Buying or selling antiques can be hard to understand if you don’t know what you’re doing; it’s important to understand what to look for in antiques before investing money in something worthless. Antiques may not be the most normal way to make an income, but they can prove to be quite valuable in the long term, however, never buy or invest in an antique unless you know what you’re buying.
An antique by definition is something that is 100 years old. So how do you know what antiques are the best ones to buy? When searching in you local Melbourne antique shop, it’s always important to pick something that appeals to your tastes. With antiques, it’s never a sure thing that you will make your money back, so if you buy something you like at least you will enjoy the piece and not worry so much about the money. Below are some tips, tricks and guidelines to look at before investing money in buying or selling antiques.
Most antiques age well, although there are a few exceptions. If you happen to find an antique in rough shape, it may be made from cheap materials so be careful when choosing as these things usually don’t hold much value. If you think that you can repair it then you might want to think about how much this item will be worth and is it worth to spend money to repair it.
What’s important is to know how to identify reproductions and faithful copies as some people might try to pass them off as original pieces. A reproduction is an obvious fake and it’s usually quite obvious. A faithful copy is for someone who is a die-hard fan of a piece they can’t own. It is made to be an exact replica following all the materials and details. If you’re not sure whether a piece is an antique, your best bet is to see if you can find the piece more than once; if it shows up a lot then the chances are it’s a copy.
Always make sure you are dealing with a reputable Melbourne antique shops and dealers. There is less of a chance of you buying something that isn’t an antique and you can usually check to see if the store or a dealer are listed in some kind of association, depending on where you live. Also, if the item proves to be faulty, or not the real deal then a reputable dealer will most like take the piece back to save from tarnishing their reputation.
When buying antique furniture you want to find pieces that haven’t been restored, and that are in good condition. This is usually the best investment to make, you should look for something useful like a desk or drawers and make these a long term investment. When you are looking at these pieces of furniture, check for signs for any restoration that may have happened. You can always ask the dealer regarding this, if you don’t ask, they are not inclined to tell you. Restorers are masters at what they do so detecting restoration can usually be a bit tricky and you really have to know what signs to look for. You should always look for signs of machinery that has been used to restore the piece that could not possibly have been used 100 years ago, the best tell for this is usually bandsaw blade marks.
Always make sure to check and feel your item before purchasing it. You can even bring a professional with you or maybe someone you know with a little more experience. Once you start collecting more pieces, make sure that you insure them. When shopping for antiques if you purchase something make sure you always get a receipt stating how old the item is, its value and any restoration that may have been done. It may not always be easy shopping for antiques in Melbourne antique shops, hopefully some of these guidelines, tips, and tricks have made you more knowledgeable in what to look for and how to invest in some quality pieces.
