Items made for export during the Chinese Republic (1911-1949) are being rediscovered around the world for their high quality and affordable value
Here's my annual list of what I think folks will be looking for and finding in the antique shops this season.

1. Chinese Republic (1912-1949): Some pieces will be marked "China" or "Made in China." Even the new Chinese middle class has found new respect for the quality of the items from this period. Many pieces were warehoused during the Sino-American diplomatic freeze after the communists chased the republic over to Taiwan. Then, they burst on the scene with the Detente of the 1970s.

2. Americana: All things American are internationally collectible. There is tremendous interest in American country accessories, especially "primitive" (handmade) items. Look for treen (carved wood), fractors (hand painted documents), maps, quilts, samplers, pottery, crockery, kitchen implements, tools, nautical items, anything that suggests this country's earlier hard-working roots.

3. Modernism (1919-1969): Call it Bauhaus, Art Deco, 1940's Moderne, or Biomorphic Fifties , or even Doo-wop. It's futuristic and optimistic, and rarely a week goes by without some magazine or newspaper featuring an article about the return of some retro style.

4. Religious Items: Whatever the reason for it - devotional, scholarly or aesthetic - this is a trend that explores all religions, from mainstream to tribal. Look mostly for statuary, artwork, but also for ecclesiastical and liturgical items like candlesticks, vases, incense burners, textiles, etc.

5. Mid-Century High Style (1945-1965): For who weren't doing Modern 50 years ago, this was the high quality, in-your-face traditional style in furniture, fashion and jewelry. Think Stork Club, El Morocco, Gi-Gi and American in Paris. Look for estate jewelry from when gold was $32 an ounce by law, and lots of that stunning Empire and Louis-the-whatever furniture sometimes called "decorator French.

6. Books and Writing: Any first edition is sought after, especially American authors. Also look for high quality gilt and leather bindings, miniature books, children's books, cook books, and books with famous illustrators. Original jackets are a plus. Collectors also want writing-related items -- desks and desk sets, inkwells, pens, bookends and paperweights.

7. Artful Metals (1870s-1930s): The rise in the value of precious metals has collectors looking at all metals - bronze, copper, tin, cast and wrought iron, etc., especially when they are artfully crafted. Look for doorstops, door knockers, cloisonne, champleve, tole.

8. Architectural and Garden: Old wrought and cast iron is particularly popular now -- fences, gates, pickets, plant stands. Creative decorators are finding new uses for porch columns, garden statuary, jardinieres, cement urns, doorknobs, gingerbread, newell posts, barnsiding, old furniture ormolu and applied wood decoration. It's an upside-down world. What was once outside is inside and vice-versa.

9. American Pottery: Collector are really noticing the really stylish designs of ceramics made in California during this period. Look out too for the neat design put out by some companies you may not have considered - Camark, RumRill, Abingdon, Gonder, et al. Still relatively inexpensive, these are some of the best buys on the market.

10. Depression Glass: Now that the craze has quieted down and prices have leveled off, collectors are tiptoing back to this once volatile field. The demand for color has given it a boost. Look for interest to expand beyond the regular patterns and colors to things like Fire King Tulip and Peach Luster and refrigerator dishes.

The season gets into full swing at the Avalon Show in Community Hall at 30th Street and the Beach this Saturday (May 28). I'll be there to appraise whatever you bring in from 10 am to 2 pm. Hope to see you there.

And a very happy season of antiquing for everyone!

Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, a BCADA member, author of "The Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things," and co-owner of the August Farmhouse Antiques on Route 9 in Swainton. Send your comments, questions and appraisal requests to aschwerdt@cmcherald.com

On a recent visit to Belgium to welcome a new addition to the family, I once again had the opportunity to shop the Tongeren antique and flea market. For 30 plus years, the ancient town of Tongeren has been the place to be on Sunday mornings, year round, rain or shine.

Tongeren is the oldest town in Belgium. It was once under Roman rule and local excavations have produced many artifacts from that time. Remnants of an old town wall still exist and the cathedral is impressive and has been the site of recent archeological work.

While the market opens at 6 a.m., be prepared to bring a light as the sun doesn't come up until after 8 a.m. in the winter months. Exhibitors set up both indoors at Julianius and outside along the city wall. There are also many permanent antique shops open for the day. Buyers and vendors come from neighboring Holland, Germany, and France, and visitors come from as far as the UK and America. Most vendors speak some English and bargaining is a must. Bring your Euros, a note pad to write offers, and a bag to carry your treasures. A few vendors will negotiate for dollars.

Americans were out in force as it was the only day that week that it had not rained. A couple from our south was in search of unusual items for the garden such as iron work and water cans. Another woman was purchasing wooden butter molds and a lovely coffee grinder that I also had my eyes on.

For myself, I didn't purchase that day. I found prices too high. One of my favorite vendors from France could not come down far enough on two pieces of 1890s French faïence to leave room for resale. I found two fabulous foldouts, one a valentine and the other a baptism card. At over $65 each I walked away.

But the day was not without a find. I discovered a shop that friends of friends own. Bargaining will be easier there. I can't wait to visit again soon, and as the family is adding another baby before year end, it may be sooner than later.

As an Antique Dealer, there are times you get more merchandise than you really want. This happens when you attend an auction and they place various items on what is referred to as a tray lot or box lot. You may only want one item in a particular lot and the auction house does not want to break out that one item. Then you may become the winning bidder and have all these items that you cannot sell at an antique show because the quality or value of the item is not worthwhile. Where do you go to unload these unwanted extra items? You could give them away, or another avenue is selling them at your local flea market. This is how my story begins where I met a very eccentric, funny, knowledgeable, irreverent flea marketeer named Ken Friedman (photo below) who was in this business for over 35 years.

There are many interesting flea markets in the Bucks County area. One of the good ones is the Golden Nugget flea market in Lambertville, NJ, just across the bridge from New Hope. You can find many quality items there especially during the spring and fall. This is when you will find the largest number of dealers, however parking is at a premium.

Like most Flea Marketeers, Kenny would sell anything where he felt he could make a profit, regardless of age or high value. This would include reproductions which is a cardinal sin among reputable Antiques Dealers. If there is a market for it, Ken would sell it as long as it's legal. Kenny would sell antique artwork right next to baseball cards from the 1990's. Vintage watches, primitives, 19th century porcelain, swords, old keys, cut glass, old coins would be alongside new Boy Scout patches, Hess trucks, reference books, and playing cards. It was usually quite the ensemble of merchandise. Ken would sometimes set aside special items for particular people with nicknames he had for them like Joe the 'lighter' guy, Ray the 'watch' man, the 'Bird' guy, the 'Rock' king, Mike the 'postcard' guy, Joe the 'jewelry' guy, and so on. When he would see them, there was usually a transaction. These were sometimes Kenny's best sales of the day. Ken was always in the hunt for these people and they very much appreciated it. When Kenny's old noisy green van would pull up to his usual space at the market, there would be a flock of patrons ready to see what gems he may have brought with him. Many reputable antique dealers were his friend because he found the inventory they wanted including the late Lynn Trusdell who dealt in Native American antiques and was a member of the Bucks County Antiques Dealers Association.

If a flea marketeer did not bring food or drink with them, they tended to eat at the local luncheonette connected to that market which is not always the best quality food. For Ken, convenience always beat out healthy food. In addition to his poor dietary habits, he had a five-pack-a-day cigarette habit. Almost everyone he knew told him to quit. Although he was not a pillar of health, Ken was no different than most people who grew up in the 1950's and early 1960's where smoking was a part of life. My two young daughters would always plead to Ken to please stop smoking. The most he would do is not smoke in front of them. Ken never had children but doted on many of his friend's children. He really liked kids or at least well-behaved ones. He would always remember my daughters birthdays and at Christmas. This was his way with all his friends and there were many.

For over ten years, I would often set up next to Ken with items I was trying to unload which tended to be merchandise not worthy of a show or good items that had been sitting for too long. He and I shared knowledge with each other about various kinds of merchandise. Attending Syracuse University as an English major and later living in Paris during the late 1960's, he was well read in art and literature. It was sort of a learning experience for both of us. We helped each other with sales, researching, and would watch over each other's tables for security. Like any kind of retail environment, shop-lifting did sometimes occur. There was a code Ken utilized if he thought someone was a shoplifter. He would shout out "Take care of your paying customers". This would alert me as Ken would nod in the direction of the suspect. Once they left the area, Ken would utter some expletives and hoped they would never return. Once on a very bustling morning with many patrons, someone stole a loose roll of Morgan silver dollars in front of him. He was upset with himself the rest of the day and later considered it to be part of the business when selling at a flea market. This is really no different than working inside a store.

There are many humorous stories over these years and one of my favorites at the Golden Nugget flea market happened during a crisp autumn morning. An elderly man walked toward Ken and asked him in almost a southern accent, "How much for the hollers?" Ken asked him to repeat himself several times because he couldn't understand what he meant, but the old man said it the same way over and over. Ken and I, at this point, were trying not to laugh. Kindly, Ken walked around his table toward the man and placed his arm around his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry buddy. I just don't understand what you're saying. Can you point at it"? The man placed his hand on boxes of Hess trucks. The strange accented man meant to say 'Haulers' as in trucks! Ken asked him if he was from way down South. The old man said "Yes, Cherry Hill". At this point, I laughed so hard, tears were coming down my cheek.

At flea markets, people tend to expect to get better prices than they could at an antiques show. One cold morning, a customer looked at Ken's telescope for sale that was marked for $60. He asked Ken "would you take $10?" Ken stared at the man for it seemed like a long time and finally asked him "where are you from?" The man was taken aback by the question and left without answering. Now, if a customer is serious about purchasing an item, you don't haggle with the dealer by starting at less than 20% of their asking price. The dealer will never bargain down. When the guy left, Ken had some new twists on expletives I had never heard before.

There is much physical work for the Flea Marketeer who sets up at several different markets per week in extremely cold weather and extremely hot in the summer months. Ken fit into this category where he would sell at three different markets over the course of four or more days per week. This can take years off your life working in this kind of environment. In some cases, these flea marketeers need to work or they don't pay their bills. This is a tough life for some and it's usually displayed in their weathered faces.

This hard life caught up with Ken when he suffered a massive heart attack in December 2009, needing by-pass surgery after years of chain-smoking and poor eating habits. No one was surprised including Ken. Only 25% of his heart was functioning. After a month of therapy, he was able to get around but was no longer the fixture at the flea market. He sadly told me that he could 'no longer be a player'. While continuing to go to some local auctions, he would buy some items for special customers. Ken was never the same after this. I still spoke with him frequently. Usually we would playfully joust about who was the better team, my Phillies or his 'great Mets' as he would call them.

On November 26, 2010, at age 68, Ken Friedman died from pancreatic cancer that he just learned he had only two weeks previously. Ken was a funny, irreverent, kind person with many friends who cared about him including his girlfriend, Brenda, and his brother, Mark.

Ken was always quick to respond if we were going to meet at some really choice auction, "I will be there with bells on!" I miss my friend and I believe the bells are ringing where he is now.

William D'Anjolell has been an Antiques Dealer for over 20 years and a certified Personal Property Appraiser for over ten years. He is currently the President of the Bucks County Antiques Dealers Association. Visit at www.BCADAPA.org

FOR YEARS, the distinctive swords covered in this article have variously been identified as “infantry hangers,” “mounted or foot artillery swords” and “non-commissioned officers swords.” These non-specific labels have resulted in confusion about their true identification and dating. This article will demonstrate that these swords have an association with the United States Marines and will illustrate and describe the known types.

The reason why we can now tie these swords to the Marines is because of a stroke of good luck. A number of years ago, noted antique arms author Norman Flayderman acquired some papers and work drawings of the Horstmann Company of Philadelphia — one of the foremost makers of American swords during the 19th century. These papers included drawings
of enlistedmen’s swords, dated Sept. 1851, which show sword types labeled “Marine Musician,” “Marine Music Boy” and “Marine Sergeant Sword.” What makes this especially exciting is that groups of swords survive today that conform quite closely to the types illustrated in those drawings.

A fourth drawing, also dated 1851 and labeled “Marine Officer,” was also included. And sure enough, the “Marine Officer” sword illustrated in this drawing is quite similar to the pattern presently in use by the Marine Corps. It is not known what motivated the production of these drawings, who did them or why they are identified as “Marine.” Many of the swords that we have found conforming to these patterns were clearly made well before 1851. So we have a bit of an enigma on our hands. But regardless of whatever questions we may have about the original intent of the drawings, they clearly indicate the actual use (or, at the very least, the consideration) of these patterns by the United States Marines. Perhaps the drawings are illustrating a pattern that had already been in use by the Marines for quite some time...or maybe the Marines were thinking about standardizing upon a well-established pattern of sword with a long service history...we just don’t know. Without swords of these patterns having firm Marine provenance, there is a limit to how much we can hope to learn.

There are, however, some tempting hints. In McClellan’s Uniforms of the American Marines 1775–1929 (p. 62), Sergeants and Music’s swords are discussed but not described...(MORE...see below)

(Click Here for first part of article with photos...Click Here for continuation of article with more photos)

People always ask me what kinds of items are selling in the antiques business. There are various items selling to collectors, gift buyers, and the occasional antique purchasers. One of the items I sell currently is George Washington memorabilia. George is still the most popular president, ever. He is the father of our country, leader of our first army, and our beloved first president. He did not, however, chop down a cherry tree. This folklore myth helped teach young students to never tell a lie.

Today, George is selling better than ever. This includes not only real autograph signed personal letters, that are very expensive but even more so - those much less expensive treasures.

These items with his picture, name or likeness range from the 19th century to the early 20th century including lithographs and paintings of George with or without Martha, military, police department, fire department, and political ribbons. Flags, banners, quilts, and other textiles including re-election posters of other politicians that include Washington’s face sterling or silver-plate utensils, silverware, souvenir spoons, and jewelry are popular. Glass bottles, decanters, and tumblers; ceramic mugs, figurines, souvenir plates, vases, andirons, metal urns, and clocks are desirable.

Numismatists have coveted the new Washington quarters with the flipside being all of the 50 states, five different quarters per year, dating from 1999 to 2008. These are popular among coin collectors in proof sets, as well as, uncirculated editions.

Most major ceramic manufacturers created merchandise with George Washington’s picture but they vary in price. For example, a 1910 Rowland and Marsellus English Staffordshire ten inch souvenir plate depicting Washington crossing the Delaware will sell for $100. However, a 1920 Salem China company ten inch George Washington souvenir plate will sell for $10. It’s not the ten year difference in age that makes the price vary between the two, but rather the quality and beauty by the earlier English company that makes it more superior.

Differences in art for example, a 19th century small framed silhouette of George Washington can cost $300, while a much larger lithograph of George’s face, circa 1932, may only cost $100. In this case, the difference in value is the rarity of the silhouette.

The year 1932 was big for George because it was the 200th anniversary of his birth year. Many companies made souvenir items in praise of George. It was also the first year of the U.S. Washington quarter.

True collectors of George Washington items tend to gravitate to the much older items. However, I have found that Interior Designers, who are employed by owners of country-style homes, inns, or restaurants, could care less about age but rather the condition, the size, and the color are the most important criteria for their project.

If George Washington were alive today, I think he would be most flattered and humbled by this decorating and collecting phenomena.

Bill D’Anjolell
Imagine Antiques and Appraisals
Newtown, PA
215-860-5211
Membership Chair, Bucks County Antiques Dealers Association
www.BCADAPA.org