The Famous Duke's Smoking Tobacco Sign

[Southern Boy]

Hey everyone, I am new to this forum, but I thought this would be a good place to hang out and maybe get some information.  I am a young guy, but I would love to get more into the antiques world.  My Grandmother has a passion for antiques, and I have great memories as a kid.  I keep hearing everyone say my love for old things is in my blood.  I don't want to just ramble on about myself, hopefully you guys will get to know me through my posting, but on to what brought me here...

I recently helped a family friend move back South.  She and her husband were retiring, and couldn't take everything with them.  They let me take what they couldn't fit in the truck, and whatever I asked for around the house.  One of the best items (in my opinion) I got was this sign.  I have looked around online, and found only one item like it listed anywhere.

http://live.vcaauction.com/The-Famous-Dukes-smoking-tobacco-sign_i5279735

I would love to be able to learn to make a living buying and selling antiques, as it would be a way for me to connect with my Grandmother more.  I feel that you can really get to know a person by the items they collect.  Here are the pictures of the item I have.  It is on wood, as opposed to being just framed paper.  It may be decoupage though, as one of the other items I acquired from the couple is, and was made in the 70s by his mother.

If you have any information, questions, tips for a young guy, or just wanna chat about the old and dusty, let me know. 

Here are the pictures.







Thank you for any responses.

[talesofthesevenseas]

We're glad to have you here Southern Boy!

Well about that sign... I'm afraid it looks like you have one of the reproduction signs that were made in the 1970's. They are fun because they look old, but I'm afraid the look is the only old thing about them. They keep coming up because the do have the appearance of old signage and we have had a couple of discussions about these, but let's see if the others agree.

Don't let this discourage you from getting into antiques, we have all thought we had old things that turned out to be reproductions. Since you didn't spend any money on it, you're already doing better than most of us when we started! (I spent $100 on each of the reproductions that I bought thinking they were antique!)

[Southern Boy]

Thanks for the fast response.  I guess I believed it had to be old because the woman I was helping move was...well, lets just face it, a hoarder.  Everything she had seemed to be from the mesozoic era to me.  Haha, joking.  Even if it is a repro, I like it, so it isn't a real loss.  Is there any real way to tell the difference?

Being young and trying to get into this, I am probably going to be fooled easily.  I am planning to head back home and hang out with my Grandmother and hopefully absorb all I can from her.  I hear not too many young people are interested in this sort of thing, I don't see why.  I could go on all day about the many reasons to enjoy old things.  I am trying to keep from rambling so you people don't hate me though

[talesofthesevenseas]

These ones are hard because they did a good job of making them look old. I think they may have used old barn wood, but maybe someone can comment on that. The biggest clue on these is that they were done with a technique called "decoupage" which was essentially a painted on glue process in which you paint over the artwork and forever seal it to whatever object you are glueing it to. It was all the rage in the 1970's and you could buy the paste as a product called "Modge-Podge". I'm also going on having seen these kinds of reproduction signs before. Again, let's get some opinions from the others here to make sure I'm making the right call on this one. 

[Southern Boy]

I just discovered the art of decoupage myself.  Fun to do.  That is why I suggested it may be done by his mother.  She did a nice lantern piece I have in my room.  He told me she did that one, so one could assume she very well could have done this one.

I noticed your sig by the way, I love that mentality.  If you don't mind me asking, how did you get into the business?  Telling me a little about your journey into the world of antiques may be helpful to me, if you don't mind sharing.

I don't know how popular this site is, or what the normal days postings are about, but I feel like the more people I chat with about this kind of thing, the better.  And if I am bothering you, just point me to different forum to chat in around here, or simply tell me to get lost

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm actually not an antique dealer, just an addict who has been doing this for years. I started out as a little kid, spending my allowance in antique stores and at garage sales. I'm turning fifty this year, so I've been collecting for about forty years now. My oldest pieces are ancient Egyptian artifacts, but I also collect Chinese antiques and furniture, Victorian era antiques and furniture, antique kitchen items, antique china dolls and pre-1930 cookbooks, plus just the occasional wonderful thing that doesn't fit into any category.

[Southern Boy]

I have had a rough life (who hasn't), but the good memories I have are being a little kid and going to estate sales with my Grandmother.  I feel like time is something you can never get back, no matter how successful you are or how much money you make.  I would hate for something to happen to her and never to be able to bond with her.  She has accumulated a ton of things over the years, and I would love to be able to help her and learn all at the same time.  I feel she is embarrassed having so much " junk ".  I hope to carry on her passion, and be the other side of the coin so to speak.  I feel as if something happened to her, all her things would just be wasted.  A lot of the things no one gets to see and enjoy now.  I have a long road ahead of me to make this little dream a reality, but all I can do is try.

I feel like I am venting a bit too much here...maybe it isn't a bad thing though.  Here is a good question for you, what is the most interesting or important item you have in your collection?  I think people like you are very interesting.  A lot of people just buy their things and furniture from Wal-mart...I feel like an item should have a history and a personality.  Hopefully I don't end up offending you, you interest me.  I just feel like I have to keep myself from rambling on all day 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Interesting and important would be two different categories with my things.

I think the most important things I have are the family items that have been passed down through the generations. The most significant of these was an 18th century silk shawl that belonged to my ancestor who was one of the few women recognized for her service in the Revolutionary War. That is now in the DAR Museum in Washington DC, where I know it will have the best possible care and will be kept safe for the family. But since I donated it, I can no longer say that it is mine or in my collection.

Here's a couple of things that I would say people find the most interesting, my Chinese wedding bed, an ancient Egyptian ring with heirogylphs and a carousel horse from the park where I grew up:
http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?topic=5061.msg13958#msg13958

and a triple set of shaving mirrors which were carved and painted with images of Native Americans. This forum helped me identify them man as Wolf Robe, the woman is still unidentified. This is one of the things I bought at a garage sale as a kid. I spent twenty-five cents on it and we estimated that it would now be worth about $400-ish.
http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?topic=5654.0

[jondar]

Sorry I can't help on the picture but that Duke's Smoking Tobacco really brought my memories alive.  As a kid of 16-17 we rolled our own cigarettes with Duke's Mixture and it was the best of the lot. Although Genuine Durham (Bull Durham) got more advertising it couldn't hold a candle to Duke's.  Both came in little cloth sacks and sold for a dime.  Papers included.  Sadly, both have gone by the way.

[mart]

Hi there Southern Boy !!  Welcome to the group !!  I agree with Tales on your sign !!  But as a sign to decorate with I think its nice !! Old wood but the way the sign was cut in a wave pattern pretty much says 70`s decoupage !!  Still it adds interest wherever you decide to hang it !! It doesn`t hurt a bit to use signs like this in decorating !! Just be sure to say its a repro if you sell it !!  One tip I will give you is to be as honest as possible in your sales !! Your reputation is what will make you a success or not !!  If you don`t know for sure about an item you are selling,, research it till you do !! And if you don`t know for  sure,, say so !!
Its nice to have young people here to learn about antiques !!  Glad you joined !!

[Southern Boy]

Thanks for the warm welcome.  That bed is amazing.  I have never seen anything like it.  My eye is also drawn to the trunk.  I don't know why, but I seem to have a thing for old trunks.  Hopefully I am not taken advantage of when I start to try to deal with people.  My love for things and ignorance on the subject may get me into trouble.  I don't know any other way to really learn this sort of business other than by first hand experience.  Hopefully I will be able to ask the right questions and retain enough knowledge from my Grandmother.

Glad to bring up some good memories too, jondar.  I think that is a lot of what draws someone to an item.

Anyone know what this may be worth?  I feel I have to ask as much as possible.  I hope to be able to move back South soon, and knowledge is power.  I would like to take everything with me, but I doubt I will be able to.  I am a worrier, and I feel something like this would get damaged during transport.  I feel in a way I have to push myself to sell so I don't just hang on to everything and get myself into trouble that way.

Where do you guys go to sell items?  Ebay is getting complicated these days, and there is a lot to understand for one person.  I hear they are going to crack down on taxing Ebay sellers, and it is a lot to understand for a young seller.  I am in Alaska, so shipping is also an issue.  I don't agree with some of the things Ebay does, such as charging twice by owning both Ebay and Paypal, but I guess that is a long debate for another day.  I have used Craigslist to list a few vintage items I have, but my account is messed up, and I emailed the site, and they have not responded back to me.

I need to stop worrying so much and just do it, but it isn't easy when you are a one man army  

[mart]

So you will not be taken advantage of is the best reason to know what you have before selling !! You can do a lot of research by using ebay !! It will tell you what is selling and what isn`t !!  Look for items with consistant bids !! Ignore those start prices that are unreasonable !! Just go by items that are actually selling !! I always sort by "ending soonest" to check things !! If no bids,, forget it !! Try something else !!

[Southern Boy]

I always try to use Ebay as a reference guide.  Seems like sellers now are selling things very cheap though.  A lot has happened to Ebay over the years it seems.  Hard for a small seller to compete now.  Ebay even adds shipping cost in when determining their fee.  Another one of those things I don't agree with.  Paypal places holds on a seller's funds, and I have also heard they have made it where a seller can no longer leave negative feedback for buyers.  Seems far too easy for a buyer to scam someone.  A lot of sellers have deemed it no longer worth it to try to keep up with everything, and I can definitely see why.  Seems like you would have to actually study the ins and outs of Ebay to not get cheated, and even then, sometimes you are powerless.

Ebay knows the most sellers will go where the customers are, so they can get away with the things they do.  I may have no choice but to try to get back into things on Ebay, but it is kinda scary these days.  I miss the simplicity of it.  I use to buy gameboy games on there as a kid

[mart]

Ebay doesn`t add to fees but uses the total amount of sale when figuring them !! I don`t agree with it either but as a small seller it is a tiny thing to pay and yet get your item in front of the largest portion of the buying public !! If your feedback is good and you have built up your client base,, I think its pretty safe !! I can see why paypal has the hold put on those with few feedback,, they have been the ones to defraud and totally rip off the buyers on many occassions !!