The living room is the tipoff that David Croft is no ordinary plate collector. Wall after wall is covered with limited-edition plates that reflect his diverse interests in everything from wildlife to Norman Rockwell.
Step into the kitchen and dining room and you’ll see more collector plates. Then there are two bedrooms decorated with-you guessed it-plates.
“The only room I don’t have plates is in the bathroom,” Croft says proudly. “My biggest enjoyment is when someone else enjoys them.”
Whether you favor traditional themes such as fuzzy animals and winsome children or contemporary sports heroes and movie stars, there is probably a limited-edition plate out there for you. But before you succumb to advertisements breathlessly proclaiming beauty and value appreciation, learn how the market works so that you can become an astute buyer or seller.
The industry has undergone major upheavals since the free-wheeling ’70s, when wild speculation and controversy over the term “limited edition” resulted in negative publicity.
“The plate industry came apart at the seams 20 years ago,” recalls John Conley, vice president of collectibles for Enesco Corp., a giftware and collectibles producer in Elk Grove Village.
“Everybody and their brother got into the business,” he adds. “They made claims about inflated value. … You’d buy a plate that was labeled `limited,’ then three or four years later someone else would buy the artwork from the artist and start making plates again. There was no standard.” As a result, the industry adopted regulatory guidelines 10 years ago to quell the confusion over “limited edition,” which helped the market stabilize. “Since then, there has not been a problem,” says Conley, who is past president of the Collectibles & Platemakers Guild Inc., a national trade association based in Northbrook, and an industry representative for the Mansfield, Ohio-based National Association of Limited Edition Dealers.
Editions of collector plates, which feature reproductions of originals by noted artists, can be limited by time (for example, an annual edition), a pre-announced number or the number of announced firing days. Next to ceramic cottages, these plates are the most popular collectible in the U.S., surpassing dolls and figurines in sales, according to Hunter Haines, managing director of the Collectibles & Platemakers Guild.
More than 7 million Americans collect plates made of porcelain, pewter, crystal and silver. Not surprisingly, affordability is part of the appeal. Porcelain plates generally cost from $25 to $30, markedly less than prints.
Most folks, as Croft of Chicago does, collect primarily for the artwork, though he says he will sell on the secondary market “when the opportunity is right.”
“There’s no way to tell whether the plate you are looking at now is going to go up in value,” says Ginny Sexton, spokeswoman for the Bradford Exchange based in Niles, the world’s largest trading center for limited-edition plates. “When you buy a plate, at least you are going to have artwork. So if it appreciates, then it’s a bonus for you.”
At the exchange, which is also a leading marketer of newly issued collector plates, about 4,000 plates are eligible for trading. Bradford operates a computerized trading floor, where brokers help clients buy and sell thousands of plates, and publishes a quarterly quote sheet. Collectors can obtain the latest prices on any listed plate by calling 800-323-8078.
Thanks to “The King’s” immortality, Croft received a princely sum, $130, late last year for an Elvis Presley plate he had originally bought for $30 in 1991 through Bradford.
At the outset, get acquainted with the vast array of plates on the market and what’s hot and what’s not. Head for the library or a bookstore for reference books and hobbyist magazines, and browse through gift shops and flea markets.
An excellent book for hobbyists is “Everybody’s Guide to Plate Collecting-New Edition” by Herschell Lewis and Margo Lewis (Bonus Books, $12.95; 800-225-3775). Another informative publication is the bimonthly Collector’s Mart magazine. A six-month subscription is $23.95 (316-946-0600).
Attending collectibles shows is a good way to get a feel for the variety of plates. The Collectibles & Platemakers Guild sponsors two annual conventions (708-295-4444). This year, the International Collectible Exposition will be open to the public April 9 and 10 in Secaucus, N.J., and July 15 and 16 in South Bend, Ind.
If your eyes glaze over when collectors talk about “glazing,” “firing days” and “backstamps,” join the club. Club memberships help cut through the confusion about how to collect.
Susan K. Elliott of Dallas, co-author with J. Kevin Samara of the “Official Club Directory and Price Guide to Limited Edition Collectibles” (Ballantine, $15), says: “Clubs help collectors to specialize and enjoy their collections to the fullest by providing regular information and background on an artist and company, with special offers for products and events.”
The oldest plate collectors association in the country is the International Plate Collectors Guild, which is independent from manufacturer sponsorship. Write the International Plate Collectors Guild, P.O. Box 487, Artesia, Calif. 90702-0487, or call club president Marjorie Rosenberg at 310-924-6335.
Consider what direction you want to take your collection. Do you want to focus all your attention toward a favorite artist, a series, a set or just to whatever artwork appeals to you? Bill Dean of Rolling Meadows collects plates decorated with his favorite bird, the cardinal. “A friend purchased a plate for me, then I started receiving mailings about plates and saw things I liked,” he says.
“The buying public is choosing art and plates that reflect their own personal interest,” says author Margo Lewis of Plantation, Fla. “The sports heroes are very big, along with pop stars and movie themes.” For example, Enesco’s Sports Impressions division is targeted at the fast-growing market for limited-edition sports memorabilia.
Because you never know when you may want to sell, save shipping cartons and keep your plates in mint condition. Rosenberg recommends a product called Tacky Wax made by Bard’s Products Inc. in Mundelein, which, when applied to plate stands, keeps porcelain treasures from toppling.
