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Antiques Guide

Antiques are defined as items 100+ years old, but the market also includes vintage (20-100 years). Knowledge is your edge—most people don't know what they have.

Categories

Category	What Sells	Price Range
Furniture	Victorian, MCM, Arts & Crafts	$100-$50,000+
Pottery/Ceramics	Roseville, Rookwood, Weller	$20-$10,000+
Art/Paintings	Listed artists, period pieces	$50-$1,000,000+
Glass	Tiffany, Carnival, Depression	$5-$50,000+
Silver	Sterling flatware, tea sets	Melt value+
Clocks	Grandfather, mantel, wall	$50-$20,000+
Textiles	Quilts, rugs, tapestries	$50-$50,000+

Hot Categories Mid-Century Modern (MCM)

Furniture: Eames, Knoll, Herman Miller, Danish teak
Lighting: Atomic, Sputnik, Danish modern
Decor: Period accessories, art
Prices: $100-$50,000+ for iconic pieces

Art Pottery

Roseville: $50-$5,000+ (specific patterns)
Rookwood: $100-$10,000+ (artist signed)
Weller: $30-$2,000+
McCoy: $10-$500+ (cookie jars popular)

Pyrex & Kitchenware

Rare patterns: Lucky in Love, Turquoise Diamonds - $500+
Common patterns: Butterprint, Gooseberry - $20-50
Complete sets: Premium over individual pieces

Dating Antiques

Construction: Hand-cut dovetails = pre-1860s, machine after
Nails: Square nails = pre-1890s, round wire after
Screws: Handmade (irregular) = pre-1850s
Marks: Research maker's marks, date codes
Style: Learn period styles (Victorian, Art Deco, etc.)
Materials: Certain materials indicate specific eras

💡 Furniture Tip: Look underneath and behind. Original finishes, hardware, and construction methods tell the age. Refinished antiques lose 50%+ value.

Where to Source

Estate Sales: Best source for quality antiques
Auctions: Estate auctions, antique auctions
Thrift Stores: Rare finds, know your stuff
Antique Malls: Buy underpriced from other dealers
Garage Sales: Occasional gems in old homes
Flea Markets: Early bird gets the antiques
Online: eBay, Etsy (filter by location for pickup)

Where to Sell

Platform	Fees	Best For
eBay	~13%	Everything, largest audience
Etsy	~12%	Vintage 20+ years
1stDibs	Dealer program	High-end, $1,000+
Chairish	20-30%	Furniture, decor
Ruby Lane	Monthly fee	Serious antique buyers
Antique Malls	Booth rent + %	Local walk-in traffic
Auction Houses	15-25%	High-end pieces

Fakes & Reproductions

Furniture: Married pieces (parts from different items)
Pottery: Fake marks, recent reproductions
Art: Print copies sold as originals
Glass: Modern reproductions of Depression glass
Bronzes: Many fakes, check signatures/foundry marks

⚠️ Due Diligence: If a deal seems too good to be true on a "rare" antique, it probably is. Research marks, study construction, and when in doubt, pass.

Research Resources

Kovels: kovels.com - comprehensive price guide
WorthPoint: Sold price database, subscription
Replacements.com: China, crystal, flatware patterns
LiveAuctioneers: Auction results database
eBay Sold: Real market prices