How Do You Spot Collectibles?

Fri., Feb. 11, 2000

Lexington Herald-Leader

So you want to get in on the ground floor of the next big collectible. What will it be?

Terry Kovel, who with her husband, Ralph, wrote “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price List,” isn’t betting on one thing in particular.

But she thinks things with a sense of humor will be popular, such as lady-head planters from the ‘60s, or 17th-century furniture reproductions made in the ‘30s and ‘40s.

At the Triple Pier Show in New York, which does a good job of being on the cusp of trends, Kovel spotted a dealer with polished aluminum drill handles from the ‘30’s and ‘40s.

Also, architectural fragments and old suitcases probably haven’t peaked yet.

Marsha Koller, a Lexington, Ky., collector and dealer, thinks Charlie Brown might get hot because of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz’s retirement.

Her advice:

When collecting anything breakable, make sure there are no chips or cracks.

Collect something inherent to your area, such as locally made pottery. That makes it more valuable.

For the best prices, get off the beaten track and away from the city.

Local journalism is essential.

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