Things That Will Develop Your Skills In Antique Collecting

Antique collecting takes a lot of practice. To succeed in the craft, you need to have the skills to hunt for old things that have value. But it is easier said than done. Antique collecting is a hobby that is really hard to master. After all, you are dealing with things that are way beyond your time.

That is why it is important that you develop the skills and the instincts for antique collecting before you actually make an expensive purchase. Oh you can probably buy one or two antiques but to be able to discern the one with the real value from the ones that are just for show, you need practice.

Below are some things that will help you develop your skills in antique collecting and hopefully sharpen your instincts for great antique finds.

Visit antique shops.

The best way to learn the craft is immerse yourself in it. Visit antique shops and scout for great finds. You don't have to buy and honestly, purchasing antiques is not recommended until after you have finally developed the skills. This is because there a lot of people out there who just want your money. Some will even practice fraudulent business so you really have to be careful. When you visit shops, just look around and get used to the feel of antiques.
garage sale antique possibilities
Check Out Garage Sales

You've heard the expression that one person's trash could be someone else's cash. There are often treasures to be found at garage and yard sales because the people selling a possible antique item don't recognize it as such - or simply are tired of it and don't care.

Storage Auctions

If a person fails to pay his rent at a Storage facility, (after a certain amount of time) the storage facility has the legal right to auction off the contents of the unit so that they can regain possession of their unit and re-rent it again. When the storage facility holds an auction of these units, the bidders can get  some AMAZING merchandise, often for pennies on the dollar. It's not uncommon that valuable antique cars, furniture, books, etc, found among the stored stuff has been sold for thousands and thousands of dollars!

Choose an era


One of the easiest ways to develop the skill for antique collecting is to specialize. This may sound pretty tough and complicated but in truth it actually simplifies the whole learning process. By choosing one era, you will be able to research on just one age or era in history. This means that you'll have less work to do. You will also be able to focus your learning and research on one area. Familiarizing yourself is a lot easier this way.

Join antique trade fairs

Antique collecting is a very big industry and organizations that deal with antique collecting often organize antique trade fairs to promote the field. Here, you will find stalls filled with antiques that you will love and what is more, it is filled with people that are experienced in the industry. Meeting these people who can share their experiences with you is the real benefit of these kinds of gathering.

Read up.

Before delving into antique collecting, make sure that you know the basics first. These basics are discussed in books on the subject. This may seem geeky when you think about it, but this will guarantee that you know what you are doing.

Ask questions.

Part of learning a craft is asking questions. How will you know how everything goes when you don't open your mouth and satisfy your curiosity? Don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask experts in the field that you happen to meet in some antique collecting event. Post a question in a forum inside an antique collecting website. You can even ask your colleagues and other people who are also collecting antiques as a hobby. They may not be experts but they can certainly give you a different perspective on the subject.

Challenge yourself and psyche yourself up to find that one great find. That way, you have an additional motivation to do it, aside from the fact that you just like doing it. This will also ensure that you get to practice the craft of antique collecting.

By following these simple tips, you will be able to develop your skills in antique collecting. In no time, you will be experienced enough to attempt your first big purchase.