Rather than rush out shopping for RW ware without specific goals in mind, read through the sections below and see if you can save some of your valuable time and money. The details included should provide the novice with a good starting plan and might even have a hint or two for the old vet.
The best place to start shopping is probably at an owner operated antique store. Pick out one close to home, go to the store and ask for a local antique store guide. These brochures are usually prominently displayed and free. Take one home, and with the aid of a street map if necessary, plot out a route that allows you to shop for a few hours. If you are fortunate enough to have lots of stores nearby, mark the locations on the street map. Some metro areas have dozens of spots to shop for collectibles and once you mark the store locations on your map it saves time on subsequent outings.
When you first start looking you might want to call and ask if the store has RW collectibles. Usually if the owner of store is there you will get a definitive reply. If you call an antique mall or flea market at this stage you are likely to hear some vague response that is not helpful, pick stores where you know there is some RW.
Before starting on your search, be sure you have all the different RW price guides and collector books you can get your hands on, maybe borrow some in the beginning. Some public libraries have RW reference materials you can use.
With your maps and books in tow, set off for the stores where you know ahead of time you are going to find some RW and there will be someone working that knows the inventory. Ask to see the RW stock when you first walk in, don't waste time looking at several hundred, possibly thousands, of other items. What you want to do at this stage is to examine as many RW items as possible so you can get to know the patterns, markings, categories, feel, glazes and other unique characteristics. Carry a small notebook in which you can write down as much about the item(s) as possible. Most store owners will be happy to answer questions. Be sure to ask if the prices are firm, some establishments will negotiate. Also ask about the store return policy. Most collectibles are sold "as is" with "no returns".
After thanking the clerk for help provided, retire to your automobile, use your notebook and references to decide if you have enough information about the piece to decide if it is a good buy. Do this before you go to the next store. Repeat this visitation process, try not to buy much until you have looked through several stores.
In this learning stage it is best to leave the experts at home. Someone who can spot RW ware half-way across the store will only interfere with you at this point, you need to set your own pace.
In the beginning you may be surprised by the variety in the prices of exactly the same item from place to place. It is not unusual to find a range of several 100%. This is where your price guides are indispensable. Be sure to visit the Bargains area of the store, you might be shocked to know there are parts of the country where RW is not in really high demand.
If you are far enough along in your collectible decisions to concentrate on a special dinnerware pattern, artware line or stoneware type, it is possible to get the stores to call you. It is not uncommon for stores to keep a registry for potential customers of specific items or lines. If they don't have a Guest book ask the proprietor to add your name to the list if it exists, they usually call or drop you a note in the mail if something you might be interested in shows up. If you are a frequent purchaser you will soon be at the top of their notification list.
The next thing you might do to pick up some valuable information is to join you local and national RW collectors clubs and go to a meeting. It will probably be possible for you to meet someone there who would gladly show you their collection. Remember though, unless they have a generalized array of items, they will be quite biased regarding what is best to acquire. Try to visit with several club members.
Assuming you have visited the small stores in your area, acquired your collectors books and feel you know how to spot RW items on your own, the next type of store to visit is probably an antique mall. These places will also be listed in the antique guide you picked up before your first trip.
There are some major differences between an antique store and an antique mall. In a mall you usually find booths, areas from 50 square feet up, where vendors display their wares. The problem for the beginner is that the owner of the booth is seldom on hand to help you. The employees may not even have a booth in the store. Unless you are fortunate enough to live in an area with lots of RW ware the clerk behind the counter will have little idea if there is a piece of RW in the store. If you did your research as suggested earlier in this article you can use this kind of store to check your ability to spot potential RW collectibles. Start in the upscale malls and work your way down. You will soon learn the level of service that is important to you as a collector.
Many of the booths have locked cabinets to display small and expensive items. If you need to look at an item closely an employee will unlock the cabinet and get the item for you. Expect to examine it in their presence. If you decide to purchase the piece, have them carry it to the front desk where it will be stored until you finish your shopping. You might ask if that particular vendor gives a discount, sometimes there is a minimum purchase requirement, some won't budge. It is often possible to save a little money this way but since the owner is seldom present, the negotiation possibilities are much more limited than in an owner operated store.
Once you've made it through all the booths and go to the check-out to make your purchases, give everything one last thorough inspection before paying. Don't forget, most stores will not take returns.
If you find an item in a mall that is special but seems over- priced, ask if the vendor can be called with what you consider to be a reasonable offer while you are in the store. Be sure to consider the value of your time and expense of returning to pick up the item. If an immediate answer isn't available many malls keep an offer or bid list. If they call you to say your offer is accepted, do the ethical thing and go back and complete the transaction. This procedure is most often used on more expensive items.
Within a short while the time it takes you to go through even a giant mall will drop dramatically. You soon pass by the arts and crafts, beer advertising signs, toys and other barren sites with a momentary glance. There's probably RW just around the corner!
After spending time in stores and malls you may now be ready to try the flea markets. Unlike the earlier spots, you are more likely to be the expert in an outdoor flea market. Again, many booths can be bypassed with a cursory glance. The vendors here are more likely to have a true mix in their wares. Many of these folks purchase their stock at garage sales and auctions. Because of the nature of their stock moving the merchandise is the key to success. Buy low, sell as high as possible is their credo. This leaves much room for negotiation. If you are at a weekly, monthly, or perhaps yearly flea market the key is to move quickly, negotiate firmly and don't be afraid to walk away if you are in doubt.
Some flea markets are at permanent sites with booths similar to the antique malls. Some of the best bargains you find will be here but you usually have to pick through a lot of merchandise to find a keeper. Many antique dealers sell their low end merchandise at flea markets. Look for the lone cup, plate or incomplete set here.
You will have ample opportunity here to practice identifying chips, cracks, stains and other undesirable qualities for most collectibles. Remember a damaged piece should cost a maximum of 1/4 that of an identical undamaged piece, often much less.
The level of service here is usually much lower than in the stores mentioned earlier. A trained eye is a must, so maybe bring along that expert that has been wanting to go with you every since you started collecting.
The vendors must pay rent for their booth in the flea market and it is not uncommon for a permanent store to have a very high turnover in their renters. If you find a good piece at a good price in a flea market there is a good chance it will be gone if you wait an extended period of time to buy it.
For some reason it seems a lot of the merchandise in flea markets is dirty so take along a box of wet naps and wear clothing that you can stoop down in easily and peek at the bottom shelves. Some people even carry a small flashlight to spot those treasures hidden in the darker recesses of indoor markets.
The next place to look probably isn't listed in your antique guide, it would be the local thrift store for a charitable organization. The staff here is seldom trained to deal in collectibles in a meaningful way, don't depend on a phone call to check for availability of collectibles. Take your box of wet naps and poke through the shelves. It is hit and miss here, mostly miss. Usually if you do find something it will likely be priced lower than most other places. Some stores near upscale neighborhoods can be superb.
If you have some time during good weather, check out the local paper for garage sales. Get the Friday paper and using a local street map, mark out the best route for your quest. Eliminate those locations that offer mostly children's clothing and toys. Most people who have antiques and collectibles will mention it in the ad. Since the pottery closed in 1967 the folks most likely to have purchased new RW items had to have been around during that or an earlier time, think mature.
Speed is the key, don't waste your time looking at all the junk someone has cleaned out of their abode. If you don't see some artware, stoneware or dinnerware, hit the road! If you do find something there is usually room for negotiation. Remember, sentimental is not centimental, don't pay extra. Have lots of small bills and change with you to pay for your items. Writing checks takes too much time and this form of payment is often not welcome at garage sales.
Carry a sturdy box along with some paper or bubble wrap in your vehicle, most garage sales do not deliver, you will have to pack the treasures yourself. These treasures, besides the obvious, might include shelving for displays of your collection, napkins and tablecloths from the 40's, 50's and 60's for on the shelves and really inexpensive fake flowers to help with the finishing touch for your artware of the same era.
Some collectors even go so far as to develop an understanding with a category of garage-salers called pickers. These are informed folks who will bring you that RW instead of taking it to the local antique store. Some of this people, instead of cash, might accept a trade of one of your duplicates.
Don't throw that newspaper away after the garage sales, you might want to check out the classifieds under the antique/collectibles section. The success of this method of shopping depends a lot on how much RW is in your area. If you draw a circle around Red Wing, MN, with a radius of about 400 miles, most of the area outside of the circle is not densely populated with RW collectibles. Most of the early RW items were shipped by rail and boat, look at a good map and you can see where the likely markets were located.
The newspaper can be used to place a "wanted to buy" or "will trade" ad. Be wary of putting your address in print ads however, there is no sense in giving the local burglars any incentive to visit you.
There are also "trade papers" ranging from local to international that advertise only antiques and collectibles. Additionally, the two national newsletters devoted to RW accept ads. Usually you must pay for your items sight unseen and will have additional shipping and insurance costs. Some vendors have a return policy but you must pay the shipping and insurance for the return also.
Another way to shop from home, similar to newspaper ads, is to use the internet. The advantage here is that sometimes the ads include color pictures of the items for sale. You still have the shipping, insurance and return concerns. To get started, use your search engine to locate antique vendors that sell Red Wing items.
If you live in a metropolitan area it is common to find monthly collectors fairs. These are similar to indoor flea markets except the vendors are present. Prices are often negotiable. If the fair is held only once or twice a year plan to arrive early the first day so as not to miss the "must have" items. Often late during the last day vendors will mark down their prices to reduce their inventory. Some real bargains can be had during this time. Most dealers are locals so you might consider printing some business cards to hand out so they can call you if they find some special pieces for you between fairs.
Another similar collectible exhibition is the traveling antique show. Many of these vendors travel from city to city and have sales organized by brokers who specialize in trade shows. Because of the high overhead involved the goods can be pricey but often you can find hard to get pieces here.
Most people have access to local auction houses, these are another possible source for RW items. Call the auction house and have them place your name on the notification list. They usually send you a card notifying you of the time, date, and a brief list of items up for sale. Since they may have hundreds of small items every time it is best to go to the site during the auction preview, usually a couple hours before the actual sale.
One complaint auction goers have is that they often have to wait through several hours of sales before that one item of interest is placed on the block. You might talk to the auctioneer or helper to see if they can put the item you want up early in the sale.
You should be aware that auctions are one source of inventory for antique dealers. They are usually willing to pay the wholesale value of an item at auction. If there are no other collectors present that specialize in the item you want, you can often find a good buy. The best thing to do is determine the maximum price you will pay before the bidding starts and don't exceed it. Don't get caught up in the hyperbole of the auctioneer or a personal competition with another bidder.
Other auction types would be estate and farm sales. Here you also need time to look over the items ahead of time. Farm auctions in the mid-west seem to be a good place to find stoneware. Look for that crock, churn or jug with unusual markings. Having a one-of-a-kind piece is a dream of most collectors. The early stoneware pieces were often hand decorated and led to some unique markings.
If you would like to stir up a real hornet's nest, try this at your next family gathering. In the middle of dinner, casually announce that you would like grandma to give you that fabulous set of Bob White dinnerware on which she has served the meal. Next ask grandpa for his stoneware collection. This is especially effective if you are visiting the in-laws.
Every summer, in early July, the RWCS sponsors a convention in Red Wing, MN. All the shopping opportunities mentioned earlier are available at this several day gathering. There are street vendors, flea markets, antique stores and malls and several auctions devoted exclusively to RW items. Along with the business meetings, the society provides several educational seminars and displays of rare and unusual RW items. In addition, if you are a member of the RWCS, there is an opportunity to purchase the coveted RWCS commemorative.
Several thousand members usually attend. If you become a member you will find all the details in the newsletter published six times per year. The hotel accommodations are somewhat limited in number so most people make their reservations early.
Happy Hunting.