Best Bets for Bargains

Monthly swap meets are held at Pasadena City College, the first Sunday of every month; the Rose Bowl, second Sunday; Veterans Stadium, Long Beach, third Sunday; and an antique show at the Pickwick Banquet Center, Burbank, fourth Sunday.

To get the most out of a swap meet, Janeen Marrin suggests the following tips:

* Get there when the swap meet opens to early birders. That’s when the dealers go. By the time the public arrives, the best bargains are usually sold. It’s also cooler and less crowded.

* When you see something you like, buy it on the spot. Somebody else will snatch it up while you’re thinking about it.

* Most sellers will bargain. They set their prices high enough to come down, in many cases about 10%, sometimes 30%. The price you get can depend on how much the dealer likes you or how much she or he feels you like the object. Get a feel for the seller’s attitude.

* Swap-meet shopping is catch-as-catch-can. Be broad-minded about what treasures you might come across. Don’t count on finding one particular object.

* If somebody has bought an object in a field that interests you, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Swap meets are a good place to learn and to make friends with other collectors.

* To learn about quality and prices in various fields of collecting, check reference books in the library. Also, old auction catalogues, which are sold at some swap meets, are a good source for tracking prices and trends.