Antiquesmart

JUDAICA

Judaica is hot.......Take for example a Brass Candelabra from 18th-19th century Europe which can bring big bucks at auctions. Old Hebrew books with engravings, old prayer books are very much in demand now. 
Sterling silver door posts, ertogs, and hannukah candelabra with hallmarks are very collectible.

But watch out for deceptive pieces from Bangkok and China. Yesterdays pieces are being sold today as antiques. Anything brass or bronzed is buried in the ground, and urine is used to age and corrode the pieces to give it "age". 
 
Watch what you buy, and get it in writing. 
 
 
Thhhhha, thaaaaat,,,,,thats all folks. Be antiquesmart. 

Celebrity-Owned Antiques Bring Added Value

A table may just be a table. But when it has been owned by a celebrity or movie star, the value can increase. Take, for example, Sammy Davis Jr's Hannukah Menorah which is going up for auction in June. The Menorah was given to Sam after he converted to Judiasm in the 1950s. A great article on his spiritual path and the subsequent path of his menorah after his death is highlighted in this week's Forward Newspaper: Menorah Illuminates Davis Jr.'s Judaism.

His menorah would normally fetch $800 if it were owned  by some regular guy. But in Sammy Davis junior's case, because he owned it (and probably used it) it is expected to fetch over $15,000 at the auction next month. That is a nice price adjustment! It will be auctioned June 8th, 2009 by Jonathan Greenstein, the famous Judaica auctioneer.

AN UPDATE: Sammy Davis Jrs Menorah at the auction failed to reach its minumum bid of $9000. The highest bid was $8000 - still a fairly good mark-up from the $800 value placed on the piece itself without any celebrity ownership. Read the New York Times article on the auction results.