Pick for Profit

Photography can be one of the most fascinating (and overlooked!) areas of antiques and collectibles. In this episode, we explore the WWII-era Yank magazine and its incredible photography, artwork, pin-ups, and firsthand glimpse into military life before diving into the history of collectible photography, including daguerreotypes, tintypes, cabinet cards, albumen prints, Kodak snapshots, and vintag...

Digging into our podcast analytics, we discovered that ephemera is one of our top-two downloaded episodes of all time! Since there’s clearly a lot of interest in vintage ephemera (and because we think American illustration just might be ready to explode, thanks in part to the opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art), we’re digging into a box of ephemera we’ve had forever and have been walking...

Fall isn't just one season for antiques and collectibles sellers—it's a collision of seasons, and that's creating all sorts of opportunities across Etsy and eBay right now. In this episode, we're digging into what's trending in John's shops as summer gives way to fall, from Native pottery and vintage pottery in warm autumn neutrals to brown dripware, floral ceramics, leather handbags, vintage coat...

Anyone who lived through the '80s knows there were a TON of really fun pop culture moments. And yep, they're coming back in a big way. Think: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, E.T., The Goonies, Transformers, Gremlins, Thundercats, Jem, Barbie and the Rockers, and other 1980s toys and movie memorabilia to lunch boxes, posters, VHS tapes, vinyl records, cassette tapes, arc...

You never stop learning as an antiques and collectibles dealer, and this summer has been proof of that for us. We've mentioned the embarrassment of garage-sale riches this summer, and recently, the questions we've been receiving have all circled around: What was the biggest surprise? Biggest discovery? What'd you learn? We're revealing three aha! moments from this summer: Twin Winton pottery (and...

What makes an antique or collectible valuable? Sometimes, it’s not the object itself; it’s what the object is made of! In this episode, we explore how materials can drive collector demand, value, and sales, from glowing uranium glass and Fiesta red to Bakelite, celluloid, Lucite, ivory, sterling silver, pewter, wood, leather, silk, and unusual vintage fabrics. We discuss how to identify collectibl...

Back-to-school season is a great time for antiques and collectibles sellers to rethink what they’re putting in front of shoppers. In this episode, we look at vintage school supplies, antique desks, globes, maps, textbooks, typewriters, yearbooks, letterman jackets, caps and gowns, and nostalgic classroom collectibles. We're also witnessing a growing interest in analog desk and office accessories,...

You’ve researched your antique or collectible. Checked for price comps. Taken some great photos. At this point, the description can feel almost like an unnecessary hassle...in reality, it's anything but! In this episode, we're digging deep into what to include in online listings for vintage clothing, coins, books, electronics, even musical instruments and lamps. The most surprising details can act...

Think the world of automobile collectibles is all about gas pumps and petroliana? Think again. In this episode, we explore some of the less-thought-of automotive collectibles. Did you know some car manufacturers sold their own tools? That license plates were once made of enamel? Or that you can find figural hood ornaments made by glass manufacturers? Get behind the wheel and take a leisurely drive...

We realize this is a total Cadillac problem: John has so much inventory from insanely good garage sales that it's become something of a management issue. In this episode, we're breaking down how to handle a flood when it happens (and how to manage or prepare for dry spells). In this business, it seems like it's always one or the other. Here, we're breaking down John's inventory system, revisiting...

We promised a linen-specific episode, but as we planned for it, we realized we wanted to hit something far broader: home goods. On this episode, we share a real garage sale find and explain why you should always pick up hardware. (Our $4 bag of mid-century cabinet pulls will turn into HUNDREDS of dollars in profit!) We also picked up some vintage brass sash chain with surprising profit potential....

In this episode, we're tackling a question sent in by one of our listeners: how do you ship antiques and art overseas? We're breaking down what we learned about freight forwarding (yep, they know how to handle customs paperwork, shipment consolidation, etc.), and we also discuss a pleasant surprise that we found by simply getting a little outside of our usual garage sale budget. We'll share why th...

Some antiques and collectibles sell in minutes. Others sit for months (or longer)! In this episode, we're taking you behind the scenes as John updates several real listings to show exactly how he approaches slow-moving inventory. From a graniteware biggin coffee pot and a rare Lislet humidor to transferware pottery, vintage NFL jerseys, and a Czech ceramic cream pitcher, we break down the changes...

If you've ever wondered why one vintage item sells in minutes while another takes years, this episode is for you. We're talking about the "fast nickels, slow dimes" philosophy of selling antiques and collectibles, with real-world examples from John's own shop: a Nintendo console that disappeared almost instantly, a Coca-Cola cooler, Jeep grille, and vintage patches that sold within hours, and Roya...

We're heading back to the heart of Europe in this second Shop the World episode as we explore the antiques and collectibles we commonly encounter at estate sales, thrift stores, auctions, and flea markets. Learn how to recognize Czech glass, Bohemian crystal, and Bavarian porcelain, discover the clues that separate Bohemian glass from Murano, and hear practical tips for how we (as newbies) are eva...

John keeps hearing from fellow sellers that they're having a tough time finding inventory this summer. In this episode, we share a few simple sourcing tips (including what we mean by always keeping your "antenna up"), and take you along on another real-world picking trip. This time, it's a couple of garage sales just a short walk from our house. During this trip, we bought: automotive items, barwa...

Summer is one of the best seasons for antique and collectible sellers (hello, garage sales!), and in this episode, we explore what John has been finding—and selling quickly—right now. That includes everything from vintage picnic items (he had especially good luck with a vintage Coca-Cola cooler) to a specific Tupperware piece you should always keep an eye out for. We also discuss the fishing colle...

What antiques and collectibles are shoppers favoriting right now? In this episode, John breaks down the most-favorited items currently in his Etsy and eBay stores. We also revisit an experiment from a recent pottery episode, where we compared two pottery lots (one higher-priced stoneware group and one lower-priced Nippon lot) to see what's attracting favorites and what's actually beginning to sell...

Want to spot valuable antiques and collectibles from around the world? In this episode, we explore commonly found Japanese ceramics markings, including Noritake, Nippon, and Occupied Japan; we also talk a bit about the always-popular head vases. We then head to England to explore what are currently great selling trends at John's shop: transferware, Blue Willow, and Flow Blue pottery. When we jet t...

If you're taking a Route 66-inspired summer road trip (and buying antiques and collectibles along the way), this is exactly the kind of stuff you can buy AND sell. In fact, we've been selling these items steadily for decades. Everything from worn enamelware and European laundry sets to crocks, quilts, kerosene lamps, farm tools, and architectural salvage. We talk about how to spot authentic old en...

In last week's garage sale episode, we talked about a lot of Pokémon cards purchased for $5 with a potential profit of over $300. We got so many questions about buying lots that we decided to turn it into an entire episode. Here, we're breaking down our process of buying lots, revealing which have yielded the very best (and sometimes surprising) profits: from vintage thimbles, sports memorabilia,...

Anyone new to buying and selling antiques and collectibles can walk into a garage sale and think, “There is no way I can ever make money on old sneakers and used kids’ toys.” In this episode, we answer your questions about how to shop garage sales by taking you through a recent shopping trip where small, inexpensive finds (Pokémon cards and Depression Glass to vintage kitchenware, Carnival Glass,...

Technically, the World's Fair still exists...but it's not the event to Americans it once was. In this episode, we explore how historic World’s Fairs (from the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition and the 1904 St. Louis Louisiana Purchase Exposition to the 1933-34 Century of Progress and the 1964 New York World’s Fair) shaped culture and modern life, introducing electricity, the Ferris Wheel,...

In this, the 52nd (!) episode of Pick for Profit, we're marking one full year online. And this episode is all about the stuff we once walked around at estate or garage sales: vintage souvenirs. Yes, these items are in fact sellable. We take a tour here through buying and selling vintage souvenirs, travel memorabilia, and antique ephemera. We highlight items we've been surprised can sell, everythin...

We're diving into pottery using recent buying stories! Here, we break down some basic pottery terminology (ceramics, porcelain, stoneware, salt glaze) to help you identify what you're looking at while shopping estate or garage sales. We also discuss why we bought some inexpensive vintage pottery books and drop a few excellent pottery names you can be on the lookout for yourself: Shawnee, Roseville...