Antique hunting can be tricky business given the amount of pitfalls one can fall into when searching for the perfect piece. Searching for a diamond in the rough is an analogy best reserved for the process, as, at times, going from shop to shop, market to market can sometimes feel like a frustrating task. Here are a few tips to help you streamline the process a little and help take the headache out of it.
Age Consideration
Most buyers will recognize the pay-off of investing in a high quality, well-manufactured antiques. Antiques last longer than their modern, flimsier counterparts, that’s why they mostly accrue value over time, reaching high prices.
Given antique chairs, this is even more imperative. Prospective buyers should really analyse and examine the piece to make sure it’s well put together, over 100 years old and likely to be a good return on investment. Look for the normal signs like robustness and finish. The joints are also a key component to check too.
Style & Finish
The next thing to check for, although obvious, is no less crucial. Do you actually like the piece? Can you see others liking it in the future? Will it fit well in a property somewhere and be looked after?
Answering positively to all these questions is important when considering the rising value of antique chairs. If you don’t have a place for a piece in your house, you’re unlikely to take the requisite care of it which will ensure it attracts future buyers. Keep an eye out for things which you know will go well with your current decor, style and designs.
Image by Jon Seidman via Flickr
Research & Preparation
For budding investors doing your homework can make the difference in cashing in big from an investment or barely breaking even. But looking at the history behind antiques and studying the periods you’re most interested in can also make the whole process of antique chair hunting much more enjoyable too.
Image by Alper Orus via Flickr
Take to the internet and look at key examples of pieces you know will have value and then look for pieces in real life that much your research. Head to an auction ahead of time to look at the object with fewer people around, examine it and talk to the auctioneer about it. All these things will stand you in good stead for snagging a bargain.
Antique chair hunting can be much easier and more enjoyable than most people think. If you approach the process in the same way as the craftsmen behind the objects themselves then you can hardly go wrong.
Image by epSos .de via Flickr