I have made a lot of people a lot of money. How, you ask? When thrift store shopping, people are finding great finds using my tips. I share my insight on the value of art, antiques, and collectibles. I am fortunate to have millions of viewed videos and many followers and fans that watch my YouTube channel to learn how to spot valuables at thrift stores, estate sales, and yard sales. Via videos, I show shoppers how a seasoned expert spots valuables in art, antiques, and collectibles, buys them on the cheap and resells them for real money. My information is based on decades of experience in the field of art and antiques. I give expert analysis of the market with appraisals and show you how to use the data to cash in. I show people the thrifting ropes and you get me as your safety net. You can’t lose.

Ignore the Trolls

I don’t listen to the trolls or the naysayers who report nonsense. They say that no one wants antiques anymore. Not true. They say that the millennial generation are only interested in travel, not in fine luxury items for their homes. Not true. They say that hard wood brown furniture is worthless when DIYers love it and collectors want it for its strength and good looks. So, despite the ignorant trolls out there, I ignore them and show people how to use unwanted pieces or inexpensive ones for financial gain. I have shown many followers how to start an online business using my YouTube videos, too. I let my followers know what they should be buying up at yard sales, estate sales, and thrift stores. I help them research and identify the pieces and then I even show them how and where to sell or flip these low priced, overlooked pieces for a nice profit.

Rembrandt in the Rubble

Here are some real-life real bargains tales and top thrift store shopping finds that will inspire you to get out there and thrift with Dr. Lori. I told a video appraisal caller from the western US that he had an authentic Rembrandt print with an appraised retail value of $10,000. He was shocked at my evaluation since he purchased it at an estate sale. It was hiding in a pile of magazines that was outside in an estate sale barn. He bought it for $8. He said it was just shoved into the pile of papers but in pretty good shape. He was excited to learn about a rare watermark and paper type that connected the piece to Rembrandt, the Dutch master active in the mid 1600s. He did some research and I confirmed that the piece was a real deal. Amazing! Remember, sometimes buying the pile of stuff will result in your finding a needle in a haystack or a diamond in the rough.

When looking at prints, especially Rembrandt prints and other historic prints, remember that there are many 19th, 20th, and 21st Century restrike prints and some fine originals from the 17th Century. Look for a consistent color of the paper, no acid burning or tanning. Hold the paper up to the light and look for a watermark or other distinguishing factor that will show you when or where the piece was made. Look for a signature in the plate and pencil signed notations or signatures too. Also, numbers in the form of a fraction indicate where your print falls in a print run. The lower the numbers in the fraction, the better for the value of the print. The lower the numbers indicating the print run and your print’s place in that run will speak also to the importance of the print, depending on the artist.

Other symbols that you should know about prints will also impact the value of your print. Water stains or water damage from improper storage or display or an accident like a pipe burst that impede the image of the print will decrease value. If a print has been cut or trimmed at the margins, then that will also negatively impact value especially with art prints like those by the old masters such as Rembrandt and others.

Ansel Adams Photograph Found

Ready for more top thrift store shopping finds? A thrift store shopper and online reseller from the southeastern US picked out a black and white photograph of a snow-covered landscape from a sales bin at a Goodwill thrift store. The photograph was in a mat and a cheap frame. What was it? He got in touch with me and I got to tell him that it was a mid 20th Century gelatin silver print by the premier American photographer, Ansel Adams. I wasn’t surprised when I saw the authentic signature hiding underneath the mat board. It is always a good idea, if you are comfortable doing it, to take the work of art out of the frame carefully and review it. I always tell thrifters to remember to  look carefully at the quality of a frame. The frame can reveal much information. Also, consider taking a frame apart to see what the piece may reveal beneath the mat or behind the frame. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, ask your local framer to remove it or ask your local museum for a referral of a professional who can help you remove the artwork from the frame. So, what did my client pay for the famous photograph by one of America’s premier 20th Century landscape photographers? 25 cents. That’s right. He bought it for a mere 25 cents. What is it worth? It is worth a whopping $3,500. It was an amazing find and a lovely example of Ansel Adams’ mature work.

Dispute Settled over Royal Vienna

Another YouTube follower and video caller wanted me to settle a dispute between her and an expert who told her that her piece was not the real thing and was instead a cheap imitation piece of ceramic art. My client told me that she bought a piece and asked around to find out if it was a real or fake. She finally asked me to identify and appraise it. I did that and my client went on to sell her Royal Vienna ceramic items. She paid only $8 for the Royal Vienna piece that she bought thrifting. I appraised it for her. I told her it was worth $185 during a video call appraisal and she listed it online and got an purchase offer for over her asking price of $250! She was thrilled and I was happy to help her identify a great piece of early 20th Century china. What fun to thrift shop for bargains and then turn around and succeed in sales. You have to do your research, get my professional appraisal help, and ignore the naysayers. If she had listened to the other person, she would be have believed her piece wasn’t valuable and that is was not worth the trouble of reselling it. Glad she took her own path, listened to my advise and sold her antique for over asking price!

There is great stuff out there at yard sales, thrift stores, online auctions, and estate sales. The thrifting community is alive and active. Won’t you join us? I’ll reveal more info about collecting and capitalizing on thrift store items here and on my blog.

Watch videos on my YouTube channel where I show you and talk about how to identify and value your top thrift store shopping finds. I can appraise from photos or you can show me your pieces during a video call.

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