None dare call it junk at Urban Ore

Urban Ore, Inc. in Berkeley, CA is one of those irresistible places where recycled bits and pieces of every description get a chance at a new life. Their two-acre yard is a treasure trove for designers, artists, bargain-hunters and people just looking for inspiration, such as kinetic sculptor Nemo Gould, who found most of the elements for this robotic piece, "Nowhere Fast" at Urban Ore.

Crafted from bicycle parts, an old rocking chair, baseball bats, optical equipment, a faux ship's wheel and hundreds of other disparate parts, this creation has a Rube Goldberg Steampunk style that endlessly amuses and fascinates, especially when the robot gets going on his unusual bicycle.

Two acres holds a lot of treasure, but you can get an idea of what you might find by visiting Urban Ore's website.

An Online Upgrade

We have just completed reconfiguring all the online pages of the Collector's Guide for 2011.

Now, all links have been activated in our online version, so you can explore all the stores listed in this edition, from Washington State to Arizona, and with a click go to their websites, web pages or email addresses.

And don't forget, you can now get an eBook of the edition, which is searchable! Looking for a particular type of item? You'll can instantly view the details of every store that lists that item in their merchandise (eBook only).

At the beginning of the book is a show section, carrying the year's schedule of events for dozens of antique shows...probably a show every weekend, if you like!

And if you want the hardcopy, it's now available free in all the stores and most of the shows participating in the book. Still travel-size. Only stores that support the Guide with their advertising dollars appear in the book, so if you find it useful in finding stores and shows in the Western states, whether you're using the online or hardcopy version, please mention Cochran's Collector's Guide when you visit your local store... and next year's edition may be even more complete.

I've been waiting just for you...take me home!

There's something about an outdoor market on a sunny day that appeals to our most ancient selves: the anticipation of unlimited possibilities, the excited buzz of treasure seekers, an irresistible tingle when you spot something special that whispers, "You know I'm perfect for you...Take me home!"

That kind of exhilaration descends on the spacious parking lot at Magnolia Antiques & Home Interiors three times a year during the Marketplace at Magnolia event, next scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 19. This weekend, in fact.
Caryn Conway, owner of Magnolia's, dreamed up the Marketplace five years ago, and since then it's grown to be quite an attraction: sixty vendors displaying everything from furniture to pottery, jewelry to ironwork and art. She keeps the standards high: only antiques and collectibles are accepted. The event always sells out; at $25 per space, it's a great opportunity for sellers to make contact with buyers in a pleasant outdoor atmosphere, complete with homemade food and beverages. So far, in five years of operation, the weather has always cooperated beautifully.

Naturally, Magnolia's has something extra for the shoppers, usually a 20% off sale inside the store where 25 dealers have established a reputation as "The Best Antique Store in Sacramento" for the past three years.
Marketplace at Magnolia takes place 8am to 3pm the last Sunday of March, May and September, unless that date conflicts with a major holiday, so in that case it's best to call for information. Admission is free. Magnolia is only 15 minutes from downtown Sacramento, at 6458 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Carmichael, open daily 10am to 6pm. To be a vendor, or to find out more about the Marketplace, call (916) 973-8590.

Photos: Caryn Conway

Out of the ordinary

The motto at Sekula's Fine Art & Antiques is "Because your world shouldn't be ordinary," and there's certainly nothing ordinary about the early 20th Century, Arts & Crafts furnishings they have collected at their store in the 57th Street antique center in Sacramento.


Misha Sekula and Rick Kersey are decorators and designers as well as dealers in antiques, and their tastes run to rich textures (think gleaming leather and glossy, dark wood) and understated forms that unite easily with other pieces rather than clashing or dominating a room. My favorite pieces are the irresistible deep leather chairs in tones of chocolate and caramel, with soft mica-shaded lighting, Mission furniture in pristine condition, warm velvety textures in subdued patterns I could live with for decades and never get tired of them. Wandering through their website, I get nostalgic for an era before my time, in the early 1900s when Craftsman cottages set the style in California.
Sekula's has an art gallery, too, featuring contemporary award-winning artists such as Terry Miura and Keith Wicks, and photographers like Don Satterlee. Periodically they host showings of artists' works, the most recent being Visions of New York and Central Park by Kevin Courter. Photos of these works also appear on the website. I couldn't help but notice that the styles and subject matter blend beautifully with the furniture on display, even though the artists are from the current generation.

Sekula's also offers custom design for furniture and cabinetry. The store is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am-5pm or by appointment.

Photos are from sekulas.com; visit their website to see much, much more.

Celebrating 24 years in Clovis

Happy 24th Anniversary to The Original 4th Street Antique Mall in Clovis! Often called the best store in Clovis, thanks to the energetic efforts of owner Marty Watt.

The 36 dealers make the most of their 8,000 sq. ft. of space, displaying everything from oak and Victorian furniture to postcards and estate jewelry. Lots of art pottery and lovely small gifts, linens and lace, and items to decorate your home and garden.

Marty alerted us recently that their annual August sale will take place this year from the 21st to the 31st, with 10% to 50% off just about everything in the store. You can get a good idea of their wide array of merchandise at their Facebook page, where they uploaded dozens of photos recently. Here's just a sample to whet your appetite...

The Original 4th Street Antique Mall is at 402 Pollasky on the corner of 4th Street.

Razzling That Dazzle!

What goes around comes around, and never more so than in fashion. The strapless dress has been back for a while now, all the more reason to concentrate on our upper-body workouts. But the current strapless styles have nothing on the ones from the Fifties, when designers took the look as far as it could go. Isn't that when we first heard the joke, "That's a lovely dress you almost have on?"

On a little "windowshopping" expedition among vintage store websites this morning I found this ultimate silk strapless party dress, at Cindy Ferris's Razzle Dazzle in Tucson. Va-voom! With the right coloring (and that toned upper body) a girl would look like a movie star and feel smug knowing she paid only $55 for it.

This aptly-named store specializes in dazzle, specifically vintage fine and costume jewelry. My favorite was the 1940s necklace, earring and bracelet set from Mexico in handmade beads of copper and silver. Magnifico!


Guys can spiff up too at Razzle Dazzle, where there's a wide selection of vintage duds for men, too. Where else could you pick up a huggable full-length cashmere coat for $75 for your honey?

There are also home furnishings, especially Fifties-era, like the beautifully-kept authentic chrome-and-Formica kitchen set shown here, for the Retro kitchen that will take everyone back to their childhood.

Razzle Dazzle has a new location at 3402 Grant Rd., formerly Tom's Antiques, between Country Club and Dodge on the south side of the street. But if you're a long way from Tucson, visit the website, where much of their merchandise is displayed in bright, clear and enlargeable photos, and if something calls to you, take it home in their shopping cart!

Smart marketing at Merchant Square

Photos from Pore Ol' John's collection at Merchant Square in Chandler, AZ

I've noticed a new trend among antique malls, a good example of which is at the website of Merchant Square in Chandler, AZ, which is apparently housed in an old schoolhouse. What a great use of old public buildings, turning them into antique malls!
Merchant Square not only has its own website, and some of their dealers have attached their own blogs to the site, such as Pore Ol' John, who specializes in toy trains and train memorabilia. Six individuals at Merchant Square so far have tackled the challenge of putting up their own blogs, most going for a simple display of photos which gets the idea of their specialties across with minimal effort. Merchant Square encourages them by featuring a specific site now and then.

Nice kitchen dresser shot, brightly lighted

Another good idea: their website makes navigating through this huge store easier by posting a map on their Tour page. It's a work in progress: eventually those dealers who participate will have their segment of the map green and a rollover will take you to a photo of their display.

We have a saying here at Cochran's, that "Organizing antique dealers is like herding cats." But if only a few get involved by making the effort to take pictures and set up their own blogs, everybody benefits. Best of all, blogging is free!