We all know what antiques are. We see them epitomized in things as large as cars, tables, chairs and dressers, to things as small as ornaments, dolls, silverware and jewelry. One of the most popular places where people from all over the country display and have their antiques appraised is at the Antiques Roadshow. The Antiques Roadshow is just as the name describes--appraisers take their antiquing knowledge with them all over the country and locals have their items appraised(Arizona, Utah, Alabama, Wisconsin, Hawaii and Pennsylvania are the Roadshow's destinations this summer). These shows are then aired on PBS (the U.S. version has been around for over 10 years now!), where people watching from home share in owners' joy after being informed their oak table is worth tens of thousands of dollars. Viewers also share in owners' disappointments, wherein a piece believed to be of great worth is, in fact, worth less than what he or she bought it for.
Yet while know antiques are old, what makes an antique, an antique? Well, that depends on what item youre talking about.
If the item is a car, 25 years or more is considered to be an antique in the United States. For other things--like a table or vase--75 to 100 years worth of life is considered antique. Other characteristics of an antique include its rarity, its overall condition and how collectable it is, or was, considered to be.
For those who enjoy antiquing (i.e. going to various antique outlets to buy items that either adds to their collection or they sell to collectors) these are important things to consider. People who have unwittingly bought faux antiques can certainly attest to this. But by knowing what to look for and learning some of the tools of the trade that appraisers use when determining an antiques value, antiquing can be a fun and profitable hobby, sometimes yielding thousands of dollars. For example, when the Antiques Roadshow traveled to Arizona in 2003, a residents Navajo blanket was appraised at between $350,000 and $500,000. It remains one of the most valuable items featured on the show since its debut.
Tin signs or cans will fade in ultraviolet sunlight, or fluorescent light.
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Antique Kitchen Wares. Antique kitchen wares, like fruit jars, for instance, can be relatively easy to find and are a good beginning collectible. Often times pieces can be found at flea markets or yard sales, especially in areas of the country with a strong farming or ranching background. In such rural areas items that were grandmother's tools of trade oft en wind up being sold as collectibles.
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Unless you are a professional antiques dealer or knowledgeable collector, never buy an antique as an investment. Although you can usually recoup the purchase price on a fine antique, the chances that it�s an undiscovered treasure worth 10 times what you paid is exceedingly unlikely
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Carry cash or a checkbook�dealers will usually offer you the best price if you�re not paying by credit card, since they won�t have to pay the fee to the card company.
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Be suspicious if the interior mechanism of a clock just looks too new. It is quite common for a new mechanism to be placed in an old case. If you are buying the clock for decorative and aesthetic reasons you may not care, but if the antique is to be an investment or part of a collection, the presence of a new mechanism essentially means the clock is a "fake."
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Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:25:49 -0600
Antique sacks of unsearched gems, civil war portraits, old home furnishings, antique prints including cowboy photos and drawings from the old Wild West, Indian relics and more. But how do you really know an item is the real deal? Is it really a collectible or someone else's discarded piece of junk? Here are tips from a Garage-Sale Junkie who swears by the collectible items she's found.
Antiques are sought for their mature beauty and the elegance they bring to a room. The antique trend that exists in the world of home design has even influenced floor lamps. Manufacturers create designs to mimic the sometimes flowery or ornate styles of antique furniture to provide fixtures to match the various types of antique home d�cor.
Many of these so-called antique lamps have a gilded base and ornate cloth or stained-glass lampshades. Sometimes, the word �antique� is used simply to describe a hue in the finish. Antique brass is a popular finish in floor lamps. In truth, these are simply reproduction lamps. True antique floor lamps are much harder to find and are substantially more expensive, depending on their history and design. In fact, some French antique lamps sell at auctions for thousands of dollars.
A popular antique floor lamp restoration technique is to replace the electrical workings with contemporary parts to make these lamps safer and more functional. Converting a vintage floor lamp into a halogen or a compressed fluorescent floor lamp combines the benefits of modern lighting technology with the beauty of antique design.
Antique floor lamps are rarely chosen for their light � they really are more aesthetic than functional. A vintage floor lamp pleases the eye and accentuates much of the furniture around it. Brass trim in a floor lamp�s base can call attention to the brass handles of a nearby chest. The carved wood of a maple floor lamp adds to a room�s warm tones and blends in with the rest of the dark wood furniture.
A piece of furniture can be effectively used in design, and floor lamps are no different. Selecting an antique or a reproduction floor lamp has the potential to bring the style in a room together. Choose these lamps if you have lots of brass detailing or a consistent theme of dark wood and warm fabric tones in your furniture.
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Floor Lamps provides detailed information on Floor Lamps, Halogen Floor Lamps, Contemporary Floor Lamps, Antique Floor Lamps and more. Floor Lamps is affiliated with Floor Lamps.
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There are many types of antique mantel clocks, antique carriage clocks or standing clocks. Many that were made within the same time period share similar features. Clock collectors learn as much about the "movement" or mechanism of the clocks in which they are interested as the style of the case, the dials, or the winders and also become conversant with the craftsmanship of given clockmakers.
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Chlorine in cleaning products products will harm bronze items displayed in a room where these products are used.
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When repairing dolls remember that changing the original hair in any way will lower its value.
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The condition of any piece has direct bearing on its value. But be careful that you understand what condition means. Often a piece of furniture with its original cracked and battered finish will be worth more than if you have it sanded and refinished. Condition vs. damage is relative to each individual piece. Research your areas of interest and understand what does and does not constitute value.
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Get a Good Look. Move the piece away from walls and other items so you can get a good look at all sides, including the bottom. Study the piece under bright light or ask to take it outside if the weather is not inclement. If the dealer is offended, Rhoda says, �walk the other way.�
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antique bedroom furniture News From Around The World
Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:25:49 -0600
Antique sacks of unsearched gems, civil war portraits, old home furnishings, antique prints including cowboy photos and drawings from the old Wild West, Indian relics and more. But how do you really know an item is the real deal? Is it really a collectible or someone else's discarded piece of junk? Here are tips from a Garage-Sale Junkie who swears by the collectible items she's found.
How can I be the antiques expert for this site if I don't know everything there is to know about antiques? It's really simple; I know how to research. And...