Florida - There are so many different places on the Internet that one can go to when searching for that perfect retro, vintage or mid-century modern piece, but the reality of actually obtaining that piece is usually quite different when it's 350lbs, six feet high and located on the other side of the country. Enter attic-dc.com. A small start-up from Washington DC, by web designer and creator, Tarek Anandan, the premise was simple; offer local vintage, retro and mid-century modern pieces from local stores, under a local online umbrella - something you could drive to and pick up within a few blocks of your home. Sounds easy enough, after all that's what Craigslist is for, right? Well, actually no. The difference being that Anandan sourced the local antiques and decorative arts businesses himself - those that were close by, and those that also specialized in vintage, retro, and mid-century modern motifs. Anandan's impetus for the eclectic web site came about as a result of he and his partner searching far and wide on the weekends for a period-fit coffee table to add to their 1919 Wardman rowhouse near Columbia Heights. “We knew what we wanted, and we were picky,” says Anandan, who described their quest as “the potentially impossible blend of mid-century lines with a touch of deco flair, plus a drawer for remote controls.” While they entered the search with boundless optimism, the reality of the massive amounts of time being spent searching in vain began to take its toll, and frustration quickly set in. That's when the light went off, and Anandan realized the idea of a collective of local vintage and retro shops being rep'd online under one web site. Everything would be within shooting distance. The goal, according to Anandan, was to promote local businesses, make shopping easier, and to encourage the use of upcycled, and restored pieces. It seems to have worked. Two years on, and attic-dc.com is going strong, proving that there's always room for a new twist when it comes to the selling and marketing of the decorative arts. For students and graduates of the Institute, this tale of frustration-to-fix is a great example of how to harness a simple but original idea, while simultaneously putting it to use in one's own business. It doesn't have to be solely a mid-century modern or retro amalgamation of geographically paired businesses, but can literally be anything where an online collective is possible. If antique and vintage lighting is your thing, why not consider looking for local businesses within your regional footprint that might be interested in joining forces to create your own online "lighting collective?" For dealers and collectors, this simple idea could open up a wealth of business opportunities; potentially leading to increased sales, alliances and partnerships, along with greater general exposure to the buying public. All of which makes participating in one's "local collective" now, a far more attractive proposition than it used to be when Craigslist and others like them were the only game in town. - A.I.A. Staff Writers NOTE: For readers seeking more information about the Asheford Institute Of Antiques distance-learning program on professional-level appraising, the study of antiques, collectibles, vintage and mid-century modern items, please click here to visit the school's Home Page. (For readers seeking more information about the "Attic," you can visit their web site at: https://attic-dc.com/) Florida - It's been over seven years now since the reality show Storage Wars($) first appeared on television to huge fanfare - quickly becoming a giant network ratings bonanza for the A&E network. Since then, the cast of wacky "everyday" characters from buyers to auctioneers have become ingrained in the North American psyche, as they battle each other for the valuables contained in unpaid storage units. Over time, A&E's production team has managed to effectively showcase the highs and lows of buying site-unseen goods and chattels - giving viewers a real-time glimpse into the reality of trying to make money off of other people's discarded possessions. However, after seven years, the question for most regular buyers in the decorative arts business has become, "Can anyone hope to really profit from this type of buying anymore?" Sure, we've all seen or heard about the golden finds, like the three lads from England who pitched in $300.00 together on a last ditch storage unit, and ended up with seventeenth-century books, Georgian silver, and sixty year old French wine, but how common is this really? According to Colorado storage auctioneer Rich Schur, "The chances of finding a treasure are remote. "It's hard work," says Schur. "This is not a get-rich-quick scheme." In addition to this, a number of other auctioneer's in the business also noted the price being paid for storage units and the number of people attending storage auctions has dramatically increased over the years. Said, one buyer, "Before I could grab a unit for about three-hundred bucks, now I'm paying almost twelve-hundred." And, while a scenario like that may be good for the auctioneer's purse, it's not such good news for dealers looking for a way to stock up on their antiques and collectibles inventory. Even small storage unit sites in rural areas have become inundated with people hoping to make a fast buck with a quick turn-around on Craigslist or e-Bay, but the reality is quite different says Cleveland auctioneer Neal Grossman. "Buyers have 24 hours to dispose of their items - and failure to move them quickly means some buyers are forced to rent the lockers that they purchased." Grossman also indicated that many buyers often have more trouble than they expect when it comes time to unloading their merchandise on various online sites. "You have to be realistic," Grossman says, adding that many lockers contain household stuff "that no one wants." For many dealers in the antiques industry, storage units can seem like a tempting way to fill some gaps in inventory, and while that may remain true to some degree, it's still going to be a far less risky proposition to buy at a regular auction sale where the items can be "seen" first, rather than plunking down your inventory budget based on a hope and a prayer. As one buyer noted, "Even if I win the auction, and find some decent stuff, it's now costing me three-times what I used to pay just a couple years ago - but I can't charge three times the price!" - A.I.A. Staff Writers |
A.I.A. Staff
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December 2019
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