Just when we thought all of the great toy collections have been unveiled, along came the Michael O’Hearn collection, which will be auctioned at Morphy’s on July 16 and 17. Mr. O’Hearn is a retired San Francisco Bay Area architect renowned for his visionary use of “green” technology and insistence on retaining original appointments in the more than 30 Victorian homes he restored at a time when most of their type were destined for the wrecking ball.

Over the last three decades, Mr. O’Hearn also quietly built one of the finest mint/boxed antique toy collections we have ever seen. It serves as the featured collection in Morphy’s sale, which also includes a spectacular selection of antique advertising. A highlight is the grouping of monumental Art Deco-era storefront neon signs discovered in a warehouse in Duluth, Minnesota.

Contemparary Art,  Photographs, Design

Auction – June 30th, 2010  10am

London

Auction – June 12th – 14th, 2010

Featuring American Western Paintings, Wilson “Snowflake: Bentley Photomicrographs, English and Continental Works of Art, Fine American Antique Furniture, English Furniture including Chests and Grandfather Clock, Continental and American Paperweights, American and English Sterling Silver, Continental Bronze and Sculpture, Selection of Minerals, Oriental Carpets, Fine Jewelry including Platinum, Gold, Silver, Diamonds, Gemstones, Black Coral, South Sea Pearls, Designer Watches and Much More.

There are antique markets, and then there are ANTIQUE MARKETS.

What sets them apart? A few things actually:

• The number of dealers:  If you’ve seen everything in an hour, the show’s either new, or it’s a bust.  Size matters.
• The type of merchandise: Shoppers need a lot of eye candy.  No one hitting an “antique market” wants to see a bunch of new merchandise they can get at TJ Maxx or Restoration Hardware.  If you have to have newer merchandise, separate the dealers. Put newer more “decorative” dealers in one area and the other area should be all antique/vintage dealers.  Shoppers never like to have to wade through the new to find the old.
• The show promoter:  What does he/she have to do with anything other than to sell booth rent and tickets?  Plenty!  Their marketing efforts to get dealers to sell at their venue for one.  And those same marketing efforts to keep said dealers by bringing in tons of buyers.  Lots of buyers + lots of dealers = Lots of sales and return visitors.

I wanted to highlight a GREAT antique market for everyone out on the West coast (and those of you considering a trip).

Alameda Point Antiques & Collectibles Faire

www.antiquesbybay.com

This show is the best the bay area has to offer.  Located at the former Alameda Point Naval Station (the show is setup on the runway) with the best view of the bay!

The show happens once a month, and last weekend was tremendous!  They had 800 dealers setup, and 10,100 attendees and they were carrying lots of bags out the door. That tells me there were lots of great items to be had!

If you missed last weekend’s event, their next show is July 4^th, and then August 1^st, September 5^th and October 3^rd.

And if you do attend, I want to hear about it.  Tell them Picking with Reyne Haines sent ya!

Do you have a favorite antique market?  Tell me about it here!  I also love hearing about your flea market and antique market finds.

Happy Hunting!

Reyne

20th Century Decorative Arts

June 15th, 2010  New York

Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova Blue Pyramid, 1993 Estimate: $50,000 - 70,000

Auction July 29 & 30

New Hampshire

Auction June 16th – 17th

Preview June 13th – 15th

Chicago

Multi Estate Catalog Auction

AN ESTATE COLLECTION OF MUSIC BOXES, HISTORICAL FLASKS, FINE BOOKS AND EPHEMERA, CLOCKS, FURNITURE, JEWELRY, SILVER, ART GLASS, POTTERY, FINE ART, 1920’S TO 1950’S MOVIE POSTERS, PHOTOS, AND EPHEMERA, MUCH MORE!!

Sale Date:  June 24th, 2010    Time:  7:00 pm – Auction to be held on site

The catalogue is available for viewing at:   www.liveauctioneers.com

Preview:    June 19th and 21st – June 24th , 2010

Time:         10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Location:    2 E. Palisade Avenue, Englewood, N.J.

tel. 201 567.0288     fax. 201 567.4399