Writing About Antiquing for Examiner.com

Years ago I wrote an antiques column, first for the Morristown Record in Morristown, NJ, and then for the state newspaper, the Newark Star Ledger. It was a lot of fun writing those columns, and back then I mostly wrote about my personal antiquing adventures out and about with my husband and daughter. I reviewed shops and antique centers all over New Jersey and wrote a bit about my own antique specialty--American primitive furniture and accessories.

Now my daughter is grown, we've all moved up to New Hampshire, and some of the grandchildren are taking an interest in antiques and collectibles--particularly my eldest grandson, whom I've taken with me on Saturday morning yard sale excursions. Both of us delight in the thrill of the hunt and the joy of discovering true bargains. He's put some of his treasures on Ebay and was the one who encouraged me to start selling vintage on Etsy.com.


Last week I returned to antiques writing, beginning a new stint at the Examiner.com as their Manchester Antiquing Examiner. So far I've published two articles: "Where, Oh Where Have All the Bargains Gone?" and  "Etsy? What's Etsy?".

I wrote the Etsy article because, other than my grandson, no one I spoke with had heard of this amazingly mushrooming e-commerce site. Now I'm hearing of another site called Artfire.com, which I intend to check out on of these days.

Since my last blog, I've put a few more items up for sale in my Etsy shop--a German blue and white plate, a brushed gold double-leaf pin, and a red Grand basket.

I also finally made my first sale:

What made this even more special was to find out that this beautiful blue and white Beacon Hill Staffordshire plate, which I've had in my collection for quite a few years, is going to a young woman who's going to be married soon. She said that the colors in her new kitchen are yellow, blue, and white, and that the plate would also be used at her wedding.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.... Nice.