Yard sale items ready for the big day.

Lori Verderame on Google+

Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, Dr. Lori hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery channel. Visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori, Lori Verderame on Google+ or call (888) 431-1010.
By Lori Verderame
Venus …

Lladro: The Spanish Collectible

How to Preserve That Antique

How to Preserve That Antique

How to Preserve That Antique

How to Preserve That Antique

Every one of us has at some point found ourselves with an old bottle in our hands — some older than others. I get questions about how to tell a valuable bottle from a cheap one all the time. I wrote this article based on a cautionary tale that I heard recently.

Lori Verderame on Google+

Dr. Lori
Star Appraiser on the hit TV show Auction Kings on Discovery Channel.
Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori presents appraisal events nationwide. Watch Dr. Lori appraise antiques on Discovery’s …

The history of cookie jars is as diverse and extensive as cookies themselves. Just like nilla wafers, fig newtons, and oreos, cookie jars come in a wide array of shapes, colors, and sizes.

Sometimes you can teach an old dog a new trick. In this instance, I am the old dog. After years of working in museums and trying to light a fine work of art or an antique in the most flattering and least damaging way,

Crystal dish by the French collectibles firm, Lalique.

When it comes to glassware, most people think that the best way to spot quality is to “ting” a glass and listen. If you educate your eyes to spot a high quality piece of crystal, you can give your ears the day off. Why?

Big Stories of Big Bucks: Tales from America’s Appraiser

I have been serving as America’s Appraiser for many years now. Many people attend my appraisal events with family heirlooms or flea market finds because they know I will tell them the truth about their history

Vintage Swimsuits on the Market

I was one of those little kids who were often called “a fish.” You know the type — a pint-sized 3 or 4-year-old who could swim like a champ and would rather spend all day playing under water in a swimming pool than doing anything else. My Mom nearly drowned as a teenager and while she never learned to swim herself, she was adamant about giving me

Collecting Antique Motorcycles

To some, a motorcycle is just a vehicle. To motorcycle enthusiasts, collectors, and historians, motorcycles are so much more

Collecting Carnival Antiques

I recently appraised a vintage carnival game on the season 4 premiere of Discovery channel’s Auction Kings that was picked by Gallery 63’s picker and general manager, Jon Hammond.

At my public antiques appraisal events, I don’t have anyone waiting in line. And, when I appraise objects, I cut to the core. No nonsense, no delicate highbrow vocabulary, no malarkey. I tell it like it is. If you have a piece of junk, I tell you. If you spent too much money on something, I tell you. If you are hoping to become a millionaire on a collection of Pez dispensers, I tell you that it’s not happening in this lifetime.

I am a firm believer in the ritual of spring cleaning. When it comes to the seasonal cleanup, many people believe that the easiest thing to do is to just throw everything away. However, that’s not always smart.

Yard Sale Don’ts

Have you ever spent a Saturday morning going to yard sales? The signs are all around you, but you don’t want to drive around aimlessly or waste money buying junk. Here are some tips for making the most of your yard sale shopping spree.

How to Preserve That Antique

While museums make a long-term commitment to preserving and protecting objects in their care to educate the public, most of us are equally committed to keeping our family heirlooms and keepsakes in good condition in order to retain their value.

White House Christmas Cards: 1945 to the Present

President Ulysses S. Grant made Christmas Day (December 25) a national holiday in 1870. From that point forward, a Christmas card from the White House was a special keepsake.

Antique Furniture Clues - Check the joinery before it joins your home

In today’s antiques market, collectors and connoisseurs seriously consider the style and the material of antique furniture before investing in a piece. Spotting an antique piece of furniture is not difficult if you know where to look.

Is it Toy Trash or a Kid Collectible?

Among the countless homework papers and art projects that have made their way from your child’s classroom to his or her bedroom, there are piles of objects that your child lovingly refers to as “my collections.” To kids, everything constitutes a collection — marbles, Dora the Explorer toys, beanie babies, Harry Potter action figures, trading cards, Spongebob

Assessing Walt Disney Autographs
I am often asked to evaluate autographs of famous people. Some autographs are found on a personal letter or note, on a glossy photograph, or even on a piece of scrap paper. There are some rules of thumb when it comes to assessing autographs.