I deal with a lot of auction houses for both buying and selling antiques and collectibles. I get asked a lot of questions about reserves. In this article I will answer many of these questions. Auction Reserve Q & A Should I put a reserve on my items? This really depends on what you are selling. Common Antiques and Collectibles: When selling common items it is not recommended to place a reserve on these items. Reserves can make it so buyers lose interest in an item (especially … [Read more...]
10 Popular Antique Clock Makers
This is a list of 10 popular antique clock makers. There were many master clock makers in the 19th century. I have provided a brief history of the following clock makers. Antique clock makers Ansonia: Ansonia made mantle, wall, grandfather and alarm clocks. They were produced from 1850-1929. The Ansonia Clock company was based in Bristol, CT and Brooklyn, NY. The Ansonia Clock company specialized in upscale novelty clocks such as swinging and statue, figurine clocks. Ansonia declined after World … [Read more...]
Best Antique Auction Houses in Australia
While visiting Australia I have been using and have heard good things about the following auction houses. I would recommend these Australian auction houses to anyone who is interested in antique auctions in Australia. Australian Auction Houses: Vickers and Hoad Auctions Kensington, Sydney. Vickers and Hoad is my favorite Australian auction house. It has a nice range of antiques and collectibles.Located in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The best part is that their auctioneer will not put you … [Read more...]
Antique Appraisal – How to Appraise Antiques and Collectibles Like a Pro
There are a number of factors you must consider when determining the value of an antique or collectible. Looking an item up in a price guide or finding a comparable item is only the beginning.In this article I have listed some guide lines to use when valuing your antique or collectible. I will start with one of the most important things to consider when determining the value of an item. … [Read more...]
My Favorite Phonographs
In this article I wrote about my favorite phonographs. Every collector has their favorite pieces in their collection, this maybe the first piece they bought, a piece they just had to have or the one they cant seem to get their hands on. We all have our favorites, here are mine. Victrola XVIII (18) The Victrola XVIII was the most elegant non-custom phonograph made by the Victor Phonograph company. It was introduced in 1915. The Victrola XVII cabinet was fancy hand carved with finely detailed … [Read more...]
Best Auction Houses in the United States
I have had a few readers of this site ask me the following two questions about auction houses: Which are the best auction houses to use? Are there any auction houses located near me? So I decided to compiled a list of the good auction houses in the United States and publish on this site. I have either used or have heard good things about these auction houses. There are over 100,000 auction houses world wide. The most popular auction houses are located in Europe and the United States. … [Read more...]
How to find the age of a Mason & Hamlin Piano
Use the following chart of Mason & Hamlin serial numbers to help determine the age of your piano. The serial number of your Mason & Hamlin piano can be found in several locations, depending on what model of Mason & Hamlin you are trying to date. Mason & Hamlin Serial Number Locations 1. Model B, A, AA and BB grand pianos First, sit at your piano like you are playing it. Then look into the piano plate and to the left of the centre of the piano. There should be a serial … [Read more...]
10 Important Things to do Before Bidding at an Auction
The following list of good auction house bidding practices will prepare you for an auction. This list of things to do before biding will give you the knowledge to help you protect yourself from making big mistakes at an auction and in turn will save you money. 1. View the catalogue Auction houses will usually have their auction catalogues available one week prior to the auction date. Most auction houses offer their auction catalogues on the internet or a hard copy that is mailed out or picked up … [Read more...]
7 Tips to Authenticate Antiques Using Black (UV) Light
In this article I have explained a few techniques on how to date and test for authenticity of antiques using a black light. Black lights produce Ultra Violet (UV). Many materials fluoresce under ultraviolet lighting producing colors or light that our eyes can see, and making things that might go undetected visible to us. Some clues to age or telltale signs of repair are not easily visible to the naked eye, but will fluoresce under ultraviolet light (black light). … [Read more...]
Top 10 Antique Buying Tips
When buying antiques you want to be confident and knowledgeable. In this article i have covered 10 things you can do to help protect yourself and to find a few good bargains at the same time when buying Antiques or Collectibles. 1. Always Negotiate the price Many dealers will have a code marked somewhere on the antique that you are interested in. This marking tells them exactly how low they can go on the price. For example X20 or X45 could mean the amount they will discount the price. or this … [Read more...]
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