Antiques Newsletter Archives – September 14, 2006 features articles about Michael Ricker Pewter; Stolen Antique Gates in
NOVA-Antiques.com was designated as a resource for antiques and collectibles flea markets in an article published in the Weekend Section
of the
By Mary C. Clark
Michael’s greatest work may have been Park City which was unveiled August 16, 1985 at a special Presentation Banquet in Denver, where
Ricker presented his unique masterpiece in pewter to former President and Mrs. Gerald Ford. The entire
Children on see-saws, boys in short pants playing with hoops, pop-corn wagons, children fishing, little boys with slingshots, park
benches, beautiful trees, cigar store Indians, dogs, streetlights, artists, clowns with balloons – all of these can be found in Michael’s
Park City. But Michael didn't stop with the
All will be in scarce supply, as his surviving fans and collectors continue to search for as many of these
fabulous sculptures as possible.
UPCOMING ANTIQUES SHOWS & FLEA MARKETS
NOVA-Antiques.com & The NOVA-Antiques.com Newsletter provide and extensive list of upcoming antiques flea markets and shows.
Smiley's Markets & Malls was formed in 1984 by Ben Campen, Sr. He had a vision of providing a place where anyone and everyone could sell their merchandise at an affordable price to the public. Ben has had experience in the flea market business since 1975. In the early 80's he wanted to build flea markets througout the Southeast. When pondering about a name for the flea markets he wanted something that would reflect a positive light on the business and the people that operated it. Smiley's was the obvious choice. Contrary to what some people believe, his last name is not Smiley, but he will answer to it almost everytime you see him.
That dream came true in the fall of 1984 in Fletcher, NC. Smiley's opened it's doors to a record crowd in the Fall of 1984. Starting
on 20 acres and with just over 50,000 square feet of covered selling area, Smiley's has now grown to well over 100,000 square feet,
700 outside selling spaces and an antique mall that is longer than a football field. Smiley's Flea Market in Fletcher, NC is known
as the best and biggest flea market in all of the
smiley's flea market - north carolina
DUMB MIKEY
Last winter it was snowing heavily and blowing to the point that visibility was almost zero when the Mikey left his
office and was going home. He made his way to his car and wondered how he was going to make it home. He sat in her car while it warmed
up and thought about her situation. Then finally remembered his mommy’s advice that if he got caught in a blizzard he should
wait for a snow plow to come by and follow it. That way he would not get stuck in a snow drift. This made him feel much better and
sure enough in a little while a snow plow went by and he started to follow it.
stolen antique gates returned in baltimore
Collectible butter molds
In the last NOVA-Antiques.com Newsletter, we talked about utensils (egg cups) that have become very collectible. Butter molds
are from the same family (utensils), in that they were originally intended for home use, and not intended as the pricey collectible
items that they have become. Originally used by women to adorn their dinner tables, the butter molds later were used by farmers
to differentiate their product from others, thus becoming a marketing tool.
There are many types of butter molds, with many different origins and designs. First there is the hand carved wooden molds used
by the farmers in the late 1700-1800’s. Later butter molds were made by machine. Although both are very collectible, obviously
the older wooden ones are the most sought after and the most expensive for collectors. Many of the wooden butter molds are intricately
carved, which drives the price even higher.
The wooden lollipop shaped butter mold pictured on the right recently sold on Ebay for over $560. This butter mold was approximately 10 inches long and featured a carved eagle with many intricate stems and leaves.
A new museum designed to attract the younger crowd into the world of collecting has opened at Camden Station, Camden Yards, in
geppi's entertainment museum
UPCOMING estate & tag sales . . .