Birmingham Post - Business - Business News - Manufacturing & Skills - Fears for Wedgwood heritage if historic pieces are sold to fund pensions

Birmingham Post - Business - Business News - Manufacturing & Skills - Fears for Wedgwood heritage if historic pieces are sold to fund pensions

That's a big yikes. I have many fond memories of the Wedgwood museum on the Barlaston factory grounds. I can't fathom the collection being scattered to the four winds. What a mess! Although we have an inordinate number of Wedgwood Jasperware and Queensware in our inventory, I also consider the collection, beyond a resource for those who wish to add to their own personal collection, a good representation of 20th century achievements for the firm. I'm proud to have amassed it, and happy to be the guardian for future owners who recognize the history and beauty represented by the wares. There's NOTHING like Jasperware. Queensware was so named in honor of English royalty, for whom it was originally produced. It then became popular with us "common folk" and we each are able to have our hands on easily affordable pieces of history.

I hope that the Wedgwood museum has a fair and noble outcome.

eCrater still kicking!

Incredible, and a bit eerie, how when I stopped working in the store, sales online started to pick up. Not one to ignore a celestial dope slap to the forehead, I have been plodding along in adding items to the inventory there and padding out some of the categories.

Not to be outdone, our cat Psycho decided to get in on the action. Here's one of her special poses.

Activities

I've been using my down-time working on the paper jewelry, and just finished a large, bib-style necklace. I wore it out in public (I like to give each piece a trial run to see how it holds up to an entire day of wear, and whether it garners any reaction from peeps) and I think it scored a 10 out of 10. I have more to make before I would consider approaching any craft galleries or putting them online to sell.

I'm also slowing working through a pile of treasures to add to the website. I've had a couple of sales and it definitely helps, no question, to list several items a week to keep the Google attribute feeds current and fresh when the public does product searches.

The other rather major project I'm considering to learn is how to use a soldering iron in order to use my vast collection of real sea glass pieces, in order to incorporate them in to my jewelry pieces. It's more of an investment than I thought it would be, so I'm pondering. Me, commit to following through on an investment in myself? It's a tough one, and doesn't happen without a lot of angst!!

Packed up the last of it at Patty & Friends

It is worthy of a time for reflection, since it ALL came home with us. I'm now inspired to do some decoratin' at home with our treasures, since the start of the next season is so far away. (I've already started with more pictures on the walls, and I'm getting excited.)

The wheels turn in my itty bitty head.

To the season approaching and taking yet another new direction in how I set up the tables. One of my most favorite things to look at are home design magazines, with their varied color palettes and every changing themes. I know I can pull a few interesting tables together with the heaps and heaps of fascinating merchandise we'd amassed. And now I can see it ALL - no more of having the best stuff sitting in the store. I can get as creative as my brain allows.

Dinner out this evening, and on our paper tablecloth, I started a mini brainstorm of table display ideas. Then came home, did an internet search, and found a dearth of information. As rare as hens' teeth.

So I call that a challenge.

Dark time of the soul

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It's all change again

Nothing remains the same except for change, correct?

I'm no longer working at the antique store.

Bob and I will shortly be leaving there as dealers and have no current plans to go elsewhere. (Which swiftly led us to the "where are we going to PUT all of this stuff??" quiet panic, but not to worry - bins have been purchased and so have puppy training pads.)

We're going to concentrate on doing shows this next season, and I will ramp up the website, offering a wider selection of items. I also added the shipping option to include the United Kingdom, as our present inventory consists of items that were produced and distributed there. So now we're shipping to the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. Woo-hoo!

We're entertaining the possibility of becoming pickers for a few other dealers - I'll be starting out with one for now, and will see how the relationship develops.

I'm not at all put off retail for the future - but for now, I have some personal issues that take precedence.

A most amazing day

I'm pretty sure things like this don't happen very often in the world of antique shops. I'm certain of it, as a matter of fact. I'm rather bewildered at what transpired; pleased that I got to take part in it and happy, so happy, that it happened successfully with all parties pleased with the results.

(Now that I've got you wondering....)

Saturday at the shop a whirlwind arrived, in the persona of a shopper with the energy of a tornado, the passion of a woman in love with life, and the eye that knew exactly what she wanted.

Which was - the entire contents of a jewelry dealer's case.

Now, I can relate to falling in love with a beautiful piece of jewelry; a certain designer's collection; and even the way a particular dealer has merchandised their space to maximize the beauty and eye appeal of their offerings. I can totally relate to being presented with a lovingly prepared case and thinking to myself, "Wow, I would love to have *anything* from here - it all looks so good!" And then I would do a double take, pare down my expectations to one or maybe two pieces out of that case, sigh heavily, and say my tender goodbyes to the remainder of the contents as being beyond my reach, reasonably speaking.

But this force of nature was someone different. This passionate, exuberant individual just about threw her arms around the case (as best she could), and announced, "I want it all! I love every single piece that's in here, and I could never decide on one piece or another; I have to have it all!" I took in her enthusiasm, and said, "Really?" (pause.) "Are you interested in buying everything in here?"

"Absolutely." was the prompt reply.

And so started the odyssey of negotiating the sale of the entire contents of a jewelry dealer's case, minus the props and non-jewelry items. It was a hair-raising process for me; my blood pressure medication was tested for its effectiveness. There were times when the buyer had to be soothed at the magnitude of what we were going through - this was extraordinary for all of us involved.

Certainly there are times when dealers are known to sell off their inventory when they have decided to get out of the business or retire; this transaction, though, where a single, non-dealer purchaser has decided to acquire such an inventory, is not a common occurrence, if it ever happens at all.

But truly, it went rather smoothly. My anxiety-induced hysterics (hidden from most, especially on the job!) might have been necessary in the process for ME, but the transaction was completed within two days, leaving a very, very happy customer; a dealer who sees this as an opportunity to rebuild a collection with an almost clean slate; and a shop owner who is happy to have a significant sale during a time of year when such sales are certainly not expected.

I have also made a lovely new friend in this excited customer. Her enthusiasm is infectious; her spouse is charming and bemused, and they are, it turns out, neighbors of ours.

You simply never know what's going to happen when someone walks in the door of the shop, and that's what I love about it.