through the collecting of foreign trade and pure population of the city and financial rewards.
This is John Thomas, the leader of the Bunch of Gifts.
And my leader is the president of the International Trade and Investment Committee.
It's a nice kind of collection to pass on to your children or grandchildren.
Well that's true.
We have two granddaughters.
There are only two in there for and yet at that young age they are already beginning to appreciate the plates.
We do give them plates for gifts and they will go through my Bradford book and they can pick out every single plate that we have.
It is a hobby that is absolutely addictive.
On top of that you meet so darn many nice people and you make such valuable friends who are interested in the same thing.
And the camaraderie of a club that you're into is something that's very valuable to you as a person.
You can grow with your collection.
The collections of things that they're doing now are definitely in the art fields.
And you must be very, very careful to buy exactly what you like.
Do not buy a plate because somebody says to you this is going to be a good investment.
Yes it might be.
It might not be.
And then if you are buying for investment only then you really should get out of the hobby.
Because to buy for investment it may get better.
It may not get better.
And then if you have bought the plates that you like you live with them and eventually they probably will be valuable.
But in the meantime you have enjoyed them.
I started my own collection with a blue and white plate because my house is blue and white.
Consequently you need to learn about your art.
You need to learn about the person who did it.
And you have a marvelous opportunity here to meet the artists.
Irene Spencer's out there.
One of the few things, unfortunately, that a husband and wife do together, enjoy together.
When you are traveling, once you are in collecting, the first thing you are going to do is go to a shop.
And the hunt becomes the most fantastic thing.
You find the pieces that you are looking for, the pieces that you want.
And many times when you find them you are not too sure you want them.
Because they are a heck of a lot more fun trying to find them.
And it becomes something to do together.
My wife collects the plates and I think they are a very good investment.
They appreciated a great deal since we started collecting.
How long have they been now? About seven years.
No, no, no, not for collecting, but for four years actually.
They freeze fairly rapidly and it is a good investment.
And of course they are beautiful to have on the wall.
There is beauty in everything.
But in plates, why, you can take them and just collect innumerable different kinds and colors and sizes.
And different types of material, metal, and the china and such.
Do you still like them for eating? Well, I think they are great for cake.
Love doing briefs.
This is an actual bridge of painting.
Do you see the cleaning on your left, I mean your left, of the little boy's crying? Well that also is Travis.
I just turned him into an Indian.
Well there we are.
You can see why it is fine.
I like to know about the way in which I work.
I work entirely from the round to begin with because I am basically a sculptor rather than any other type of artist.
And so I begin with a figurine, complete the figurine.
And then I take a flat plate which is provided by Avondale.
That is what art is.
My opinion of answering that question is that it is really impossible to do.
Art is interpreted so differently by different people.
But for me art is always something beautiful.
And I like the feeling of peace and calmness really more than the feeling of tremendous action.
It should be something that is beautiful if it is a figure from every angle.
This isn't always easy to achieve.
I made a sample and not quoted, not because they aren't a considered listed place.
It's just simply because there is very little trading.
But when the trading picks up they will be listed.
I came to the Bradford Museum.
It's not far from here.
I just made it here in 24 minutes.
But I came by Ferrari and I'm not sure that I recommend anybody trying it.
But it really is right down the road in Niles which is a neighboring town.
And once again if you want to get there, change quotations.
And the markets, the different markets in different countries are bound to merge in prices as a world market becomes more and more uniform.
Not that the world market doesn't already exist, but it has existed for years for a few places, particularly the Danish place.
Finger on the pulse at all times will now take over.
...in the American market right now.
For those of you who are buying plates right now I'm sure that you're looking for what's going to be hot.
And I'm sure as you're looking at the myriad of manufacturers and makers issuing plates these days you're a little confused.
And you're also wondering, number one, who are these people? Will these plates perform on the market? And what is the state of the market right now? I'm going to try and allay some of the fears that I've heard say at this convention that perhaps the market is soft.
This is not something we've experienced at the exchange.
As a matter of fact our volume has increased more than 20 % over the first quarter of this year.
There are perhaps some of the fears are because through the first quarter there have not been any spectacular big winning plates that have shot up in value like there were last year.
Last year at this time, while there aren't any great winners, over the first quarter of this year the market has been extraordinarily strong.
And this is pretty much indicated by the Brad X number, which if you get the Brad X regularly you will have noted that it began the year at 328.
For the rest of the market, there's been an interesting phenomenon going on in that many of you have turned your attention toward not so much newer issues, but the back issues in some of the more established series like the Henri series, like the Schmidt -Pummell Christmas series.
Also the Danish plates.
I suspect that's because there are so many new makers that perhaps some of you are relying on.
...trends in the current market and as Mr.
McArthur explained and as John kind of told you now, while John can publish the Brad X every two months and tell you what has occurred in the previous two months and while he's told you what's happening now, my major function is to look at the future and try and guess what's going to happen hopefully a year from now and if we're really lucky two years from now in terms of what various manufacturers are planning to introduce on the market in terms of artistry or media or subject matter.
...what would be kind of important.
Now, what are your questions? We'll answer every single one, absolutely, right to the letter if we can.
...the center of the giant exhibit that was put together here by all of the plate manufacturers in America.
From here where I stand now we can see Royal Dalton and Royal Copenhagen.
There's a great deal of royalty here.
They have relegated the communications media for this collector's association to one row along the wall.
They've got their backs to the wall, as you can see.
No comment.
No comment.
It's all very interesting.
Yes, it's all anthropology.
Cultural, that is.
Is it art? Is it art? No.
I'm afraid to say no.
It's manufactured art.
...the early 19th century British landscape artists and I've learned not to worry.
As a matter of fact, I feel a bit peckish myself.
Oh, no.
Oh, no.
Mr.
Lark Taylor.
No.
I didn't know much about art, but I knew it was all right.
...the museum of art.
Oh, no.
...the museum of art.
...the museum of art.
...the museum of art.
Attention please.
Attention please.
Attention please.
...the museum of art.
...the museum of art.
You don't know it.
...the museum of art.
It's mine.
...the museum of art.
...the museum of art.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
And when...
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
...the supermarket automatically puts it into the bag.
What is it? Bark, bark! Why are you playing with him? I'm not playing with him.
What are you doing? Bark, bark! Bark, bark! Bark, bark! Bark, bark! What is that? He hit him with a...
Bark, bark! ...a lot of sickness before she survived the long lift.
There are other kittens that she was dealt with, which she had more brothers and sisters, all down...
Go down the...
...shopping street.
The shop ones, you'll notice once in a while...
Music Come on, come on, let's have another one.
Put your hands on the wi -fi cable I don't see anyone? Are you ready? Thank you! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
