Getting started collecting

[Keiri]

If I wanted to begin collecting civil war ephemera (not weapons or uniforms) where would be a reliable and trustworthy source? I am very leery of ebay for this. Thanks in advance.

 

[zburkett]

When you know what you are doing on line auctions can provide good deals. They are also a good place to get ripped off, but there are unscrupulous dealers everywhere. There are also very good reproductions of almost everything to do with the civil war. The best way is to start small, study a lot and be careful. Go to as many shows as possible but also go to good museums where you can see real items and study them.

 

[redbob]

Go to www.civilwardealers.com and just look around. Most importantly, educate yourself as much as possible about what you wish to collect.

 

[Legion Para]

Advice for the novice collector as well as the experienced collector.

Specialize. Instead of collecting a little bit of everything, pick one specific area of interest.

Take the time to really study and research what you collect. If the item comes with provenance, confirm this. If the item/grouping has been in numerous collections, then confirm the chain of ownership.

Always buy quality. Better to buy one $100 item rather than ten $10.00 items.

Where to buy: Internet auctions, traditional auctions, dealers, collectors and even your neighborhood estate sales.

The Internet has changed the collecting world. With that said, networking is still extremely important. There are a couple of key shows which you might considering attending.

You might find this thread of interest.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/a-w...civil-war-to-current-day.130715/#post-1462614

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

It's like poker, you have to pay to learn how to play. You will make mistakes, sometimes costly ones. The more you know the less this will happen. I have a friend who makes reproduction leather items and saw one of his own articles being sold as an original at a show. When confronted, the seller didn't even back down!The rule is, the easier it is to produce a fake, and the greater the sale price, the more suspicious you should be.
So never, ever, buy a Confederate belt buckle. Did I say never?
Ever.

 

[zburkett]

Shattuck, I disagree. I buy a lot of Confederate buckles and really enjoy them. Just never pay more than reproduction price.

 

[UCVRelics]

If I wanted to begin collecting civil war ephemera (not weapons or uniforms) where would be a reliable and trustworthy source? I am very leery of ebay for this. Thanks in advance.

Go to www.civilwardealers.com and just look around. Most importantly, educate yourself as much as possible about what you wish to collect.

@redbob is spot on. There are several really good dealers and I'm not a per say dealer but I do sell & trade some items from my collection at ucvrelics.com. from time to time. I would say that the best thing to do is attend some of the major CW shows that way can see and feel items that interest you and talk with the seller who are always a plethora of info.

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

... you have to pay to learn how to play. ...

A watch collecting friend of mine called that fee "tuition."

 

[kevikens]

Flea markets and garage sales. Sellers often do not know what they have. I educate them, after the sale.

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

Flea markets and garage sales. Sellers often do not know what they have. I educate them, after the sale.

I am always of two minds about post-sale "education." If it is not done delicately, it can be interpreted as gloating, adding insult to injury. I always try to reassure the seller that the deal was good for both of us. At watch and clock shows, nothing upsets an inexpert seller more in my experience than when a buyer accepts the first price he quotes without haggling and then runs off down the aisle chortling and kicking up his heels.

 

[JOHN42768]

If you have something in mind like canteens, spurs, tools or whatever for example, your first purchase should be a book about that line on items. It will be the best investment you will make in your quest. The more you know about it before hand will pay you back in the end.

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

My usual advice to beginning watch collectors may have some relevance here as well:

1) As the previous poster just beat me to saying, books are usually cheaper than collectibles - so do your reading first (assuming there are books on Civil War ephemera to read?) An inexpensive book can often save you from an expensive mistake.

2) Strive to know more about what you collect than the typical seller you encounter. Even the playing field as rapidly as you can by becoming knowledgeable, and even expert about the things you collect, by: a) specializing, as has already been said; b) reading everything in your specialty you can get your hands on; and c) getting to know other collectors (i.e., networking, as someone else already said) in your specialty, so you know who to approach for specific kinds of information; who makes the market for the items you want; who has the kinds of items you want and might be willing to sell or trade them some day; who is good to deal with and who to avoid; and who is a competent restorer (if restoration is relevant to your particular field of collectibles).

3) Avoid falling into cliques centered around dominant personalities, which often form in collecting communities. Seek a broad survey of knowledgeable opinions on important questions before forming your own.

4) Buy the best available examples you can afford of whatever it is you collect, and if you can't afford a decent example, strongly consider collecting something else instead. The better examples of any particular collectible tend to hold their value best, they are easiest to resell when you want to turn them back into cash, and they will continue to satisfy you longest as you grow more knowledgeable and discriminating in your collecting.

5) Deals that are too good to be true usually aren't true.

6) Be patient! Not all things, but many things come to those who wait.

 

[Keiri]

Flea markets and garage sales. Sellers often do not know what they have. I educate them, after the sale.

See, I am not yet versed enough to do that, i'd probably buy junk!

 

[Keiri]

Thanks I appreciate it. My interest probably lies more with personal items, things carried or made by the men. I don't know how to express it better. I'll take a look around at the sites you recommend and take out some books. Thank you.

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

Shattuck, I disagree. I buy a lot of Confederate buckles and really enjoy them. Just never pay more than reproduction price.

Whaaat? An original CS belt buckle (even dug, in fair condition) costs up to 5 thousand dollars. A repro is ten bucks.

 

[zburkett]

That's what I mean. I was at a gun show a few years ago and sold a CS buckle and belt I had bought during the centennial. It was beat up after 50 years of use and I sold it for what it was. In this case $35.00. Later at the same show I saw the same belt and buckle being sold as an "original" with a couple of zeros added to the price. The one "original" buckle I paid "original" price for has had "experts" argue about for three decades. Once I saw a dug knife that had to have been dropped by a reenactor because the manufacturer had not come into existence until the 20th century. Now I will only pay what I am willing pay for a reproduction. Actually, I agree with you. Confederate buckles are too easy to reproduce and age and a lot of fakes have gotten into even good collections. BTW a Hanover Brass buckle is about $50.00 and worth it. When I'm wearing one of mine I am often asked if I dug it by my relic hunter friends.

 

[kevikens]

Flea markets and garage sales. Sellers often do not know what they have. I educate them, after the sale.

I, too, refrain, from citing value versus selling price so my experience is that sellers often like to find out just what it is they have sold me so my educating them is not financial but historical. As for the selling price, I give them what they ask for the object. Am I glad that I got a good bargain because I knew my artifacts and they did not? Yes.

 

[1867crete]

If I wanted to begin collecting civil war ephemera (not weapons or uniforms) where would be a reliable and trustworthy source? I am very leery of ebay for this. Thanks in advance.

Start small with items that are not expensive and thus much less likely to be reproduced! Bone ,wood forks etc is how I started get to know the feeling of period pieces! Antique stores are great way to hold original pieces that you may not be able to afford but you can handle them.... unlike a museum! The more you touch and experience the easier it is to collect! You will get burned!!!! Everyone does!!

 

[zburkett]

Keiri, I just thought of one for you. Almost all soldiers on both sides carried a table knife and a spoon in their kit even on campaign. Some carried a fork as well. The table knife was often sharpened and used as an all around knife. You can buy a nice set for just a few dollars so they aren't worth faking. Now for the tip, one of the largest suppliers of cutlery during the war was LAMSON & GOODNOW. LAMSON, GOODNOW & CO. became LAMSON & GOODNOW MFG. CO. in 1855 but they used the stamps until they wore out so some Civil War knives will carry the old stamp and as a major government contractor many of their old knives were in government stores and issued during the war. Any knife stamped LAMSON, GOODNOW & CO. is Civil War or earlier.

 

[Keiri]

Thanks! that's a great tip. So here's what got me started.

I went to go see "The General" in Big Shanty and wandered into the gift shop at that museum (awesome museum, by the way). They sold candles that guaranteed a gen-u-wine civil war artifact in them. I bought one mostly for poops and giggles, assuming it would be phony. When it burned down it had a hand-carved domino in it (wrapped in foil in plastic so it didn't get wax on it.) No provenance attached, nothing, so I assume probably not even real, but I got to thinking about this. Little things like that would be perfect. I like the lamson idea, and the small item idea. Thanks