Transferware Staffordshire

21 May, 2005 in art pottery by admin

Transferware Staffordshire

In Search Of My "Holy Grail"

Collecting Collectibles and When is Enough, Enough

In The Beginning...

For over 40 years I have collected and my passion started with my mother who had an antique shop in our home. I collected boxes, copper items, snowglobes, African Art, Native American Art and most recently little spelter souvenir buildings.

If you are a collector, you are always a collector. Our collections may change with time and as we leave one collection in search of the next, we still have our eye in the rear view window looking for additions to the collections we left behind. But the age old question has always been, when is a collection complete and how do we know it.

As with every type of collection there is that one "holy grail", you know what I mean... that one piece that if found you could die tomorrow a "happy camper". My most recent holy grail was finding an authentic 1930's Chrysler Building souvenir. I could find all of the Empire States, Eiffel Towers and yes alot of repro World Trade Centers, but the epitome of art deco architecture, the Chrysler Building was NOT to be found. Ever antique shop, flea market, garage sale I went to I searched high and low in hopes that that little shiny silvery "spire" would be poking out from under the plastic dolls, broken Tonka trucks and soiled bed linens... but it was not to be. I tried eBay after seeing their TV ad showing hundreds of rare vintage Corvettes all on one street and I though I will surely find it there and again no luck. Well I basically gave up and realized the amount of time I was spending for something that had obviously alluded me for over 8 years was taking my bliss for the experience of being surrounded by some other pretty neat things.

I moved on, I started looking for 19C. Staffordshire Transferware pottery in mulberry and that had become my newest passion. I was particular, however, since I still had my fascination with architecture I wanted historic buildings and ruins with Oriental Asian or Greco Roman detailing. So far I haven't yet found my "holy grail" for this collection but with time I am sure it will raise its "ugly & delicious head".

Well years have passed since my Chrysler Building search and I had truly given up hope of ever having my own. I did see one in a home magazine featuring some celebrity not quite out of puberty and all I could think of was "did she really know what she had?" I truly doubted it.

In the end...

It has been twelve years since my search has been "on hold" for the elusive Chrysler Building and I go through each day thinking about other things like birdhouses, watercolors and more. This past week, a friend I have known for years called me and said to "watch my mailbox". Well taking her literally I have been running out to the box everytime the mail lady drives by and low and behold a small brown cardboard box arrived today. I opened it and you guessed it... there it was. Not only was it the exact Chrysler Building from the right timeframe in the right spelter material but stamped on its base in raised letters there it was "Chrysler Building 1930 The World's Tallest Building". Wow... not only was this the "holy Grail" but the Holy Grail tenfold as it was just 11 months later that the Empire State Building surpassed it in height.

Well there you have it ...my "Holy Grail" story has a happy ending and it is truly my hope that all of your "Holy Grail" hunts end as well.

About The Author and VBMShops:

VBMShops is the first of its kind and the beginning of a new and exciting concept and era in online marketing. Unlike all of the "cookie cutter- eBay want to be’s" VBMShops is a “Street of Shops” of auction and fixed price boutiques for antique, vintage and new merchandise of all kinds. Unlike any other site on the internet, VBMShops is comprised of specialty store boutiques and each boutique has a distinct attitude reminiscent of the fine boutiques found throughout the world. These boutiques will provide the seller and collector of rare and hard to find one of kind merchandise a place to shop and sell. VBMShops, as it grows will provide an amazing assortment of estate collectible and newer merchandise from every era and for every connoisseur. As a gift to the many wonderful sellers and buyers out there and knowing that times are tough, VBMShops is offering on any of the boutiques, FREE 60 DAYS OF UNLIMITED AUCTION OR FIXED PRICE LISTINGS so that you can try us out and see what a difference this Street of Shops concept can offer.

I am a 14 year veteran and Powerseller and buyer at eBay and I know what sellers and buyers are looking for and this is why VBMShops took flight. VBMShops is geared to meet the needs of the small boutique buyers and sellers of Vintage, Antique and Newer merchandise. These sellers and buyers have been forgotten in the new philosophical direction that eBay has adopted. Quite literally eBay has turned into a wholesaler like Kmart or Walmart, pushing tons of new cheaply foreign made things into the marketplace and “wanting to be all things to all people”. The small boutique buyer and seller are looking for more…they want a one of a kind selling and shopping experience from the convenience and comfort of their own home.

VBMShops has the “bones and body” of eBay but the “heart and soul” of a fine specialty store boutique, each having a qualified “shopkeeper” to share their expertise and trends that are occurring on the horizon.

The first three boutiques are opened and ready for sellers and buyers and include

Vintage Gems Emporium for antique, vintage and new fine and costume jewelry at www.vintagegemsemporium.com
Just4Collectibles for all types of new and used collectibles at www.just4collectibles.com
Art Antiques Galleria for fine art and estate furniture and accessories at www.artsantiquesgalleria.com

About the Author

cleaning staffordshire pottery?

what's the best method of cleaning staffordshire pottery? I have several transferware plates that have some minor to heavy staining/discoloration. I don't want to pay for a professional to clean them, if there is an easy way to do it myself. Any suggestions? And are there any websites on the subject that offer free advice on cleaning antique pottery?

http://www.pottery-english.com/Articles/Useful_Guides/The_care_of_pottery_and_china/

19th Century Transferware Collections : History of Transferware in the 19th Century