Pack Your Trunk for an Antique Road Trip

Before I report on my most recent antiques road trip, I have to tell you about a couple of ways you can have your things appraised.
First, on Mar. 28, at 1 p.m., I’ll be at the Cape May Lutheran Church on Pittsburgh Ave in Cape May for the benefit of the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (884-5404). There’s a donation of $10 for two items ($5 for members) and there will be light refreshments. There was a good turnout for this event last year and there are always interesting items brought in to be appraised.
If you can’t make that program, or if you find more things you’d like to know about, I’ll be at the Marketplace@Teaberry on Route 9 in Clermont (624-1700) April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The charge will also be $5 an item or free with a purchase. For refreshments, they have a really neat bistro on the premises. At each of these events, I’ll be available to answer any questions you may have. Hope to see you there.
If you attend either of those events, I guarantee that you will learn something new, which is what happens to me each time I take one of my antique road trip. The road trip is an important part of being an antique dealer. This is not a business of catalogues and manufacturer suggested retail prices. It’s important to get around and see what’s out there, what it looks and feels like, and how much it’s selling for.
Most recently I made the rounds of the shops, malls, thrifts and flea markets in South Florida, and I share some of what I saw in the photos with this column. I wish I had taken a better photo of the Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk I found. It was tagged at $33,000 and marked “sold.” The owner of the shop, Jonathan Daniels of Daniels on Las Olas Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale, told me he had sold it for $26,000 to someone in the U.K There were several others in his shop from $4,000 – $20,000.
Old steamer trunks have long been popularly collected. They look neat and provide good storage. People like to use them as a blanket chest at the end of a bed or as end tables. Most will sell in good condition for a couple of hundred dollars. Old Vuittons are as special as the new ones are today, however. I just couldn’t imagine that they were that special.
I was also surprised to see a market for old outboard motors. The $6,000 price I saw on a 1916 Evinrude was mostly due to its wonderful restoration job, which turned the motor into a work of art, complete with display stand.
I also learned a new term on this trip “Hollywood Regency.” You could also call it “Movie Star Modern.” It’s a glammed-up version of Mid-Century Modern, the high style décor of the 1930s through the 1950s. It’s whimsical, campy and fun, with lots of panache, and we can certainly more of that these days.
Antique road trips are educational and fun. They should be a regular part of your routine, especially at this time of year in the of-season, when things aren’t so hectic and dealers can talk with you. Road trips are a good way to learn about the things you own, as well as some things you might like to own. Make a day of it. Go with a special friend or a group of friends; there’s certainly no end to the conversation pieces.
Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, is the 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.