Home To Three Of The World’s Largest Collectibles Directories™

BOSTON, Mass. - February 5, 2010 - www.skinnerinc.com - Skinner, Inc., one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, today announced strong results of its American & European Paintings & Prints auction, held on January 29th in its Boston gallery.  The sale grossed over $2.5 million with a strong bidding audience [...]
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I love a little Sizzle   Yesterday was a very interesting day as Ondre, Bob, Gary and I spent most of the morning planning the future direction of the Daryle Lambert’s Antique and Collectibles Club. The new members only section is coming alive with Ondre and Bob’s leadership and hopefully most of the members now have their [...]
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(MATTHEWS, N.C.) - An exceedingly rare group of three distinguished awards given to World War I German flying ace Adolf Ritter von Tutschek soared to $28,250 in an Internet and catalog auction that ended Jan. 23-24 by SoldUSA.com, the premier hunting and fishing, militaria and collectibles site. The group was the top earner of the [...]
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(NORTHPORT, Ala.) - Contents from the historic Annesdale mansion-villa in Memphis, Tenn., plus several other private Southern collections and a marvelous collection of antique guns, will be sold Saturday, March 13, at 10 a.m., by Hal Hunt Auctions. The sale will be conducted at Hal Hunt Auctions’ spacious gallery, located at 5925 Hwy. 43 in [...]
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MODERN MASTERPIECES ON VIEW FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEW YORK CITY ? On Thursday, February 11, The International Poster Center will offer more than 400 original vintage posters from the latter half of the 20th century, in its second Modern Poster Auction. Featuring posters from around the world, this show explores the unbridled creativity that defined graphic advertising [...]
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(ORLANDO, Fla.) - Over 300 original and reprographic works of art by some of the greatest and most recognizable names in 20th century fine art (Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, among others) and contemporary art (by artists like Peter Max and Nicola Simbari) will be sold at a live and Internet auction scheduled for Saturday, [...]
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 27, 2010 CONTACT: ANGIE BECKER (800) 287-7127 ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES NATIONAL ASSOCIATION January 10-13, 2010 New Orleans, LA The ACNA held its 2010 convention at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans January 10-13 featuring seminars with noted speakers, field trips and a charity auction. (Davidson, NC) Members of the Antiques and Collectibles National Association enjoyed three days of networking, [...]
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(OCEANSIDE, N.Y.) - The original marriage certificate issued to pop legend Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of rock ?n’ roll icon Elvis Presley, on May 26, 1994 in the Dominican Republic, when the couple embarked on their brief but highly publicized life together, sold for $70,800 at a multi-estate sale held Jan. [...]
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(RAYMOND, Ill.) - A monstrous two-day auction dedicated to farm and construction toys, Lionel toy trains and vintage toys will be held the weekend of Feb. 20-21 at a former furniture store building in Raymond, Ill., located halfway between St. Louis and Springfield, Ill. In all, nearly 1,000 lots will cross the block. Online bidding [...]
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(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - A Chalmers Catawba wine bitters bottle graded 9.8 for condition and considered one of the top five western bitters known, sold for $ 19,600 in an Internet and catalog auction that ended Jan. 18 by American Bottle Auctions (http://www.americanbottle.com/). The bottle was the top lot in a sale that saw around 325 [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com On Monday, February 8th at 6:00 pm, Clarke Auction will sell 400 lots of its usual mix of the unusual, the exceptional, and the unique. Estate Silver, a Clarke strength, features a heavily chased Ottoman-era lidded urn with a eagle finial poised over a possibly gold serpent. Other silver highlights include a tea service [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com Contents from the historic Annesdale mansion-villa in Memphis, Tenn., plus several other private Southern collections and a marvelous collection of antique guns, will be sold Saturday, March 13, at 10 a.m., by Hal Hunt Auctions. The sale will be conducted at Hal Hunt Auctions? spacious gallery, located at 5925 Hwy. 43 in Northport. Annesdsale is [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com The two-day live auction will take place Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28 at 10:00 a.m. CST daily. Auction registration and pre-bidding are already available by visiting www.proxibid.com/rockisland. Firearms enthusiasts will not want to miss the opportunity to participate in this major auction. More than 2,200 lots will be available for live online bidding, [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com An exceedingly rare group of three distinguished awards given to World War I German flying ace Adolf Ritter von Tutschek soared to $28,250 in an Internet and catalog auction that ended Jan. 23-24 by SoldUSA.com, the premier hunting and fishing, militaria and collectibles site. The group was the top earner of the more than [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com With 100 dealers, this year?s show has something for everyone. Visitors will see an enormous variety of treasures from our past from estate jewelry and art glass to original painted 18th century furniture and textiles, oriental rugs, clocks, toys, linens and lace, lighting, paintings and prints and everything else in-between. One can spend $5.00 [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com Christie?s New York will hold its mid-season sale of 20th Century Decorative Art and Design on March 16, 2010. The 112 lot sale offers a wide range of high quality and affordable objects and furniture by well-known makers from the 20th century, featuring works by Tiffany Studios, Frank Lloyd Wright, Daum, George Nakashima, Harry [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com Wes Cowan, President and Principal Auctioneer of Cowan?s Auctions, Garth Clark, and Mark Del Vecchio, both of Clark + Del Vecchio Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have announced a partnership to bring modern and contemporary ceramics to the international art market through focused, selective, and scholarly semi-annual auctions. The 20th-century and Contemporary Ceramics Auctions [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com The largest event of its kind in the world, the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market provides an unparalleled chance to collect cultural treasures, meet the artists who created them, and have a direct and even profound impact on the lives of not only the artists but also their communities around the world. For [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com Santa Fe, Feb 1, 2010 — In a remote island off the west coast of Costa Rica a team of scientists has just completed six years of secret research and development enabling them to clone 15 different species of dinosaurs, 200 animals all together. ?Jurassic Park? will be the ultimate theme park because the exhibitions [...]
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AntiquesPublicity.com

AntiquesPublicity.com WASHINGTON, DC – At this year?s Hunt Valley Antiques Show, February 19-21 in Timonium, MD, one lucky shopper can go home owning a true piece of American history. An 18th century grandfather clock featured in the new book Timeless: Masterpiece American Brass Dial Clocks will be offered for sale by Strasburg, PA-based Baldwin House Antiques. The [...]
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Mesa, AZ ? It was "Happy Trails" to the recession at High Noon's 20th Anniversary Show and Auction held January 30 and 31, 2010 in Mesa, Arizona as 150+ dealers reaped the benefits of record attendance pr
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Mesa, AZ ? On Saturday evening, January 30th, 2010, High Noon Western Americana of Los Angeles hosted the first of three auctions to sell the treasured contents of the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum
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Bodnar's Auctions Sales, Desa Unicum, J.S. Dill Auctions Inc. and Watson's Auction House have partnered with Artfact to present their online auctions exclusively through Artfact Live!
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Tradewinds is very pleased to announce our annual Mid-Winter internet-only all-cane auction.
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Rare Hugh Hefner drawn PLAYBOY cartoon among the many - Vargas, Neiman and more - readies for public auction at Heritage in Dallas, Feb. 26
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It was billed as 'the most important stamp error of the 20th Century'; reports Paul Fraser Collectibles
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Skinner, Inc., one of the world?s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, today announced strong results of its American and European Paintings and Prints auction, held on January 29th in its Bo
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PITTSBURGH ? Collectors of antique toy soldiers and figures have long known that good things come in small packages, and that ever-growing legion of enthusiasts helped push the total for Old Toy Soldier?s Nov. 21 auction to $193,000 ? the company?s highest sale total to date. Leading the charge in the 644-lot sale was an army of figures from the German manufacturer Heyde (pronounced ?High-dee?).

?The Heyde lots really got the momentum going,? said Old Toy Soldier Auction USA?s owner, Ray Haradin. ?There was a tremendous amount of interest in them, and in all the German-made figures, for that matter.?

Haradin explained that collectors are attracted to Heyde figures because they are highly realistic and do not look mass produced. ?Their sets are very fanciful. They tend to have 20 pieces in them, with all 20 being different, so they display very nicely. Also, Heyde made their figures in a larger scale than Britains did, so they tend to cross over more with toy and train collectors.?

The top-selling Heyde set in Old Toy Soldier?s November sale was an 1890 ensemble of 15 pieces featuring Frederick the Great on his white mount, flag bearer, guards and two African drummers. Estimated at $700-$1,000, the grouping was bid to a hefty $4,425 (all prices quoted inclusive of 18 percent buyer?s premium).

Heyde 15-piece set made in 1890 depicting Frederick the Great on white horse, with flag
bearer, guards and two African drummers. Sold for $4,425 against an estimate of $700-$1,000. (Photo: Old Toy Soldier Auctions.)

Other Heyde lots that finished well above estimate included an extremely rare, boxed circa-1910 Old Volunteer Corps comprised of officer drummer and 10 men and 10 men, $3,835; and a set called the Napoleonic Old Guard, $1,416.

Britains is the brand that has the largest collector base of all the toy soldier companies, and Haradin said that more than 100 ?regular, very active collectors? of Britains participate in his sales. ?Because Britains produced so many sets, it takes persistence if you want to be a ?completist,? but that?s what makes it so enjoyable,? he said. ?In this sale we saw a lot of bidders going after the pre-World War I sets from the renowned collection of Deutschebank managing director Vincent C. Banker.? Mr. Banker?s premier collection of figures was previously featured in Town & Country magazine.

Among the Britains auctioned on Nov. 21, a Life Guard Band in red achieved $2,714 against a $700 high estimate, while a civilian figural pair known as the Lambeth Walk Dancers achieved $1,770. An exceptionally rare H.R.H. The Prince of Wales in the uniform of the Welsh Guards, made around 1939, retained its original box indicating it was made exclusively for the souvenir shop at Madame Tussauds in London. It garnered an above-estimate price of $2,360.

Few Britains productions rival the charm of their 1937-1941 Noah?s Ark with figures of Noah, his wife and 22 animals. With a box ingeniously designed to double as an ark, the set drew a throng of bidders who sent the lot sailing to a closing price of $5,900.

A much-anticipated highlight of the sale was the late Dr. James ?Doc? Wengert?s collection of figures, vehicles and other scale-model toys related to military medicine. A third-generation physician, Dr. Wengert served as a U.S. Navy flight surgeon during the Vietnam War. Because of his profession, he chose to specialize in medical figures ? doctors, nurses, orderlies, stretcher bearers, wounded soldiers ? and all the accoutrements that a collector might desire in setting up a miniature M.A.S.H unit, like operating tents, field kitchens, rescue dogs and emergency vehicles.

?Many new people with a connection to medicine ? notably physicians and dentists ? heard about this unique collection and decided to bid in the sale. They couldn?t have picked a better way to get started in this specialty collecting field,? said Haradin, noting that there ?strength all across this part of the sale. The prices weren?t huge numbers, but they were consistently above estimate.? A very rare circa-1890 British medical ensemble made by T. Krause (Germany) and featuring 20 pieces was the highest-priced lot from the Wengert collection. Featuring a medical tent, tinplate horse-drawn medical wagon, medical officers, nurse, and other figures and accessories, it sold for $2,124 against a high estimate of $1,200.

Single figures that were made by special order at the Britains factory in 1938 included two khaki-attired medics ? one with a forage cap, the other with a peaked cap. They sold well above estimate at $767 and $798, respectively. A circa-1934 Johillco brand 5-piece Abyssinian Red Cross Unit with original red-and-white-labeled box made $650.

Together with the antique and vintage pieces that form the core of his sales, Haradin always offers a selection of later soldiers and figures to encourage new collectors. ?If you don?t want to dive right into the earlier market, buying quality pieces from the 1980s is a great way to get your feet wet and become involved in the hobby,? Haradin said. He noted that even the more recently made military miniatures are seeing a ?nice spike in value? at auction. In the November sale, a 1980s King & Country TK011 Austin K2 Ambulance, gloss green version and one of only 20 made, sped past its $400-$600 estimate to apply the brakes at $1,416.

On Saturday, May 1, 2010, Old Toy Soldier Auctions USA will conduct an absentee, phone and Internet auction (through LiveAuctioneers.com) from its home base in Pittsburgh. The event will feature the premier Britains collection of brothers Don Thompson and the late Bill Thompson, as well as part III of the John Graham collection. Additional select properties, including a San Francisco collection of coveted 1950s Courtenay knights, will round out the auction offering.

For additional information, call 412-343-8733 or 800-349-8009; or visit Old Toy Soldier Auctions USA online at www.oldtoysoldierauctions.com. Watch for the fully illustrated electronic catalog at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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The US based online company, New Luxury Items, is the premier international provider of high quality and well researched information about the world?s most expensive products, services, actors and actresses, world?s most expensive dog breeds, and many, many more. For example the world?s most expensive car is a subject that gets to be on the minds of most people. New Luxury Items employs a team of professional researchers to find the most useful and entertaining new information and create new tops containing the world?s most expensive at very short intervals.

Bugatti Veyron: $ 1.700.000 

The most visited entries presented on NewLuxuryItems.com include the world?s most expensive actresses, the world?s most expensive dog breeds, the world?s most expensive leather accessories which includes items such as wallets, purses, business card holders, padfolios, and many, many more. By far, the entry that brings the largest number of visitors each day is the ?World?s Most Expensive Car? entry. This subject has been an interest for all car enthusiasts, regardless of sex or age, since the first supercars were unveiled to the international audience.Although the prices for cars which make it into the ?world?s most expensive car? top ten, presented by New Luxury Items on its website NewLuxuryItems.com are simply prohibitive for the most of those interested in this subject, users are still always trying to find out what is the world?s most expensive car. For this reason, the United States based New Luxury Items is constantly reviewing the international car scene, in order to be able to provide its daily visitors with the newest resources and information on this subject.For more information about the company and its services, please visit the website, or use the contact details below: http://www.newluxuryitems.com

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Garden City, New York - January 24, 2009 - TIAS.com the Webs largest online antiques and collectibles mall today reported that merchant sales at TIAS.com were up 32.6% in December of 2009 when compared to December of 2008. The TIAS.com antiques and collectibles mall hosts just over 400 online merchants who list 630,000 items for sale online.

Just prior to the December 2009 sales increase, TIAS had launched a number of initiatives that were designed to make buyers more comfortable purchasing from TIAS merchants. The company had found one of the biggest obstacles customers had when buying antiques and collectibles online was the lack of “trust” when buying items from independent online merchants . To address this issue, in November of 2009 TIAS launched the “TIAS Trusted Merchant” program. When a customer buys from a “TIAS Trusted Merchant” their purchase is guaranteed by TIAS.com for up to $500 of the purchase price and they may return the item for any reason within a minimum of 7 days of their purchase (program details are available online).

“I spoke to a merchant last week who has been selling on TIAS since 1997. She mentioned that her sales this past December were probably the highest she has seen since she first opened her online shop.” said Phillip Davies President of TIAS.com “The dramatic increase in sales that many TIAS dealers saw during the Holiday shopping rush, just reaffirms our belief that customers are ready to buy, they just want to trust the vendor they are buying from.”

During the first quarter of 2010 TIAS.com will be launching a number of new features and services that are designed to make buying easier for shoppers and selling easier for their merchants. For more information about becoming a TIAS merchant visit http://www.MakeAShop.com.

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(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - A Chalmers Catawba wine bitters bottle graded 9.8 for condition and considered one of the top five western bitters known, sold for $ 19,600 in an Internet and catalog auction that ended Jan. 18 by American Bottle Auctions (www.AmericanBottle.com). The bottle was the top lot in a sale that saw around 325 rare and vintage bottles sold and grossed more than $275,000.

The bottle — trademarked Sutters Old Mill, Spruance Stanley & Co., Proprietors — had an applied top and boasted loads of whittle, in a brilliant bluish aqua color. ?This one had a solid strike and we can?t imagine a better example,? said Jeff Wichmann of American Bottle Auctions. ?This very same bottle sold in one of our earlier auctions, and it set a record price. It?s the real deal, the very best.?

It was the 49th Internet and catalog auction for American Bottle Auctions, which specializes in rare and vintage bottles mostly made between 1850 and 1900, the period most desired by collectors, when superior embossing techniques were employed. Nearly 5,000 people registered to bid, but only a fraction of that total (around 300 people) actually submitted bids. Of those, 175 were winning bidders.

?The market right now is as strong as I?ve ever seen it,? remarked Mr. Wichmann. ?Every sale we have seems to be better than the one before it. This auction was certainly one of our best ever. I attribute that to the tremendous variety of merchandise, and the response to that merchandise by our bidders. Historical flasks and bitters did especially well. They?re sitting atop the bottle market now.?

Following are additional highlights of the sale. All prices quoted include a 12 percent buyer?s premium.

A ?For Our Country/Eagle? pint flask, over 150 years old, with sheared lip and pontil, in a color best described as tobacco green with striations of olive, soared to $14,560. The bottle was graded 9.8 and depicted a 20-star flag surrounded by six ribs. Also, a Baltimore Sunburst half-pint (circa 1840-50), graded 9.8, in a light to medium pinkish copper color and a superior high-quality example, hit $11,200.

A spectacular Bridgeton New Jersey-Washington bottle with sheared lip and jagged tubular pontil, graded 9.8 and with an outstanding medium to deep amber coloration near the base, climbed to $10,080. Also, a flawless Miller?s Extra E. Martin Old Bourbon trademark, probably the most desired of the Cutter fifths, with strong embossing and an overall beautiful patina to the glass, rose to $8,960.

A Washington/Baltimore Glassworks portrait pint flask showing the Baltimore Monument and a bust of George Washington (circa 1830-50), with rolled lip and pontil, graded 9.3, medium green and somewhat crude, with surface irregularities, breezed to $8,400; and a Corn For the World quart flask with embossed corn and the Baltimore Monument on the reverse, graded at 9.8, commanded $7,840.

A trademark Lightning quart jar, with Putnam 328 on the base and a replaced top and painted lid, boasting overall nice whittle and emerald green in color one of only six such jars in this shade), graded 9.8, coasted to $7,280; and a J.H. Cutter Old Bourbon (E. Martin & Co., Sole Agents) banded pint flask, with a popular crown on the shoulder and a single roll top, graded 9.3, gaveled for $5,376.

A National Bitters (with Patent 1867 on the base) bottle, with an applied top and, remarkably, still with the original label, rare for its beautiful and brilliant ruby red coloration, graded 9.9, climbed to $5,152; and a Jesse Moore (Hunt & Co., Sole Agents) western whiskey fifth bottle with gorgeous pint banded flask, wonderfully embossed but with some condition issues, graded 9.7, topped out at $3,808.

A Pineapple bitters bottle, unembossed, with applied top and smooth base, green with some yellow and graded 9.8, hammered for $4,928; a Henley?s Wild Grape Root Bitters bottle with tooled top, in a highly whittled aqua-teal variant and filled with bubbles, demanded $4,256; and a Bryant?s Stomach Bitters bottle with applied top and sticky ball pontil, brilliant emerald in color, fetched $4,032.

A National Bitters (Patent 1867 on the base) bottle, with applied top and colored a brilliant yellow with a touch of green (almost transparent yellow toward the top, becoming a more vibrant hue near the base), graded 9.8, sold for $4,032; and a Harkness Fire Destroyer extinguisher (circa 1865-85), with ground lip, 6 ¼ inches, unusually colored in sapphire blue and pure oxblood puce, brought $4,032.

A trademark Lightning half-gallon jar, showing Putnam 368 on the base and with the original closure, in a stunning olive color and graded a respectable 9.8, went to a determined bidder for $3,808; and a Dr. A.W. Coleman?s Anti-Dyspeptic and Tonic Bitters bottle, 9 ¼ inches, made in Mobile, Ala., and in a beautiful green hue, graded 9.3, an example of one of the earliest bitters made, brought $3,808.

American Bottle Auctions was founded in 1990 by Jeff Wichmann, a native Californian who has been collecting antique bottles for nearly 40 years. Over time, the firm grew and underwent a name change, but the focus has remained the same: American Bottle Auctions specializes in appraising, brokering, consigning and auctioning antique bottles and glass. Bottle collecting is a burgeoning genre.

Mr. Wichmann has personally researched, appraised and estimated the values of thousands of antique bottles and related items. He is often called on to appraise antique bottles and glass for private individuals and businesses. In 1999, he wrote and published The Best of the West ? Antique Western Bitters Bottles, a top research guide. He has also written many articles on the subject of antique bottles.

American Bottle Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single bottle or an entire collection, you may call them toll-free, at 1-800-806-7722; or, you can e-mail them, at info@americanbottle. The next auction is tentatively slated for late April or early May. Already, fresh groupings of bitters and historical flasks have been consigned, and marbles may be sold.

About American Bottle Auctions, please log on to www.AmericanBottle.com .

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ISA will host a Conference April 30-May 3 with Museum tours and seminars by noted authorities in the fields of Fine Art, Antiques and Residential Contents and Gems & Jewelry

(Toronto, Canada) The International Society of Appraisers will celebrate its thirtieth birthday with an in depth three pronged Conference in Toronto on April 30-May 3. The Conference, entitled ?Assets 2010?, will consist of programs in Fine Arts, Antiques and Residential Contents and Gems & Jewelry. Conference coordinator Kathryn Minard, ISA, CAPP, and conference co-chairs Irene Szylinger and Catherine Williams and Jim Poag, Gems and Jewelry program coordinator have arranged a lineup of credentialed powerhouse presenters for each session, a pair of dynamic keynote speakers, Robert Ramsay and David Ben, and scheduled tours of such important venues as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramics, the Bata Shoe Museum, the Textile Museum of Canada, Corona Jewelry Company, the Stephen Bulger Gallery and a tour of a private residence featuring Jamieson Tribal Art.

According to Minard one of the main points of emphasis for this Conference is affordability and flexibility. ISA has arranged very generous rates for participants at the host hotel, the Park Hyatt Toronto in downtown Ontario. It is close to convenient public transportation and is surrounded by a wide variety of eating establishments for all tastes and budgets.

While the Conference will have three distinct sections, participants will be encouraged to pick and choose among sessions to accommodate the cross-over interests of many attendees.

The Fine Art program will feature sessions on the art market, contemporary photography, Inuit art, authentication, insurance appraisals, cross border appraisals and report writing. Presenters will include Nicholas Metivier, owner Nicholas Metivier Gallery; Chris Varley private art dealer, Christopher Varley Fine Art; Patterson Sims, freelance curator, writer and lecturer; Robert Heffel, auctioneer, Heffel Fine Art; Doina Popescu, Curator, The Black Star Photography Collection, Ryerson University; Pat Feheley, Associate Professor, School of Image Arts, Ryerson University; Vivian Ebersman and Ann-Louise Seago of AXA Art Insurance headquartered in New York; Peter Paul Biro, Art Access & Research Limited; Marie-Claude Corbeil from the Canadian Conservation Institute; Cathy Peters, ISA, CAPP and Cross Border Appraisal presenters Leon Castner, ISA, CAPP, Kathryn Minard, ISA, CAPP, Norman Hurst, ISA, CAPP, and Sonia Lismer from the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board.

The Antiques and Residential Contents program will feature sessions on hallmarks, quilts, Victorian, style and design, paperweights, insurance appraisals, appraising pop culture, cross border appraisals and report writing. Presenters include some of the same presenters in the Fine Art program plus Bill Whetstone and Danusia Nikelwicz of the Hallmark Research Institute; Brian Musselewhite, Assistant Curator of the Royal Ontario Museum; Judy Lyons, ISA, AM, CPPAG of the American Quilters Association, and Lee Dunbar, a collection management specialist with Leila Dunbar Appraisals and Consulting.

The Gems & Jewelry adds Carole Tanenbaum, a costume jewelry expert; Dave Sawatzky  from Korite International, the maker of Ammolite jewelry from Calgary; Ravi Poddar, a  representative from Ontario based Byrex Gems; John Borzak, author of the Rolex Report and Paul Cassarino, ISA, CASPP, presenter of the report writing workshop.

The Conference itself is very reasonably priced beginning at $575 for ISA members with Super Saver early registration which ends January 31. Rates are slightly higher after that. Special rates are available for single day events and for spouses/guests. The tours and events are also very reasonably priced.  To register online go to http://www.assets2010.org.
Site of the course is the Park Hyatt Toronto, 4 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario M5R 2E8 Canada, (416) 925-1234. A group discount rate is available through ISA for accommodations at the hotel. Hotel registration is available online at the above address. For more information contact the International Society of Appraisers, 737 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2100, Chicago IL 60611, phone (312) 981-6778, fax (312) 981-6787, email isa@isa-appraisers.org, website www.isa-appraisers.org

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Long Beach, California - A $10 million exhibit of California Gold Rush sunken treasure recovered from the 1857 shipwreck of the SS Central America, the fabled “Ship of Gold,” will be publicly displayed during the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo in the Long Beach Convention Center, 100 S. Pine Ave., February 4 - 6, 2010.

The exhibit includes historic gold coins and huge gold bars — one of them weighs over 50 pounds — recovered from nearly 8,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. The collector’s show also features an exhibit of early American silver dollars and activities for young collectors. Many of the 1,000 dealers at the show will offer free, informal appraisals for the public’s old coins, paper money, stamps and other collectibles.

 ”The Central America was carrying tons of California gold when she sank in a hurricane in September 1857 during a voyage from Panama to New York City. About $10 million of that gold will be exhibited in an eye-opening public display housed in a specially-constructed 40-foot long representation of the ship’s hull,” said Ronald J. Gillio, Expo General Chairman. One of the most intriguing items in the display (see accompanying photo) is the remains of a wooden cargo box that still contains approximately 110 Double Eagles ($20 denomination gold coins) as they were found on the ocean floor.

The exhibit is courtesy of Monaco Rare Coins of Newport Beach and involved months of work to coordinate the display with collectors who privately own and now have generously loaned many of the items for the exhibit. Bob Evans, the chief scientist on the 1980’s mission that located and recovered the fabulous sunken treasure, will be at the exhibit each day during the show to meet with visitors and present educational programs about the Ship of Gold.

Visitors will also see an exhibit of early American silver half dollars minted from 1794 to 1832. Many of the superb-quality rare coins in the collection assembled by collector Dale Friend of Nevada and exhibited by Professional Coin Grading Service are the finest known of their kind. A free gold coin will be awarded daily to a lucky, registered visitor. A children’s treasure hunt will be held on Saturday, February 6. Educational programs and collectors’ clubs meetings will be conducted during the show and are open to the public.

Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, Texas, the world’s largest collectibles auction house, will hold a public sale of U.S. coins. The public hours of the Long Beach Expo are Thursday and Friday, February 4 and 5, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday, February 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $6 (good for all three days); $4 for members of any coin or stamp club who display a valid membership card; and $3 for seniors 65 and older.

Free admission for children ages seven and younger. Discount coupons are available online at www.LongBeachExpo.com. For additional information, call Expos Unlimited at (805) 962-9939 or the Long Beach Convention Center at (562) 436-3636 during the show. The Long Beach Expo is a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT).

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If you love wooden dolls, you will adore http://www.more-than-dolls.com/. The actual CollectOS-Site-of-the-Week is an online shop located in Germany, but shipping worldwide. More-then-dolls offers exqusite handcrafted wooden dolls by different artists and from various brands. You’ll find - among others - dolls from Fairy Tales, Little Krahmer Dolls, Krahmer Dolls Couples ,… The shop also offers a large collection of dolls clothes, shoes and accessoires. Some of the artists, that created the dolls for sale on http://www.more-than-dolls.com/ are: Erika Catellani, Helga Weich, Eva Beytra, Norbeit Sadei  and Annedore Krebs. The site is beside this offering more features, for example, doll repairing, antique dolls, and a marketplace for the customers.

About Site of the week:
If you own a website on antiques, arts or any other collectibles, you may submit it to CollectOS for a review. If we select your site, it will show up on the CollectOS-Homepage for at least 7 days, and afterwards will stay listed under the appropriate category. A great way to earn more traffic

Proudly show all your visitors, that your site got listed,
by inserting this award-logo to your page and linking it to collectOS.com: 

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The Northeast PEZ Collectors Gathering (the largest PEZ Conventions in the East) will open its public show to all types of candy collectibles.
This will be the biggest show for candy collectibles in the East!
The show will be held in Stamford, CT in April 2010.
For more info visit our web site www.CandyCollectorExpo.com
WHERE:
Stamford Plaza Hotel, formally the Sheraton Stamford Hotel, 2701 Summer St, Stamford CT. 06905
Visit Hotel Website Here!
AGENDA:
6:00AM - Collector Expo open for dealer set-up (REGISTERED DEALERS ONLY)
8:30AM - Only Expo Pre-Registrants admitted
Pre Registration Information - Dealer Info: www.CandyCollectorExpo.com
10:00AM - Open to general public ($5 admission)
3:00PM - Candy Collector Expo closed
Phone #843-868-1739
Looking for Vendors/Dealers

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DALLAS, TX — When a truly exceptional copy of Detective Comics #27, the very first appearance of Batman, is auctioned by Heritage Auction Galleries in its Feb. 25 Signature® Comics & Comic Art Auction, it will set two important marks:
It will, more than likely, become the single most valuable comic ever offered at public auction. Though it’s being sold with no reserve and no minimum bid, it’s expected to bring at least $300,000. The current record for a comic sold at auction stands at $317,000, for a copy of Action Comics #1, sold last year at another auction house.

Website: Heritage Auction Galleries

The other question the auction will settle, at least for the time being, is one of the great debates of Pop Culture: Who is worth more today, Batman or Superman? ?Since Heritage began auctioning vintage comics, we have heard more client requests for Detective #27 than for Superman?s first comic, Action #1, and that?s both from hard-core comic collectors and from clients in other fields who are interested in this issue as a pop culture milestone,? said Lon Allen, Director of Sales for the Comics Division of Heritage. ?Superman came first, but I think in certain quarters Batman is the more popular character. This is probably the most desirable comic Heritage has ever auctioned.?

The third-party certification service CGC has graded the comic Very Fine 8.0, a grade that only one other copy of this issue has reached and none has surpassed.

?The eye appeal is absolutely outstanding,” said Lon Allen, Director of Sales for the Comics Division of Heritage. “Most comics from 1939 are smudged, torn, creased, and so on - this one?s got really bright colors and looks fresh. It has no restoration which is a major plus as well. We?ve never handled a copy that?s anywhere near this nice.?

Heritage has not disclosed the source of the comic other than to note it comes from a savvy collector who assembled his collection in the 1960s and 1970s.

?Back then, if someone spent even $100 on a comic book from the 1930s or 1940s, which is what the collector paid for it, it was considered absurd by the general public,” said Allen, “but smart buyers who did their legwork and paid so-called ?outrageous? prices could put together excellent collections that today?s collectors are envious of.? To say that today’s hordes of comic collectors, Batman fans and Pop Culture devotees are envious of a comic such as this, bought for a mere fraction of what the current price will be, is an easy understatement. By late February the top collectors in the world will be eyeing this book closely, and weighing just how much it’s worth to them to have the have the holy grail of comic books, and to be part of history.

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Cleveland, Ohio ? January 8th, 2010 ? Kovels.com today released its list of the most searched for items in its online price guide in 2009. The Kovels’ top 10 list is based on the results of millions of searches that took place on its website over the course of the year. With over 700,000 antiques and collectibles in its online price guide, Kovels.com is the Web?s largest free price guide for antiques and collectibles.

1. Occupied Japan ? No Movement from 2008
2. Jewelry ? No Movement from 2008
3. Stove ? Up from #4 in 2008
4. Capo-di-monte ? Up from #7 in 2008
5. Silver Plate ? New to list
6. Furniture ? No Movement
7. Copeland Spode ? New to list
8. Josef Originals ? New to list
9. Lladro - Down from #8 in 2008
10. Coca-cola ? down from #3 in 2008

Occupied Japan continues to top the list of the most searched for items. Half of the top ten search categories in 2009 were porcelains. According to antiques expert Terry Kovel, ?There seems to be great interest in prices for small figurines and fine dinnerware. Both are bargains in the antique market and are just starting to go up in price. Many of the porcelain factories have moved their production from England and Europe to Asia where the quality is not the same.” Antiques such as furniture and jewelry continue to do well in a down economy. Often priced against similar modern pieces, these can be cheaper, and more interesting than their newer counterparts, making them a great find for antique hunters and home decorators.

People use price guides for a number of reasons, usually to determine the value of an item that they own. If an item isn’t listed in the top 10 list, it doesn’t mean it is unpopular or that there isn’t a demand for it. It only means that in 2009 there was less interest in finding prices for that item. This year’s list includes comparative data for 2008 as well.

Accredited media interested in discussing the content of this release or any topics related to antiques and collectibles are encouraged to contact Terry Kovel at pr@kovels.com to schedule an interview.

About Kovels.com
Terry Kovel, with her husband Ralph, has authored more than 95 books about collecting and antiques, including the best-selling annual price guide, “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide.” Hailed by Parade magazine as “the duchess of the antiques world,” Terry Kovel publishes a monthly newsletter, Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles, and writes a syndicated weekly newspaper column distributed to more than 150 newspapers and websites. Terry and Ralph appeared weekly on the HGTV program “Flea Market Finds with the Kovels.” Terry’s popular website with free prices and information for collectors is http://www.Kovels.com. The Kovels’ most recent books are “Kovels’ American Collectibles, 1900 to 2000,” and “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide 2010,” with 2,500 full-color photos and 47,000 actual prices. Both are available wherever books are sold and online at http://www.Kovels.com/e?books.

Contact Information: pr@kovels.com
Website: http://www.Kovels.com

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