., one of the
leading collectibles restoration & appraisal
companies in the United States.
We
hope that you will find this manual a helpful and easy to use resource,
enhancing
the enjoyment you receive from your collecting hobby.
Disclaimers,
Copyrights & User Guidelines
The author and publisher disclaim any
personal liability, loss or risk incurred as
a consequence of the use and application,
either directly or indirectly, of any
advice, information, or methods presented
in this publication.
This manuscript is copyrighted and any unauthorized
reproduction and/or publication
other than printing one (1) copy for personal
use will be prosecuted
to the fullest extend of the law.
All rights reserved.
No
part of this manuscript may be reproduced and/or published
in any way or form
without the expressed written permission of
Hans J. Schindhelm and CollectorsResources.com.
Copyright
1998
Please feel free to print one (1) copy of this manuscript for your personal
use
and we encourage you to
- forward our URL to your fellow collectors
http://www.collectorsresources.com
- link your home page to our URL
http://www.collectorsresources.com
Chapter
1
Buying Collectibles
Collectibles can be bought in a variety of
ways and the prices you pay and
services you receive depend very much on where
and how you buy.
- Collectibles Retail Stores
- Collectibles Mail Order
( direct mail, magazine, catalog, TV )
These sellers represent the primary
market for collectibles. They stock most
designs of all major brands, usually
provide a very high level of service, have
knowledgeable staff and due to their
sizable overhead are forced to charge the
full list price. Sometimes they will
be able to give a small discount or freebies to
repeat customers. Most of these
places are factory authorized dealers which
guarantees you full exchange rights
for damaged or faulty goods. These dealers
are able to special order pieces and
many times they are the only ones which
can obtain limited editions for you. Many
host artist appearances and signings
and you can redeem your club specials through
them.
- Consignment Stores
- Antique Stores
- Trade & Swap Shows
-
Garage Sales
- Flea Markets
- Classifieds
- Auctions
These sellers
are called the secondary market for collectibles since they are
mostly re-sellers
of previously owned goods. There are usually no guarantees
and/or services and
everything is sold as is. Prices tend to be erratic. They can
be significantly
lower or higher, depending on how badly or well preserved, how
common or rare
pieces are. It can be a lot of fun and you can find at times really
great bargains
especially if you know how to haggle. Auctions have their own
set of rules. Before
you actually bid on something you should attend a couple of
auctions and see how
it all works. Make sure to obtain a prospectus and a copy
of the auction house’s
terms. Classifieds in collector’s magazines and
newspapers provide another good
source for buying collectibles.
- Internet Collectibles Sites
- Internet
Classifieds
- Internet Auctions
These sellers fall many times into both
categories. Some of them are authorized
brick & mortar retailers with an Internet
presence and others are private sellers,
secondary market dealers or a combination
thereof.
Chapter 2
Selling
Collectibles
Collectibles can be sold in a variety of ways and the prices
you get depend very
much on what, where and how you sell.
Collectibles
Retail Stores
A primary market retailer will at times purchase a collectible
for the list price or a
premium because one of their good customers is looking
for that specific piece.
Most of the time however they will not be willing to
pay more than half of what
the book value is. Remember they are in this to make
money. They will also
expect the piece to be of mint condition ( like new ) with
all original certificates
and packaging. They almost never buy damaged or incomplete
goods.
Antique Stores
Antique stores are a secondary market outlet
for collectibles since they are
mostly buyers and re-sellers of previously owned
goods. Again, these dealers
are in it to make money and in most cases they are
unwilling to pay more then
half of the book value. Sometimes they may buy a piece
for full book value or at
a premium if it is in mint condition and really hard
to find. They are usually
willing to buy slightly damaged or incomplete goods
at greatly reduced prices.
Consignment Stores
Consignment stores will
accept anything, in any condition, at any price and will
charge you a commission
once a piece has sold. This is very important: Make
sure you know up front what
percentage they want from you for their services
and always insist on a receipt
for the items you left with them noting the
condition they were in, i.e. mint,
all certificates, original packaging. Make sure
that they carry insurance covering
any loss or damages to your pieces.
Live Auctions
Auctions have their
own set of rules and they can be confusing to the novice.
Visit a couple of auctions
and familiarize yourself with the etiquette without
actually participating. Always
ask the auctioneer for a copy of his business
terms and an auction prospectus.
This is very important: Auctioneers will
charge you a percentage of the final
sale price. Make sure you know what it is.
Always put a reasonable reserve (
that’s the minimum price you are willing to
accept ) on each piece. A reserve
is basically your bid on your own goods to
assure that they won’t be auctioned
off for next to nothing. Understand and be
prepared to pay the auctioneer his
percentage on your reserves if your pieces
haven’t sold.
Internet Auctions
Visit
the auction sites on the Internet and learn their business terms. Some are
very
simple, others are very complex, a few are free of charge but most will levy
listing
fees and/or percentages on the sale price. Otherwise they function very
much like
normal auctions with the small but crucial difference of accessibility
and audience
size. Where a normal auction can attract at times several hundred
of potential
buyers from within a certain geographical area, an Internet auction
can attract
thousands of potential buyers from everywhere on this planet. Once
an auction
is closed you must contact the final buyer and arrange for getting
paid and shipping
the goods via UPS or US parcel mail. Read the shipping
section of this manual
and always insure the shipment for it’s full value.
Paper Classifieds
Classified
ads placed in collectible magazines and newspapers are a low cost
way of selling
your collectibles. See the resources section of this manual for
listings of appropriate
magazines and newspapers. A successful ad should be
short and to the point and
represent the item(s) to be sold in a honest manner.
Try to start your ad with
A, B, C, D or E because classifieds are always listed
alphabetically and have
them bold face the collectible brand. You want to be
near the top of your classification
header and catch a potential buyers eye.
Make sure you receive payment before
you ship. Read the shipping section of
this manual and always insure the shipment
for it’s full value.
Internet Classifieds
See the resources section
of this manual for listings of appropriate Internet
classifieds. Most are free,
some will charge a small listing fee. Otherwise they
work very much the same way
regular newspaper classifieds do. They may
however attract a wider audience than
a regional magazine or newspaper ad.
Again make sure you receive payment before
you ship. Read the shipping
section of this manual and always insure the shipment
for it’s full value.
Trade & Swap Shows
You may want to rent a
table at your local collectibles trade & swap show which
at times are held
together with the regional collectors shows. Information on
where and when can
be found at the chambers of commerce, newspaper
listings and the Internet. This
requires a lot of time and preparation but if you
enjoy meeting new people it
may be a very nice way to sell some or all of your
collectibles. Make sure you
price everything out before you even set up and
know how low you will go on every
piece. Don’t forget to bring your table, a
couple of chairs, lunch, adequate packaging
and plenty of change.
Chapter
3
Appraising Collectibles
Before you buy or sell any collectible you
should have it appraised to verify,
substantiate and rationalize any action you
are about to take. You will also need
a professional appraisal if you want to
insure your collectibles for their full
replacement value.
A professional
appraisal should contain the following:
- the photos of front, rear and bottom
of each individual collectible, showing if
possible all trademarks, dates, edition
quotations and artist signatures
- the detailed written description of each individual
collectible, including if
possible title, manufacturer, country of origin, measurements,
age,
edition size and special features
- the detailed description of the
condition of each individual collectible
- the value of each individual collectible
excluding any taxes and fees
- the signature, name, address, seal and qualification
of the appraiser
- the date of the appraisal
Appraisals should be adjusted
every so often to reflect the value changes for
each collectible. A current appraisal
should make it easier to strike a fair deal
with a willing buyer and in the case
of an insurance loss you should be able to
receive the replacement value. Consult
the insurance section of this manual for
more detailed information.
You
can do some investigating yourself with the help of current collectibles price
guides.
Some list a cross section of all kinds of brands and types of collectibles
and
therefore tend to be incomplete. Specialized price guides such as the #1
M.I.
Hummel Price Guide usually list all models of one collectible brand ever
made.
Almost every collectible brand has been covered by one or more value
guides written
by experts.
Based on what you found you can make up your own inventory listings
following
the requirements for an expert appraisal shown above. However, such
a listing
will most likely not be accepted by your insurance carrier unless validated
by an
expert.
Price guides are usually inexpensive ranging from $ 15.00
to $ 50.00. Appraisal
costs can vary widely depending on how much an appraiser
wants to charge.
Always ask the appraiser for his credentials and how he charges
( usually a flat
hourly or by piece rate, sometimes a percentage of the total
value ).
See the resources sections of this manual for appraisers, price guides
and
insurers.
Chapter 4
Insuring
Collectibles
Large collections and/or individual collectibles of high
value should be insured.
The policy should cover all costs of damage repairs
and reimburse you for the
replacement value in case of total loss.
Most
insurance carriers offer fine arts riders to existing home owners policies or
separate
fine arts insurance policies.
First you need to obtain a professional appraisal
of your collectibles. See the
appraisal section of this manual for more information.
Make a number of photo
copies, distribute them to your home insurance agent and
a couple of other
insurance companies and ask them to provide you with no obligation
quotes
based on the appraisal.
Many times your home owners policy will
be coming in with the lowest bid.
However there are a number of companies which
specialize in collectibles and
fine arts insurance policies offering very competitive
rates. Make sure that these
quotes are for the same type of coverage.
Again,
best is the insurance coverage which will pay for any and all costs of
repairs
and gives you the replacement value in case of total loss, no matter
what the
reason for the damages or loss are.
Every so often ( 2 - 3 years ) you may
want to review your policy to make sure
that your coverage amount is in balance
with the value increase/decrease of
your collection. Contact the appraiser and
contract him to adjust the valuation of
your original appraisal and to add anything
you may have bought or delete
anything you may have sold. Based on the new appraisal
your insurance agent
can reset the coverage amount of your policy.
You
can consult current collectibles price guides to see if it is time to have your
appraisal
and insurance policy adjusted.
Listings of insurers, appraisers and price
guides can be found in the resources
section of this manual.
Chapter
5
Shipping Collectibles
From time to time you may have to ship a valuable
collectible.
You can contract a specialty packaging store near you to do the
packing and
shipping for you. These stores have the correct packing materials
at their finger
tips and use premium shippers. Make sure that your shipment is
insured for it’s
full replacement value. There may be limits with certain carriers.
The carriers of
choice are UPS or US parcel mail.
You can find however
the same packing materials at the national stationary and
office supply chains
and do it yourself for a fraction of what the packaging store charges.
Here
are the supplies you will typically need besides a pen and a pair of scissors:
1
sturdy, corrugated box
( size: three times the volume of the item you want to ship )
1 roll of clear
packing tape
1 roll of bubble wrap
1 bag of Styrofoam peanuts
1 address
label
1 sheet of plain paper
1 large felt tip marker
Make sure you find
a sturdy and large enough corrugated box to accommodate
your collectible.
Use a box three times the volume of the item. Layer your piece
lightly in
plenty of bubble wrap even if it is in it’s original display box and tape
the
ends. Fill the bottom third of your taped box with Styrofoam peanuts and
position
your collectible in the center of the box. Add more Styrofoam peanuts
around it
until the entire box is totally filled. Shake the box carefully to compact
the
Styrofoam and add more if needed. Enclose a sheet with the shipping and
return
address. Close the flaps of your box and tape all ends carefully.
Write with
a large felt tip marker on each site of the box the following:
FRAGILE - TOP
LOAD ONLY
GLASS - DO NOT DROP
Affix your shipping label with shipping
and return address with clear tape so to
protect it from moisture. Always insure
your shipment for the full replacement
value. The carriers of choice are UPS or
US parcel mail.
Chapter 6
Displaying
Collectibles
Porcelain and ceramic collectibles are sensitive to shock,
excessive heat and /
or cold, high humidity, air pollutants and intense light.
The
first thing that comes to mind is an obvious one: a porcelain and or
ceramic collectible
will break when dropped onto a hard surface. Another
common scenario is crowding
to many of them onto the same shelf and/or into
a tight display case. Pick one
up and you will most likely hit another one with it,
which in turn may cause
chips, cracks and/or breaks on both. Overloaded
shelves have also the tendency
to eventually break off their anchors and fall.
Collectibles usually do not survive
a visit with pets or small children. Keep them
out of reach from both. Remember
porcelain shards are razor sharp
and can cut skin easily!
A more obscure
problem is that porcelain and/or ceramic objects expand and
contract invariably
as they are exposed to changing temperatures. When they
warm up they will expand,
when they cool down they will contract.
Sometimes, when these temperature
changes are repetitive, to severe and/or
sudden it may happen that your collectible
develops one or more cracks, mostly
in the weakest part of it, the finishing glaze.
This is referred to as “Crazing”. In
rare cases it can happen that the crack goes
all the way through the ceramic or
porcelain shell. This is referred to as “Dunting”.
Therefore, try to keep your collectibles away from fire places and/or mantles
when
in use, hot light bulbs in display cases, hot appliances, heaters and
window sills.
Exchange halogen bulbs in display cases with cool neon if
possible. Also avoid
cold drafts and keep them away from running air conditioners.
Another enemy
is perpetual, high and/or sudden humidity. Unglazed sections
of ceramic objects
will soak up the water in the air like a sponge and mildew may
develop which can
discolor and weaken your collectible from the inside out.
High humidity combined
with heat, dust and other air pollutants will create over
time unsightly layers
of grime on the surface areas of your collectibles. Areas in
your home where humidity
and air pollutants can arise suddenly are kitchens
and bath rooms.
Intense,
natural and/or artificial light, such as sun trenched window sills and
lamps with
stark lighting, should be avoided as well since it can cause fading
and discoloration
of the surface decoration over time.
Chapter
7
Storing Collectibles
Sometimes it is necessary to store your collectibles
for a prolonged time
somewhere in your home.
Again, porcelain and ceramic
collectibles are sensitive to shock, excessive heat
and / or cold, high humidity,
air pollutants and intense light. Therefore, the
attic and garage are bad long
term storage solutions since they are subject to
severe climate changes. See the
section on displaying your collectibles for
more information on this subject.
The
better choice is the basement, if dry, and the best solution is represented by
storage
closets within the living areas.
The only packing material which must be
avoided under any circumstances is
paper, especially news print. Most paper types
contain acids and will over time
absorb water from the surrounding air, especially
in humid climates, which can
leach acid from the paper packing materials onto
the surface of your collectible.
This can cause severe discoloration of the surface
decorations which can only
be repaired by a restoration expert. News print contains
not only acid but also
ink which will worsen the problem greatly.
Please
refer to the shipping section of this manual to ready your collectibles for
storage.
Make sure that the items are set loosely in the packing materials so to
allow
air to circulate freely. Cut small holes into the boxes before filling them. It
will
improve air flow as well.
Every so often you should check up on your stored
collectibles to make sure that
no moisture accumulated within the packing materials
which may cause mildew
and/or discoloration. Good air circulation, a reasonably
even temperature and
dry climate is important to prevent damages when storing
collectibles for a long time.
See the restoration section of this manual
for more information on this subject.
If you must store your collection with
an outside storage facility make sure that
they provide security and adequate
insurance coverage. Your own insurance
policy covering your collectibles may not
cover any loss or damage which
occurred outside your home.
Chapter
8
Cleaning Collectibles
Read and follow this section very carefully
before you attempt to clean anything.
All porcelain and ceramic collectibles
can be dusted and almost all are washable
as well. They usually have fired paint
and glaze surfaces which cannot be
removed or damaged with water or mild cleaners.
If you are unsure contact the
appropriate collector’s club or a professional restorer
for more information. See
the resources section of this manual for addresses and
phone numbers.
Always test before washing anything. Here is how:
Apply
a little bit of water with a cotton tip swap to an inconspicuous area of the
painted
surface to see if an item is colorfast. Stop immediately and dry the spot
with
a paper towel if any color comes off. Only a restoration expert may be able
to
clean it for you in a safe manner.
Here are the most common tools and materials
which can be used to dust and
wash your collectibles:
- two long bristle
brushes ( 2 to 3 inches of soft bristles )
- cotton tipped swabs
- tooth picks
-
waterproof tape
- white pure rubber eraser pencil ( without embedded sand or glass
particles )
- plastic spray bottle
- clean paper towels
- clean old terry-cloth
towels
- liquid hand soap ( regular to antibacterial )
- liquid dish washing
detergent
- denatured alcohol
- household glass cleaner
Most of these
supplies can be found at your local hardware store or super
market.
Dusting:
For
dusting use one of the long bristle brushes. Remove all loose dust by
carefully
working it’s bristles into all crevices and recesses of your collectible.
Avoid
hitting anything with the brush handle. Never use pressurized air or a hair
dryer
to dust your items. Fine and/or thin details may brake off due to the high
air
speed.
Washing:
Before you begin with the actual cleaning process you
should set up the working
area correctly. Best is to clear of the kitchen table
and the counter top near the
kitchen sink so you have plenty of room to work with.
Cushion your sink and
surrounding counter space with a layer of old terry-cloth
towels and fill the sink
with about 2 to 3 inches of clean, moderately warm water.
Move the faucet out
of the way if possible. Next to the sink position your cleaning
tools and
materials. Spread some old towels flat on your kitchen table. Fill the
plastic
spray bottle with clean, warm water.
Almost all porcelain or ceramic
collectibles are hollow and unglazed in the
inside. They also have one or several
small air holes hidden in inconspicuous
places which allows expanding air to escape
during the firing process. Locate
the air hole(s) and close them up with tooth
picks. Sometimes there will be just
one large one in the bottom of the base. Use
the waterproof tape to close it up.
This will prevent the growth of mildew in
the inside of your collectible.
Work with only one item at a time.
Small
collectibles may be rinsed with warm water directly from the faucet or it’s
hand
sprayer. Make sure that the water runs slowly and with low pressure. Fast
running
water or high water pressure may break fine details. Large
and heavy objects should
be positioned safely in the sink, away from the faucet,
and may be rinsed with
warm water from the hand sprayer or the plastic spray bottle.
Apply some of
the liquid soap or dish washing detergent to the other long bristle
brush and
carefully work it into all crevices and recesses of the item until a fine
foam
covers the entire surface. Again try not to hit anything with the brush
handle.
Keep working the brush in a circular motion until everything appears cleaned.
Rinse
with clean, warm water and set the wet object onto the dry towels spread
on the
kitchen table. Let it air dry. Do not use a towel, pressurized air or a hair
dryer
to force dry it. Fine and/or thin details may break off.
You may have to repeat
this procedure a couple of times to remove all grime and stains.
However,
even the best soap has it’s limitations and sometimes it is necessary
to use denatured
alcohol or a household glass cleaner to remove stubborn
stains. Soak a cotton
tipped swap with denatured alcohol or glass cleaner and
apply it to the stained
area only. Rub lightly with the swap until clean. Rinse
afterwards with warm water
and let the piece air dry.
In severe cases, where even these cleaners will
not work, you may want to try
the white pure rubber eraser pencil. Make sure that
you use the correct type of
eraser without any abrasive additives, such as sand
or glass particles, which
may dull or scratch soft, shiny glazes and/or finishes.
The eraser pencil tip
can be cut with a sharp knife into any shape.
Never
apply undue pressure when working with the eraser to remove a stubborn
stain and
under no circumstances ever substitute abrasive or aggressive
cleaners or chemicals
for the liquid soap, denatured alcohol or house hold glass cleaner.
Please
note: Contact a professional restorer if none of these cleaning
techniques seem
to work for you or if you are unable or unwilling to apply the
aforementioned
cleaning methods and materials. Restorers are usually highly
trained specialists
and use cleaning materials and methods
not available to the general public.
See
the resources section of this manual for restorers and the next chapter on repairing.
Chapter
9
Repairing Collectibles
Damaged collectibles made from ceramic and
porcelain can be repaired and
restored to their original state. There are a two
different ways of
repairing/restoring items:
Cold repair:
Here a
restorer uses specialty glues, fillers, glazes and paints which do not
need to
be fired but hold up well over time. This type of repair is usually
reversible.
This method is most commonly used, easier to do handle and is less
expensive then
fired repair. Cold repair can be used on almost any and all
materials, brands,
makes and designs.
Fired repair:
Here a restorer uses specialty glazes,
fillers and paints which need to be fired
and hold up extremely well over time.
This type of repair is not reversible. This
method is used only by very few of
the best restorers since it is very difficult and
therefore more expensive then
cold repair. Fired repair has many limitations
and cannot always be applied to
all materials, brands, makes and designs.
Here are all types of damages which
can be repaired using these methods:
- discolored and/or faded glazes, finishes
and colors
- chips, cracks, breaks,
- grazing and dunting
- missing parts
- stains
Most companies and individuals offer nation wide service and
accept damaged
goods via insured parcel mail or UPS for an estimate. Most estimates
are given
free of charge but should always contain and explore the following information:
-
restorers name, address and phone number
- owner’s name, address and phone number
-
date of estimate
- brand, type, model, age and insurance value of each object
to be repaired
- description of all and any damages
- description and scope
of proposed repair methods
- complete cost of repair by item
- approximate
delivery time
- information on guarantees, warrantees and insurance information
-
a customer work order form to be signed by the customer authorizing the
restorer
to begin work
Arrange to meet the restorer at his/her studio if it is located
near you and see
for yourself samples of his/her work. Not all restorers are equal
and it pays to
investigate their qualifications and abilities.
Some are
highly trained and skilled artisans with impressive certifications and
resumes
and others have learned their trade over time by trial and error. Some
employ
a number of people and others are one-man operations. Some are
specialized and
others will repair almost anything.
Word of mouth is a pretty good indicator
on how well a company or individual
performs the actual repair and how customer
service is handled. You can also
obtain information on the quality of service
from the local Better Business
Bureau. Another tell-tale sign of a good company
is the length of the delivery
time. The better it is, the more work it will get,
the longer the delivery time will
be. Be prepared to be patient. Delivery times
are usually approximations and
are not written in stone. Repair and restoration
of porcelain and ceramic objects
is an inherently tedious and difficult proposition.
Sometimes it will take several
attempts to obtain a satisfactory repair result.
The cost of a repair can vary widely from one to the other and while it is
a very
important factor, it alone should not be the final decision making reason,
but
the quality of the repair result and service you expect to receive for it.
Chapter
10
Collectibles Appraisers
Ceramic Restoration of Westchester, Inc.
8 John Walsh Blvd. - Suite 412
Peekskill, New York 10566
(914) 734-8410
or (914) 762-1719
Bradbury’s Appraisals, Inc.
4515 N 64th Street collectibles
Scottsdale,
Arizona 85251
(602) 947-2378
Cybis Porcelains
65 Norman Avenue
Trenton,
New Jersey 08618
(914) 392-6074
Sanchez Collectibles Appraisals
1555
East Glendale Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85020
(914) 395-9974 or (914) 277-1661
Appraisers
Association of America - Find an appraiser near you
386 Park Avenue - Suite 2000
New
York, New York 10016
(212) 889-5404
For more collectibles appraisers CLICK
HERE
Chapter 11
Collectibles
Price Guides
Boyds Bears & Friends Price Guide
Charming Tails Price Guide
Cherished
Teddies Price Guide
Department 56 Villages Price Guide
Department 56 Snowbabies
Price Guide
Harbour Lights Price Guide
Hallmark Ornaments Price Guide
Harmony
Kingdom Price Guide
M.I. Hummel Price Guide
Lladro Collectibles Price Guide
Precious Moments Price Guide
Walt Disney Art Classics Price Guide
You
can find the latest editions of the above listed value guides at your local
collectibles
dealers. They are also available from:
Ceramic Restorations of Westchester,
Inc.
8 John Walsh Blvd. - Suite 412
Peekskill, New York 10566
by sending
your mailing address and a check or money order for $ 29.95 ( per
book ) which
covers all costs including shipping. Indicate also which books you
would like
to receive.
For more price guide retailers CLICK HERE
Chapter
12
Collectibles Insurers
Check first with your home owners insurance
company and / or agent regarding
a fine arts/collectibles/valuable articles rider
quote. Most major insurance
companies offer such as well. You may also want to
contact:
American Collectors Insurance, Inc.
PO Box 8343
Cherry Hill,
New Jersey 08002
(800) 360-2277
Collectibles Insurance Agency, Inc.
PO
Box 1200
Westminster, Maryland 21158
(888) 837-9537
Chubb, Inc.
15
Mountain View Road
Warren, New Jersey 07059
(800) 362-4822 or (908) 903-2000
Near
North National Insurance Group, Inc.
with offices in Chicago, Dallas, Houston,
Los Angeles,
New York, Tampa and Washington D.C.
(888) 812-3276
For
more collectibles insurance providers CLICK HERE
Consider
also contacting the collectors clubs listed in the following section to get
information
on carriers with suitable insurance products.
Chapter
13
Collectibles Restorers
Ceramic Restorations of Westchester, Inc.
8 John Walsh Blvd. - Suite 412
Peekskill, New York 10566
(914) 734-8410
or (914) 762-1719
Professional repair of
M.I. Hummel, Berta Hummel, Cybis,
Boehm, Meissen, Rosenthal,
Hutschenreuther, Walt Disney, Department 56, Harbour
Lights,
Precious Moments, Lilliput Lane, David Winter Cottages
and many other
collectible lines
For more collectibles restorers CLICK
HERE
Consider also contacting the collectors clubs listed in the following
section to get
information on companies and/or individuals able to perform quality
repair
work.
Chapter 14
Collector’s
Clubs
Armani Collectors Society
300 Mac Lane
Keasbey, New Jersey
08832
(800) 327-6264 or (732) 417-0330
All God’s Children Collectors Club
PO
Box 5038
Gadsden, Alabama 35905
(256)492-0221
Anri Collectors Society
PO
Box 380760
Duncanville, Texas 75138
(800) 730-2674 or (972) 283-8378
Boehm
Porcelain Collectors Society
25 Princess Diana Lane
Trenton, New Jersey 08638
(800)
257-9410 or (609) 392-2207
Cherished Teddies Collectors Club
225 Windsor
Drive
Itasca, Illinois 60143
(800) 436-3726 or (630) 875-5300
Duncan
Royale Collectors Club
1141 South Acacia Avenue
Fulerton, California 92631
(714)
879-1360
Dreamsicles Collectors Club
1120 California Avenue
Corona,
California 91719
(800) 437-5818 or (909) 371-3025
David Winter Cottages
Collectors Guild
225 Windsor Drive
Itasca, Illinois 60143
(800) 436-3726
or (630) 875-5300
Emmett Kelly Collectors Society
1530 Ellsworth Industrial
Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
(800) 355-1381 or (404) 352-1381
Enchanted
Kingdom Collectors Club
2607 Delhi Road
Charleston, South Carolina 29406
(843)
761-5313
Fontanini Collectors Club
555 Lawrence Avenue
Rosell, Illinois
60172
(800) 729-7662 or (630) 529-3000
Harbour Lights Collectors Society
1000
North Johnson Avenue
El Cajon, California 92020
(800) 365-1219 or (619) 579-1820
Lennox
Collections
PO Box 519
Langhorne, Pennsylvania 19047
(800) 225-1779 or (215)
750-6900
Lladro Collectors Society
1 Lladro Drive
Moonachie, New Jersey
07074
(800) 634-9088 or (201) 807-1177
Lefton Collectors Society
1101
Polk Street
Bedford, Iowa 50833
(712) 523-2289
Lilliput Lane Collectors
Club
225 Windsor Drive
Itasca, Illinois 60143
(800) 436-3726 or (630) 875-5300
M.I.
Hummel Collectors Club
Goebel Plaza - Rt. 31 North
Pennington, New Jersey 08534
(800)
666-2582 or (609) 737-8777
Precious Moments Collectors Club
225 Windsor
Drive
Itasca, Illinois 60143
(800) 436-3726 or (630) 875-5300
Royal
Doulton Collectors Club
701 Cottontail Lane
Somerset, New Jersey 08873
(800)
682-4462 or (732) 356-7880
Sandicast Collectors Guild
PO Box 910079
San
Diego, California 92191
(800) 722-3316 or (619) 695-9611
Swarovski Collectors
Society
1 Kennedy Drive
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
(800) 556-6478 or (800)
426-3088
Walt Disney Collectors Society
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank,
California 91521
(800) 932-5749 or (818) 567-5500
For more collectors
clubs CLICK HERE
Chapter
15
Internet Resources
Universal Sites:
CollectorsResources.com
- http://www.collectorsresources.com
Hummel,
Precious Moments and more - http://members.aol.com/hummel2001
Auction
Sites:
Yahoo Collectibles Auctions - http://www.yahoo.com
Ebay Collectibles
Auctions - http://www.ebay.com
For more collectibles auctioneers CLICK
HERE
Classifieds Sites:
For more collectibles classifieds CLICK
HERE
Collectibles Forums:
Annalee Dolls Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/annaleemania
Anri
Woodcarvings Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/anrimania
Armani Figurines Forum
- http://www.egroups.com/group/armanimania
Baetz Dolls Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/baetzdolls
Barbie
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/barbiemania
Berta Hummel Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/bertahummel
Bing
& Grondhal Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/B&Gforum
Boehm Porcelain
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/boehmania
Boyds Bears Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/boydsmania
Boyds
Bears Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/teddymania
Capodimonte Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/capodimonte
Cardew
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/cardewmania
Cybis Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/cybismania
Dresden
Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/dresden
Duncan Royale Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/duncanroyalemania
Dreamsicles
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/dreamsiclesmania
Department56 Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/villagemania
Effanbee
Dolls - http://www.egroups.com/group/effenbee
Emmett Kelly Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/kellymania
Ertl
Diecast Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/ertlmania
Fenton Glass Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/fentonmania
Fontanini
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/fontaninimania
Gartlan Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/gartlanmania
Goebel
Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/goebelmania
Gorham Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/gorham
Harmony
Kingdom Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/kingdomania
Harbour Lights Forum
- http://www.egroups.com/group/harbourlightsmania
Herend Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/herend
Ilmenau
Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/ilmenau
Kaiser Porcelain Forum
- http://www.egroups.com/group/kaisermania
Kurt Adler Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/kurtadler
Lladro
Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/lladromania
Lenox Porcelain Forum
- http://www.egroups.com/group/lenoxmania
Looney Tunes Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/looneytunes
Matchbox
Diecast Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/matchboxmania
M.I. Hummel Forum -
http://www.egroups.com/group/hummelmania
Nao Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/naomania
Nymphenburg
Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/nymphenburg
Old World Christmas
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/oldworldmania
Orrefors Glass Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/orreforsmania
Precious
Moments Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/pmania
Radko Ornaments Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/radkomania
Rosenthal
Porcelain Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/rosenthalmania
Royal Copenhagen
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/royalcopenhagen
Royal Doulton Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/royaldoulton
Sandicast
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/sandicastmania
Seraphim Angels Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/seraphimania
Swarovski
Crystal Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/swarovskimania
Snowbabies Forum -
http://www.egroups.com/group/snowbabiesmania
Steiff Plush Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/steiffmania
Steinbach
Nutcrackers Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/steinbachmania
Ty Beanies Forum
- http://www.egroups.com/group/tybeaniemania
Villeroy & Boch Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/villeroy
Walt
Disney Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/disneymania
Wagner & Apel Porcelain
Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/wagner&apel
Zoltan Forum - http://www.egroups.com/group/zoltanmania
For
more collectibles forums CLICK HERE
Official Collectibles
Sites:
Armani - http://www.the-society.com
Boehm - http://www.boehmporcelain.com
Cybis
- http://www.cybisporcelain.com
Dreamsicles - http://www.dreamsicles.com
Department
56 - http://www.department56.com
Emmett Kelly - http://www.flambro.com
Enesco
- http://www.enesco.com
Fontanini - http://www.roman.com
Harbour Lights - http://www.harbourlighs.com
Harmony
Kingdom - http://www.harmonykingdom.com
Lennox - http://www.lenoxcollections.com
Lladro
- http://www.lladro.com
Lefton - http://members.aol.com/leftonlady
M.I. Hummel
- http://www.mihummel.com
Precious Moments - http://www.preciousmom.com
Rosenthal
- http://www.rosenthal.de
Sandicast - http://sandicast.com
Swarovski - http://www.swarovski.com
Villeroy
& Boch - http://www.villeroy-boch.de
Walt Disney - http://disneyartclassics.com
For
more collectors clubs CLICK HERE
Chapter
16
Collectibles Publications
Antique Trader
700 E. State Street
Iola,
Wisconsin 54990
(800) 924-0673
Antique Week
27 N. Jefferson Street
Knightstown,
Indiana 46148
(800) 876-5133
Collectors Mart Magazine
700 E. State Street
Iola,
Wisconsin 54990
(800) 924-0673
Collectors News
PO Box 156
Drundy
Center, Iowa 50638
(800) 352-8039
Collectors Magazine & Price Guide
700
E. State Street
Iola, Wisconsin 54990
(800) 924-0673
Collectors Editions
170
5th Avenue
New York, New York
(800) 588 -1692
Figurines & Collectibles
30595
Eight Mile
Livonia, Michigan 48152
(800) 458-8237
Village Cronicle -
Department 56 Collectibles
757 Park Avenue
Cranston, Rhode Island 02910
(877)
212-4356
Whites Guide to Collecting Figurines
PO Box K-46
Richmond,
Virginia 23288
(804) 285-0994
Warmans Todays Collectors
700 E. State
Street
Iola, Wisconsin 54990
(800) -924-0673
For more publications CLICK
HERE
Please feel free to submit any pertinent information which you like
to share with collectors in the next edition of the
"Collectibles Care Guide”
at our website:
http://www.collectorsresources.com
or
via E- Mail it to:
collectorservice@aol.com
Submissions
cannot be returned and inclusion of any information supplied
is not guaranteed.
(C) Copyright 1998
Hans J. Schindhelm
and CollectorsResources.com
All rights reserved.