Getting Good Deals on Antiques
and Collectibles-Antique Stores

Getting a good price on an antique or collectible piece takes time and dedication. There are good prices out there. You just have to find them. To a certain degree, the amount of money that you will save depends on the amount of time and energy that you are willing to put into your search. After all, the hunt is part of the fun, right?

Know your stuff. You will not be able to get a good deal on antiques if you do not know what a good deal is. There are all sorts of reference books out there that will give you an idea of the list price of antiques and collectibles. If you do not want to buy a book, go to the library and take notes. Keep in mind that the prices listed are not written in stone. Rare pieces, like the George and Martha Washington figures from the Hull Pottery line or the Purple Bull by Brayton Laguna, may cost list price or more. On the other hand, a piece that is "common" may cost you significantly less than list price. An educated buyer is a smart buyer.

Now, start at your local antique stores. It is a good idea to stop in the stores every few weeks. Why? First, good dealers rotate their stock so that customers have something new to look at every time that they come in. That Royal Copley angel planter that you have been looking for might arrive next week and you may miss it if you wait two months to go back to look for it. Secondly, if you have been watching an Eisenberg Ice brooch in a case for awhile and no one has bought it, the dealer might be willing to entertain an offer. You may end up walking out the door with that brooch because the dealer wants to turn some inventory. A good time to make an offer is towards the end of the month when everyone (yes, antique dealers are people, too) has to pay their bills. Also, we antique dealers do not know everything, although we may pretend that we do. If a dealer specializes in furniture or glass, he or she may not know how to price pottery, particularly if the pottery is unmarked. A friend of mine found an unmarked novelty figure from Hull's Swing Band set for $10 that lists for roughly $160 in a local antique store. Finally, the more the shop proprietor sees you, the more willing he or she is going to help you out not only with information, but also with price breaks.

-Laura Evans

Laura Evans is an Antique Dealer specializing in California Pottery. She is also a freelance writer and a tutor. She spends the small amount of free time that she has with her husband, two dogs, and four cats. Visit her at Family Fun Adventures in the Southwestern United States