August 4, 2001
Greetings Accumulators!
We have been held incommunicado for a week. No, The Symbianese Liberation Army didn't break in here and cut the phone lines. Our ISP, or our Web Host, or our mail servers went bad. They all spent the week pointing fingers at each other. We spent the week on hold, waiting for someone to pick up the phone and help us. And, even though each assured us that there was absolutely nothing amiss with their service, we had none for a week. Suddenly, last night, everything went right again. Go figure.
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DREAMS THAT CAME TRUE
Ta daaaaaa! My new book, THE BOOK, "Protecting Your Collectible Treasures - Secrets Of A Collecting Diva" was released on August 1. It should be appearing in book stores within the next couple of weeks. Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com already have it, and they're discounting it. If you want an autographed copy and you're in the US, send $17.00 by check or money order to me, Judith Katz-Schwartz, P.O. Box 286572, New York, NY 10128-0006 and I'll Priority mail one right to you. If you're outside the US, just email me and we'll figure out the shipping cost for your country. It's full of the answers to all those questions with which you're constantly bombarding me, about how to fix and clean your antiques and collectibles without having to buy a lot of expensive products. I usually use what's in the refrigerator. And each chapter begins with an essay. Yes, Grandma's in there, along with other members of my family, Queen Victoria, Cleopatra, and lousy drivers, too. I think it's a good book, but I've been forced to read it more times than anyone should ever have to read any book, even her own, so I probably won't be reading it again. So, go. Enjoy the book!
EXCELLENT SITES DEPARTMENT
From time to time I hear about really wonderful web sites. These places are a delight to visit, with excellent layout and graphics, wonderful topics, no advertising at all, adng reat information. They are obviously labors of love by people dedicated to what they collect. Here are two outstanding new ones:
The Virtual Typewriter Museum: The typeweriter was considered a technological wonder in its day. It revolutionized communication for about a century, and then, in the blink of an eye, we passed it by. This site is devoted to the history and development of writing machines. What a superb invention the typewriter was. Even computers owe their keyboards to typewriters - let us not forget that. And they looked so great! Today, of course, typewriters are a popular collectible among those who have a sense of history and lots of room at home. Don't miss this site - it's a fascinating browse. http://www.mmworks.nl/typewritermuseum/index.html
Vintage Labels - The Lost Art Of Travel: This site uses a magazine format to enlighten us about luggage labels, those colorful, fanciful miniature works of art that used to adorn the steamer trunks of the well-heeled and well-traveled. In doing paper shows, I've found interest in these labels increasing dramatically in the past year. At this site you'll view many beautiful examples, in galleries arranged by mode of travel or location (airlines, ocean liners, railroads, hotels). The site is also searchable by particular label, and search tips are included in the table of contents. Great fun! http://www.vintagelabels.org.
DEPARTMENT OF CONTINUING SAGA OF MADONNA'S UNDERWEAR or HOW BORING IS THIS?
Okay, remember the guy who bought Madonna's cone-shaped bra at Christie's in April? Well, he can shut up now - his record's been broken. Someone paid $23,850 for Madonna's Dolce & Gabbana bra from the Girlie Tour, substantially beating out the $21,250 paid for the cone number. The sale of the latest sweaty undergarment was the culmination of an auction held jointly by eBay and Gotta Have It Collectibles (ah, they know us so well!), of NYC. The total earned by the auction, which ended om Wednesday was $205,332. Gotta Have It claims it was coincidence that the auction coincided with Madonna's current tour. Snort!
Okay, Accumulators, time to go. It's an ugly day in New York, and Artie has a wake to attend. So, I'll be doing a little of this, and a little of that. I did have an appearance to do at Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington, NY, but it's been cancelled. So, if you were planning to go today, do something else, like hit those yard sales! I'll see you at the next "do". Wish I could get up to Cuddebackville, NY to The Old Red Barn. BarnMan and The Lovely Linda have a super auction planned for tonight. Have a great week, Accumulators. Happy hunting!
Best,
Judith
© 2001 Judith Katz-Schwartz. All rights reserved.
Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter #154
U.S. Library of Congress
ISSN 1520-4464
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