Antiquitarian
The World of Antiques & Collectables, at your Finger Tips on eBay.
Antiquarian An antiquarian or antiquary:
Is one concerned with antiquities or things of the
past. Also, and most often in
modern usage, an antiquarian is a person who deals with or collects
rare and
ancient , with special attention to "antiques" .
Antique:
An antique mapAn antique (Latin: antiquus; old) is an old collectible item.
It is collected or desirable because of its age,
rarity, condition, utility, or
other unique features. It is an object that represents a previous era
in human
society.
Antiques are usually objects which show some degree
of craftsmanship, or a certain
attention to design such as a desk or the early automobile. They are
bought at
antique shops, or passed down as an estate. Some valuable antiques can
be bought
from antique dealers and auction services or purchased online through
websites and
online auctions such as eBay.
You may find an interesting collectable you've have been searching for !
How to Find, Buy, and Market Antiques Online.
Starting an Antiques and Collectibles EBiz
FEATURED COMMENTARY
By Chris Malta Home EBiz Product Sourcing Expert at World Wide Brands
Antiques and collectibles are big business on eBay,
the collectibles category
alone had a gross merchandise value of over $2 billion dollars last
year just in
the second quarter. The e-commerce boom has only fueled the industry
sellers are
no longer limited to local audiences, and buyers are no longer limited
to local
dealers. You can find things that you’d never run across in your
lifetime, from
people all over the world. Buying or selling online isn’t really that
different
from buying or selling in a brick- and-mortar store—people want the
same type of
information and need to ask the same questions.
Pam Wiggins of ChicAntiques.com suggests numerous
learning resources for someone
who wants to get into the antiques business but knows nothing about it:
Use the
internet there are lots of great websites, such as Antiques.About.com.
Read books
on antiques and collectibles. Join various online collecting groups.
Says Wiggins,
You’re going to learn a whole lot in a short period because you’re
interacting
with other people who are very experienced. They will answer your
questions.
Attend actual shows and ask questions about items that interest you or
that you’d
like to learn more about.
Wiggins recommends, I think it’s a good to get your
footing in one or two areas,
then branch out and start learning about other things There’s so much
to learn
[that] I think it builds your confidence if you can feel like you know
a lot about
one thing. Choose a narrow specialty don’t try to become an expert in a
really
broad category like dolls or glass. Instead, specialize in depression
glass or
carnival glass.
How to Get the Best Prices When Buying and Selling
Becoming knowledgeable in an
area enables you to recognize a bargain and estimate what different
pieces will go
for in different markets. When buying, Wiggins suggests, Don’t be shy
about asking
for a discount. In the antiques business, it’s not only accepted, but
it’s
expected, so do ask for that. People that know you’re buying to resell
will
usually take that into consideration.
When selling, remember reserves don’t always work
well in the antiques business.
If you feel confident a piece will bring a good price, you may want to
start the
bid fairly low. However, if you’ve invested a lot in your wares, you
may opt to
start the bid with the price you’re wanting. Always keep in mind what
the market
will bear and look at the completed items to get an idea of what you
can expect.
It’s important to have a good photo and description
post shots from multiple
views, and if there’s any kind of authentication mark, be sure to get
that as
well. People will want to know the age, quality, and condition, as well
as any
flaws that might affect the value.
If a piece is extremely rare or expensive, you may
want to consider having it
appraised. However, items worth even $1,000 aren’t usually considered
worth the
expense of a written appraisal. If you have no idea of the value of an
item,
you can submit a photo to What’sItWorthToYou.com, and for $9.95 they’ll
give
you an assessment of it’s value and answer your questions.