If you look up the word antique in the dictionary you will find the following definition:
'antique (noun), pronounced an.tique. 1 : a relic or object of ancient times; 2 a : a work of art, piece of furniture, or decorative object made at an earlier period and according to various customs laws at least 100 years ago;'
Okay, so now we technically know what an antique is.
Thats where the answer is a little harder to come up with than a mere definition.
Just what DOES make an antique worth something?
The simple answer to that is us.
As with anything else in life and in the market place how much something is worth depends on how much a person is willing to pay for it. Taking an extreme example, if you go back 100 years from the writing of this article, it would be safe to say that a person would be more willing to pay a large sum of money for John William Godwards 'Flabellifera' painting of 1905 than for a wooden fence taken from the front of someones house in that same year. Theyre both 100 years old, and technically both antiques, but since wooden fences are probably a dime a dozen, even from that year, it is doubtful that the wooden fence would demand much of a price. Not to say there arent some people who would pay something for a 100 year old fence.
So what are some of the more in demand antiques of the day and how much are people willing to pay for them?
Well, how about wrapping your brain around some of these prices.
A pair of Victorian birds eye maple music chests from 1875 carry a price tag of about $21,000.
A Regency rosewood sofa table with brass inlay goes for about $14,000.
A fine quality Queen Anne period walnut bureau circa 1705 goes for around $14,500.
A 1795 George III oak longcase clock with eight day striking movement by Stanford, Yarmouth sells for in the vicinity of $6,100.
Getting away from furniture and moving to the art world, a Victorian style old English oil painting from around 1870 goes for about $500.
A James Stark Victorian English landscape painting from 1842 goes for a whopping $5,995, and that doesnt include shipping charges.
Interested in a good antique watch? An 8 Days Railroad Pocket Watch from 1890 goes for about $300.
An 1897 Imperial Russian Military Pocket Watch has a price tag of about $500.
An Imperial Russian Family Pavel Watch Circa 1897 will get about $600 from an interested buyer.
A New Columbus 16 jewel pocket watch made in 1880 sells for about $300.
A turn of the 20th century Hamilton 17 jewel pocket watch will end up in someones hands for about $350.
And we havent even scratched the surface of antiques. What is listed above is relatively cheap. The expensive stuff goes back hundreds of years and goes for amounts that would stagger the imagination. Well go over some of the more expensive antiques including items from the 17th and 18th century in a future article.
About The Author
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Antiques
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When negotiating the price of an object at a flea market or garage sale, sometimes it can be effective to take a wad of bills out of your pocket. That�s a sign that you�re ready to pay, you�re paying in cash and are prepared to close the deal.
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It's not unusual for diamond rings to be handed down from one generation to the next, but sometimes their settings need to be repaired or replaced, and sometimes the settings don't suit your style at all. Whether or not to reset the diamond is a very personal decision.
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Ancient Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, Hindu and more in Asian antiques. Ancient beads, seeds, bracelets and pebbles used as a medium of exchange in the early days around 200 - 300 BC, have been discovered in Thailand, including old Roman copper coins dating back to 270 BC.
Collecting antique furniture is considered as one of the most expensive hobbies that people can get into because of the high price tags. Given this, it is then important for antique collectors to take the necessary steps that can help them maintain and protect their investments. Among these steps, some of the most important include knowing how to clean and handle antique furniture. However, knowing how to clean and handle antique furniture is not only limited to gaining information on the steps collectors can take to keep their furniture dirt or scratch free. This is because it also involves understanding the factors that cause damage to antique furniture and understanding how they can avoid making their antique furniture vulnerable to damage.
There are a number of risk factors that can cause damage to antique furniture, and collectors need to know about them so they can take the necessary precautions to help them avoid the damage these factors can bring to their collections. One of these includes fluctuations in relative humidity, which means that antique furniture is constantly exposed to changes in weather and temperatures. This can be dangerous for antique furniture because the constant expansion and shrinking of antique furniture as a result of temperature changes can cause cracking and splitting. To prevent such damage, collectors can use a humidifier or they should try to maintain a constant room temperature where they place their collections.
Another factor is sunlight exposure, which can significantly alter the color of the finish of antique furniture. Collectors can prevent such damage by removing their antique furniture from places where there is direct sunlight or by using UV filters on their windows. Another factor that can cause damage to antique furniture is insect infestation, which includes termites. To remedy this problem, collectors need to get outside help, as the only effective solution to this is fumigation. Other factors include the way antiques are handled, the kind of cleaning material and chemical used and on the foreign material that may stain antique furniture such as from liquids.
Given that collecting antique furniture can be expensive. Collectors need to take the necessary steps that can help them preserve the value of their collections. However, doing so does not only involve knowing how to clean or remove scratches on antique furniture. This is because it also involves knowing and understanding the risk factors that can cause damage to antique furniture and also knowing how to prevent exposing their antique furniture to such risk factors.
When negotiating the price of an object at a flea market or garage sale, sometimes it can be effective to take a wad of bills out of your pocket. That�s a sign that you�re ready to pay, you�re paying in cash and are prepared to close the deal.
Buy antique stools today!
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Parliament Clocks. During the 18th century these large clocks were displayed in inns and taverns. They are of a plain design and approximately two to five feet in diameter. The name comes from a brief tax against clocks passed in 1787 but repealed after a few months. Popular legend holds that the clocks were displayed in protest of the tax.
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Original hardware is almost always important to the value of antique furniture. In fact, sometimes the hardware--even badly broken--is more valuable than the furniture that it is on. Be sure not to damage the furniture or the hardware if you remove it.
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We found this Humpty Dumpty rattle at a local antique fair and loved the design. The Humpty Dumpty image is the same on both sides.