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Newsletter
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SPRING EDITION 2013
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Greetings!
Spring in the Northwest is being ushered in with the usual number of rainy days and beautiful spring flowers. And as people do their spring cleaning, more garage and estate sales begin to take place and provides the opportunity to find some interesting things at reasonable prices.
We hope you're finding great things for your home or collections and look forward to seeing you in the summer at the Portland Show on July 13 & 14.
This edition of the Antique Connection includes an article that appeared in the Portland Tribune on March 23 all about the reality shows and how the dealers feel about them, a profile of one of our most interesting dealers and other news about collecting. Enjoy!
Chris Palmer
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 1,000-Year-Old Chinese Bowl Found At Garage Sale Fetches Over $2.2 Million At Auction
NEW YORK, March 19 (Reuters) - A 1,000-year-old Chinese bowl that was bought for a few dollars at a garage sale in New York state sold for more than $2.2 million at auction on Tuesday, March 19. Read More.... |
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Television shows capturing the hunt for timeless treasures are prime-time hits, but sometimes the programs aren't really based in reality, say the people in the real-life, everyday antiques business.
"For me, it's sort of like watching a train wreck, but you can't look away. It's horrible, and I hate the people on the shows," says Greg Weller, a longtime, semi-retired Portland antiques dealer. "They don't do us any good. They are more entertainment shows than they are reality," says Paul Vanderpool (pictured above), who for 34 years has owned The Raven in Portland's Sellwood neighborhood, specializing in military items. Dealers and treasure seekers recently gathered at the Portland Expo Center for the Antique and Collectible Show, billed as one of the largest such shows in the country. |
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Profiling of one of our dealers....
Back in 2008, Debi Burton began participating in our shows. From the beginning, she was hard to miss. Especially with the huge letters which spelled out her rather unusual business name,  Ormolulu. I had an opportunity to talk to her recently to ask her a few questions, the first of which was how did she come up with that name. First, I should mention that Debi and her partner Jim are two of the nicest dealers in the show. And again, this booth is hard to miss.
So back to Debi's business name. She defines Ormolulu as 'An abundant collage of vintage home and garden, extraordinary antiques &
 | | Debi Burton and Jim Blondeau |
quirky finds, topped with exceptional, repurposed lighting'.. Whew! But it does define who she is and what you'll see in her booth.
She's been in the business for nearly 30 years. Her passion was fueled by an interior design endeavor developed in Portland. Her love of traditional interiors was "shaken up" by combining rustic and flea market finds with one-of-a-kind antiques, which evolved into Ormolulu.
S he says  she came up with the name by taking the word "ormolu", which are bronze mounts found on elegant French furniture and adding "lu" to the end as a whimsical juxtaposition....similar to her unusual inventory.Her mate, Jim Blondeau, has enhanced Debi's zeal for the business by joining her as an integral creator of repurposing, reclaiming and reinventing original and functional pieces from works of art - to furniture - to lighting.
They live in Bellingham and are active on the show circuit, always bringing an amazing collection of fresh, inventive and exciting merchandise every time. You'll see them at our next show on July 13 & 14 in Hall E.
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Getting into the Antiques Industry
For the last couple of years, we have been offering information on how to get involved in this interesting industry with free one day seminars. They're a way to learn from the experts on what and where to buy, where to sell and all the tools you'll need to be in this business whether you're interested in part time or full time involvement. It's a fun way to make money and meet new people.
Our last seminar was held
on Sunday, April 21st in Portland
at the Courtyard by Marriott North Harbor
9:30 to 3:30
Our next one will be in late September 2013. If you would be interested in attending, please send us an email with your name and that you are requesting future seminar information as it becomes available.
The link below shows the schedule for our last seminar.
For the April schedule of topics and speakers, click here.... |
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The Portland July Expo
Two years after Don Wirfs started the Portland Expo Shows, he decided that a summer show would be a perfect addition. We could include an outside selling area as well as the  1,000 booths indoors. To be frank, the exhibitors were skeptical. Summer shows typically weren't overly successful. Because of some resistance, we reluctantly made the decision to leave the July show out of the loop when it came to holding a specific location. That was in 1984. Fast forward 29 years and the summer Expo has evolved into the largest and most interesting show on the schedule. Because many east coast exhibitors can't drive out to Portland in October or March, they make this their annual west coast road trip bringing with them unique things from the mid-west and east coast.
More information on the July Show...
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What's Hot in Collecting Today?
Things that are selling well at the moment have changed a lot in the past several years. Ask any dealer and they'll vouch for the need to stay on top of the trends. Decorative items are popular right now. Turn an old Army chest into a coffee table and the room becomes 'industrial chic'. Add a giant pie safe to the room and you've shown your design skills. This is not to say that the traditional items aren't selling. Vintage in general is hot right now. It's what you do with what you buy that seems to make the difference.
For example, I collect umbrellas from the turn of the century. The type with mother of pearl and gold filled handles. Fun to pick up, especially when you live in the rainy Northwest. When you display them in vintage umbrella stands or even the kind that were used in stores back in the day, they become relevant to your lifestyle while adding a touch of décor that is unique and so not Ikea-like.
Read the rest to find out What's Hot today.....
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Save a few bucks on admission at the July show!
Bring this coupon and take $2.00 off your regular $7.00 Sunday admission on July 14, 2013. |
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Offer Expires July 14, 2013. |
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