Abacus
Antique Dealers: Starting Your Antique Collection
Tip
1: Understanding antiques
In
strict antique-speak, an antique is any collectable
item that is seventy to one-hundred years old. Newer
items can also be quite valuable; if you know how
to pick them. In all instances, a collectible item
has value if someone, somewhere, wants to buy it.
Just remember: "One man's trash is another man's
treasure".
You
may already know what you want to start collecting,
but finding your antique niche means doing the relevant
research first. For every item--furniture, clothing,
books, or other odd collectibles--there is a general
code of understanding as to their value in dollars.
In order to be a successful antique collector you
need to learn about the era in which you item was
made, and what this means about its value.
Tip
2: Understanding the antique market
Whether
you are interested in building a collection of Victorian
furniture or vintage baby clothing one of the best
places to start is the Internet. Use the search engine
of your choice to begin researching your antique niche
from the comfort of your own home.
Or
you may like to log onto eBay: eBay offers a great
atmosphere to get a feel for what is valuable, what
isn't and how much things are selling for. In eBay
search for something like "antique" and
"silver" or "leather" and see
what the search brings up. Watch a few of these items
for a few days. Note the price, item details, or use
the eBay interface to ask questions about the piece
you are watching: age, condition, previous owner,
etc.
Once
you get an idea of what is on offer, how people buy
and how much people are willing to pay for an item,
you may like to head off to markets, antique stores
and shows where you can engage other enthusiasts or
shop owners into discussion.
Tip
3: Determining what to collect
Choosing
your antique niche is more about what interests you;
it also depends on how deep your pockets are. Try
to budget a certain amount of your income per month
to see how much you can spend. Also, ask yourself
how quickly you want to start building your antique
collection. If you have lots to spend you may choose
to locate items in mint condition. If you have less
to spend you may go after items in less than mint
condition. It's always best to research before you
buy. In all cases, try to learn as much as you can
about the certain type of collectible or antique:
where it comes from, the style or era, and even, the
maker or artist or designer. Be it silverware or clothing
or furniture or paintings, the more you know about
the items you choose to collect the better you'll
be able to judge its value. Otherwise you'll just
have to take other people's word for it.
