ENGLAND SILVER HALLMARKS

Silver Hallmarks Silver hallmarks are an invaluable aid to collectors and dealers for identifying the date & maker of antique silver, and indeed any piece of silver made in England. modern silver hallmarks modern silver hallmarks Hallmarks on silver were first introduced in the UK in 1300 as a method of proving that the silver object contained the correct amount of silver, since pure silver is a very soft metal and consequently any object made from silver requires some base metal to be added to it to strengthen it. In these early days it was not uncommon for silver objects to be melted down and converted into coinage, and so it was imperative that the silver used was of a sufficient grade, especially with continental silver containing a much lower percentage of silver. Silver Hallmarks were the answer to this problem. Any piece of silver had to be officially approved to be of a high enough silver content, and would be given it’s hallmark only when this was the case. As a consequence the hallmark became a standard of quality and assurance, and the presence of a hallmark on a silver object was an official seal of approval. English silver, or Sterling silver is often referred to as solid silver, but it does in fact contain 7.5% copper, so it is 92.5% pure, which is why modern silver often has a .925 mark stamped into it. Continental silver is often only 80% pure. English Silver Hallmarks evolved over time, with the eventual inclusion of the standard or sterling mark, the assay office, the year of manufacture, the maker, and sometimes an additional mark for special reasons. All of these silver hallmarks can help in identifying exactly when and by who any piece was made, which is not only helpful to collectors of antique silver, but also offers a fascinating dimension to any old silver object that you may possess.

Vintage Card

Nice little find.

BRASS DOOR KNOBS AND LOCK

Jim Rohn - Walk away from the 97 Percent

Is Silver Money? | Ryan Jordan | FINANCIAL SENSE

Is Silver Money? | Ryan Jordan | FINANCIAL SENSE

QUICK TIP MOTHER OF PEARL BUTTONS

If you wonder if a shirt or blouse is a value or you ran across a batch of buttons,take the button and put it to your chin or lower lip. If the button feels cool, it's a sign it is mother of pearl and not just plastic.

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THE MIGHTY BLACK LIGHT

Well its been awhile since I blog,I have been busy updating and moving. Now with that said,here is a you should have in your reseller bag of tricks. A portable ultraviolet light(Black light). Some clues of age or repairs can be found with this light. Use a hand held light or a key chain black light.Before buying or selling a nice piece of porcelain take the piece to a dark room and shine the black light on it. Repairs will become obvious under a black light since glue used in repairs will fluoresce ,modern paints will glow under the black light as well. Both green depression glass and vaseline glass will glow under a black light due to the uranium oxide content in the glass. American colorless pressed glass made before 1930 will fluoresce yellow,while reproduction generally will not. American brilliant glass sometimes cast a yellow hue under ultraviolet light,it is said to glow pale violet or blue. Given the discrepancies make sure to follow up with further research to ensure cut glass authenticity. Modern paint will fluoresce under a black light,you can also easily inspect paintings for touch ups and repairs. Hairline cracks in old paintings can also become more visible when examined under ultraviolet light. Old postcards,books,signs,photos and other paper products made before late 1930s rarely glow under black light. So there you have it happy hunting.

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Cleaning Furniture

There has always be question on how furniture should be cleaned,I hope I can shade some light on the subject.
It is said that furniture require minimum care,asserting that oil or lacquer finish normally used on furniture protects the wood by sealing it. Others feel that the original finish itself needs a protective layer--usually a wax--that should be renewed periodically. Between those who opt for no wax and those who recommend lots of wax are those who temporize with a little wax sometimes.

At one time, a key part of spring cleaning involved giving the furniture a fresh coat of wax: paste wax, no less, applied with plenty of muscle. The wax was supposed to "feed" the wood and help protect it. No doubt,some people still hew to that ritual. Many others forgo the paste wax but spritz the furniture with a cleaner like Pledge or Endust whenever they dust. Chances are,those people are wasting their Johnson Wax 16 Oz Pledge Revitalizing Oil Furniture Polish With Orange Oil 2636 - Pack of 6 (Google Affiliate Ad)effort and money.

In general, the need for waxing and cleaning furniyure with a brand-name product is often quite unnecessary. Most furniture won't benefit from waxing because its surface has been sealed at the factory with a durable finish that keeps the wood from drying out and,to some degree,protects against spills and minor scrathes.
Oil and waxes don't penetrate the finish.  The minuscule residue that remains from most polishes after application and buffing contributes nothing to damage control.

Modern furniture does need cleaning,however. Dust,smoke,and greasy cooking fumes combine to create a dulling film. Fingerprints begin as small smudges and grow to a grimy coating.

You can choose among dozens of furniture cleaners at the supermarket. Many,like the familiar Pledge,Behold,and Endust,are intended primarily to help remove dust. Others,such as Kleen n Shine and Murphy Oil Soap, are intended for cleaning wood and other surfaces. Hardware stores carry still other furniture cleaners and polishes,generally oil-based products such as Oil English Red Oil and Scott's Liquid Gold. Only a few actually contain wax.

Except for old furniture whose original finish may not have sealed the wood very well--or newer furniture that has been used a lot and whose finish may be worn thin--regular dusting with a soft rag slighhtly dampened with water may be all you need to keep furniture looking new and clean. It's still true,however, that finely finished wood and wood with a modern,well-sealed finish should be treated with respect when it comes to water. Indeed, Murphy Oil Soap's label carrier an admonition taht the product,when used on furniture,should  first be tested on an inconspicuous area. The maker of Fantastik, an all-purpose cleaner,advises against using it on varnished surfaces.

The mirror finish on a piece of furniture is there courtesy of the furniture maker. The shine you get from product depends almost entirely on the nature of the furniture's original finish. For instance,no polish is likely to increase the luster of a piano top high-gloss mahogany. It is already mirrorlike. Furthermore, the finish in't likely to be protected to any degree by using furniture polish.

CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOUR GOLD IS WORTH

Check charts on a Web site like Kitco.com to find the current price of pure,24-karat gold. The price is quoted for one troy ounce,which equals 31.1 grams. Lets say the price of gold is $950 per troy ounce,or $30.55 per gram. To find the percentage purity of your gold,take the number of karats and divide by 24. For example two gold items are 14-karat gold. If we divide that by 24,we find that the gold is 58.3 percent pure use the weight of your item in grams to calculate its market value. At 3.8 grams each, the material in the items would be worth 58.3 percent of 232.18,or about $135. You should expect the buyer to take at least a 30 percent cut of that price to cover their profits and overhead cost.Some might take more,shop around. So are two gold items would be about $94.

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BAKELITE

Bakelite is castable,fire resistant plastic that was invented by Leo Baekeland in 1909. It was originally used for industrial purposes,until jewelry makers found it's light weight made it a perfect pick for designing and manufacturing inexpensive bracelets,rings,pins and other jewelry. Around 1930 Bakelite jewelry became popular. There was many assortment of colors. CoCo Chanel was one famous designer who offered Bakelite jewelry and accessories.You can tell if the item you have is Bakelite two ways,one is to tip a cotton swab in 409 household cleaner and touch a small are of the piece,such a back that won't be visible when worn,if the piece is vintage Bakelite the accumulated patina will show as a yellow stain on the cotton swab. Rinse the cleaner off the tested spot right away. Another way is to place the jewelry in hot water then remove and sniff,warmed Bakelite smells like camphor. So there you have it,happy hunting.

TODAY'S HUNT

I got up early today and did a little hunting. I found a few things that I plan on putting on ebay. I'm getting a little tired of ebay,I believe they are playing games with sellers. There are a million search one ebay everyday,you can post a good item for sell,for seven days. So how is it that somethings at the end of the sell you have only 3 people who looked at your item,I find that hard to believe. Oh well here is a few items I found today.

FAVORITE SPOT

I haven't been on the trail in a while but that will change tomorrow morning,getting a early start and heading to my honey spot. This is a thrift store that understands it is a thrift store and not K-mart or something. They have plenty of good picks and the prices are right,like in low. Okay happy hunting. I'm posting a couple of things I have gotten on another outing.

LAKE ERIE RESELLER: ALWAYS STOP AND CHECK

LAKE ERIE RESELLER: ALWAYS STOP AND CHECK: I was out paying some bills and checking up on a old business friend of mines. There is a Goodwill store down the street that I stop in...

ALWAYS STOP AND CHECK

I was out paying some bills and checking up on a old business friend of mines. There is a Goodwill store down the street that I stop in all the time. On my last visit I did came up with anything but I have found some high end vintage bikes in there. I was trying to get home and say to myself the hell with stopping there isn't anything in there anyway,but something told me to go back. As I enter the door there was a half off sign posted,I say oh great I know I will never find something,well I head over to the bike section and there it was a nice vintage Specialized road bike in need of some TLC.love it bikes is my thing. I got this nice bike for 15.00 bucks,unreal. With a mild restore job this bike should bring 275.00 e-z.  Remember always check.

Ebay Listing Day

Hello hope all is well,I spend most part of the day posting to ebay. I had a few items I have been holding on to for no reason at all,so I decided to get going and post a few things. Here is one of the items that when a for bid. A Teleforia 57 Chevy planter. I over look this piece many times before I picked it up and studied it closer. Nice little piece. 

LAKE ERIE RESELLER: ABANDONED OLYMPIC SITES

LAKE ERIE RESELLER: ABANDONED OLYMPIC SITES: I know this is a little off this site subject matter,but as a reseller and picker I find this interesting. 2008 Beach Volleyball Stadium — ...

ABANDONED OLYMPIC SITES

I know this is a little off this site subject matter,but as a reseller and picker I find this interesting.
2008 Beach Volleyball Stadium — Beijing, China


Image credit: David Gray via The Atlantic
2008 Kayaking Venue — Beijing, China


Image credit: David Gray via The Atlantic
2004 Olympic Sports Complex — Athens, Greece


Image credit: Jamie McGregor Smith via It’s Nice That

 

2004 Helliniko Olympic Softball Stadium — Athens, Greece


Image credit: Jamie McGregor Smith via It’s Nice That
1984 Luge and Bobsleigh Track — Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina


Image credit: Jon Pack via <em>The Atlantic; cloudlessness
1984 Olympic Ski Jump Venue — Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina


Image credit: cloudlessness

1984 Winter Olympics Podium — Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Image credit: Jon Pack via <em>The Atlantic
1984 Grand Olympic Auditorium — Los Angeles, California


Image credit: Jon Pack and Gary Hustwit via Futurecapetown; you-are-here
1972 Olympic Stadium Train Station — Munich, Germany


Image credit: Twin City Photos

 

1968 “Route of Friendship” Olympic Public Art Project — Mexico City, Mexico


Image credit: Jon Pack and Gary Hustwit via The Olympic City Kickstarter
1952 Olympics Swimming Stadium — Lake Ahvenisto, Finland


Image credit: Höök
1936 Olympic Village — Elstal, Germany


Image credit: Abandoned Berlin

OLD DUSTY PACKED STORES

In by travels I see a lot of nice resell stores, the ones I like are the old dusty jam pack stores,ran my a little old grandma type. I love to dig thru the piles of overlooked items. Must resellers go the the nice neighborhoods in hopes of finding that gem,this is good but if you want to find the treasures.sometimes you got to get down and dirty. Go into the bad areas and not so bad areas, place were most pickers won't go. But if you are a true reseller and picker you already know this. Here are a few items I found in a little dirty shop.it is full of nice things and  I plan on going back and do some serious buying