Question and Answer with Dr. Ron Spark,
"World Expert on 1940's Neckties"
courtesy of Kollector's Korner.
Q. How did you get started as a collector?
"As a kid I collected everything. I first was going to be an art historian, and wound up going to medical school where the only thing you could wear was white. A necktie was the only expression of individuality."
Q. And you ended up researching the history of neckwear?
"Well, there was nothing written on the subject. I searched through Gentleman's Quarterly, Life, and Esquire magazines and begin a collection of ties in hopes to write about them."
Q. How big is your collection now? And how is the book doing?
"The book is in its fifth printing and has sold nearly 50,000 copies. My collection is now around 5,000 ties."
Q. Any favorites?
"I love the Salvador Dali neckties, which were made in limited numbers. They have some of wildest graphics you can imagine. There were 43 individual designs, incidentally, and I haven't found them all. I also have an incredible tie featuring a horse, which is covered in jewels. It makes an extraordinary belly warmer."
Q. Where Do You Look for Them?
"There are still a lot of vintage clothing places, but those may be the higher prices. You may get lucky finding them in a thrift or second-hand store, but those finds get fewer and fewer. Flea markets are another great place to find them. It all depends how much time and effort you want to take. Also, some ties show up in antique malls. And of course, the internet."
Q. How Do You Know if a Tie is Vintage?
"Well it is a bit like archaelogy. Fabrics to look for include cellulose, rayon or silk-blend. One of the sure-fire tell tale signs is a width of 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 inches at the widest part of the tie. Also the variation of colors are very different from the colors today. Colors include peach, lime green, and cobalt blue and unusual color combinations like greens with pink/peach. If the tie has a tie band to tuck the tail of the tie, it is a retro or knockoff, tie bands did not really exist until the 70s."
Q. What about bowties?
"I have a small collection of bowties. They were also very popular, and the older ones can be tied by hand which is an art unto itself. Clip-on bowties were not popular until the 1950's."
Q. What about retro ties?
"Well, if you cannot afford and/or find classic vintage ties, there is a plethora of new ties with old designs. Brands include Stringbeans, Retro, Swing, among others. Invariably there will be dead store stock, mint retro tie $30-70 for $5-10. You may even be able to find them in second-hand or thrift shops for less."
Q. Any final tips for men interested in collecting classic ties?
"Make friends with the older generation. I've made most of my contributions from friends, boxes in the attics and granddad's collections. Ties are a great thing to collect because you will rarely see the same tie twice and you can wear them like art."
RECENT NEWS AND MEDIA APPEARANCES:
You can read an article featuring Dr. Spark, entitled "Pain in the Neck", by clicking HERE. It's about halfway down the page, so you'll have to scroll down.
Dr. Spark added to the list of the 55,000 most quotable quotes!
Ron Spark quoted in Forbes Magazine's "Assets" article about the value of vintage neckwear. Click HERE.
Ron Spark is available to speak at your event, or to the media about the history of neckties.
Some of his ties are available for loan, rental and for sale.
Contact us for more information by sending an email to: sparkrm*att.net
(please substitute an @ for the * when writing)
"Fit to Be Tied", the definitive book about 1940's neckwear, makes a perfect gift for Father's Day, Christmas, or as a birthday present for your Dad.
A limited number of new SIGNED copies are still available! Just send an email to sparkrm*att.net (substitute an @ for the * when writing). Or, obtain an unsigned new or used copy through our friends at Amazon.com by clicking the link below.
Now, thanks to the miracle of technology, you can also "look inside" this book on Amazon. Just click here.
A reviewer on Amazon said: "If you're into ties, this is a great book! Not only it is fun to look at, but it serves as a useful guide for dating and categorizing old ties. This book has quite a bit of good info, as well, especially about labels and designers. Worth a look!"
Vintageblues.com says, "This is a wonderful, concise book for you lovers of vintage ties - more photos than you can shake a tie....errr....stick at! Silks, belly warmers, and more! Beautiful photos."
While Dr. Spark only wears antiques, you might also be interested in these modern bellywarmers and books:
Here are some "Modern Retro" neckties made in the spirit of the 40's
and of course, Dr. Spark recommends trolling the swap meets, eBay, thrift stores, and antique shops for treasures!
Other books by designer Rod Dyer:
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Some elements on this page Copyright 1987 Cross River Press Ltd. This page is Copyright 2005 by Ronald P. Spark and may not be reproduced without express permission.
