posted 07-24-2010 02:49 PM            

I like the smell of that word. It might mean something else than I think - but I like the smell.

I just lost a long text - so instead we take it bit by bit.

I am an ordinary man - my life is ordinary - my wife is ordinary - I am a poor man - so I cannot get the wonderful think we see in books and at the established antique shops. So this ordinary man has to be full of ideas.

Wife and I visited 3 different flee markets in Copenhagen today. 2 downtown and one in the outskirts.

We have different approach - so wife seen it all and I was just getting started. At first marked I found this "silverplate" lid. The rest missing something to search for. Its a strawberry marmalade lid missing jar. Made of a famous danish silversmith Halberstad. No year mark so I expect 1940ties/50ties. Nice find even some missing.

And the "silverplate" is of the sort called silver.
But that was only to warm up.

To acquire silver you need an approach. I create a state of mind. I create a feeling of well being of fun and serious.

That is the sellers job - to create this feeling of welcome. I must say that most sellers do not have that skill. They do not create the cosy atmosphere - I do. As the seller play along - because they like it when I create the atmosphere. But result I get the merchandise and I set the price. The buyer set the price.

Not only do I decide - will I spend my nickel, I always get the product at a price lower that seller expected. I always get under his best price.

that the sport - It is not important whether it is 1$ or 100$. Its the creation of the proper atmosphere I like.

Next marked. As I acquire I start by searching. I study the silver - seller busy with another potential customer. He had several things that I liked. But I decided to get this sugar cup.

No hallmarks - seller oh yes they are there I found them once. As he could not find any hallmarks he had to turn to a neighbor for assistance. No hallmarks. Things have no price tag - so he requested a higher price. My response "so you found no hallmarks so price shuld be higher!" No hallmarks should we trade? gave him 50% of his original request.

We have now started ping pong - never seen each other before and we will never meet again. But we had fun for a while.

For me the fun has only started.

posted 07-24-2010 03:48 PM            

I expected the Netherlands - and I would expect i Lion somewhere. But somehow, the Netherlands never hide their marks. So I almost gave op. But a couple of hours searching. and - bingo.

another half hour

Can you see where it is. At first I thought it was mas a damage.

A days fun - ½ day in city, at home. An ordinary man found a bit of fun. Why do these french ue so tiny marks and why hide them?

But satisfactory when found.

posted 07-24-2010 03:56 PM            

Still the feeling. At the flee-marked i got involved with 2 other sellers. One we had a long talk - the other requested my name and thelephone number. Could he call me for assistance?
I had helped him place a Austria Hungarian item from Wienna 1855, that he mistaken believed to be danish provincial silver. As I said to him - now it added another 100kr to the price. No he said several hundreds kr.

That was a good day. In an ordinary mans life.

Ah almost forgot Emile Puiforcat 1857 onwards. Grandson uses mark until 1945. But a lot of skilled handicraft. So its the old guy I suspect.

posted 07-28-2010 04:19 PM            

I will most likely meet him again. It is a few flea markets - that are regular. It was my second visit to the first and my third visit to the other.

The last flea market we will never visit again.

So yes I will see him again and could be trade. Most sellers are Danish.

My experience visiting markets - feeling, negotiating, etc. all part of the hobby. Making bargains in second hand shops are another. The research of origin of silver is yet another. As to share my findings on-line and hawing help in getting more knowledge - very impotent.

Getting greater know how - that is the debate is most likely what I appreciate most of all.

posted 08-01-2010 04:13 PM            

I visited all the interesting stands - no Russian or Baltic silver - until I came to a seller who only exhibited English silver. While looking more or less uninterested over his ware, I detected a Russian looking cigarette case in silver. I asked the seller if I please could have a closer look at it.

With an annoyed look at my jeans and muddy shoes he asked me what I wanted to know. When I told him that I want to look at the marks to see where from this case was, he told me very distinct that it was a French case. While giving this answer he had his two thumps hooked into the vest of his 3 piece suit, bobbed up and down on his heels and told me, after being since over 25 years in business he exactly knows what he have. I insisted to seeing the case and after some reluctance he handed it over to me.A short inspection revealed a nice piece of I. Sazikov, a very famous Russian silversmith of the Court. The case was quite moderately priced for a French case and after some dealing I got it for 120.00 Euro. All the time his face had the impression of someone giving an ox a strawberry!

I could have kissed him for his ignorance...

Regards
Postnikov

[This message has been edited by Postnikov (edited 08-01-2010).]