Auctioning For Vintage Treasures

We all know yard sales can be great places to find long lost vintage treasures, but local auctions are where the GOOD stuff is found, although sometimes pricey.

There is something about an auction that gets my heart pounding...the anticipation of what I may be able to bring home for either my own personal collection, or to resell to you. I hurry in as fast as I can so I can get a good look at what is on the tables before I "miss" something wonderful as it passes through the auctioneer's podium.

As usual there are many things that catch my eye. If it is an item I REALLY want, I will bid as high as I can to obtain it. One of my favorite auctions to go to in Central Pennsylvania is HORST Auction. Generally I find very nice items here, but sometimes pricey because we are bidding along with dealers who have stands in Adamstown, PA, the "antique capital" of this area.

Unfortunately that means we have to pass the price along to the customer. This is what makes antiques unique and fun however, if there is a high demand for the item, the higher the price. Otherwise, I pass the savings on to the customer. I'm not out to make tons of money, I just enjoy buying and selling. Mostly, dealers have to play it right so they don't lose money.

And if I think an item would fit perfectly into the Bella Rosa Antiques theme, I will wave my number high and keep bidding until I get it. As they say in the biz "going once, going twice, SOLD!" And there is goes...tucked away, neatly wrapped in my carrier and out the door waiting to find just the right person who will give it a good home.

Antiques & Collectibles

What is it about antiques and collectibles that draws us to antique shops and malls in nooks and crannies in far away places? For me, it is the nostalgic look back into the past. Seeing a glimpse into a time I never knew. Reading about what life used to be like and finding their actual tools or instruments or playthings really make it fun to browse.

What do I buy? Well, I love so many different items for my collections....jewelry, vintage or retro kitchen items (especially when found in PINK,) vintage beaded evening bags always catch my eye, pretty porcelain pitchers with floral or rose transfers just to name a few. I have a growing collection of vintage books from the late 1800's so when I can find one in good condition for 5.00 or less, I add it to my purchases. This makes it challenging and fun to set a low price and hope to find one in my travels. I have found most of them in New England, either on the way to visit my Father in Maine, or on the way back in New Hampshire, Vermont, etc.

Recently I have started collecting crystal pieces. I'm not sure what it is but I like the heavy glass in the pretty cut patterns and the way they sparkle in a china cabinet.

What do you like to collect? Leave me a comment or two about your collections or love of all things vintage!

Another LuRay Find ~ Pickle Dish & Tab Soup Bowls

Sometimes when you least expect it, men come through for us. So forget all of the remote control tiffs, the jeans and towels on the floor, and his frustrating way of never being on time. Recently Dear Hubs found some LuRay he thought I might like. He's so sweet!





Unfortunately I already have all of these pieces.

(Sharon Pink Gravy Underplate or Pickle Dish)

It is tough to find something I don't have because I've been collecting for 16 years. I thanked him profusely and then we both decided since I already had these we might as well offer them to some other LuRay collectors.

(2 Persian Cream Tab Soups)

They are now available on the Bella Rosa Antiques website if you are a collector and need one of these pieces...or maybe you'd like to start a collection . . . these would be a great beginning!

Flow Blue, Opalescent Green, & Eiffel Tower Bling!

Just having a little fun with my blog titles...but I am excited about these latest vintage finds which are available on the website today:

A flow blue luncheon plate marked "ABBEY" and made in Holland. Unique and very striking!

I love the vibrant green of this elegant depression glass with the opalescent rim. Also unique are the three pedestals making up the neck of the stem.

Thank you, this has sold!

And who doesn't love a little Paris bling? Always keep your Eiffel Tower memories with you when you wear this sparkly necklace.

And for the shabby fans...a beautiful vintage creamer. I love the ornate handle.

All may be found under the "Just Listed" category.

And as always. . .

LuRay Gravy ~ In a RARE Sharon Pink!

It is always fun to find something you collect ... but it is even MORE fun to find something unusual or rare.



Here is the LuRay gravy with attached underplate in Persian Cream. This is the most common color you will find this piece in.

Now, here it is in a rare Sharon Pink! I found it recently in my travels, and yes, dear LuRay fan, I am offering it up for sale on the website!

(Thank you, this has sold!)

Click HERE if you are interested in purchasing it.



And as always,

Vintage Finds Being Added - Carnival Glass, Flower Frogs & More!

Here are some of the latest additions to Bella Rosa Antiques just in time for Labor Day weekend:



Pretty ruby toned carnival glass celery dish

(Thank you this has SOLD)

A petite and very ornate Italian wall mirror. Great for arranging in groups!

A set of three smaller gold framed mirrors to have fun with...
(Thank you, these have SOLD)

And for those of you who love flower frogs....a set of four in different sizes and shapes.

All available on the website by clicking here.

Cleaning Out ~ The Collectible Clutter

If you're an avid collector or even an antique dealer, you know how things can accumulate. You hunt for great vintage finds, keep some, and part with others right away.

Then there's the "why did I buy that" category and the "not sure what to do with it" shelf....and my husband's favorite..."it just needs to be repaired" bin.

Our church is having a fundraising yard sale this weekend and I think it's time to go through our "stuff."

What do you save, get rid of (trash) and what can you donate? This is definitely up to you but here are a few simple guidelines:

1) Is it sell able in any way other than your website or antique booth? Sometimes collectors are looking for pieces and parts to repair their own "broken treasures." Internet auctions are great for this purpose.

2) Would it make a great yard sale or flea market item? Try sorting into boxes labeled for it's next destination or for donation.

3) If you've had it for more than 3 years and it still doesn't have any appeal then put it in the donation bin. One woman's junk is... well, you know.

4) If you've tried making repairs to the item and it still isn't of good quality then you may want to trash it. Don't feel bad ...just get rid of it.

5) Have storage conditions made the piece fade, crumble, smell, or deteriorate in any way? Trash, unless it has usable parts as in guideline number 1.

6) Did you buy the item on impulse or while you were in a "phase" and don't collect it anymore? Pass it on.

One good thing about going through your stuff is you may find things you forgot about or things may have become more collectible since it has been in storage. Bonus!

To help in future searches for your items try organizing them on shelves or in labeled bins with similar items.

And to treat yourself for having done such a great job sorting and de-cluttering, go check out the latest sales or auctions!

As always,

Vintage Finds - Pink Retro Ice Crusher

(Pink Ice Crusher & Prism Lamp are SOLD, Thank you!)

Lots of fun finds this morning...on our hunt we came across lots of kitcheny type items. My favorite being the PINK SEARS Ice Crusher. Love the chrome!

Dear Hubby also delighted in his vintage soda bottles...an "A-Treat"...."Skipper" and a "Frostie." He also picked up a wooden Coca Cola crate or tray to display them inside.

And who doesn't love old green depression glass shakers? These would look great in an old hoosier cabinet.

The prism lamp is quite pretty so it really doesn't fit in with the other items for the retro kitchen but it was a neat find. We also came across some Wade Whimsies, sterling silver jewelry, pink hand crocheted baby blankets, and a drop leaf table.

Which goes in the antique booth and which shall go on the Bella Rosa Antiques website? Stay tuned....

A Peek at Our Antique Booth

(Wicker Coffee Table has SOLD)

The other day I was updating our antique booth and I decided to take pictures. I like to do this every now and then. Gives me an idea of what has sold and how I've displayed items.

I absolutely fell in love with these very delicate porcelain tea cups. The sweet colored pastel linings are of course what tickles my fancy! Remind you of anything? The LuRay pastel dinnerware I collect maybe?

(Vintage Trunk has SOLD)

We have an ecclectic mixture...

My hubby likes to sell toys so this is part of his display in the case.

And of course, right above them I have vintage jewelry. Someday I'd love to have separate cases but for now, we share. We'd need a bigger booth for that! Right now the antique biz just doesn't pay to have more booth space.

I tend to lean toward the rose covered porcelain items...must be the shabby chic gal in me!

Sometimes I bring items home to place on the Bella Rosa website and vice versa. It would be great if I could get all of the inventory listed online as well as for sale in the booth. This is a huge task and one I am going to put on hold for awhile.

LuRay Cream Soups - Rare & Hard to Find!

My hunt for LuRay dinnerware never ends...which is okay with me because I think it is half of the fun. Some of the pieces are harder to find than others. The cream soup is one of them. It has taken me about ten years to complete the above set of four, as of today.
My latest acquistion is the cream soup in persian cream. The hunt is over for this little gem! Oh how I've waited. I may just have to use it to celebrate the occasion.

Now my next question for myself is... do I want to try and go for a set of 8????

We'll see what I can find over the next decade!

If you're looking for more good reading on LuRay, I have posted several times about this dinnerware before on these posts below:

LuRay Pastels - Great Conversation Pieces
LuRay Pastels: Lovely Display Dishes
and
LuRay Pastels: Classic Dinnerware with Popular Appeal

I also have a few pieces left for sale on my website, Bella Rosa Antiques.

Happy collecting and as always,