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.
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.