We’re turning our seller spotlight inward, highlighting a member of the Vintage Unscripted squad, Mary Ellen Radziewicz and her shop, Aunt Hatties Attic. Mary Ellen lives in central Massachusetts and is one of the founding mothers of this blog.
Why did you become a vintage seller? I believe I have always loved a deal on vintage items since college in the 1970s. I also love history and research.
How long have you been a vintage seller? I started accumulating excess items around the 1990s or so with the idea of becoming a dealer. The easiest first step was to bring this stuff to a local consignment shop and did very well, so I thought I should take the next step. Our first online shop sold old and interesting books. That gave us the skills in data entry, customer service and shipping. We stopped that when sellers started offering 99 cent books.
I opened a shop on Etsy in 2011 with encouragement from a friend who sold hand-crafted gold and silver jewelry. My shop name came from a brainstorming session with her. Etsy has a platform for vintage items and values creativity in listing and images. My first sale was a pair of Holt Howard Santa Claus candle holders.
What is your favorite era? My favorite era is the 50s and 60s. I was born in 1952 and love all the furnishings and decor. I was a teen in the 60s and 70s, wearing thrift shop vintage clothes. I am fond of the 70s when I became more independent. I actually remember seeing (but not being able to buy) things in shops that I am now selling online.
What is the greatest challenge of being a vintage seller? The greatest challenge for me is the competition for buyers’ attention. When I first started there were fewer vintage sellers, now there are all sorts of platforms.
What would you describe as your specialty? My specialties are kitsch of all stripes, especially anthropomorphic and Christmas items. I love history and enjoy finding pictorial china souvenirs that were made in Germany before WWI.
What is the best thing you’ve ever found and sold? I’ve sold quite a few interesting, odd and even valuable items over the years. One of my favorites is a hula hula doll, patented in 1921, that a friend sold to me (along with lots of other old items from her old Yankee New England family) as she was moving to a very small house in Florida. The clockwork action of her “grass” skirt moving up and down mimicked hula dancing. She was a hoot!
What is the best thing about being a vintage seller? I get to connect with buyers who are searching for items for gifts or for themselves. I have developed relationships with repeat customers and keep my eyes open for things to complete their collections. I also get to haunt flea markets, antique shops, yard sales, and online sales with my husband who also loves “the hunt”. I do confess that I have hundreds of items yet to put in my shop
What is the hottest category of vintage for you now? Without a doubt, it is anthropomorphic or Kitschy ceramics. I also like women’s history and pinback buttons that are of political, environmental, or other social issues.
What do you collect? I have accumulated some mid-century modern furniture and rather like the vibes. I am not much of an accumulator of things though sometimes I admit to owning ceramic Christmas kitsch. My problem is we have two young and curious cats who need to inspect anything put out for display so it makes limited appearances. We have some cherished things from our parents.
My prize possession is a Syrenka pin. She is the warrior mermaid that guards the city of Warsaw. She is beautiful and I wear her to be more courageous.
Another of my own personal items is this dinnerware made by Rosenthal with a playful pattern translated into “Straw Flowers”. I tried to sell it with no success and then it dawned on me that I wanted it for myself! I completed the set piece by piece over a year. I am thrilled to use this mid-century china for company and special occasions.
What’s something we have in our homes now that vintage buyers will be looking for in twenty years? I think that well made handcrafted, and one-of-a-kind art and decor that transcends time will be sought after. I don’t go into fads because we know how that turned out, “cough, beanie babies.”
Social media links:
Etsy: AuntHattiesAttic
Facebook: Aunt Hatties Attic Vintage
As vintage sellers, the Vintage Unscripted team is part of a community of like-minded individuals and are pleased to support our fellow dealers. If you enjoy this new Seller Spotlight feature, please support these sellers by following them on social media and purchasing from their shops.
