Blog posts

To many, a fountain pen is nothing special and just a fancy way to write the same way that every other pen writes. But to a collector, fountain pens are something extravagant and wonderful, allowing a hobbyist to express themselves in a unique way with their own collection of fountain pens. From the pen itself, to the ink you use, as well as the width of the nib or the style of the tip, everything is important to a collector and user of fountain pens.

Radios have been around for over 100 years, and there have been so many different brands and models throughout the years, so if you’re interested in getting into the hobby, where do you start? From Kenwood and Yaesu to older brands like Hallicrafters and Hammarlund, there are so many ham or shortwave radios that a hobbyist might be interested in collecting. The further one goes back, the more interesting and retro the designs get as well, with unique colors, shapes, and sizes that you wouldn’t get as much today. Some are even wood trimmed or from wars many years past.

Movies are a huge part of our culture, and classic films such as Star Wars or Harry Potter have some of the most interesting and cool props that have ever been made for cinema. From Luke’s lightsabers from the original trilogy to the different unique wands and robes that are adorned by the characters of Harry Potter, everyone can find a prop they love in their favorite movie. The way props like the original lightsaber hilts in Star Wars were made also adds so much to the story behind these objects and makes them such important items to collectors.

Action figures have been a staple of nerd culture for decades. Whether it be comic books, movies, anime, or video games, action figures hold a special place in nerds’ hearts that other memorabilia just doesn’t fill. Action figures were first invented in 1964 with G.I. Joe figurines manufactured by Hasbro. This series of action figures not only spawned its own comic book series, but also spawned a whole new hobby with nerds and enthusiasts all over the world.

Video games have been around since 1958 with the release of a tennis video game that was showcased at the Brookhaven National Library. From then, video games have been a hit with not only kids but also adults, winning the world over with entertaining game mechanics and interactive storytelling. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, video games really started to hold their own with the release of the Magnavox Odyssey and the Atari 2600 in 1982. From then on, video games would begin to hold a special place in player’s hearts, and the world of collecting video games would begin to blossom.

Sneakers have been something of a fad recently. From Adidas and Kanye West’s Yeezys to Nike Air Jordans, the world of sneakers has been booming, resulting in an industry that is estimated to be worth over $127 billion. This immense amount of cash flow can be attributed to the collaborations that are done with celebrities and exclusive brands such as Supreme, Gucci, and Balenciaga. These shoes can easily fetch prices of 4 to 5 figures in the retail market, which makes this industry very popular for resellers and collectors.

Sterling pieces can be some of the most beautiful pieces of artwork for the antique collector, but there are several things that you should know about collecting silver, and particularly sterling silver before diving-in.

Here are some pointers that should help you get started.

1) Avoid pieces that have been cleaned with harsh chemicals or have a "white" appearance.

2) The best pieces will have no marks or dents, and will have the original decoration with the correct set of marks.

Many people are now finding antiques as a great way of making their rooms look that little bit more special. However, you should consider several things before you purchase a particular antique item that you have been looking for.