What do you look for when you visit an antiques market or antiques fair? Do you go with something specific in mind to purchase or just to browse and hopefully spot something that will fit in with your collection?
When you visit the antique markets and antique fairs do you examine objects you see out of curiosity and try to determine the age and where it was made? This is one way to learn about antiques especially if you are new to collecting.
If it is antique glass or pottery, examine it carefully and look for any flaws or chips, even fine hairline cracks that can detract from the value.
If you own a digital camera take pictures so you can study it in detail. take notes about the object and particularly the makers trademark. Remember to ask the stall holder first if he minds you doing this.
Of course you can find most information you need about antiques on the internet, but learning first hand and in the right atmosphere makes it more exciting and you will be eager to visit the next one.
Your knowledge of antiques will grow with each visit you make and you will feel more confident when you get to the stage of purchasing your own.
Buying books about antiques are not really relevant as you may not ever come across the items it displays and you could spend a lot of money on books instead of saving it for your antiques.
Anything you want to know about trademarks or makers can be found on the internet so this is another way to build your knowledge about antiques.
If you visit an antiques market with the intention to buy, always haggle on the price of the object, a dealer will always want to get sale so as long as he makes a profit he is always prepared to drop the asking price.
Never believe everything a dealer tells you, it might look as old as he states but there are some unscrupulous dealers out there that will say anything to secure a sale. If you find out that your antique is a fake, it is no use going back the following week to ask for your money back you will probably be unlucky, these type of traders move around and the odds are he will not be back for a few weeks and by then he is not going to be interested in your complaints.
Get to know which dealers are regulars at the markets, they are the ones to visit as their reputation means a lot to them.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Learning-About-Antiques&id=4753688 by Sylvia C White