Today as I searched for treasures, I found them in an unlikely place. Fifty plus Santa's spread out on the back of a flatbed trailer. I started not to even pick one up, but seeing that many together looking like they may be from the same artist intrigued me. I picked one up - June McKenna - 1986 - 2414 of 4000. OK, it was signed and it was limited edition - but who was June McKenna. I had never heard of her.
I so love my iPhone! I clicked on my Ebay app - typed in June McKenna - and up pops hundreds of Santas. So she's well known - that's a good sign. I started browsing through completed items and saw that they sell very well. That was another good sign - now just to get a price from the seller. The price was very reasonable so I bought all that she had. She was flabbergasted that I wanted "those old ugly things" that had belonged to her husband's grandmother. Poor grandmother! If she knew that those unique Santas that she had collected so many years ago would end up on the back of a flatbed trailer, she would be sending some evil elves after her granddaughter-in-law.
But...they were dusty - which when selling is a little detrimental to the value. See - collectors don't like for you to clean things up - it may damage the paint so they prefer to do the cleaning. Which means that I'm going to have to post pictures of dusty Santas and they don't show as well when you're asking a nice sum for them. I asked the young woman how they got so dusty and where the grandmother lived. She told me that grandma had lived in Ashland, Virginia and she had kept them in a room displayed all year long and as she got older, she failed to dust them as often as she should. Once again, as she was packing them up, I heard her tell her husband that she thought they would never sell even one of them - much less all of them. "Hurry up", she said, "before she changes her mind".
When I got back home , I researched them a little further on my laptop. Apparently, Ashland is where the sculptures were made which explains why she had so many, and why there were a couple of "samples" and "Artist Proofs" and also several artist signed limited edition pieces. They had been bought locally by Grandma.
This goes to prove, once again, that one man's trash is another man's treasure. I'm just grateful that I keep finding other people's trash. And I'm also glad that I didn't go with my initial reaction and just pass them by - those "ugly, old, and dusty boys".
Here's a sneak peak at just three of them. I did use a soft toothbrush and lightly dusted them a little bit.
I'll do a post later and let you know how well I did....or if I lost money. Do you like to go treasure hunting? Tell me if you have found any treasures lately. Also - how many of you have heard of June McKenna and would you have passed them by?
I so love my iPhone! I clicked on my Ebay app - typed in June McKenna - and up pops hundreds of Santas. So she's well known - that's a good sign. I started browsing through completed items and saw that they sell very well. That was another good sign - now just to get a price from the seller. The price was very reasonable so I bought all that she had. She was flabbergasted that I wanted "those old ugly things" that had belonged to her husband's grandmother. Poor grandmother! If she knew that those unique Santas that she had collected so many years ago would end up on the back of a flatbed trailer, she would be sending some evil elves after her granddaughter-in-law.
But...they were dusty - which when selling is a little detrimental to the value. See - collectors don't like for you to clean things up - it may damage the paint so they prefer to do the cleaning. Which means that I'm going to have to post pictures of dusty Santas and they don't show as well when you're asking a nice sum for them. I asked the young woman how they got so dusty and where the grandmother lived. She told me that grandma had lived in Ashland, Virginia and she had kept them in a room displayed all year long and as she got older, she failed to dust them as often as she should. Once again, as she was packing them up, I heard her tell her husband that she thought they would never sell even one of them - much less all of them. "Hurry up", she said, "before she changes her mind".
When I got back home , I researched them a little further on my laptop. Apparently, Ashland is where the sculptures were made which explains why she had so many, and why there were a couple of "samples" and "Artist Proofs" and also several artist signed limited edition pieces. They had been bought locally by Grandma.
This goes to prove, once again, that one man's trash is another man's treasure. I'm just grateful that I keep finding other people's trash. And I'm also glad that I didn't go with my initial reaction and just pass them by - those "ugly, old, and dusty boys".
Here's a sneak peak at just three of them. I did use a soft toothbrush and lightly dusted them a little bit.
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| The one in the center is called Season's Greetings and is signed "Artist Proof". His eyes have not been painted. I wonder if that makes him more valuable or less valuable? I'll just have to see. |
Dearest Glenda,
ReplyDeleteI admire you the way you use internet for treasure hunt!
yes, your findings sure look marvelous and nice for this season.
Sorry, of course I don't know her, p;)
And hello again, to see you in your sidebar. How lovely to see you and found my treasure♬♬♬
Love and Lots of Hugs to you, Orchid*
Isn't it fun to find a treasure? I keep telling my husband to use his metal detector in the back yard..you never know what is in the ground..
ReplyDeleteYou have done well with the Santas..just beautiful.
Well then, Glenda. Sounds as if you've got a really got buy there my friend! You've given us a little peek, and they do look lovely. I would think that they would be worth a bit of money myself. Let us know anyway! Will you keep any, or try to sell them on. Can't believe you bought the lot! Bet the lady was flabbergasted. Hee Hee! Hope all is well with you.
ReplyDeleteI always did like junking. Flea markets, yard sales, country stores. Even a barn or two. Never know.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you selling them?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for visiting. I am selling them on Ebay.
ReplyDeleteI have a sneaking suspicion I am bidding on quite a few of them as we speak. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi... I'm trying to find out what the 12 Santas In Diguise by June Mckenna in the I Believe collection which I think was 1997... does anyone know? I am trying to purchase some of them for my stepmother because she was buying one by one and didn't complete it. I believe she has February, June, July, January, and December. I think the Teaching Santa is one. Can anyone help me with the rest? Please? Thank you sooo much.
ReplyDeleteYou'll have more luck finding them nearer to the Christmas Holidays. Etsy.com and Ebay are good places to look. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHi,
DeleteI have a collection of McKenna santa's. I love the way the way the faces are painted, they look so jolly. I have several that I would like to sell, please let us know how you do selling yours.
They did very well on Ebay. Some of the rarest ones sold for close to $100 each. Just do some research on Ebay and start listing them. Good luck.
DeleteI used to paint for her when I lived in Ashland. I was one of the 6 first ones when she was just starting. Eventually I painted only eyes for the figurines. Glad you like them.
ReplyDeleteWow! Dorothy - I have several of the figurines that don't have the eyes painted. Maybe I should send them to you and let me pay you to paint them! I'm sure you enjoyed your work - she's a great artist!
DeleteI have a pretty good collection of June McKenna's. I understand the value has declined because they were not being made in Reston VA and the company moved overseas somewhere. Very disappointed! I love them and was planning on the value increasing through the years.
DeleteSome of them have held their value pretty well - especially the earlier ones. If you have any of the earlier ones, check the prices of Ebay by going to the completed listings and searching for the ones you have. It may be better to wait until late November or early December since there doesn't seem to be much demand for them except during the holiday months.
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