Harry’s Heroes
Lincoln City's Antique Week features Harry Rinker, superheroes and glass floats
Dan Beck, at the Little Antique Mall
[Posted Feb. 14, 2012]
Story & photos by Sue Fagalde Lick • For the TODAY
“Who doesn’t love superheroes?” asks the ever-ebullient antiques expert Harry L. Rinker, who is returning to Lincoln City for the 21st annual Antique Week, Feb. 10-20.
The theme this year is superheroes — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and others with super powers. If you’ve got comic books, lunch pails, action figures, accessories or anything with a superhero image, Rinker wants to see them. He’ll be offering free appraisals at several different events throughout the week, and the superhero item he judges most valuable will win its owners a weekend getaway for two in Lincoln City.
Superheroes have been part of our culture since the 1930s, Rinker says. They have spread from comic books to movies to TV shows to computer games, along with a host of toys and collectibles. Rinker says he can tell how old a person is by what superheroes he or she collects. People might not think that a Batman ray gun or Spiderman comic book is old enough to be valuable, but people enjoy rediscovering things from their childhood, and they are starting to be worth serious money. Items from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s are hot now, Rinker says. “If it’s 30 years old, it’s a collectible.”
Why feature superheroes in a world of more dignified antiques? They’re fun, says Rinker, and playing with them challenges a kid’s (or an adult’s) imagination.
Rinker, who is known for his “Collector Inspector” TV show and a radio show called “Whatcha Got?”, has been coming to Antique Week for the past eight years. Why does he keep returning to Lincoln City?
“No matter how often you come, there’s always something in an attic or basement or box somewhere that somebody has not shown,” he says.
Most of what people bring has more sentimental value than cash value, but he enjoys talking about the history of the objects and how to care for them.
“I get to play with the goodies. It’s like Christmas for me. I come, too, because I want to help people.”
The appraise-a-thons offer people a chance to have someone look at their items without spending a lot of money. This year, Rinker will appraise superhero collectibles for free. For other categories, his appraisals costs $10 for one item, $25 for three.
Rinker will be busy over the next week. In addition to three appraisal events, he’ll present free workshops on antique toys, coping as an antique dealer in tough economic times, vaseline glass and antique medical supplies, and getting the best deal when buying antiques and collectibles. '
Glass floats galore
In addition to superheroes and antique appraisals, this year’s Antique Week will also feature glass floats, a favorite local collectible. The North Lincoln County Historical Museum has a display of historic Japanese glass floats, including some more than a foot in diameter. Once used to keep fishing nets afloat, the glass balls have floated ashore on West Coast beaches. Unlike the modern floats made by local glass artisans, these floats were made for fishing, not for art, and they may show signs of wear from their long journey.
During Antique Week, beachcombers will have a chance to find both historic Japanese floats and modern glass floats. In addition to the floats already hidden on Lincoln City’s beaches, as part of the Finders Keepers promotion, 100 additional contemporary glass floats will be placed on the beach at the beginning of Antique Week, followed by a special glass drop of Japanese floats, crabs and sand dollars the final weekend.
Visitors can also join a week-long scavenger hunt, which will take them to local antique stores and other participating locations to pick up game pieces and clues, for a chance to win a Japanese glass float.
And more
Also during Antique Week (which is actually longer than a week), check out the historical museum’s quilt exhibit; a “Lincoln Town Hall” in which actor Stephen Holgate offers some of Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speeches, then takes questions from the audience, who will portray Civil War-era journalists; a showing of “Penny Serenade” at the Bijou Theatre; a free presentation on textiles by Susan Webb Rebecci at the historical museum; guided historic tours of Lincoln City, and a “Speakeasy Night” at the Lincoln City Cultural Center with Miss Rose & Her Rhythm Percolators.
The full schedule is posted online at www.oregoncoast.org. For more information or reservations, call 541-996-1274 or 800-452-2151.
Story & photos by Sue Fagalde Lick • For the TODAY
“Who doesn’t love superheroes?” asks the ever-ebullient antiques expert Harry L. Rinker, who is returning to Lincoln City for the 21st annual Antique Week, Feb. 10-20.
The theme this year is superheroes — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and others with super powers. If you’ve got comic books, lunch pails, action figures, accessories or anything with a superhero image, Rinker wants to see them. He’ll be offering free appraisals at several different events throughout the week, and the superhero item he judges most valuable will win its owners a weekend getaway for two in Lincoln City.
Superheroes have been part of our culture since the 1930s, Rinker says. They have spread from comic books to movies to TV shows to computer games, along with a host of toys and collectibles. Rinker says he can tell how old a person is by what superheroes he or she collects. People might not think that a Batman ray gun or Spiderman comic book is old enough to be valuable, but people enjoy rediscovering things from their childhood, and they are starting to be worth serious money. Items from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s are hot now, Rinker says. “If it’s 30 years old, it’s a collectible.”
Why feature superheroes in a world of more dignified antiques? They’re fun, says Rinker, and playing with them challenges a kid’s (or an adult’s) imagination.
Rinker, who is known for his “Collector Inspector” TV show and a radio show called “Whatcha Got?”, has been coming to Antique Week for the past eight years. Why does he keep returning to Lincoln City?
“No matter how often you come, there’s always something in an attic or basement or box somewhere that somebody has not shown,” he says.
Most of what people bring has more sentimental value than cash value, but he enjoys talking about the history of the objects and how to care for them.
“I get to play with the goodies. It’s like Christmas for me. I come, too, because I want to help people.”
The appraise-a-thons offer people a chance to have someone look at their items without spending a lot of money. This year, Rinker will appraise superhero collectibles for free. For other categories, his appraisals costs $10 for one item, $25 for three.
Rinker will be busy over the next week. In addition to three appraisal events, he’ll present free workshops on antique toys, coping as an antique dealer in tough economic times, vaseline glass and antique medical supplies, and getting the best deal when buying antiques and collectibles. '
Glass floats galore
In addition to superheroes and antique appraisals, this year’s Antique Week will also feature glass floats, a favorite local collectible. The North Lincoln County Historical Museum has a display of historic Japanese glass floats, including some more than a foot in diameter. Once used to keep fishing nets afloat, the glass balls have floated ashore on West Coast beaches. Unlike the modern floats made by local glass artisans, these floats were made for fishing, not for art, and they may show signs of wear from their long journey.
During Antique Week, beachcombers will have a chance to find both historic Japanese floats and modern glass floats. In addition to the floats already hidden on Lincoln City’s beaches, as part of the Finders Keepers promotion, 100 additional contemporary glass floats will be placed on the beach at the beginning of Antique Week, followed by a special glass drop of Japanese floats, crabs and sand dollars the final weekend.
Visitors can also join a week-long scavenger hunt, which will take them to local antique stores and other participating locations to pick up game pieces and clues, for a chance to win a Japanese glass float.
And more
Also during Antique Week (which is actually longer than a week), check out the historical museum’s quilt exhibit; a “Lincoln Town Hall” in which actor Stephen Holgate offers some of Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speeches, then takes questions from the audience, who will portray Civil War-era journalists; a showing of “Penny Serenade” at the Bijou Theatre; a free presentation on textiles by Susan Webb Rebecci at the historical museum; guided historic tours of Lincoln City, and a “Speakeasy Night” at the Lincoln City Cultural Center with Miss Rose & Her Rhythm Percolators.
The full schedule is posted online at www.oregoncoast.org. For more information or reservations, call 541-996-1274 or 800-452-2151.
Antique Week 2012 Calendar of Events
Stephen Holgate, at Lincoln City
Friday, Feb. 17
10 a.m. Free guided historic tour of Lincoln City
and 2 p.m. Meet at the LCCC at 9:45 a.m. or 1:45 p.m.
Pre-register by calling Sandy Pfaff,
541-996-1271
Saturday, Feb. 18
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Quilt Documentation Day, NLCHM
7 p.m. “Speakeasy Night” with Miss Rose &
Her Rhythm Percolators
Prohibition-era jazz, light appetizers
and a no-host bar
$15 in advance, $20 at the door
All week
• Antique Store Scavenger Hunt
• Citywide Antique Sales
• Historic glass float and quilt
exhibit at NLCHM
Venues
LCCC Lincoln City Cultural Center,
540 NE Hwy. 101, 541-994-9994
Bijou The Bijou Theatre
1624 NE Hwy. 101, 541-994-8255
LAM Little Antique Mall
3128 NE Hwy. 101, 541-994-8572
CWCR Chinook Winds Casino Resort
1777 NW 44th St., 888-CHINOOK
NLCHM North Lincoln County Historical Museum,
4907 SW Hwy. 101, 541-996-6614
10 a.m. Free guided historic tour of Lincoln City
and 2 p.m. Meet at the LCCC at 9:45 a.m. or 1:45 p.m.
Pre-register by calling Sandy Pfaff,
541-996-1271
Saturday, Feb. 18
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Quilt Documentation Day, NLCHM
7 p.m. “Speakeasy Night” with Miss Rose &
Her Rhythm Percolators
Prohibition-era jazz, light appetizers
and a no-host bar
$15 in advance, $20 at the door
All week
• Antique Store Scavenger Hunt
• Citywide Antique Sales
• Historic glass float and quilt
exhibit at NLCHM
Venues
LCCC Lincoln City Cultural Center,
540 NE Hwy. 101, 541-994-9994
Bijou The Bijou Theatre
1624 NE Hwy. 101, 541-994-8255
LAM Little Antique Mall
3128 NE Hwy. 101, 541-994-8572
CWCR Chinook Winds Casino Resort
1777 NW 44th St., 888-CHINOOK
NLCHM North Lincoln County Historical Museum,
4907 SW Hwy. 101, 541-996-6614
