--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Bradford Exchange—a knockoff of…" description: "\"“The Bradford Exchange—a knockoff of [Joseph] Segel’s [Franklin Mint] business—created a murky secondary market for its collector plates, complete with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/zac-bissonnette-80604_bubble_the-bradford-exchange-a-knockoff-of-jose_143050.jpg" --- # The Bradford Exchange—a knockoff of \[Joseph\] Segel’s… ![“The Bradford Exchange—a knockoff of [Joseph] Segel’s [Franklin Mint] business—created a murky secondary market for its collector plates, complete with advertisements featuring its “brokers” hovering over computers, tracking plate prices. To underscore the idea of these mass-produced tchotchkes as…” quote by Zac Bissonnette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/zac-bissonnette-80604_bubble_the-bradford-exchange-a-knockoff-of-jose_143050.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/zac-bissonnette-80604_bubble_the-bradford-exchange-a-knockoff-of-jose_143050.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/zac-bissonnette-80604_bubble_the-bradford-exchange-a-knockoff-of-jose_143050.jpg) > ““The Bradford Exchange—a knockoff of \[Joseph\] Segel’s \[Franklin Mint\] business—created a murky secondary market for its collector plates, complete with advertisements featuring its “brokers” hovering over computers, tracking plate prices. To underscore the idea of these mass-produced tchotchkes as upmarket, sophisticated investments, the company deployed some of its most aggressive ads (which later led to lawsuits) in magazines like Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and Architectural Digest . A 1986 sales pitch offered “The Sound of Music,” the first plate in a new series from the Edwin M. Knowles China Company, at a price of $19.50. Yet the ad copy didn’t emphasize the plate itself. Rather, bold type introduced two so-called facts: “Fact: ‘Scarlett,’ the 1976 first issue in Edwin M. Knowles’ landmark series of collector’s plates inspired by the classic film Gone With the Wind, cost $21.60 when it was issued. It recently traded at $245.00—an increase of 1,040% in just seven years.” And “Fact: ‘The Sound of Music,’ the first issue in Knowles’ The Sound of Music series, inspired by the classic film of the same name, is now available for $19.50.” Later the ad advised that “it’s likely to increase in value.” Currently, those plates can be had on eBay for less than $5 each. In 1993 U.S. direct mail sales of collectibles totaled $1.7 billion”” Zac Bissonnette ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how marketing can artificially inflate perceived value of mass‑produced collectibles, turning them into speculative investments that often fail to retain worth. **In simple terms:** Ads can make cheap items seem like valuable investments, but they usually lose value. Key Takeaway Beware of hype that promises future price gains. Themes consumerism marketing speculation collectibles financial deception Mood cautious skeptical critical Type advertising cautionary analytical When to use this quote - buying collectibles - investing in memorabilia - advertising strategies - consumer decision‑making Key Concepts inflation of perceived value market manipulation collector psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine rarity from marketing hype? - What safeguards can protect buyers from speculative traps? A Different Perspective The promised appreciation may not materialize, leading to buyer regret. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Gone with the wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone-with-the-wind/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Personal finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-finance/) [Sales pitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sales-pitch/) [Sound of music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound-of-music/) ## Related quotes > [Animation is awesome because there's a really bold type of comedy you can get away with that you couldn't get away with in live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-miller/animation-is-awesome-because-there-s-a-really-bold-type-of-comedy-you/) [Christopher Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-miller/) ## More by Zac Bissonnette > [“It is often said of the gold rush that the people who got rich were the shovel dealers who profited from the greed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-bissonnette/it-is-often-said-of-the-gold-rush-that-the-people-who-got-rich-were/) Zac Bissonnette > [ “\[Peggy Gallagher\] was also appearing once a month for two hours on WGN Radio \[...\] During one summer show, a caller asked, 'Do you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-bissonnette/peggy-gallagher-was-also-appearing-once-a-month-for-two-hours-on-wgn/) Zac Bissonnette Explore all 3 Zac Bissonnette quotes ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. 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I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Bradford Exchange—a knockoff of [Joseph] Segel’s [Franklin Mint] business—created a murky secondary market for its collector plates, complete with advertisements featuring its “brokers” hovering over computers, tracking plate prices. To underscore the idea of these mass-produced tchotchkes as upmarket, sophisticated investments, the company deployed some of its most aggressive ads (which later led to lawsuits) in magazines like Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and Architectural Digest . A 1986 sales pitch offered “The Sound of Music,” the first plate in a new series from the Edwin M. Knowles China Company, at a price of $19.50. Yet the ad copy didn’t emphasize the plate itself. Rather, bold type introduced two so-called facts: “Fact: ‘Scarlett,’ the 1976 first issue in Edwin M. Knowles’ landmark series of collector’s plates inspired by the classic film Gone With the Wind, cost $21.60 when it was issued. It recently traded at $245.00—an increase of 1,040% in just seven years.” And “Fact: ‘The Sound of Music,’ the first issue in Knowles’ The Sound of Music series, inspired by the classic film of the same name, is now available for $19.50.” Later the ad advised that “it’s likely to increase in value.” Currently, those plates can be had on eBay for less than $5 each. 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