When it's time for a move to a retirement home, a smaller home, or there's a death in the family, how should you manage a lifetime of family heirlooms and cherished possessions? Should that old chest go to the rummage sale, or is it a rare antique? What about jewelry, coins, stamp collections, china, silver, glass, memorabilia, baseball cards and toys? Are they valuable? How can we tell? Who will buy them? What are they really worth? This book is your key to finding the value of everything from diamonds to Teddy Bears, as well as tips about estate planning and appraisals. Find out all about: *the hottest collectibles markets and why some items skyrocket in price *how experts spot a valuable antique *where to get information used by professionals *selling at auctions, estate sales, and on eBay
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Before embarking on a career as a financial advisor, author Susannah Ryder sold fine art and antiques. But when she became executor of a family estate, she found she needed advice about what to keep, what and where to sell, and how to find information. Ryder shares what she learned about estate sales, dealers, auctions and more in "Don't Call the Thrift Shop." Topics include estate planning, appraisals, jewelry, rare coins, books and other collectibles. -- The Numismatist, May 2007
Financial advisor Susannah Ryder shares her experience as executor of a family estate and offers advice about what to do with jewelry, coins, stamp collections, china, silver, glass, baseball cards... all manner of family heirlooms. Learn about auctions and hot collectibles markets, from diamonds to teddy bears, along with tips about appraisals and estate planning. -- Antiques and Collecting Magazine, May 2007
Find Its Value
Financial advisor Susannah Ryder shares her experience as executor of a family estate and offers advice about what to do with jewelry, coins, stamp collections, china, silver, glass, baseball cards... all manner of family heirlooms. Learn about auctions and hot collectibles markets, from diamonds to teddy bears, along with tips about appraisals and estate planning. -- Antiques and Collecting Magazine, May 2007
Find Its Value
Moving to a smaller home or sorting through family heirlooms? Author Susannah Ryder hopes to simplify the process with her new book, "Don't Call the Thrift Shop." The book offers legal, financial and organizational tips to help readers identify and manage hidden treasures. Separate chapters cover furniture, rare coins, books, dolls, comic books,rugs and vintage fashions. A chapter titled "Selling on eBay" walks newcomers through the process. -- Los Angeles Daily News, April 14, 2007
The problem with books about collectibles is the market is so volatile that many of the trends identified by a writer can change by the time the book gets to press. Ryder avoids that pitfall by focusing less on individual items and more on the big picture, with practical advice on managing your estate and keeping inventories of pieces that have been passed down through families.
She also explains many of the terms, such as "provenance," used in the marketing of old items, and gives short primers on how to identify whether an item such as a piece of jewelry or an old armoire is authentic or imitation, of good quality or inexpensive materials. -- Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, April 21, 2007
From the Author
"There are true stories in the book about people whose lives have been changed by experiences with collections or by a special object they have inherited from a family member. Nothing can make up for the loss of loved ones, but sometimes a memory can be made stronger through appreciation of favorite things they may leave us.
"Antiques are also important to our history and heritage. We can keep some of our past alive by appreciating the art and craftsmanship of an earlier era. There is so much to learn and enjoy about collectibles. It would take many hundreds of books to cover it all. I have enjoyed the opportunity to share what I have learned, and perhaps open some doors to learn more!"
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Helpful book on organizing and selling possessions,
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This review is from: Don't Call the Thrift Shop: What to Do With a Lifetime of Well-Loved Possessions (Paperback)
Being an eBay Trading Assistant, I have been called upon to help people deal with evaluating and selling their possessions, whether it is to provide the client with much-needed extra income or just to sift through and reduce an inherited house full of items. This book condenses some of what I do (plus much more) into an easy to understand primer. It offers such advice as when to get an appraisal, how to clean ceramics and most important, where to sell or donate your items. Further, the author defines terms the average person may have heard of but never fully understood such as "provenance" and describes "grading" and the difference between pottery and porcelain. Perhaps the most useful information in this book is where to find information on your items, such as price guides and of course, the Internet. Many websites are provided. The book is written in a chatty conversational style and individual chapters are devoted to Furniture, Jewelry, Books, Coins, etc. I enjoyed the "Antiques Roadhouse" type of stories of discoveries of unknown valuables such as a Patek Philippe watch discovered in a bulk gold purchase. Although this book will help a layman identify different types of furniture, jewelry or glassware, it is meant as a starting reference point to show you where to get more in depth information. I think this book would be especially helpful to eBay sellers who dabble in a lot of different areas.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must-Have Estate Planning Guide for Pack Rats,
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This review is from: Don't Call the Thrift Shop: What to Do With a Lifetime of Well-Loved Possessions (Paperback)
Anyone who has a lot of "stuff" needs this book, to read and to pass on to their family to use when the need arises to dispose of the accumulation.
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