Bradford Exchange
Encyclopedia
The Bradford Exchange is a producer and marketer of collectible
goods. Now part of the Bradford Group, it was founded in 1973 as The Bradford Gallery of Collector's Plates by J. Roderick MacArthur
. The company created its first live price quotation market in 1983, but increasingly turned to creating new lines of collectibles (rather than just facilitating exchanges between collectors). The company sells its products through its website, direct mail and media advertising.
As of December 2006, the Bradford Group of companies, headquartered in Niles, Illinois
, near Chicago
, now includes many groups of collectibles, including Ardleigh Elliott, Ashton-Drake Galleries, Bradford Editions, Bradford Exchange, Hamilton Authenticated, Hamilton Collection and Hawthorne Village.
Under the Ashton-Drake Galleries name they have sold dolls like Gene Marshall
and Blythe as well as Reborn doll
s.
Collectible
A collectable or collectible is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector . There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old...
goods. Now part of the Bradford Group, it was founded in 1973 as The Bradford Gallery of Collector's Plates by J. Roderick MacArthur
J. Roderick MacArthur
John Roderick MacArthur was a U.S. businessman and philanthropist. The J. Roderick MacArthur Foundation, a philanthropic organization interested in Civil Liberties in the United States, and the MacArthur Justice Center at the Northwestern University School of Law are named after him. He is the...
. The company created its first live price quotation market in 1983, but increasingly turned to creating new lines of collectibles (rather than just facilitating exchanges between collectors). The company sells its products through its website, direct mail and media advertising.
As of December 2006, the Bradford Group of companies, headquartered in Niles, Illinois
Niles, Illinois
Niles is a village in Maine and Niles Townships, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The 2010 population from the U.S. Census Bureau is 29,803.The current mayor of Niles is Robert M. Callero.-History:Niles was first settled in 1827....
, near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, now includes many groups of collectibles, including Ardleigh Elliott, Ashton-Drake Galleries, Bradford Editions, Bradford Exchange, Hamilton Authenticated, Hamilton Collection and Hawthorne Village.
Under the Ashton-Drake Galleries name they have sold dolls like Gene Marshall
Gene Marshall
Gene Marshall is a 15.5 inches tall collectible fashion doll inspired by Hollywood's Golden Age. It was created by the illustrator Mel Odom...
and Blythe as well as Reborn doll
Reborn doll
A reborn doll is a manufactured vinyl doll that has been transformed to resemble a human baby with as much realism as possible. The process of creating a reborn doll is referred to as reborning and the doll artists are referred to as reborners....
s.
External links
- The Bradford Exchange Official website
- The Hamilton Collection Official website
- Ashton-Drake Galleries Official website
- Bradford Exchange Checks Official website