Abacus
Antique Dealers: Ten Rules You Should Be Aware
Of When It Comes To Buying Antiques
With
antiques becoming more and more popular and more people
wanting to get into collecting and ultimately making
a profit when it comes to selling, it is essential
that you know what you are buying and if the item
is actually an antique or just something that is very
old but worthless. In order to help you on your way
here are the top ten tips you should consider when
it comes to looking for and buying antiques.
Perhaps
the most important and first rule when going into
antiques is not to go rushing into buying, unless
you know with absolute certainty that the items you
are concentrating on are worthwhile collecting and
that they do build up value then make sure that you
first learn everything that you possibly can on the
subject.
The
second rule is to be very careful when buying antiques,
people have realised that there is a lot of money
to be made in antiques and as such are taking advantage
of the this fact and the fact that beginners into
antiques know very little on the subject and what
to look for when purchasing a true antique. Forgeries
are becoming increasingly popular in the world of
antiques and even experts have been known to be conned
due to the remarkable lengths that some people will
go to, to convince that the item is indeed an antique.
The
third rule when it comes to buying antiques is to
know what you are looking for in an antique, an antique
is classed as something that is over 100 years old
but do you know the signs to look for? When it comes
to antique furniture then it is easier to distinguish.
Antique furniture is usually non uniform and any furniture
which inst should be looked over with a very careful
eye, if aspects such as nooks and crannied in the
furniture are perfect then be very wary of it being
classed as an antique.
Rule
four when going into an auction room never present
yourself as a total beginner to antiques by doing
so you are setting yourself up for being charged a
much higher price for the item than it is genuinely
worth.
Rule
five if you see a piece that you like then ask about
any damage that has occurred to the piece, even if
you cant see damage this doesn’t mean that it
hasn’t been and it hasn’t been restored.
A seller won’t necessarily offer this information
but has to give it you if asked.
Rule
six before buying an item always make sure that you
give it a very close inspection, if possible pick
it up, handle it, turn it over and upside down and
make sure that you check out every nook and cranny
for signs of imperfections, damage or restoration.
Rule
seven when purchasing an item never offer cash in
hand upfront, always haggle with the seller the get
out your check book after reaching an agreement only
then should you ask if there is a further reduction
if you are willing to pay cash in hand.
Rule
eight when you are buying if an item seems too good
to be true then It probably is, a seller will not
give away a bargain antique, if the antique is worth
something then it will of course have a sensible price
tag attached to it.
Rule
nine is to buy from your local auction house where
possible this is where the biggest profits lie for
you when it comes to re-selling the item.
Rule
ten is always ask for any paperwork that is associated
with the item, many antiques have certificates of
authenticity attached to them and without these the
value of the item can be drastically reduced.
