Looking For Antiques Is An Adventure

If you've recently decided to start collecting antiques, you're soon to find out that new hobby is more than a pastime; it can be an adventure. Hidden treasures that fit the bill for almost any type of antique collection can be found all over the world and even in your own backyard at garage sales.

The key to getting started in collecting antiques is to first decide what kind of collection to pursue. Whether it's a specific item, glassmaker's products or pieces from a set period is entirely up to the collector, but once this has been decided, the fun really starts.

A collection isn't a collection without items in it. So, getting started looking for antiques that meet the muster is an absolute must. Knowing where to look and what to search for is vital to rounding out a collection with unusual and interesting pieces.

There are a few basic places to look for some serious finds on the antiques market, they include:

Antique stores: This one's pretty much a no-brainer, but there are advantages and disadvantages to looking in these. Antique stores are usually owned and operated by dealers. They know, or should know, the value of the items they have. So, it's more than likely collectors will pay top dollar for items found in these places. On the upside, dealers know, or should know, the value of their pieces and the stories behind them. Kind of a double-edged sword. In addition, dealers are also great for helping to locate specific pieces a collector might be interested in and sometimes they are even willing to haggle over prices.

Garage sales: These are fantastic for finding hidden treasures at reasonable prices. Average homeowners don't know the value of the items they have in actuality or to collectors.

Flea markets/junk shops: Similar to garage sales, these can be incredible for making unusual and lucrative finds.

Internet: Perhaps one of the best tools for locating collectible antiques all over the world, the Internet is a mish mash of the best of the best and the worst of the worst. The advantages here are being able to see items from just about anywhere. The disadvantages are not actually being able to inspect items before purchase.

Hunting for antiques is a fun and rewarding hobby that can pay off with some great collection pieces and even some buys that are worth a considerable amount more than some may realize. The prices on antiques change from time to time and are often driven by what collectors are willing to pay at any given point in time.