In many ways, I’m a big fan of the rapid pace of modern life. I enjoy getting as much done in a single day as possible and never like to drag my feet. There are some things that simply should not be rushed. A walk in the park, a Sunday drive, or a romantic dinner need to proceed at their own leisurely pace or else the effect is ruined. But more than any of these things, drinking tea requires a bit of time. It should be savored and enjoyed, not gulped down all at one go. A nice tea set, complete with an antique tea pot and decorative cups is essential.
I have been looking for the perfect antique teapot for about three years now. I used to get tea over at my grandmother’s house every weekend. She had a collection of antique teapots, coming from all over the world. She would usually use her antique china teapot, a delicate piece of craftsmanship covered with tiny flowers and other intricate designs. Since she passed on, I have been wanting an antique tea set of my very own. You see, there are many things that I miss about my grandmother and drinking tea at her house is near the top of the list. By drinking out of an antique teapot, I thought I could recapture some of the experience.
Finding the perfect antique teapot, took me a long time. None of the antique tea sets that I found quite worked. Some of them were actually fairly modern, cheaply painted in an imitation of an antiquated look. Other ones were in sorry shape, poorly maintained, chipped and fading. I knew that it had to be just right or else it wouldn’t really bring my grandmother back for me.
The one I found was absolutely perfect, quite similar to my grandmother’s favorite antique teapot. It was delicate, made out of China and an example of the finest workmanship. Although it was delicate and dainty, it was copious enough in volume to make several cups of tea, perfect for entertaining Saturday guests. It might sound strange to say, but every time I make a pot of tea in that tea pot antique, I can practically feel my grandmother there with me. Of course it isn’t quite the same as having her alive and in the room, but it is still quite a comfort now that she is gone.
Antique dolls are wonderful items to collect. They are charming and quite lovely, and they serve to bring out the kid in you. Antique dolls can also be a little confusing. You may find a really attractive item that is practically worthless. You may also find a worthless looking doll that is worth a fortune.
Pricing antique dolls is pretty complex. There are certain designs made by certain companies that take in a pretty penny while other models are not worth very much at all. I came upon this odd discovery by a fortunate accident when I tried to sell some old toys that were in my attic. I have a dear friend who is an honest, avid doll collector. She immediately grabbed on of the antique dolls and said that I needed to take the piece out of the yard sale. She practically passed out when she saw that I was selling the item for less than a dollar.
After the yard sale, she took the time to tell me that the ugly doll was worth a few hundred dollars. I had no idea that any vintage doll could yield that much money. As it turns out, many antique dolls are very rare and very desirable among collectors. These desirable antique dolls are pretty deceptive, though. Honestly, I had the notion of just tossing the item in the garbage but I figured that someone would want to fix it. Maybe some person who liked very old looking things would be at the sale, I figured. There was no way that I would price this doll over a dollar but as it turned out, she was worth much more.
Of course, I sold the doll and was more than happy to let the new owner feel complete in his purchase. He is a collector that has several antique dolls in his stock. Ironically, he doesn’t collect dolls in particular. This puzzled me but it also let me know how valuable some antique dolls really are.
Aside from my kind friend, I had no other way of knowing if I stumbled on another valuable find. I decided to research into what guides are available to help me determine which antique dolls are valuable and which are not. I found a handful of options.
The local book store is a great research facility but it can be pretty pricey especially if the book doesn’t contain information about the specific antique dolls you are seeking. The library is hit-and-miss, too, as well as time consuming. The Internet turned out to be the best resource for quickly determining which antique dolls are valuable and which are not. You can also sell your items online as well.
