Antiques as Investment Heirlooms
02/10/09 15:31 Filed in: Antiques
Antiques as Investment Heirlooms
Antiques, if chosen well, can become valuable heirlooms. To help ensure that what you choose and purchase does gain value, take a look at the tips below:
1) Category - Make the category of antique you’re looking for as specific as possible. For example, choose to look for Arts n’ Crafts era Moorcroft pottery or English Regency era chairs (1795 – 1820).
2) Knowledge - Become an expert on that antique category. Take out library books, research online, check Ebay and auction listing catalogues. Post questions on appropriate forums and blogs.
3) Examples - Get out there and hunt for examples “in the flesh.” Go to antiques stores, estate sales, auctions and get a feel for what’s out there. Examine pieces closely. Ask questions of those around you.
4) Age – The age of a piece helps determine its value. Technically, an antique is 100 years old or more. In some places, the rule is 50+ years. The older the piece is, the more likely that the value is higher.
5) Rarity – That said, a 50-year-old piece that was created as a limited edition may have more value then a 100-year-old piece that was machine-made and mass-produced.
6) Authenticity – If you know the category well, you will know the details to look for to determine authenticity. For example, a cabinet made before 1870 is more then likely to have hand cut dovetail joints although European cabinet-makers used them through the 1930s. As a second example, a porcelain piece made pre 1800s will often have no markings save small, hand-written ones while the name of a country with a stamp indicates that the piece was produced after 1891.
7) Condition – Any alterations, repairs, chips or flaws immediately decrease the value of a piece. The original worn paint job on a 1840s’ pine cabinet makes it more valuable. An exception can occur with upholstered pieces. The “bones” or structure of a piece can stay strong while the fabric deteriorates at a faster rate. So, for example, a reupholstered original Louis XV chair will still have significant value.
8) Beauty – Make sure you love the piece you’re purchasing and will love to live with it. That way, it has immediate value!
9) Price - When you are ready to purchase, don’t look at the price. Evaluate the piece, determine if you love it, determine if it’s the best of its kind; and then, turn over the price tag!
10) Long-term – Once you have the piece, plan to keep it for the long-term. Care for it well, and as you both age, you’ll both increase in value!
Happy Hunting and live well with your antiques.
Antiques, if chosen well, can become valuable heirlooms. To help ensure that what you choose and purchase does gain value, take a look at the tips below:
1) Category - Make the category of antique you’re looking for as specific as possible. For example, choose to look for Arts n’ Crafts era Moorcroft pottery or English Regency era chairs (1795 – 1820).
2) Knowledge - Become an expert on that antique category. Take out library books, research online, check Ebay and auction listing catalogues. Post questions on appropriate forums and blogs.
3) Examples - Get out there and hunt for examples “in the flesh.” Go to antiques stores, estate sales, auctions and get a feel for what’s out there. Examine pieces closely. Ask questions of those around you.
4) Age – The age of a piece helps determine its value. Technically, an antique is 100 years old or more. In some places, the rule is 50+ years. The older the piece is, the more likely that the value is higher.
5) Rarity – That said, a 50-year-old piece that was created as a limited edition may have more value then a 100-year-old piece that was machine-made and mass-produced.
6) Authenticity – If you know the category well, you will know the details to look for to determine authenticity. For example, a cabinet made before 1870 is more then likely to have hand cut dovetail joints although European cabinet-makers used them through the 1930s. As a second example, a porcelain piece made pre 1800s will often have no markings save small, hand-written ones while the name of a country with a stamp indicates that the piece was produced after 1891.
7) Condition – Any alterations, repairs, chips or flaws immediately decrease the value of a piece. The original worn paint job on a 1840s’ pine cabinet makes it more valuable. An exception can occur with upholstered pieces. The “bones” or structure of a piece can stay strong while the fabric deteriorates at a faster rate. So, for example, a reupholstered original Louis XV chair will still have significant value.
8) Beauty – Make sure you love the piece you’re purchasing and will love to live with it. That way, it has immediate value!
9) Price - When you are ready to purchase, don’t look at the price. Evaluate the piece, determine if you love it, determine if it’s the best of its kind; and then, turn over the price tag!
10) Long-term – Once you have the piece, plan to keep it for the long-term. Care for it well, and as you both age, you’ll both increase in value!
Happy Hunting and live well with your antiques.