Summer break 2012

This past season was a bust, with Bob and I wondering just what to do in the future. Looking over our records, our income has been steadily dropping, even as we've diversified our offering. The local shows have frankly become pathetic, with several just a step away from a glorified flea market, but billed and recruited by promoters as Antique shows. Somewhere along the line the divide between the true junk for sale and the better quality but affordable pieces has turned into a chasm. What was reasonable has become overpriced, to be replaced by (dare I say) Chinese knockoffs and packages of athletic socks. It turns my stomach. I know my only future lies with the internet business, yet I am stuck in a quagmire of an overwhelming amount of inventory and where to start and how to keep track of it. I am encouraged lately by the internet sales, and to date haven't had a complaint that hasn't been easily resolved. It's a world apart from doing a show; just the physical effort is draining for both of us. I find it psychologically difficult to play "show and tell," negotiating great (really great!) prices on goods, only to have people say they are just looking and walk away. It's not a good market for a seller as far as face to face retailing goes, for us. I've been talking forever about putting more items on the website. Seems that any task that would benefit myself is destined to take a back seat, at least for this past, extremely stressful past year.

The image I chose for today is a Wedgwood Jasperware mini vase in a highly collectible sage green colour, produced in limited quantities and not every year. It features the familiar "Sacrifice" figures, the molds for the bas relief having been used for over 220 years. I like my history.