COLLECTORS BANKABLE BARGAINS

NO WONDER people think collectors are crazy. Rusty old weather vanes, pockmarked by shots from a .22-gauge rifle, are selling for $2,500 or more. Bird decoys are bringing up to $20,000 apiece; Audu-bon prints, $50,000; and Wooton desks, up to $100,000.

Prices like these weren’t much of a problem in the Seventies because all you had to do was buy a hot item and then sit back and wait for the value to double and quadruple. During an era of runaway inflation, the smart money is in hard assets such as oil paintings, precious jewels or choice collectibles. But if the inflation rate continues to flutter within the realm of sanity, speculators are going to set their bird decoys free on the market, clipping the wings of a lot of collectors in the process.

Beginning collectors on a shoestring budget are not, however, limited to the collecting of shoestrings. I’ve been writing about antiques and collectibles in the Dallas/Fort Worth market since the mid-Seventies and have observed an interesting handful of intriguing areas that are still far undervalued, considering their age, intrinsic value or comparative prospects. They may never top the Dow Jones Industrial average, but the downside risk is virtually nil, and it’s great therapy. Here are what I believe to be today’s 10 best buys in collecting.

Souvenir spoons. The sterling-silver souvenir spoon is one of the few collectibles that was a collector’s item the day it was born. The fad began in the 1800s when Americans went wild over souvenir spoons at the Paris Exposition. A display of spoons became an emblem of affluence, and the craze became so intense that European hotel operators had to put up the best silver when Americans were around to keep it from being pilfered.

In the 1890s, a Salem, Massachusetts, jeweler produced a spoon to commemorate the witch trials of 1692, and the American souvenir-spoon business was born. From 1890 until 1920, when the fad began to fade, American souvenir spoons were made to commemorate every event from the 1893 Columbian Exposition to the opening of the French Lick Hotel in French Lick, Indiana.

The more common spoons from the turn of the century can be purchased today for $15 to $25 apiece, which is little more than the value of the silver content. Elaborately carved specimens are available for $50 or less. The best place to buy them is at antique shows, particularly at the Carl Johnson shows held in the Women’s Building at Fair Park. The next one is scheduled for February 17-20.

Children’s books. Childhood items have been big winners for collectors. The old iron toys from the late 1800s are worth several hundred dollars each, and some of the comic books from the early Forties are worth more than $1,000. But for some reason, juvenile novels have been overlooked. Pre-World War 1 editions of Tom Swift and The Rover Boys are still available for less than $10 a volume.

Oddly enough, the same person wrote almost all the most popular early children’s novels. Edward Stratemeyer, using pseudonyms ranging from Roy Rockwood to Laura Lee Hope, was the creator of The Rover Boys, Tom Swift, The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and even Bomba, the Jungle Boy. Many of the more popular series have been reissued over the years, so check the copyright date to be sure you’re getting an original. Tom, Bomba, the Rovers and the Bobbseys should be dated before 1920; Nancy and the Hardys, before 1940.

Secondhand bookstores are the most likely sources of supply, particularly Mary Anne’s Books, 2918 Jupiter at Kingsley, just off I-635.

Historically significant post cards. This field is full of opportunities, with available specialties including architecture, agriculture, entertainment or industrialization. Many collectors focus on a particular locale such as a hometown or birthplace. Between 1900 and 1920, more than 1,000 different post cards depicting scenes of Dallas were produced; they can be purchased for $1 to $10 each. Dallas subjects include colonial mansions on Ross Avenue, cotton wagons from the days when there was indeed a “curb market” on Elm Street, now-extinct historical structures such as the Oriental Hotel and the City National Bank Building, and rides at Lake Cliff Park, once the finest amusement park in the Southwest.

Many of the cards can be dated by the postmark. Until 1907, it was illegal in the United States to print cards that included spaces for the address and the message on the same side of the card, a fact that now serves as a guide to determining the age of unused cards. Post-card dealer Evelyn Drake offers thousands of cards from across the country (including Dallas) every month at the Fair Park Flea Market in the Women’s Building. Upcoming dates for the flea market are February 12 and 13 and March 12 and 13.

Autographs. You can spend big money in this field, but you don’t have to. Authentic documents prepared and signed by Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson are worth thousands, but the signatures of hundreds of intriguing characters are available for $10 to $100 apiece. Collectors specialize in such fields as Civil War generals, Supreme Court justices, sports figures, movie stars, industrialists, literary figures and educators. Typical prices include Paulette Goddard, Cordell Hull, Bob Cousy and Anthony Eden for less than $20; Clara Bow, Al Jolson, Tom Mix and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for less than $50; and an autographed picture of Woodrow Wilson for $100.

But this is not a field without risk. In the mid-Seventies, an autograph dealer in New England was caught forging signatures ranging from Chief Sitting Bull to Bela Lugosi. Make sure you buy from a dealer with a good reputation and years of experience. Conway Barker has been in the business for decades, and he’ll send you a free price list if yau write to him at P.O. Box 30625, Dallas, TX 75230.

Advertising paperweights. This is my choice among the collectibles of commerce, which, generically, is a very popular field. Commercial remembrances such as Coca-Cola tip trays, Hires Root Beer signs and even the old glass bulbs that used to sit atop gasoline pumps all bring premium prices, but advertising paperweights are still nominally priced, generally at $20 or less. These promotional giveaways came into demand in response to the advent of the ceiling fan about 100 years ago, for obvious reasons. Most of the old weights are rectangular with rounded edges and have company logos affixed to the underside of a clear glass weight. Especially appealing are the old weights advertising now-extinct automobiles, buggy factories and patent medicine. Old weights in mint condition are much scarcer than most people realize since many of them suffered serious physical indignities when used as makeshift hammers. You may run across them at antique stores, shows or flea markets.

Football cards. Before you laugh, you should know that a Mickey Mantle baseball card circa 1952 is worth $1,000. The Roy Campanella card from the same year is worth $300; Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays are worth $250 each. But, so far, football cards have been largely neglected by the buying public. The Topps Chewing Gum Company, the recognized leader in the sports-card field, had only a passing interest in football until the late Sixties. As a result, many of the earlier Topps football cards were produced in far fewer quantities and are consequently much scarcer than their baseball counterparts. But until demand increases, choice football cards can still be picked up for a pittance. The first Dallas Cowboys to be pictured in 1960 -Bill Howton, Fred Cone, L.G. Dupre, Dick Bielski and Jerry Tubbs – can be purchased for less than 50 cents apiece. The most expensive Topps football cards, the ones depicting Jim Brown, sell for less than $20 each. Here are some key cards that appear to be undervalued, each selling now for less than $5: Bill Dudley and Leo Nomellini in 1955; Y.A. Tittle and Kyle Rote in 1956; Norm Van Brocklin in 1957; Lou Groza, Bart Starr and Chuck Bednarik in 1958; and Bobby Layne in 1959.

Football cards may be purchased at First Base, 231 Webb Chapel Village, and at D/FW Sports World, The Commons of Lochwood Flea Market, Jupiter at Garland Road.

Kitchen primitives. Primitives of 18th-century America are very much in vogue, as evidenced by the generous representation of such items at the prestigious Tri Delta Charity Antique Show held in Dallas each March. But as the available supply of authentic 18th-century material continues to dwindle, attention is likely to turn to the 19th- and even early 20th-century articles, which are still reasonably priced, with kitchen primitives from this latter era often selling for $5 to $50 each. The quaint molds used to fashion homemade cookies, candies and farm-fresh pounds of butter are particularly appealing, often shaped in the form of animals, houses or people. Other specialties that are already quite popular are primitive mechanical gadgets, rolling pins, waffle irons and pastry cutters. Antique shops that specialize in American oak or pine furniture are likely sources such as Painted Parson Antiques, 1300 S. Broadway, Car-rollton; Yesterday’s News, 2725 N. Henderson, Dallas; and Drew’s Antiques, 7113 E. Lancaster, Fort Worth.

Sheet-music covers. Though Dallas teen-agers may find it hard to believe, there was no Top 40 during the 1800s. Songwriters had to seek other means of touting their products such as bribing bartenders to sing their songs or hiring choirboys to wander through public gatherings singing would-be hits. Most sales were in the form of sheet music; to compete, a keen-looking cover was an absolute essential. These early sheet-music covers are still available to collectors at nominal prices, most selling for $5 or less. Collectors specialize in such fields as Broadway musicals, musical versions of historical events or the work of particular artists. Brush up on your Roman numerals because that’s how the copyright date usually appears. The antique shows held from time to time at Market Hall seem to offer the best selection, especially Jack Webb’s International Shows.

Magazine illustrations. This is another entry from the field of commercial art that appears to have a very promising future. Astute collectors are already snatching up the works of magazine illustrators who went on to become famous artists such as Winslow Homer and Frederic Remington. Another artist whose magazine illustrations-especially his advertisements-have increased significantly in price is Maxfield Parrish, who dwelled on the fantasy world of castles, ships, knights and quaint characters. But the works of other fine artists can still be found selling for $20 or less, including illustrations by J.D. Leyendecker, who gained fame with his Arrow Collar ads and pre-Norman Rockwell covers for The Saturday Evening Post. Gibson Girl illustrations by Charles Dana Gibson during the 1890s are still reasonably priced. Matted illustrations are available at most antique shows, and if you’re lucky, you may happen on a choice illustration lurking in an old magazine at local flea markets.

Antique tools. This is the ideal field forthe do-it-yourselfer, the mechanic or theoutdoorsman. Tools ranging from ModelT wrenches to blacksmith’s tongs are infairly plentiful supply at prices from $1 to $40. Among the favorites are woodplanes, cooper’s tools, draw knives, handaugers (used to bore holes for log cabinpegs), buggy wrenches and primitive saws.By far the broadest selection of old tools inthis area, and perhaps in the world, can befound at the monthly flea market in Canton (60 miles west of Dallas on 1-20). Thisgigantic outdoor sale is held on the firstMonday of each month and the weekendpreceding the first Monday. Dealers expect you to haggle over price, but some ofthem are quite astute at the fine art ofbartering, so be careful you don’t comehome with an original left-handed monkeywrench.