Instructions and Definitions
The survey only pertains to your collection of dolls and teddy bears – not animals, toys, accessories, etc. You can make more than one selection in all questions unless noted otherwise. Do not get bogged down on any question. We expect you to estimate and guess at some answers. Filling out the survey is very enlightening about your own buying habits. You will learn a lot about yourself. You may send in your responses in two parts; your name must be on both parts so we can match them up. At the end of the survey, there is room to clarify any of your responses. All responses are kept strictly confidential and only seen by Susan & Terry Quinlan. However, you can remain anonymous by submitting your survey without revealing your name and contact information. Definitions: Artist (designed & made by an artist); Antique (pre-1930); Collectable (1930 and after) Deadline: please submit your responses by Friday, March 2, 2012 to qualify for receiving a copy of the Survey Results and participation in the drawing for nearly $2,000 in cash prizes
Your Background
Indicate your background: Collector Artist & collector Dealer & collector
How long have you been collecting: Antique pieces for years Artist pieces for years Collectable pieces for years Age at which you started collecting: years
How did you get started:
Antiquepieces
Artistpieces
Collectablepieces
As an investment
Bought at a show
Bought at an auction
Bought at a garage/rummage sale
Childhood plaything
Grew out of starting as an artist
Influence by articles, books, media
Inheritance
Received as a gift
Relative or friend was a collector
Other:
What You Collect
Select the option that describes the chronological order (1st, 2nd, 3rd) in which you started collecting these types of pieces:
1st
2nd
3rd
Antique
Artist
Collectable
Rank those that you collect in the chronological order in which you started collecting them with 1 (1st), 2 (2nd), 3 (3rd), 4 (4th): Dolls Teddy bears Toys Other:
Size of collection (approximate number): Antique dolls Antique teddy bears Artist dolls Artist teddy bears Collectable dolls Collectable teddy bears
Purchase History
You mainly buy for: Gifts for others Home decoration Personal collection
Which do you buy on a regular basis: Gift for children Gift for club members Gift for friends Gift for fund raiser Seasonal decoration of the house None of the above
If you buy for investment purposes, how long do you think it will take for your collection to appreciate: Somewhat in years Quite a bit in years Not applicable
If you collect mainly antique, artist or collectable pieces, why do you not collect the other one or two types of collectables: Not applicable Individual pieces are too expensive Limited budget Limited space at home No appeal to me No time to develop expertise Not been exposed to them Poorer investment
In making your decision to buy, grade these on a scale of importance:
None
Some
Very
Most
Ability to get a discount
Ability to negotiate the price
Age of piece
An award comes with the piece
Artist/manufacturer credentials/reputation
Artist/manufacturer years of experience
Awards/prizes/honors received by the artist
Celebrity/corporate clientele
Certificate of authenticity if one-of-a-kind/limited edition
Clothing style/appeal
Condition of clothing
Condition of doll/bear
Craftsmanship
Design/style
Displayed in galleries/museums
Piece written about in publications
Emotional attraction/attachment
Facial features/expression/appeal
Fits in an existing category in your collection
Material used for clothing
Material used for head/body
Name of artist/manufacturer
Personal feelings/friendship with artist/dealer
Price
Reminds you of your childhood
Scarcity (limited edition)
Scarcity (one-of-a-kind)
Seller offers a payment lay-away plan
Signature or mark of artist/manufacturer
Size
Unique/different than seen before
Whether jointed or not
If you have to cut back on buying from a specific artist or manufacturer, about how many pieces did you consider "enough" (select one): 1-3 4-9 10-15 16-25 over 25
If you intend to cut back on collecting, what are the main reasons: Not applicable Airline travel unpleasantness Change in your disposable income Intend to downsize or sell your collection Limited display/storage space at home Moving to a smaller apartment/house No family member with interest in the collection Pieces have gotten too expensive Too expensive to travel
Which of these do you often do when shopping at a show: Buy more pieces in the first half of the sales room compared to the second half of the room Cut back on buying because you bought an expensive piece earlier at the show Cut back or stop buying after buying a certain number of pieces Cut back or stop buying after spending a certain amount of money Do not buy anything or very little until your second time around First thing is to find your favorite sellers' tables Go through the show quickly the first time around and shop more slowly the second time around More apt to buy from a table in the main sales room as opposed to tables in other areas More apt to buy from tables that accept credit cards Stop buying when you run out of cash Try to be at the show as soon as the doors open
If display/storage space is very limited at home, which of these have you been doing as a result: Not applicable Buying fewer pieces Buying fewer but more expensive pieces Buying miniatures Buying smaller pieces but larger than miniatures Selling part of my collection None of the above
Just before going to a show, which of these do you have a general idea of: How many pieces you will buy How much you will spend in total What you want to buy Which artists/dealers you will buy from None of the above
In which of these situations are you apt to purchase a piece: Has hidden damage/flaws but the "price is right" Has replaced parts/clothing but the "price is right" Has visible damage/flaws but the "price is right" None of the above
Select with whom you expect to negotiate prices: Artist Antique dealer Collectable dealer
Do you tend not to buy if the seller will not negotiate the price? YesNo
Which of these reflect your buying habits: You always knew that you would have a large collection some day Apt to inquire about more pieces if prices are clearly marked Less likely to buy if the 3 or 4 best pieces on a table are marked "Sold" Pay more for a piece that won a 1st place award Pay more for a piece that won a 3rd place award Pay more if a one-of-a-kind or limited edition has a certificate of authenticity Pay more if an antique piece has historical documentation Pay more if the piece is a limited edition Pay more if the piece is a one-of-a-kind Pay more if the piece is signed None of the above
Before making the final decision to buy, do you generally: Discuss with the seller how the piece was made or about its background Look at just the overall appearance Look closely at the workmanship in great detail
If buying a one-of-a-kind, very limited edition or rare piece, do you generally (select one): Require a certificate/documentation Request but not require a certificate/documentation Take seller's word for it
Generally, what is your opinion about prices at shows:
Reasonable forwhat you get
Somewhatover priced
Extremelyover priced
Antique pieces
Artist pieces
Collectable pieces
When you approach a sales table, do you: Quickly scan all pieces, then look at only pieces of interest to you Immediately focus on only pieces of interest to you Look at nearly every piece on all of the tables Look at nearly every piece on only tables of interest to you
Regarding the seller, do you prefer to be: Engaged in small talk while you look over the table Left alone to look and ask questions afterwards Told what is special about pieces on the table immediately
Do you collect mostly from one, several or many artists/manufacturers: One ArtistSeveral ArtistsMany Artists One ManufacturerSeveral ManufacturersMany Manufacturers
You mainly buy pieces that are:
Dressed
Undressed
New
Used
Very old
Which are your favorite materials: Bisque China Cloth Composition Hard plastic Mohair fur Paper Paperclay Plush fur Porcelain Real fur Resin Vinyl Wax Wood
Spending History
How much is your buying influenced by:
Artist/dealer conversation at show/shop
Dealer catalogue
Email solicitation
Magazine ads
Magazine articles
Price guides (if had access)
Suggestion by friends/club members
Your children
Your spouse/significant other
When you shop, what price do you consider to be:
Antiquepiece
Artistpiece
Collectablepiece
Cheap
$ or less
Normal for you
$
Expensive
Too expensive
$ or more
Most ever spent for a piece and why it was special: $ antique piece; why special $ artist piece; why special $ collectable piece; why special
Do you have an approximate budget to spend each year: Yes, if so, how much $ No
About how much do you spend ($) annually and per sales event, and for how many pieces (#):
Total spend annually
Pieces buy annually (#)
Total spend per show/auction
Pieces buy per show/auction (#)
Over the next few years, how much do you expect to spend annually for your collection (select one): About the same Little less Lot less Lot more Somewhat more
What would it take for you to spend more on your collection or new types of collectables you admire: Convinced it was a better investment More household income Move to a larger apartment/house Shift to smaller pieces that take up less space
Where You Buy
Where do you make most of your purchases on a scale of frequency:
Much
Artist/manufacturer/retailer websites
Auction houses
Catalogue mail order
Online auctions
Online shows
Retail shops
Shows/conventions
Indicate where you did much more or much less of your buying in the past 5 years, if any:
MuchMore
MuchLess
None of the above
What are the main reasons you shop at shows and shops:
Shows
Shops
Cheaper prices
Escape from drudgery of daily chores
Greatest variety
Layaway plan
Main interest outside of my home
Main or only source
No Internet access
Orders what I need
Outing with children
Outing with friend
Outing with relative
Outing with spouse
Sales discounts
See favorite sellers
Seller expertise/knowledge
Spend time with artists/dealers
Touch and feel the pieces
Which do you prefer attending: Local 1-day show (sale) Local 2-day show (sale) Multi-day convention (sale & classes) Multi-day convention (sale & workshops)
How many miles are you willing to travel to attend a show or convention: One-day Sale 1-30 31-60 61-100 101-200 201-500 501-1000 over 1000 Two-day Sale 1-30 31-60 61-100 101-200 201-500 501-1000 over 1000 Convention 1-30 31-60 61-100 101-200 201-500 501-1000 over 1000
If you are attending fewer shows, indicate why: Not applicable Less money to spend Local/favorite shows are gone Not buying as much as in the past Not enough new or different pieces for sale Physically difficult to get around Seeing the same sellers Too many artists and not enough dealers Too many dealers and not enough artists Too many tables selling things other than dolls/teddy bears Travel expenses
What determines which shows you attend: Convenience (short distance away) Habit (been going for years) Other activities (workshops, classes, demos) Participants (favorite artists/dealers) Size (most sales tables) Variety (greatest number of pieces for sale)
Comments to Clarify Your Responses or to Improve the Survey
Comments:
Survey Results and Drawing Entry Request
I have answered all of the questions, so please send me a copy of the Survey Results and enter me in the drawing for these cash prizes:
Name Address City State/Province Zip/Mail Code Email Address Phone
Thank You Very Much for Your Participation!
* over $700 value includes 3 nights lodging, all meals, convention pass to May 3-5, 2012 Artist Doll & Teddy Bear Convention in Philadelphia, PA (largest exhibition and sale by 150 doll & teddy bear artists)
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Material and photographs, in whole or part, contained on this web site may not be reproduced, distributed, or used for any purposes without permission of Susan Quinlan.
