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How to buy antiques

Antiques

Treasured collectibles found at flea markets

On hot summer days, it’s easy to remember hopping into the cab of a pickup truck and heading to the nearest flea market. Collecting antiques is a family affair and the warmer season in Ohio is the best time to look. For example, places like the Chippewa Lake flea market attract any antique collector. The first Sunday of every month is the time to bring some cash and channel your inner collector. Sellers are motivated to sell at fair prices and have brought in some great items that are hard to find. When looking for antiques near you, here are some things to know about collecting.

Vintage vs. Ancient

Any avid collector will tell you that there are differences between a vintage item and vintage items.

1. Vintage – Items that are not new, but have retained their value and appeal. Vintage items can technically be any age within a timeline, ie 50, 60, 70. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), if an item is labeled “vintage collectible,” this item must be at least less 50 years.
2. Age: The FTC states that any item labeled as antique must be at least 100 years old. Some newer vendors may not label an item as old, so it’s important to research the items you want to collect.

How to buy antiques

Understand your style and find a stylish way to accent your home with the items you collect. If you envy others with nice trinkets and would like to do the same kinds of things, start by exploring the items you already own. By dusting off the old chest of stored items you’ve been leaving in the attic, you could rekindle feelings of nostalgia. These are the types of items that attract your heart and create the need to expand your collection. Once you find items that are worth assembling, do your research on the items. If you are unsure of the selling price of the treasures you want to collect, check online.

Why do people collect antiques?

For many people, collecting is more than just a hobby; it is therapeutic. The pleasure you get from collecting antiques comes from these reasons:

• An opportunity to learn about the history related to collectibles.
• Possible financial gain
• Sharing finds with other collectors
• Get in touch with your past
• Have something to pass on to children

Flea markets are full of gems

Flea markets are notoriously the best places to find collectibles. However, it is very important to know what you are looking for before going to a flea market. Having a good sense of what you are trying to collect sounds simple, but it is often overlooked. For example, if you were collecting vintage porcelain, it would be a good idea to start researching the ins and outs of what other porcelain collectors do. Know what you are buying and never be afraid to ask for advice. An experienced shopper would tell you that between the 1950s and 1980s the patterns were popular, but some are rarer than others. Being well informed about what you are collecting is part of the fun. It is fashionable to have conversation pieces when you have company.

Know what you are collecting

Once you feel like you have a good understanding of what to look for when shopping for collectibles, it’s time to get started! Now, a good thing to keep in mind when going to a flea market is that you may or may not find what you are looking for the first few times you go. Finding a treasure is not easy, it may take you months to find exactly what you are looking for, but once you find it, it is well worth the time. Do not stop going to a flea market because you did not find what you were looking for the first time. The example that a good collector usually gives is that it is similar to going to the beach and looking for seashells. If you go to the beach just after high tide brings you a variety of shells, you have more options than if you went to the beach a few hours after low tide. You also can’t go to the beach and expect to see an unbroken shell every time you hit the beach. Vendors at flea markets change frequently and this means that each week they have a different variety of products.