(BPT) - Collecting relics isn’t a hobby just for Grandma and Grandpa any more. With the explosive popularity of TV shows centered around unearthing historic memorabilia and valuable pieces of Americana, searching for knickknacks and artifacts that make one-of-a-kind home decor is now a popular pastime for people of all ages. But how do you know the difference between what’s really treasure and what’s simply trash?
Larry Singleton, decor manager at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., is an expert when it comes to collecting historic relics. Singleton and his family have been collecting for more than 40 years, providing real American artifacts, memorabilia and signage to the more than 600 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations nationwide. He offers these insightful tips for the next time you’re on the hunt at a garage sale, flea market or thrift store:
kAm`] #6D62C49 2?5 =62C?k^Am
kAm#6D62C49 2?5 =62C? 2D >F49 2D J@F 42? 367@C6 J@F D9@A] (2E49 %' D9@HD[ D62C49 @? E96 x?E6C?6E[ G:D:E =@42= 4@==64E@C’D DE@C6D] s:D4@G6C:?8 H92E’D G2=F23=6 2?5 <?@H:?8 H92E’D 4FCC6?E=J :?\56>2?5 96=AD 8F:56 J@F :? >2<:?8 E92E “3:8 5:D4@G6CJ]” xE’D :>A@CE2?E E@ 36 H:==:?8 E@ :?G6DE E96 E:>6 2?5 ?6G6C 36 27C2:5 E@ 2D< BF6DE:@?D]k^Am
kAma] z?@H J@FC :?E6C6DEDk^Am
kAmx7 J@F 92G6 2? :?E6C6DE :? 2 A2CE:4F=2C EJA6 @7 :E6> – DF49 2D G:?E286 25G6CE:D6>6?ED[ 7@=< 2CE @C 49:=5C6?’D E@JD – 72>:=:2C:K6 J@FCD6=7 H:E9 H92E >2<6D 2 A:646 2FE96?E:4 2?5 H92E >:89E :?5:42E6 2 C6AC@5F4E:@?] !=FD H96? J@F 92G6 2 A6CD@?2= :?E6C6DE :? E96 :E6> J@F’C6 D66<:?8[ E96 9F?E 364@>6D E92E >F49 >@C6 7F?]k^Am
kAmb] z66A 2 D>2CEA9@?6 4=@D6k^Am
kAmp D>2CEA9@?6 42? 36 2 EC62DFC6 9F?E6C’D 36DE 7C:6?5 3642FD6 J@F 42? 4@?5F4E C6D62C49 BF:4<=J H9:=6 @? =@42E:@?] *@F 42? 2=D@ C6D62C49 D:>:=2C :E6>D E@ 4@>A2C6 AC:46D 2?5 D66 :7 E96 AC:46 :D C62D@?23=6 @C :?7=2E65]k^Am
kAmc] z?@H 2? 6IA6CEk^Am
kAmz66A 2? 6IA6CE’D ?F>36C @? 92?5 – 6G6CJ 4@==64E@C CF?D :?E@ BF6DE:@?D 2?5 92G:?8 2 <?@H=658623=6 4@?E24E J@F 42? 42== @C E@ H9@> J@F 42? D6?5 2 A:4EFC6 :D :?G2=F23=6] v@@5 C6D@FC46D :?4=F56 4@>>F?:EJ 2DD@4:2E:@?D[ 9:DE@C:42= D@4:6E:6D 2?5 7C:6?5D @C 72>:=J >6>36CD]k^Am
kAmd] }6EH@C<k^Am
kAm~?6 @7 E96 36DE H2JD E@ =62C? 23@FE :E6>D 2D H6== 2D H96C6 E@ 7:?5 E96> :D E@ E2=< E@ =:<6>:?565 A6@A=6] %C62DFC6 9F?E6CD 2?5 4@==64E@CD =@G6 E@ D92C6 :?7@ @? H92E E96J 4@==64E[ 3FJ 2?5 D6==] &D6 E9:D :?7@C>2E:@? W2?5 42>2C256C:6X E@ J@FC 25G2?E286]k^Am
kAme] z?@H E96 DE@CJk^Am
kAm(9:=6 D@>6 :E6>D >:89E 92G6 A=6?EJ @7 >@?6E2CJ G2=F6[ @E96C 9:DE@C:4 C6=:4D >:89E 36 G2=F23=6 D:>A=J 3642FD6 @7 E96 DE@CJ E96J E6==] $66<:?8 9:DE@C:4 2CE:724ED 2?5 >6>@C23:=:2 AC@G:56D 2 A:646 @7 564@C E92E :D >@C6 E92? ;FDE AC6EEJj :E’D 2 4@?G6CD2E:@? A:646 H96? 8F6DED G:D:E J@FC 9@>6]k^Am
kAm%96D6 6IA6CE E:AD 2C6 H92E $:?8=6E@? 7@==@HD E@ 7:?5 E96 2FE96?E:4 >6>@C23:=:2 E92E 564@C2E6D 2== k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]4C24<6C32CC6=]4@>^QmrC24<6C q2CC6= =@42E:@?Dk^2m] t249 DE@C6 92D 23@FE `[___ 2CE:724ED 5:DA=2J65[ 8:G:?8 A2EC@?D 2 E2DE6 @7 p>6C:42? 9:DE@CJ] *@F[ E@@[ 42? 4C62E6 2? :?E6C:@C DA246 E92E A2:CD >@56C? 4@>7@CE H:E9 E96 A2?2496 E92E @?=J F?:BF6 9:DE@C:4 C6=:4D 42? 3C:?8 E@ 2 9@>6’D 564@C] $E2CE J@FC @H? EC62DFC6 9F?E E@52J]k^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lVk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`d`hdU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fQm9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`d`hdU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fk^2mV 3@C56ClV_V H:5E9lV`V 96:89ElV`V ^mk^Am
