Antique BMX bicycles
Written by <Michael Vass
Just over the weekend I was at my first BMX event. A dirt jump competition held behind the Belmar Bar in Binghamton, New York. So it got me thinking about bicycles and antiques in general.
And much to my surprise (again) I found that there are antique BMX bicycles. Now one site I found is not exactly the antiue you might expect. These are not just old BMX parts and copmplete bicycles. Many are integrated with new parts, or restored with parts of other antique BMX equipment to match the needs and desires of the owner.
A piece of equipment that some might want is the SE LOOPTAIL QUADANGLE
or a complete bike like the SE RACING LOOPTAIL PK RIPPER form 1982.
Now there isn’t a lot of information out about this line of collectibles, yet. A search on eBay came up with nothing. But I have to wonder, BMX is a growing sport. The X-Games are very popular, garnering millions of viewers on television each year. How long will it be before antique BMX bikes become the craze of the next generations of middle aged Americans that grew up with the sport, or watching it?
I suppose that is the real question. What do you think?
Avoid Ruining Your Antiques
No one ruins an antique on purpose but hundreds of pieces of antique furniture are irreparably harmed each day by their owners because they simply don’t know any better. All of this harm is done in the course of attempting to care for antiques. Improper care for an antique not only creates significant monetary damage but also creates damage to the historical perspective of the antique. Follow these tips to maintain the value of your antique.
1. Cleaning a technique with modern cleansers could assist in creating value, however, this is not the case with all antiques. For example, no one wants to buy a dusty couch but a weathered look on an old copper lamp may add value. Consult with an expert on that particular type of antique before you attempt to clean anything besides a daily dusting routine.
2. Adding to tip 1, never ever ever refinish any antique unless you have permission to do so from a qualified professional and a qualified professional is doing the job. Refinishing an old antique can strip away 90% of the value so don’t do it !!
3. Avoid placing an antique piece in front of direct sunlight, near an open window where it could be wet, near an air conditioner or adjacent to a heating device. Placing an antique in an undesirable place could ruin the material that it’s made of or destroy the finish. Textiles, paints, woods and early plastics are all susceptible to light and water damage.
4. Clean up spills and stains immediately. Avoid excessive rubbing and if it’s at all possible, clean by using a gentle patting technique and avoid back and forth and circular patterns.
5. This is a tip I heard years ago and it’s so well said that I could say it once again. Store your antiques where you would be comfortable. So, if it’s excessively damp in your basement or excessively hot in your attic, your antiques could be uncomfortable too.
The wary steps to antiquing
The world of antiques is a difficult one to traverse. There are many things that have to be on the minds of buyers and sellers. While this is not exhaustive, I do want to point out a couple of things that should be foremost in many minds.
Perhaps the most important thought is if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Take for instance the sale of several hundred year old swords, coins, and sculptures. For collectors this is always a draw, and in this case were from the Middle East. Better yet, these items were being put up for sale by a farmer at a deep discount to expected prices.
While some would avoid a firesale of this nature, others would see the opportunity to own a piece of history. But this kind of sale is illegal. And the men involved were arrested by authorities. In fact once the ‘artifacts’ were inspected it was found that they were fakes. Too good to be true this time meant a crime and a ripoff, the lucky thing only being that authorities were able to make an arrest before innocents could be swindled.
On a more mundane level, if you own an antique remember to care for it beyond your normal household chores. Damage from excessive heat or cold can steal the value of your prized possessions as fast as exposure to the elements. Thus all heat vents or air conditioners should have a wide berth from you antique possession.
While we all love to observe and display our proud items, be careful of the source of lighting. Continuous exposure to direct sunlight can be as bad as exposure to water over time. While I’m not suggesting placing an item in a closet, placing it directly under the window sill is not a positive plan either, even if it looks wonderful there.
Obviously the fastest way to damage your antique is to let it be exposed to water. Warps, marks, color fading, cracks and more can all be attributed to water in varying amounts over time. There is possibly noting more dangerous and as potentially available everyday. If your antique does get wet, blot up the water as soon as possible.
Of course dust is never a positive either. Regular dusting is always an important step.
Now none of this is a news flash. I’m sure every reader to this blog is already aware of all these things. But then again we all have busy lives, forget to do a chore, or think that just this once doing something or letting it go will be alright. But that is not the case.
This is just a reminder. As much for me as for anyone. And if it reminds you to move that table a few inches to the right in the summer or winter, or makes you suspicious of a too great deal somewhere well then it was worth the time to write.
Antiques for the Environmentally Conscious
Well, this isn’t really an article about energy conservation, fossil fuel reduction, eating healthy, protecting our environment, saving the forest or organic foods. It’s about all of these things and much more.
Eighty percent of the world’s growth forests have been razed already. That’s from the demand for furniture in which China now produces one third of the world’s furniture. You can imagine the Chinese Government being environmentally conscious, can’t you? HAHHH.
Here’s a brilliant article on how buying antiques is being environmentally conscious and much more.
How to Repair an Antique
Glad you read the headline for this post and glad you decided to read the post because this post may save you thousands of dollars.
Every antique dealer and appraiser in the country has horror stories about clients who decided to repair their own antiques. I remember talking to an antique dealer in the great state of Vermont who told me a story of a lady who decided to strip down the old paint off of an antique table before it was seen by an expert.
Unfortunately, she cried after being told that she had devalued the piece by half after stripping off the old paint.
Before doing any repair work on a piece no matter how small the work may seem, allow a qualified expert or a knowledgeable dealer to see the piece. Most reputable dealers can advise you and also provide names of qualified repair people who are experienced in dealing with antiques. Also, museums are excellent sources to find qualified antique experts. However, let an expert or a qualified antique dealer see the piece before any repairs are done.
Do no repair antiques yourself and do not do any amount of repair work until a qualified antique dealer has advised you on how a repair will affect the value of the piece.
