May 15, 1998
Greetings Accumulators!
Now this is more like it! 72 degrees and sunny in New York City, lots of
green everywhere and not a cloud in the sky.
BIG CHAT NEWS
To all of you who have been pelting me with questions these last two weeks,
about the future of "Personal FX, The Collectibles Show", I apologize for
not having been very helpful. It's just that, like Sgt. Schultz, I know
notheenk! However, help is on the way. Karen Martin, Our Fearless Leader
and Producer of "Personal FX", has graciously consented to be my guest in
the chat room at Antiques and Collectibles At The Mining Company, on this
coming Tuesday night, May 19th at 9PM Eastern. Karen will be there for the
purpose of answering your questions about the show. If you attended the
last chat at which Karen was the guest, you already know she is charming,
intelligent and has a great sense of humor. Here's your chance to find out
what's really going on. To get to the chat room go to the front page of
the site.
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF WHY DON'T YOU JUST CONCENTRATE ON NOT DROP-KICKING
MY PACKAGES?
The US Postal Service has decided to let you choose which stamps they will
issue in the future. Currently up for vote: The Sixties!. You can go to
their website and vote in several different
categories, including People and Events (one of the choices in this
category is called "Americans Demonstrate. Worth voting for just to see
what kind of a stamp they create), Arts and Entertainment, Lifestyles
("Shopping Mall" is a choice here), Sports and Science and Technology. You
can vote right at the site.
SOME PEOPLE CAN'T KEEP A SECRET DEPARTMENT
At what the papers are calling a "private secret sale" - oh ha ha - Bill
Gates is reported to have paid more than 30 million dollars for a single
painting, a seascape by Winslow Homer. Neither Gates' representative nor
the seller would confirm the sale. Since we lost respect for people's
privacy long ago in this country, it isn't surprising that the media are
full of speculation about this transaction. I've heard from an associate
at Microsoft that Gates' plan is to send a traveling exhibit of great art
around the world. If this is true - way to go, Bill!
HOOKER HEAVEN
Los Angeles was a wild town just before the turn of the twentieth century
(oh, and it's a quiet place now?). Construction crews of thousands of men
were laboring to finish the new railroad as civilization moved westward.
And what do you get when you have large groups of resident men? Girls,
Girls, Girls! Excavations of old outhouses in the area have turned up some
interesting artifacts reminiscent of the -uh- ladies. Among the items
found: perfume flagons, china, oyster shells, champagne bottles - even some
- um - "medical preparations", if you know what I mean. The bordellos only
lasted into the first decade of the twentieth century, so they had to pack
a lot of living into just twenty years, and it seems as if they did just that.
REPRODUCTION ALERT
Well, sort of. Mattel is reissuing two Fisher-Price toys that were
originally made in the 1930's and are very desirable pieces of Disneyana.
They are Mickey Mouse The Drummer and Donald Duck Xylophone. Let's hope
Mattel clearly and permanently marks them.
So, Accumulators, looks like the first completely beautiful weekend of the
spring here in the Northeast, and that means Garage Sale Heaven for Artie
and me. We'll be hitting the yards and flea markets for the next two days.
If you see us, say "hi"! Happy Hunting!
Best,
Judith
© 1998 Judith Katz-Schwartz. All rights reserved.
Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter #42
U.S. Library of Congress
ISSN 1520-4464
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