How To Start A Great Antique Collection
The question comes up of how one should start to collect antiques. Many of the collectors will tell you, it was not the decision of becoming a collector, it just happens. There is a passion for having personally treasured items, whether it is sport memorabilia, toys, characters, glass, cars, or anything else. So the first question back to someone is what is your passion?
As a kid, one may have collected something as simple as rubber fishing worms. The fascination with those then added lures and soon poles, reels and odd fishing equipment was taking up room everywhere. This now is a fishing collection. Finding things that one thinks is intriguing or unique is where to start. If you like it and it is affordable, buy it. Part of having a collection is displaying it, which may require bookshelves and shelving units to show off the collection.
If looking to make money with a collection, then things get a little different. Lots of reading and research will be required to know what companies made what products, when, and what the current value is of those items. That strange fishing lure purchased twenty years ago may now be worth something. Know what you are collecting. Regardless if it is buttons or bowls, learn what companies made those products. Purchase some books and read.
Learning how to tell what condition an item is in, is important too. Some items can have dings and scratches, which does not really affect the price. Other things like glassware, usually loose substantial value if there is a glass is chip anywhere. The better the condition, usually the better the value, but many times when one comes across these items it may be hard to tell how bad something really is. Use your judgment. If it is cheap enough and intriguing enough for you to display it and you do not care what it is worth, buy it.
The selections of antiques are numerous. One thing to keep in mind when looking, are finding things that would be of interest for more than one type of collector. A scenario would be, you are at a flea market and stumble across and old tin sign from an oil company no longer in business. This picture has an old truck on it, a tractor parked beside a building and an old bicycle leaning on the porch. This picture may appeal to collectors of old trucks, tractors, bicycles, oil collectors, artist collectors and maybe from a collector who only collects products made in the decade that this was made. It broadens the opportunity of being able to resell that item because you’re not limited on focusing on only one type of collector.
If you take a look around of what one already has, they may be surprised to find out that a collection is already underway. Whether it is a type of material, type of art, specific toys, glass, kitchen items, or from a certain period, most people have collections. They may not be huge or of museum quality, but they are treasured and enjoyed every time they look at it. That is a collection.
Marley Martinerin is a regular contributor to a number of sites and writes articles about such topics as vintage beer signs, and vintage dealer signs.
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