A collectible, he continues, "can
be almost any age — as current
as a few years ago; for example,
the Elvis Presley memorabilia."
Although there is, to the experts at
least, a vast difference between
antiques and collectibles, nowa-
days "when you go to even a ma-
jor antiques show," Ralph says,
"you'll see a mixture of antiques
and collectibles."
Even authorities like the Kovels
don't know exactly why certain
historical periods or items catch
the public's fancy, become popu-
lar, and consequently skyrocket in
value. "I wish I did," sighs Ralph.
Terry says, "We don't tell people
what to start collecting but all of a
sudden old radios, from the 1930s
and 1940s, are in vogue." Also
riding the crest of popularity now
are pedal cars; originally made as
toys, they were replicas of cars in
which kids sat and pushed the
pedals. Those in mint condition
are selling for up to $10,000.
However, the Kovels do have
some ideas on what influences the
public. "The set design of a movie
or a Broadway show, like My Fair
Lady which took place in the Vic-
torian period," says Ralph. "Or a
museum exhibit, like the 1970
(New York) Metropolitan Museum
of Art's exhibit of American Vic-
torian furniture," which led to
renewed interest in that period.
"Or a new book, like ours on
American art pottery."
Sources of influence may play
on each other. Terry mentions that
the "country look" in decorating
got a "big boost" when a book on
that subject by author Mary Em-
merling was published. Decor-
ating magazines, another in-
fluence, began showing old
American quilts hung on the walls
of the living rooms they photo-
graphed. Quilts as art objects are
fine but, she says, "I get upset
when they put quilts under food,
(using them) as decor."
There are two types of collec-
tors. The first are people who
collect, and sometimes make, the
trends. If you are in the process of
furnishing your house with "future
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SPRING '88
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