Investing in Antiques
There are many good reasons why many of feel the need to invest in Antiques of many kinds. The history of Antiques or Collectibles is an ever growing subject and more and more of us wish to share in that history - Antique: an object, especially something collectable, decorative, valuable, or interesting, that dates from a previous era.
People often have an affinity with the past era - "the good old days". Other folk may wish to relish in the dedicated craftsmanship and detail often afforded in the manufacture of today's antiques. Many collectors and dealers of antiques do so to make profit by simply buying and selling in the marketplace!
Antiques & Collectible have for the most part proved a very lucrative form of Investment for many individuals and organisations. Whilst world wide Stock Markets may offer lucrative rewards over the long term, often the volatility is such that people can make losses if the market sentiment quickly becomes negative! The valuations in the Antiques Markets are driven primarily by supply and demand, with quality and rarity playing a major role. Collectable antiques can become less attractive to buyer, but more likely is the case as the item ages that it will become an ever more sought after commodity. Certain antiques, of modest value today, could become a major asset in future years!
Buying an Antique today will represent an asset value, which if preserved in its current condition, or professionally restored may well sell for many time the price paid in 20 to 30 years time! In the meantime, you will have been able to fully enjoy the aesthetic value of such an antique.
Many Antiques and Collectible will have been past down the generations as inheritances to members of the family with little appreciation of the true value of such an item in the marketplace. Quite rightly, to many people the family "hand-me-down" is priceless in it's own right, and it's current custodian would have no wish to part with such an object. However there likely will come a time when such objects do find their way onto the open market for a many legitimate reasons and sold, sometimes for incredible amounts!
Placing a definitive valuation on an antique is virtually impossible! Ultimately an item is only worth what someone else will pay. If you are aiming to sell an item which is potentially valuable, and have limited expertise, then you are advised to seek a professional guide price valuation. The first step to hunting down the bargain of a lifetime is to learn a lot about a specific area. Decide what kind of antique you want to collect and learn everything you can. Furniture, ceramics, toys, textiles... they all have peculiar quirks. If you're into furniture, find out all about types of wood, joints, paints, veneers and tools used in furniture production. Next, visit museums to see authentic antiques up close. Then get out to antiques markets and shops and look, look, look. Chat with dealers - they are an invaluable source of information.
Antiques dealers often have a wealth of information and can also advise on matters of "Authenticity" and "identification". Please see our list of Dealers:
Today, a renewed interest is emerging in owning antiques or collecting collectibles as a form of investment. Several options are available to collectors to seek such investments - Auction Rooms, Antique Shops & Malls, Antiques Fairs, Car-Boot Sales etc. However the accessibility of the Internet is such that more and more people are searching the World Wide Web for information in their quest for such outlets. Many traders and private individuals also are seeking a wider audience to help market their antiques and collectibles and as such we have created this directory to help people find the right antique investment or collectible item - feel free to check out the items listed in our directory.
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