Pricing of Antiques

The value of an antique varies due to a scale of different factors. We can give you a few general guidelines about what you can look for. First thing you should do is take a good look at the item, do a thorough search.

Items can be carved or stamped with a manufacturer or a design mark; these pieces are often worth more money than identical pieces with no markings on them. There are several good books availabel that identify markings and what they mean.

The second thing you should do is consider the condition of the item. One of the most important factors to think about when you are trying to determine the value of an object is the condition. You have to really take into consideration any chips or a flaw in the object, the coloring, is there any fading? What you may consider to be a minor scratch or a smaller than small nick in the object, a dealer may consider that it lowers the value more than you do.

Ask yourself is the object you have rare or is it all too common. Rare antiques are worth more and especially if they are in excellent condition. If you are holding a very rare piece of pottery, say a vase and it has a crack in it, because of the rarity of the style of the vase it will still be worth more money. But if you have a vase that is common enough, though it is an antique you won't get as much because of the crack.

Just because something is old doesn’t mean it worth anything. One of factors that makes an item valuable is the use for it. The greater the demand the more it is worth something. Do our research, check ebay.com to see how many other items similar to yours are listed and for what price. Books can be checked at Abe Books.com, their site is often what booksellers will look at to determine your books value. Make sure you have something authentic and not a fake. If you are able, take the piece to an antique dealer and ask them to take a look at it and see if what you have is of value. If it turns out to be real, ask them how to get a certificate of authenticity.