Abacus
Antique Dealers: Antiques & Collectibles
What
can increase your sales volume and make you more productive
day in and day out? You've probably heard this three
word statement that seperates those who wish they
could do better,from those who really do.
Knowledge
is power!
This
three word statement is more than just a great philosophy.
The more knowledge you have about antiques, the higher
the increase in your overall profitability...as long
as you use that knowledge. Knowledge can literally
make or break your antique business.
Here's
a difficult lesson that was taught to a high-minded
museum by a shrewd, savvy antique buyer with knowledge.
I
love this story! It vividly illustrates the difference
between knowing and being in the dark about antiques
and their value. I was browing in an antique shop
a number of years ago, when I struck up a conversation
with the owner. We talked about incredible finds that
we had stumbled across over the years. Her story topped
anything that I had ever done...hands down!
It
all started when she attended the last day of a weekend
sale at a local museum. It seems that the museum was
desiring to remodel, and they were attempting to raise
needed funds by selling off some antiques that had
been found in the carriage barn that stood on the
property. Obviously, she was not expecting to see
anything spectacular because she assumed that the
sale would be "cherry-picked".
And
then it happened!
While
walking through the sale, she discovered a large painting
with a faded gold frame. Something about the painting
looked strangely familiar, and she thought to herself,
"I've seen that in a history book somewhere."
She
quickly ran to her vehicle and poured over several
large painting identification books that she had brought
with her from her personal library. After taking 10
minutes to research, she was almost positive that
this painting was a rare item indeed. She went back
inside, and with a few minutes left in the sale, she
wrote a personal check for $125. and loaded it into
her station wagon.
Life
took a sudden and drastic turn...for the better!
Upon
arriving home, she began to dig deeper with her research
tools. She "burned the midnight oil", and
as morning broke, her heart was beating faster as
she came to the realization that this painting was
something very special.
The
next morning, after more phone calls and cross-checking,
she gingerly loaded the painting and took it to a
temperature controlled vault in the same city where
she urchased it. This $125. painting later sold for
several million dollars at a major auction house,
and this woman's financial future was changed in dramatic
fashion literally overnight.
The
museum curator was appalled, overwhelmed and completely
flabbergasted!
Imagine
that you are the curator of this museum, and you placed
the $125. price tag on this million dollar painting!
This tag sale had been held to raise money for projects
around the museum. If the curator had only possessed
the knowledge to even "check it out", the
outcome could have been far more positive for the
establishment that he represented!
Knowledge
and research made all the difference.
Aside
from the curator, think of all the antique dealers,
collectors and enthusiasts that had toured this weekend-long
tag sale. Here was an item that could change their
entire lives financially, and they walked right on
by. any one of them could have sold the painting,
banked the money, and just "fiddled" around
with antiques instead of trying to make a living from
them. And the difference was knowledge!
How
to get antique knowledge.
With
the advent of the Internet, research is easier to
do, and the knowledge is much easier to come by. There
are literally hundreds, if not thousands of sites
that are dedicated to various collectibles, art and
antiques.
Visiting
the library all day, once a month can be one of the
best ways to increase your knowledge of antique items.
The library is still one of the most untapped resources
for gaining expertise on a variety of antique subjects.
Talk to the librarian, ask questions, and dig! The
human mind is like a sponge, and someday you may need
what you are learning today.
A
methodical approach toward research and gaining knowledge
can pay huge dividends in your antique world. It's
the secret that can make a huge impact in the buying
decisions that you make!
