While antique collecting may seem like a fairly simple hobby, connoisseurs know that there’s a fine line between uncovering treasures of a bygone era and stockpiling old garbage. If you’re just starting out in the world of antiquing, it’s best to narrow down your field to one type of item or one time period, then begin branching out once you’ve mastered that area. Whether you are hunting through flea markets, or scouring eBay and other Internet sites for rare finds, antiquing requires research and a lot of looking, but as most collectors will tell you, the search is half the fun!
Below is a list of tips and lingo that may help you on your journey into this new and fascinating hobby:
- An antique is generally considered to be 100 years or older. If an item is less than 100 years old, it is called a collectible. Items are also referred to as vintage if they were produced between the 1920s and the 1980s.
- Beginning in the 1830s, assembly lines enabled the mass production of goods. If you are collecting items that were produced after this time, try to find statistics on how many were circulated in the marketplace, as this may help you to determine value.
- Become familiar with all the manufacturers that produced the type of item you are collecting. Most manufacturers have a branding symbol that will be on the product and knowing how to recognize this symbol will quickly help you differentiate authentic items from fakes.
- Do research about whether the item you are collecting was ever issued in any limited editions. If so, these products would be especially valuable.
As you’re doing antique research in your apartment in Lady Lake, FL, you’ll gradually become more familiar with the nuances of your specific collecting field. Chat rooms, trade magazines, flea markets, and estate sales are all great sources for furthering your expertise.
