posted on April 29, 2004 11:14:13 AM new
An editor for an antiques newspaper wrote this, and I am wondering if any of you have some thoughts on this:
"I'm hearing from dealers that younger people are not the die-hard collectors of past generations. A person might buy a single Roseville vase because it reminds her of her grandmother, but she may not feel inclined to collect 300 pieces of Roseville.
What are your observations?
What are people under 40 buying? I know my mom can't keep Strawberry Shortcake items in her mall. But, then I hear from more traditional dealers who say they would never, ever sell a Strawberry Shortcake item.
I am also hearing from a few collector's clubs who say their membership is dying and they are desperatly trying to attract younger people.
Is the collecting line-up changing? What should a savvy dealer be stocking in order to draw a younger clientele? "
Yes, I agree with the editor that Strawberry Shortcake, [and My Little Ponies, Transformers, early Coleco and Nintendo games] seem to be being 're-collected' by those in their 20s, but what about those in their 30s?... they'd be the ones playing with their childhood toys in the 1970s ... I've been selling antiques and collectibles online now for 7 years, and I can't think of very many 1970s items that have been clamored for. .... what do you all think?
posted on April 29, 2004 11:25:08 AM new
Under 40! I remember being under 40 once. If I still was I wouldn't be retired so I am not complaining. A young mother just bought a child's breakfast set for her little boy from our on-line mall that she remembers as a child.
I'll be interested in the answers you get.
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“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on April 29, 2004 11:50:23 AM new
My daughter - 36 - collects/decorates with retro and art deco. She loves the old Formica kitchen table and matching chairs. Not the typical collectible stuff like Lenox, Hummel, etc. And the better barware like Waterford.
Elegant entertaining in her crowd (metro Chicago), is a thing of the past. Eating out and lingering is very in.
Here in NY, that age group is split in 2. Those married with kids so all extras are for the kids and the singles or marrieds with no kids, but both working, so no energy for at home entertaining. I also notice here that there is alot of disposible income among the couples without children. Keeping up with the Jones seems to be foremost. That translates to designer clothing and both personal and household accessories along with jewelry. Don't get me started on that. (We went to my bosses sons 1st birthday party for 75 people where they rented the whole restaurant, paid $35.00 a plate with an open bar, had a clown, Elmo, sand art, spin art, face painting etc. ).
I hope we all can find their nitch, because they certianly have the money to spend. Lets start a trend and say this ??XXX??? is really hot in Europe and everyone needs to get them. You know like the Burberry!!! Louise
posted on April 29, 2004 11:50:45 AM new
People under 40 worship the mercantile gods to a degree never seen before in our civilization.
A bracelet with "Ralph Lauren" attached to it will sell for five times as much as the same bracelet without the name.
And heaven help you if you should ever mix "designer" togs. I bought a pair of black Reebok sneakers (since they come in UK as well as US sizes) and added a pair of black socks to the purchase. The genetic rejects manning the sales counter started to snicker. I asked them what the problem was. "They're Nike socks! You're going to wear Nike socks with Reeboks!"
I debated telling them that no one would ever see the Nike logo since I only wear jeans. I debated informing them that there are no actual designer (read: couture) items in shopping malls, just brand names inflated by hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising. But I left instead.
A few under-40 hipsters think they discovered 50's retro. Let them have their delusion and part them from their money, if you get a chance.
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Answers to Questions Nobody Asked, #50:
It's not true that aspiring pitcher Fidel Castro once tried out with a Major League team.
posted on April 29, 2004 12:06:07 PM new
My 30-something nephew and his wife bought a ranch house built in the 60s and are decorating it in "vintage" 60s style. It amuses me to hear them talk about the kind of stuff I had in college as if it is really ancient and exotic.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on April 29, 2004 12:12:21 PM new
Dear All of you ^ up there: I just love these replies! ... with you fabulously articulate freethinkers' permissions, I'd really like to pass some of these thoughts you are taking the time to share, on to that editor ...
I find it quite fascinating ... with me being over 50, I really happen to not be close to very many people in their 30s, except for a couple of siblings, and ... well, they're not 'really' into 'collecting' things either! ... but yes, the keep up with the Joneses type of thing, whether or NOT they have children... as you say, they don't buy a lot of things often, but they pick and choose a special piece or thing that 'kabams em' and plunk down quite a wad of cash when they do. ... hmmmmm ...
No answer yet though on how 'collector societies' or groups can get under-40s into their club. Who has time?! Most of them are 2-income families who either have to run their kids to all of the extra-curriculars, OR are the 2-income childless couples who just want to 'crash' after work.
[ edited by aintrichyet on Apr 29, 2004 12:13 PM ]
posted on April 29, 2004 12:47:25 PM new
Fluffy hit the nail right on the head about the designer stuff. My son mixes nothing. Me on the other hand. . .I have a pair of Sketchers outdoor roller skates that I wore with a pair of Express jeans and a Nike logo tee shirt. According to my son and his girlfriends I was a fashion nightmare.
The 50's retro thing is interesting in that most of these people weren't even born in the 1950's so they never experienced the real thing. My grandmother had a turquoise sectional sofa, a blond two-tier circular coffee table with a glass top, blond end tables and lamps to match. What I wouldn't do to have that set now. By the early 1970's I thought the stuff was horrendous. I would also love to have my mother's 1960's collection of Sarah Coventry jewelry. She used to sell the stuff. I think for the most part, (I'm 47) we collect things that remind us of our younger days. However, and this is a BIG however, I hate the stuff from the 1970's (except the clothes) - the avacado or marigold appliances, the shag carpeting, the paneled walls. What were we thinking?
posted on April 29, 2004 01:04:42 PM new
Personally, I don't collect things (almost 40 here), but I am going through a nostalgic phase and am purchasing toys that I had as a child. Of course, my 5-year-old is NOT touching them. I intend to hide them until she is older so that she can appreciate them.
It's interesting to watch the dieting trends (as I sit here eating M&Ms - grin). Right now, the craze is Atkins! Anything with "Atkins" or low carb is HOT. Fitness items such as Pilates-type of exercise equipment is big too.
For the kids, following any of the childrens' shows that are on TV and selling the licensed stuff would go over big. Things like Disney Princess, Hello Kitty is making a HUGE comeback, SpongeBob, etc.
I would think that anything that makes homelife easier (such as household appliances and gadgets) are big. And better yet, if it will wash itself, dry itself and put itself away, you'd have a big winner.
posted on April 29, 2004 01:07:37 PM newthe avacado or marigold appliances, the shag carpeting, the paneled walls
You and I will probably live to see the day when stainless steel appliances and granite countertops are as gauche as the 70's stuff you mentioned. I think we're getting closer to that every day. I just bought a Bosch dishwasher, which I gather most people get in stainless steel. (Yecch.) Mine is white, which isn't much better, but at least it's inoffensive and blends in with the rest of Cucina Fluffy.
Years and years ago I was married to a guy who was appalled at the idea of his wife working, so I had a LOT of time on my hands. I checked out armfuls of library books, studied various subjects. Haute couture was one of them. To this day designs from the House of Worth remain my ideal in feminine dressing. Contrast that with today's "designers" who think they're hot fecal matter if they get a contract with Target. (Which is as we all know pronounced "Tar-ghzay".) Or (snort) K-Mart. Oh, Martha.
--
Answers to Questions Nobody Asked, #50:
It's not true that aspiring pitcher Fidel Castro once tried out with a Major League team.
posted on April 29, 2004 01:34:40 PM new
aint....I'm under 40 and I collect NOTHING! To me it's just too time consuming to dust it....I guess I'm just lazy......
posted on April 29, 2004 01:52:01 PM new
I'm a collector, and in my mid 30's - I find myself collecting less though as I get older. I am a stamp collector, but I rarely find anyone my age, most people are a couple of decades older, or more! It's an interesting point that there are fewer collectors who are younger across the board. I suppose younger people are less likely to collect, as people collect for nostalgia - There isn't much when you are in your 20's I guess...
posted on April 29, 2004 02:49:43 PM new
Very interesting thread!
I think what someone here said is true, that the two-income couple, especially with children yet!, doesn't have time to collect anything much.
All three of our kids are in their 30s and early 40s.
Our son and his wife, no children, use their disposable income for trips and causes they believe in.
#2 daughter and husband have two active boys; even on his big salary in So. Calif. they don't have the disposable income to collect anything. They're already saving for college for their kids.
#1 daughter and husband are both working in Silicon Valley and have one 2-year-old; again, no time to collect anything because of the high-stress jobs, $800 a month in daycare, and the high mortgage payment. They've put disposable income into adding square footage to their home, an occasional trip, some redecorating. No collections.
I don't know if our children are typical! We've stressed to them all that you have to save money, you have to plan early for retirement, you need to be frugal so there's money for the stuff you really want. We've told them that a glance at their checkbook will show their real values.
They've seen our example of frugality (not stinginess, mind you!), paying cash for cars and even houses now because we have it, avoiding interest payments even on credit cards, and I think they want to have a comfortable retirement like ours. None of them are into designer clothes but always look wonderfully put together. They aren't into furs, jewels, big cars, they like high gas mileage. They read, watch TV, hang out with friends.
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posted on April 29, 2004 03:43:53 PM new
You've raised an interesting question- Part of the problem is that too many people of that generation have no sense of history that did not happen yesterday. I guess TV, fast food,designer clothes etc have a lot to do with shaping their taste. How can you collect Civil War items when too many of them don't know or care when it happened, why it was fought etc- I think the real turning point was when we started a new Century- The 19th Century seems too long ago so history becomes the later 20th Century-
posted on April 29, 2004 03:57:37 PM new
aintrichyet I'm 36 and I really don't collect anything either ....well Ashtrays but only really strange ones and I only have about 20-25 of them and feel I don't have room for more.To much trouble finding a spot to put them where they won't get broke and to much trouble to wash and dust. I think times are changing.
My mom on the other hand when she was alive collected salt & pepper shakers(over 5000 pair,only strange ones) and Costume Jewelry(boxes and boxes full) she'd be 60 this year
posted on April 29, 2004 04:30:40 PM new
On ebay, if you keyword 'starbucks' all the pins, mugs, shirts, etc seem to be doing very well.
Thats got to be the under 40ties crowd, right?
I thought yuppies died out in the 80ties. (Wonder what they calling them now?)
posted on April 29, 2004 05:28:39 PM new
Don't forget Anime, "Vintage" concert poster art (there are a few modern artisits that are collected also although the don't do nearly as well on ebay as in other venues) and anything a little off or eclectic. i.e. - Unicorns are out - dragons and gargoyles are in. If you are more likely to use the words funky or eclectic than classic or antique you are heading in the right direction.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on April 29, 2004 05:51:08 PM new
Neroter mentioned Starbuck's...
My son travels on business and wherever he goes he buys a Starbuck's city skyline mug for his girlfriend. Last Christmas he was in Houston and bought her a mug. While in the airport it fell out of his luggage and broke.
What he (well, actually I...) went through to replace that mug is the stuff Candid Camera shows are made of. After much searching and phoning, I finally reached a Starbuck's in Houston with a wonderfully pleasant and friendly manager. He had a mug. Packed it up and walked it to the Mailboxes, Etc., down the street and sent it out, no charge for shipping. I'm sure that's because I told him our long tale of woe. It DID arrive in time for Christmas. Needless to say, he got an Atta-Boy email sent to Starbuck's headquarters.
Oh, what do the under 40's buy? Her absolutely-must-have-it gift was a pair of pink Uggs. Don't even ask what my son paid for them on eBay.
posted on April 29, 2004 06:46:04 PM new
Well I’m 38 with no kids, so I’m not buying any children’s things. My interests lately seem to be in finding quality made items. I think you know I went through the young stage and college stage where when you need something (even furniture) you just go get it at Wal-mart. Then you get a little older and have a little more money and just want something made a little better which is going to last. I still have collections I started when I was younger but now they are mainly packed away as an investment, I’m not very interested in them right now. I like Zanesville area pottery from the early 1900’s and marvel at the craftsmanship involved. Someone asked me how to tell old Roseville pottery from new Roseville pottery and I said if you hold them up side by side, you will instantly know. Over the past year I’ve also become interested in vintage jewelry for the same reason. And I’m not talking about the big daisy pins or lime green necklaces. I like the look of copper pieces and some of the “moderne” design stuff. And I like the simple classics like pearls and pumps. I went to buy a pair of navy pumps the other day, all they had in the store was the high heel wedge sandals. I said, “I guess the classic pump went out of style” and the clerk said, “Your guess is right”. I snorted, left the store and bought a pair on Ebay. Most of my friends are older but I do have one friend who is in her late 20’s. She doesn’t seem to have any interest in “old” stuff but collects Precious Moments, Longaberger, and a lot of stuff you can buy at “parties”, like Pampered Chef. She’s very much into “networking” with people from her church, business contacts, etc. and so it seems she goes to every “party” there is and hosts one in return. So most of her collecting and decorating are with items from these parties. Most of her friends have small children who can all play together while the party is going on, the girls can network and buy stuff. I don’t go to these parties because of the high prices. She doesn’t buy on Ebay because she says she doesn’t have time. Every time I see any of this party stuff mint and unused at garage sales, I buy it and always make money reselling it on Ebay. It makes me wonder if a lot of people feel “obligated” to buy something at these parties and then once they get it home they decide they will never use it and stick it in their garage sale. Last year I had bought a Pampered Chef stoneware gingerbread house mold new in the box for $1 at a garage sale. I sold it on Ebay and I don’t know how much they cost new at a party but the winner was tickled to death to get it for $25 because she said she already had one she’d bought at a party but this way she could bake two sides of the gingerbread house at the same time without paying full price for another mold.
posted on April 29, 2004 07:17:28 PM newI went to buy a pair of navy pumps the other day, all they had in the store was the high heel wedge sandals. I said, “I guess the classic pump went out of style” and the clerk said, “Your guess is right”.
I had the same experience at Nordstroms, of all places, late one spring. Went in looking for espadrilles to wear on a cruise. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Asked the salesdroid and she didn't even know what I was talking about.
I'm thinking of setting up an eBay Store that sells nothing but cruisewear.
--
Answers to Questions Nobody Asked, #50:
It's not true that aspiring pitcher Fidel Castro once tried out with a Major League team.
posted on April 29, 2004 08:56:32 PM new
Fluffy: QVC has been selling a lot of espadrilles lately, and they're good quality. Do you ever watch their clothing features?
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posted on April 29, 2004 10:24:49 PM new
Fluffy...Put a folded dipole in the attic. It will work as well as a rooftop antenna. People who belong to homeowner's associations where antennas are prohibited have this technique down to a science. Contrary to popular belief, there is no law that requires an antenna to also serve as a robin roost. If your sweetie is a ham, as I believe you said he was, he can get the info at www.arrl.org.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on April 30, 2004 02:03:43 AM new
Fluff? Here's 2 styles online of those shoes, online ... and of course, there are more than 2 kinds to choose from at feeBay
...