Antiques and Collectables for Pleasure & Profit SUMMER 2013 | Page 13

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Don’t be shy

The best people to talk to about antiques and
collectables are antiques and collectables dealers.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and if you like
something in their shop or on their stand at an
antiques fair, talk to them about it. Yes, dealers are
in business to make sales, but they don’t expect
every conversation to end with a purchase and if
you have a genuine interest in something, most of
them will be more than happy to chat with you about it. If you’re
developing a specialist interest, a specialist dealer with decades of
experience is going to be invaluable in
helping you to learn and to buy right.
And don’t forget the added advantage
of having a friendly dealer in your
corner – most have a very good
network for sourcing stock and can
come up with items that you will
never see on the open market. Other
collectors are another great source of
information, and if there’s a club you
can join for your particular interest
you’ll find the enthusiasm and
experiences they share can greatly
enhance your collecting enjoyment.

9

Give it a theme
Some collectors have many different collections going
at once; others hone in on a very narrow criterion
and become super-specialised. Most collectors sit
somewhere in between. If you can, choose a focus for
your collection. It might be broad – everything retro;
or it might be more specific – 1920s picture frames.
When you’ve got a theme
to collect by it will make
it easier to select pieces
that suit that focus, and
you’ll find that items in
your collection that
don’t quite ‘fit in’ will
eventually be moved on to
someone else.

10

Get a receipt

There are several reasons why you might need a
valid receipt including for probate, tax reasons,
insurance or proof of ownership. The receipt should
include the date of purchase, the name and address
of the seller, a proper description of the item, a
notation of any damage or restoration, an estimate
of date of origin and the price paid. Most antique
dealers and auction houses provide this as a matter of course, but if you’re at a
car boot sale or a market, you really should still ask for the same information.
Don’t be put off by the seller being too busy, or not having a receipt book
handy – be prepared and take your own pen and paper with you. You can
either ask them to write you a receipt, or word it yourself and ask for their
signature. You just never know when it might be needed.

Avoid the strippers
When a piece of furniture has existed for a couple of
hundred years and been used, dusted, waxed and
polished, and exposed to sunlight, chemicals, grime
and dirt, it develops a finish known as patina – best
described as everything that happens to an object over
the course of time. Collectors will pay far more for an
item with a lovely deep patina than they will for
something that’s been stripped and refinished, even if
the restoration job is top quality.
The soft glow of a rich patina on
antique furniture is what gives it
character and offers proof of age
and authenticity. Choose the
piece with patina and respect
the fact that it has taken centuries
to build up – including the
occasional scratch or ding.

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8

Read descriptions
wisely

If something is described as
being ‘after’ so-and-so, or ‘in
the style of ’, or is ‘similar to’,
the seller does not have proof
of an actual connection and
the value of the item will be considerably less than if
it was directly attributable to the maker. If damage is
noted on the description, look for it on the item –
what is described as a ‘hairline crack’ or a ‘minor
chip’ might not be so negligible in actuality. And if
there’s no damage noted on the description, ask just
to be sure.

Try not to
covet

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By its very existence
as an antique, an
item has had more
than one owner.
You’re its custodian
for as long as you own it, but eventually it
will – for one reason or another – move on to
another home. Appreciate it while it’s yours and
graciously allow it to be appreciated by someone
else when the time comes.

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Antiques and Collectables for Pleasure & Profit