Key tips for beginner antique collectors

An antique is an object that is usually 65 to 100 years old or more, and is desirable, rare, or interesting to the antique market.

If you are thinking about starting to collect antiques there are a few key points you need to remember to avoid making costly mistakes. One is, choose a field in which you want to collect. Don’t over complicate things by trying to learn about too many fields at once. Once you have chosen your field research it as much as you can before jumping straight in and buying a piece you know nothing about. Learn about the values of the antique pieces you are collecting and work on becoming a skilled evaluator.

Old and antique, but is it valuable?

Just because a piece is old it doesn’t mean it's valuable. Antique market prices are generally governed by personal taste. An antique that was worth £500 pounds 20 years ago could be worth less than half that today because it is not so desirable in today’s market.

Always try to learn the difference between the unusual antique and a more common piece. A lot of beginner collectors get overexcited about a rare antique and come to find that it is just ordinary and without demand. Try to attend as many antique auctions that are featuring antiques in the field you are collecting to get a good understanding of the prices they are going for and note how much they vary from auction to auction. The internet is a good way to find out antique prices and what antiques in your field are fetching, Most auction houses across the world also accept bids from their websites.

Antiques through their periods

It is also important to buy as many reference books and magazines about your collecting field. As you progress and learn more about your field you will learn the different markings and styles that are used in particular time periods. This will help you to determine the place it was made, the artist or manufacturer. Always look at the quality of the workmanship that goes into the antique, whether there has been any damage to the piece, or if it has ever been restored.

The more you learn about your chosen field of antiques, you are less likely to inadvertently buy a reproduction of an expensive antique, There are a lot of fakes out there and the more knowledge you have will help you determine between the fake and the real thing and prevent you from spending a lot of money on an antique piece and only to find out its actually worthless.

Stick to what you know best

Try to stick to these Key Points when you start collecting antiques and it should help you along the way to building your collection and enjoying the vast antique market.