Village Squire, 1977-11, Page 7plate now sells for $200. and increase in value of more than 250
per cent per year.
While working in the china shop Mike realized the potential of
collectors plates which were just starting to hit their peak. He
realized that people were willing to pay far higher prices than
normal for the plates and he began to work into it as a sideline.
So when he was looking for an occupation Mike decided to
make use of his hobby, and his knowledge of antiques and he
opened The Rare Bird on the main street of St. Marys. It was one
of a number of new. small and interesting shops to open up in the
town over about a two-year period, many of them, like his,
started by people who had come from outside the area and liked
what they saw in St. Marys.
The store sold antique furniture but antique china and his
collectors plates were a major part of the attraction of the store.
Then this year when local jeweller Gordon Smith decided to sell
out his business. Mike decided that his china and .collectors
plates would fit itt well with the jewellery business. He
abandoned the furniture portion of the business because of lack
of space but on Oct. 1 moved his china into the new location.
New. that is. to Mike Griffin but there's certainly nothing new
about the store. It's one of the most impressive buildings on St.
Marys' interesting main street. A large clock tower soars from it
above the other stores in the neighbourhood and the clock
sounds off the hours. It was built by a jeweller named Andrews
and. the Andrews family still owns the building. It's been a
jewellery store since it was built and inside it still has the soft
lustrous feeling of old wood and large glass show cases. The
family won't allow modernizing of the store which suits Mike just
fine. For a man who has an interest in antiques, it's an
opportunity to work in a living. working antique. almost like
stepping back 100 years in time.
The jewellery side of the business is a new experience for him.
Mike says. but members of the staff. including Mr. Smith who
still does watch repairs in a little workshop at the rear of the
store. are helping him out.
But the Targe display cases on one side of the room are far from
unfaimiliar to him. They hold china by the well-known makers
and his collectors plates. He advertises that he has 250 collectors
plates in stock, though usually he has at least 300 and some -
times as many as 350. To stock all the collectors plates available
in any one year would mean having thousands of plates he says.
Just stocking the continuing annual series would mean keeping
something like 350 plates in stock. s:
Collectors plates apparently began in 1895 when a Danish
china maker started a Christmas plate series. In 1908 Royal
Copenhagen followed, producing a series. From then on the
business slowly grew but it really took off in 1969 when
Wedgwood produced a Christmas plate. That plate cost $25 and
today sells for $350. Since then the business has boomed.
It might seem that this is a pretty specialized business and it
is. Mike says. Through advertising in magazines such as Village
Squire he sometimes gets enquiries from all over North America
from collectors who think St. Marys is a pretty out of the way
place and they might be able to pick up collectors plates at
bargain values. They soon find out from his returning letter that
Mike is knowledgeable enough about the business not to give
things away at too low prices, but often they keep his shop in
mind and he'll pick up sales from the enquirers in the long run
after all.
As well as the collectors plates, his antique china has come
with him to the new location. He's into things such as antique
Wedgwood. The more you know about antiques the less
competition you have, he says. He's found it better to specialize
and learn everything to know about certain fields. There's no
sense going to an auction and bidding on everything that
everybody else is bidding: on. Even if you have to pay more for
something really good, he says. there's usually no problem
finding someone to buy it. His advice to most antique dealers is
to specialize.
Though new to the jewellery side of things, Mike is learning
fast on some things. There's a real demand, he says, for men's
jewellery. a demand that large manfifacturers just aren't
The last warm rays of
autumn herald the coming
of the holiday season.
Before the icy blasts of
winter arrive, we would like
to invite you to our studio
for a special pre -Christmas
show and sale of our pottery.
Take a ride in the country
and join us for wine, cheese and
a little bit of down-home warmth.
beechwooc ootter L's
ristrnQs show 'n sale
noon to b om
suncaL
nov 20
seafor t h ont 519-3452184
N
'&&
s,
_\ y.r i\dory •
e
In the old Beechwood General
Store 21/2 miles north of St.
Columban on McKillop Sideroad
10 at Concession 5.
VILLAGE SQUIRE/NOVEMBER 1977, 5.