KNOW HOW
KEEN TO GET STARTED OR PERHAPS YOU’VE ALREADY AMASSED SOME KEY OBJECTS? EITHER WAY, WE’VE GOT THE LOWDOWN ON MAXIMISING YOUR COLLECTION
ENJOY COLLECTING? HOW TO MAXIMISE ON THE OBJECTS YOU LOVE
WHETHER YOU’VE A THING FOR RARE BOOKS, BERNARD LEACH POTTERY OR 1960S JEWELLERY, CURATING A COLLECTION CAN BE A REAL JOY. YOU MIGHT SET OUT FOR THE LOVE OF IT, OR FOR POSTERITY, TO LEAVE ITEMS BEHIND FOR FAMILY. OR MAYBE IT’S AN INVESTMENT. ACQUIRE OBJECTS FOR LOVE FIRST THOUGH, BECAUSE VALUES CAN GO UP AND DOWN.
Where to begin?
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS ONCE YOU’VE DECIDED WHAT YOU WANT TO COLLECT, YOU NEED TO GET FRIENDLY WITH DEALERS AND TRADERS. BY GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER, YOU BENEFIT FROM THEIR EXPERTISE AND BY TELLING THEM WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, THEY’LL PUT THINGS ASIDE FOR YOU.
UNDERSTAND AUCTIONS FROM HOUSEHOLD CLEARANCES TO SPECIALIST AUCTIONS, IT’S IMPORTANT TO VIEW LOTS IN ADVANCE SO YOU CAN CHECK THE CONDITION. AUCTION DAY ITSELF CAN BE FRANTIC! REMEMBER THAT SOMEONE COULD BE SELLING A BOX OF STUFF THAT ISN’T OF INTEREST BUT IN WHICH YOU MIGHT FIND ONE THING YOU WANT. “I ONCE BOUGHT A BOX OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS THAT CONTAINED A 1960S WOODEN ENID COLLINS BOX BAG,” SAYS KATE BEAVIS. “ENID COLLINS WAS THE OWNER AND DESIGNER OF A TEXAS COMPANY PRODUCING FUN HANDBAGS THAT ARE NOW COLLECTIBLE. I HAVE THREE AND THEY’RE WORTH BETWEEN £60 AND £100 EACH.”
ACQUIRE EXPERTISE AT A FAIR THE BIG BENEFIT OF AN ANTIQUES FAIR IS THAT EVERYTHING IS VETTED BY EXPERTS – SO YOU KNOW THAT AN ITEM REALLY IS WHAT IT SAYS ON THE LABEL. BRING A TAPE MEASURE SO YOU CAN SEE IF A PIECE WILL FIT IN THE SPACE YOU HAVE IN MIND. TAKE SNAPS OF YOUR COLLECTION ON YOUR PHONE SO THAT WHEN YOU’RE AT THE FAIR, YOU CAN SEE HOW A POTENTIAL PURCHASE WILL SIT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. FIND A FAIR NEAR YOU AT ANTIQUESNEWS.CO.UK
BE TACTICAL AT CAR BOOT SALES YES, THEY CAN BE OVERWHELMING BUT BE INSPIRED BY THE STORY EARLIER THIS YEAR OF THE WOMAN WHO BOUGHT A DIAMOND RING FOR £10 AT A SALE THAT SOLD AT AUCTION FOR MORE THAN £650,000! OK, YOU MIGHT NOT GET THAT LUCKY BUT IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, IT’S WORTH THE EFFORT. ARRIVE EARLY, START AT THE BACK AND WORK YOUR WAY FORWARD SO YOU’RE GETTING TO THE BITS NO ONE >>
ELSE HAS SEEN YET. LOOK UNDER TABLES AND IN BOXES, AS OFTEN THE FIND OF THE DAY HASN’T BEEN PUT OUT YET. IT’S ALSO A PLACE TO MEET SELLERS WITH STUFF YOU LIKE – THEY MIGHT HAVE PLENTY MORE IN THEIR GARAGE. VISIT CARBOOTJUNCTION.COM FOR A UK-WIDE DIRECTORY OF SALES.
SELECT YOUR ONLINE AUCTION IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT EBAY. CHECK OUT CATAWIKI.COM, WHICH HAS CATEGORIES RANGING FROM JEWELLERY TO COMIC BOOKS – ALL AUCTIONS ARE PRESIDED OVER BY A PROFESSIONAL AUCTIONEER WHO SELECTS ITEMS TO BE AUCTIONED. IF IT’S SCANDI CHIC YOU’RE AFTER, HEAD TO BUKOWSKIS.COM – IT’S A SWEDISH ONLINE AUCTION HOUSE AND DELIVERS TO THE UK.
BE EBAY SAVVY WHEN LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC ITEM, TYPE SOMETHING VAGUE IN THE SEARCH BAR. FOR EXAMPLE, SEARCH FOR “GREEN VINTAGE VASE” RATHER THAN “BEATRICE WOOD GREEN VASE”. IT MIGHT SOUND COUNTERINTUITIVE BUT YOU MAY
JUST HIT UPON A SELLER WHO DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THEY’VE GOT – AND THEREFORE, YOU COULD LAND A BARGAIN. TO ENSURE YOU’RE GETTING THE REAL DEAL, ASK THE SELLER FOR EXTRA PICTURES OF THE PIECE SO YOU CAN DO SOME DIGGING ON ITS AUTHENTICITY.