At first glance I wasn't too crazy about Rinker's latest book, "How to Think Like a Collector". It's actually a scary premise, thinking like Rinker. Without a doubt he is one of the top experts in the country, he is also known for his (very) strong opinions and is always ready to tell anyone just what they are.
But after checking out the chapter titles and bouncing around from one chapter to another, I've changed my mind. Yes, most collectible books will tell you how to take care of your collection, cover fakes/reproductions, or tell how prices are determined, but will they tell you about "Sneaking Collectibles into the House"? Or (not a sight I want to visualize) have an entire chapter on the author's underwear?
If you're a true collector, Rinker's How to Think Like a Collector will have you both nodding your head in agreement and chuckling to yourself, as your spouse asks what's so funny? What's funny is that Rinker tells us his adventures, experiences and thoughts on the current state of affairs in the collectibles and antique markets.
This book is a collection of "Rinker on Collectibles" columns, ranging from the informative to fun stories. Even the fun stories have a lesson or point to be made -- something that we can learn and take to heart. Any long-time collector has probably experienced a few of these same adventures or had similar thoughts in one manner or another. We've all been there, just not to the extent of Harry, nor would we write them down for the whole world to read.
If you can get your spouse to read through a book about collectibles, this is the book to hand them. First of all they will realize that there are other people in the world like you and will perhaps have a look into why you behave the way you do when coming face to face with a new piece. But most of all they will be counting their blessing that they are not married to someone like Rinker who buys a collectible a day and lives in a fourteen thousand square foot elementary school to better house his collections.
From Emmis Books:
Price guides? Who needs price guides when you have Harry Rinker? By teaching collectors how to recognize
what will become collectible, how to judge an item’s value while learning to get the best price when selling and
more, HOW TO THINK LIKE A COLLECTOR frees collectors from relying on price guides that outdate quickly.
With Harry’s help and guidance, what to collect next, what to keep and what to let go of becomes second nature.
In HOW TO THINK LIKE A COLLECTOR, Harry answers the important questions like:
- Is it antique, collectible or junk?
- What is the right price?
- How many are too many?
- Are collectibles your mistress?
- And so much more
