Vince – I’m flattered, and thanks for the additional link-up!

Henrietta – Thanks, hope the Guide helps you out! The trading card section is more standard than the other columns, but it’s still got a touch of “me” thrown into it as well

Karen – Not my area (talk to Vince!) but if you know what you’re doing and you’re more interested in living in your antiques than profiting off them I say do whatever pleases you. I know what you mean though, it’d be nice to do it in a way that preserves value (um, Vince?).

Thanks all for reading!

In this case… morning is breaking, and I don’t have much time, so…..

I’ll just note that we’ve now linked YOUR grading page on the bottom of our ephemera and books page on our site. Should anyone ask me about a “grade” for something we sell, I will refer to your grading page and shoot them back what I believe is a very truthful and conservative grade. AND I can point them right to a page that explains what it means.

Wonderful.
As the youngsters would say, Yo da man !@!@.

truly, thanks for the read and the grading info, loved it.
cheers.
Vince..

I buy because I want something and I like it. That said I will generally pass on things which are chipped or cracked, China is my passion, well one of them, as I like to be able to use them.

Thanks for sharing your grading guide. I have a number of Victorian trade cards bought in job lots for the one or two I wanted and this will help me describe them accurately for sale.

I’m an experienced collector — but I’m also a bottom feeder in the collecting world. It’s borne of necessity, sure; but (rationalization or not), I also view myself as saving what was actually used and enjoyed (as well as documenting & preserving for research).

Quite often, especially when it comes to ephemera like vintage magazines, you don’t know what’s really inside it and the low price (online or in person) will seduce me into buying it so that I can spend the time to really investigate it at home. The lower price means that I am not only less likely to be disappointed, but that I can grab more items to delight in.

Naturally I’d prefer as close to pristine as I can get (and missing pages or pages which have been clipped can be devastating!), but all things considered, part of the charm of any antique or vintage item is the fact that there are imperfections.

To those, like Karen, who worry about tomorrow’s value over today’s enjoyment, I say careful use and enjoyment only adds to the value. It’s not only your memories of using and enjoying something, but the memories your family has of using it — or your use of it. It’s what keeps things in the family. And that’s worth more to me than what my kids might one day get for it.

But I’m obviously dedicated to the worth and value of objects and see past the monetary and popularity — so I’m clearly biased.

Karen