BLOGS

Buying and selling antiques is big business. You can buy from auctions, shops and online and you may even discover treasures at yard sales and flea markets. It’s important to know what you are looking for but more importantly, who you are buying from. Before you shop for antiques and collectibles, it is important to also understand some of the terms used.

Antique

By law, an antique is an item that is at least 100 years old.  It needs to be authentic from that time period.

Collectible

Anything that people collect. Collectibles do not have to be of a certain age to be collected, but a vintage collectible is an item that is at least 50 years old.

Reproduction

An item that is created to look like an original but has no value in the antique world. Items are reproduced to look like a vintage item but were not made then, they were made now. Technically a reproduction is a fake.

Do your homework before making any antique purchase. Research what you may be looking for. You can do this by visiting antique shops and auctions, talking with collectors and reputable dealers, reading price guides, magazines and books and do online research as well. The more knowledge you retain, the less likely you are to buy something that isn’t what you thought it was.