ANTIQUES HUNTING: A Survival Guide By marks4antiques.com
These essential tips on how to be a smart buyer when antiquing can be crucial in spotting the difference between a successful transaction and one that will cause you remorse later. There are several steps required in arriving at a decision of whether to buy an item and most importantly at what price. We have compiled a number of useful tips and advice that could prepare you for your next antiques hunting adventure: 1) Arm yourself with research tools to identify the maker and age of your items - Search your potential purchase for a maker’s mark or other signs that reveal the manufacturer or company that made it. There are several references, including our own at marks4antiques.com, but some prefer to go by experience only. In either case, it is important to make certain that any makers’ marks or signs of ageing are authentic and not recently reproduced. Beyond any decorative or aesthetic value, this has tremendous impact on its real worth and is the most important factor in trying to determine its price. So ask questions and be ready to do some research. 2) Check for damage or faults - Some damage can be restored and if an item is quite rare or extremely old, it is natural to see some faults or normal wear consistent with age. Yet, some damage is unrecoverable and such items should be avoided. For more information on this topic, please see our article on Restoring Antiques and Effect of Repairs on their Value. 3) Keep up with current Market Trends - Just like everything that is consumer-driven, antiques & collectibles also follow market trends. What was popular five or seven years ago, may not necessarily be selling at the same price now. Values rise and fall and sometimes rise again and so on. Very few types of items have a constantly rising popularity. In some cases, scarcity can contribute in making them even more valuable as time passes. As a dealer, you may want to make sure that you buy stock and inventory for whatever market trends exist at the time and move it quickly. As a collector, your main concern will probably be a bit different and any addition to your treasured collection is fine at any Identifying makers’ marks & hallmarks is essential in understanding the origin & age of your treasures
time. In our experience, some types of antiques & collectibles that seem to stand the test of time and usually increase in value fairly constantly include:
Scientific Instruments & Quack Devices Classically styled & highly detailed Decorative items Collectible Automobiles Exceptionally old antique Porcelain Most Arts & Crafts Pottery Antique Silver in practically all forms Some Jewelry with Precious Stones & Metals Important Historical collectibles & Memorabilia Very antique & elegant Furniture, especially pre-Victorian Most Advertising collectibles, especially of brands that were popular Certain antique Clocks Most antique Cut Crystal, especially American Old Paintings & Fine Art by Listed artists or masters Most Architectural items or Furnishings depending on style …and many more.
For a more complete list, please see some examples from our antiques pricing guides. 4) Stylistically speaking - Styles also follow trends and should be seriously considered when buying antiques. Tastes often change and popularity for a certain look can quickly fade, but sometimes can be cyclical if you have that
Three Vases in distinct Decorative Styles, from left to right: Classic, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco sort of time horizon ahead of you. Even for items of known brands or of remarkable & exquisite workmanship, if not in a true classic style that
stands the test of time, do make sure to mentally frame it with other objects in your collection or, if for decorative purposes, how it will visually behave at home. There are literally hundreds of different styles, mostly associated with a certain Aesthetic Period or distinct Architectural Movements, and there are plenty of resources to learn more on how to distinguish them. For example, Modernist and Minimalist styles are popular nowadays, but no one knows for how long. Lately, Kitsch-Baroque as some re-purposed items with bright colors and oversized features are at times referred to, are a definite favorite for some of our adventurous friends, but again, this may be simply just another fad. The point in the context of this discussion, however, is that your purchase should match not only your own personal temporal tastes, but also be there for you as an investment should your preferences change or you need to cash it in. 5) Size matters - Very bulky or oversized antiques are usually not a good idea as they could be in conflict with most modern living spaces and resale would be a problem down the road. Huge furniture pieces, extra-large paintings, humongous urns or vases and aggressively territorial rugs should be avoided, unless you have a specific purpose to fill or an eager buyer in waiting. Size should be in pleasing proportions and should not overwhelm, so always try to visualize where it will be placed when brought home and how it balances with its surroundings. To paraphrase the old adage: Measure twice and Buy once. Besides, anything too large or heavy usually spells kitschy or gaudy and invites weird comments from friends, most frequently not expressed in the open... Lastly, make it fun and enjoyable, explore and delve into the unknown and be dazzled by the discovery of a curio! That’s what it’s all about, after all.
About marks4antiques.com - Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary of service, marks4antiques.com is dedicated to providing the largest and most updated research tools to help its members identify and appraise antiques & collectibles. Registered members have access to comprehensive visual reference methods with thousands upon thousands of images of makers’ marks & hallmarks displayed in Shape or Letter Categories for fast access or can use the proprietary Name or Initials Search features. Also includes a huge database of millions of actual auction records and uses a ‘smart’ search that quickly deciphers key terms using advanced software technology to yield accurate and relevant results. The company is located in the San Francisco Bay area since 2004.