Jun
29
How to Profit from Public Auctions by Dale Hartley
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What I’m about to reveal cannot be accomplished every time and at every auction. At most auctions you can do well for yourself, but not make out like a bandit. But at some auctions you can make out like a bandit if you use your wits. If you attend auctions half a dozen or more times a year, your chances will come.
For Newbies: It’s Not Rocket Science
Don’t be intimidated by live auctions Read more
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Jun
27
Civil War Antiques Tell A Story
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Civil War Antiques Tell A Story
When you’ve finished reading our educating article about Civil War antiques, you can impress your boyfriend or girlfriend with the huge amount of knowledge you have gained on this subject and about antiques and reproductions in general. As a history buff, it is a great pleasure for me to be able to collect antiques and relics from times gone by. I love medieval Read more
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Jun
26
Latest Antiques, Valuable Antiques news – Antique Lighting Fixtures – Antique Lures
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I’ve had some time to do some reading lately and I’ve managed to come across a few really interesting posts that I thought I’d let everyone know about. Check em out and let me know your thoughts on some of the topics they talked about within -
Antique Lighting Fixtures – Antique Lights: Valuable Antique …
Antique lighting fixtures were not always, of course, antiques. When they were first created Read more
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Jun
23
Five Must Have Mechanical Music Collectibles for the Music Box and Antique Collector
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Five Must Have Mechanical Music Collectibles for the Music Box and Antique Collector
by: Monique HawkinsSome music box and antique collectors may not realize that there are other forms of mechanical music to collect in addition to inlaid music boxes, musical jewelry boxes, ballerina music boxes, antique cars, antique jewelry, and other collectibles. These include Bird Organs, Barrel Pianos, Read more
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Jun
21
Antique Books – Worth the Reading
The fascination of antique books is everlasting. To be at the authors side as he penned his great “manifesto” or novel is a persistent thought which drives me to learn more about this wonderful piece of history.
Enlarge Image An antique book is more than a collection of pages by your favorite author. It is a piece of history, a glimpse into the past. One in Read more
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Jun
19
What Makes Antiques Valuable?
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One of the most popular places where people from all over the country display and have their antiques appraised is at the Antiques Roadshow. The Antiques Roadshow is just as the name describes—appraisers take their antiquing knowledge with them all over the country and locals have their items appraised(Arizona, Utah, Alabama, Wisconsin, Hawaii and Pennsylvania are the Roadshow’s destinations Read more
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Jun
18
Four Must Have Musical Art Objects for the Music Box and Antique Collector
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Four Must Have Musical Art Objects for the Music Box and Antique Collector
by: Monique HawkinsThere are other lovely pieces of musical art objects in addition to ballerina music boxes, music figurines, wooden jewelry boxes, and other types of music boxes and antiques that the music box and antique collector can look for. These are the musical seal, musical watches, early carillon and automaton Read more
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Jun
16
Antiques – One Man’s Junk is Another Man’s Treasure!
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Antiques – One Man’s Junk is Another Man’s Treasure!
How do I know how much my antique is worth or if it is indeed an antique?
Here you will find the most relevant information for determining age,value and desirability of your antique.
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In the end, an antique is as valuable as someone is willing to pay for it! Although an antique may indeed be 100 years old, that does not necessarily make it valuable. If it was not a desirable piece to begin with or it was of inferior quality, it would not be of interest to anyone today. Junk today is junk tomorrow!
An antique is generally considered to be 70 to 100 years old. This is of course not the only determining factor in it’s overall worth as we shall see. Value is determined by many factors, age, limited production or “scarceness”, uniqueness, quality and individual taste.
For example some of todays’ mass produced furniture would not be valuable in 100 years probably (and we always have to say that, because who knows?) because they would be far too plentiful, of inferior workmanship and not particularly unique. Whereas the local furniture maker who is making everything painstakingly perfect in his home shop and with the highest of standards, would be a much more likely candidate for antique status in 100 years.
How do I tell what is an antique?
There are many tell tale signs that one can begin to discern right away. Obviously this is a subject that requires much research and learning and cannot be entered into lightly as one could easily spend a fortune with nothing to show except some very fine re-productions or even forgeries!
In a glass bottle for example the hand made antique has a small mark which indicates where the “pontil rod” was attached to the bottle to allow the bottle to be “blown”, a fascinating process if you have never seen it. I still remember seeing it for my first time many years ago in a small shop in Mexico and it is a vivid and entrancing memory. Even though the product being produced was not of particularly high quality and mostly for tourist consumption, the process is very fascinating.
Each area of antiques has unique markers for the experienced eye to see and determine age, where it was made, by whom and of course also approximate value. Anyone who has watched the antiques road show on tv knows how many an overlooked or unwanted piece kept forever in the garage can become the “cause celebre” overnight and be priced at a an unthinkable value.
Considering all of these facts you may well be urged to rummage through you r garage or offer to take some of your grandmother’s “junk” out of her attic for her and you may discover that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure!
happy hunting.
By Bill Kernodle
Published: 10/16/2006
For more useful information on valuable antiqes and appraisals click here!
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