Welcome to my gallery, to what one customer enthusiastically called "one of the most refreshing stores on the web". Now, that's quite a generous statement but I'm confident that once you have visited you, too, will feel the same way.
Amasté Style is the successor to my original store, Journey and a Dream , and emanates from my personal collecting experiences, years of on-line selling, and the belief that collecting is a journey and all journeys should have an inherent element of adventure. Along with the name change has come us revisions in my inventory itself. Gone are several categories and collectibles for which I have no affinity.
The adventure of acquiring fine or decorative art, collectibles, books or any of the things that enrich our lives and our personal environment, however, is often dismissed or overlooked in the feeding frenzy of acquisition spurred on by the desire to purchase something for the sole purpose of trying to re-sell it rather than to enhance a lifestyle. As artist Penny Duncklee reportedly said, "Collectors are buying a lifestyle. It gives them a connection to a dream."
While not ignoring the commercial aspects of collecting, which for some generates a "rush", I also can't ignore the recent proliferation of hyperbole, hackneyed expressions, contrivances and the pervasive habit of sellers to regard everything they offer as a "national treasure"; obviously the result of having overdosed on one-too-many episodes of The Antiques Road Show
This verifiable phenomenon is called the" endowment effect": sellers prompted by emotion rather than good sense endow an item with considerably more value than it should have. The result is a curious form of extortion. It also widens the chasm between the" talking price" and the "walking price". So, you might say that the goal here is to have the seller's asking price (the talking price) and what the buyer is actually able and willing to purchase an item (the walking price) converge as often as possible.
Pretentious galleries, so rarefied as to require you bring along an Oxygen mask to visit, are becoming ubiquitous as are so called "auction" sites where those compelled to bid are willing to set their alarms to awaken at ungodly hours to out maneuver a potential rival and delude themselves into feeling like they are a "winner".
If you must purchase in this manner by all means continue to do so; those who eschew the antics, however, may find that being able to interactively control what you pay a refreshing and winning approach.
The prices on most (though not all) items in this gallery are not immutable; they reflect popular market values one is likely to encounter, as such they are points of reference to help you in your buying decision. If you are interested in an item, you can negotiate with me directly and discretely by making an offer. The key is not to insult me too much.
My prices are as realistic as I can make them, and I have no tales to offer about having fourteen mouths to feed (which usually involve cats somehow) or about donating a portion of sales to some obscure charity.
If books, art, and collectibles are your thing this is a good place to find them -- and to search for inexpensive gift solutions.
Collectibles here are grounded in the middle market and the art found here in the secondary art market. ( Most galleries simply sell work from the studios of the artists they represent, the secondary market deals in works that have already been sold, at least once.)
As in the past, books remain an intrinsic part of this booth: the offerings do not reflect my personal beliefs, values, or interests. It's all high quality, and you won't be disappointed.
Also, as in the past, I will not charge active military personnel for any book; just pay the shipping.
