Ransacking your Attic – Hidden Treasures you Already Own

May 8, 2012 - PRLog -- With the economy still trudging slowly out of the recession, many are still looking to pick up a little extra cash wherever it can be found – it turns out that it may already be in your hand. Or, if you happen to be a little flush after getting your tax refund, you might want to make a small investment in the future. There are many items lying about homes across America that have sat there so long that nobody pays them any attention. But for every year they’ve been neglected, they’ve actually been appreciating in value, and they make surprising appearances at garage-sales and flea markets throughout the country every year.

Of course no one wants the hassle of cost of loading up all the knick-knacks and hand-me-downs they have to bring them to an appraiser. That’s where “Collecting under the Radar: Tomorrow’s Antiques” by Michael Hogben & Linda Abrams comes in handy (http://redrockpress.com/undertheradar.html). This amazing book – now available as an eBook for just $7.98 – has all the insider tips from some of the most respected names in the antiquing game who’ve done their research so you won’t have to. As an example, here’s a small sample of some of the common items people have lying about their homes collecting dust that can fetch a surprising price on the market these days.

One of the most common neglected antiques is the galvanized steel watering can, many of which don’t need to be more than a few decades old to still fetch a satisfying price. Just a few years ago, according to Mr. Hogben, “it was rare to see watering cans for sale at antique fairs, yet today you will see them there being sold for $50 or more. Many people now use their gardens as living areas and so seek period decorations for them.” Edwardian-era brass and copper water cans also go for about $150, and even brass cans from the first half of the last century can fetch $65-$100.

If you don’t have any watering cans lying about, perhaps you could look through some old toys and dolls. They don’t need to be ancient or porcelain; plastic dolls increase in value every year. For example, any pre-1970 Barbie Dolls can fetch a nice price, with the original 1959 edition fetching around $8,000, but later models still in box typically bring anywhere from $150 - $800. Other, less well-known dolls can also fetch a handsome price. Tiny Tears (dolls that could wet their diapers after drinking water from a bottle) can bring in $70-$160.

If dolls aren’t your cup of tea, you may have a semi-forgotten head vase (ceramic models of beautiful women, and sometimes children and men, with a hole in the top for the stems of flowers) adorning a dusty mantle. If so, you could be in luck; cheap examples can go for $65-$125, while celebrity head vases, such as those that show Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, or Carmen Miranda have skyrocketed in value – recently, a Monroe head went for $2,800 at auction. Often overlooked as old claptrap, people should keep an eye out for these.

For more tips, interested readers simply must check out “Collecting under the Radar” (http://redrockpress.com/undertheradar.html), which is available in hardcover ($17.99), paperback ($14.99), and eBook ($7.98) formats. For more info, please contact Red Rock Press at publicity@redrockpress.com or give us a call at 212-362-8304.