Thoughts on antiques collecting
In addition to my passions as an antiques dealer and a columnist, I am a realtor, both in Washington, DC, and Virginia. Many of my older real estate clients have made a decision to leave their spacious abodes and move to more compact and convenient spaces thereby, divesting themselves of many of their beloved antiques. A common question I hear from them is “What do I do with all my stuff?”
That is the question of the moment. The steady aging of America's baby boomers has proven to be one of the major influences on the antiques and collectibles industry. The undercurrents of demographic change are creating hidden and subtle shifts that are being felt in the antiques market and secondarily, in the real estate world. Greater longevity, smaller families, increased mobility, a growing divorce rate, population shifts, and access to technology are affecting how and what people collect.
While many classic antiques still are still in style, trends are more towards color and utility and away from the expansive, expensive and just plain pretty, but extraneous. Victorian glass has fewer and fewer admirers, while the rainbow appeal and practicality of Fiesta Ware still appeals to collectors. Vintage postcards are probably more popular than ever, except maybe when they first emerged early in the 20th century.
Ebay and other online auction sites have had an unprecedented impact on selling and buying everything, including antiques and collectibles. Although the thrill of the hunt still compels many antique collectors to wander through dark and dusty bricksand-mortar stores in the quest to find that one undiscovered treasure, online shoppers are more likely to enjoy taking their time to find the right price.
The overall market for traditional antiques has been shrinking, in general, compared with the
A common question I hear… ‘What do I do with all my stuff?’
heyday of antiques collecting. So, with the changing value of traditional antiques and the difference in shopping behavior, the bastion of those dusty aisles, the antiques store, also have had to adapt – or close. Quaint little antique stores, once ubiquitous in small towns and rural America will gradually disappear, due to the shrinking population base of these areas, coupled with high commercial rents. Hence, the bulk of antique transactions will take place on the internet.
Dealers, auctioneers and designers point to a number of reasons for the declining interest in antiques. More homes have open-concept, casual living spaces rather than formal dining rooms and studies, which reduces the need for stately mahogany dining tables, chairs and cabinets. The 40-something crowd relates more to pop culture, fashionoriented materials, rock ‘n’ roll and objects that remind them of their childhoods. Hence, a first edition of the “Cat in the Hat” is now worth more than a first edition of the 19thcentury classic, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”.
The ramifications of marketing an antiques-filled home for sale are also meaningful. At a time when homedesign television shows and shelter magazines emphasize light colors and pared-down interiors, it can be harder to sell homes that are furnished with antiques. Large pieces. in particular, can make a property feel smaller than it is or hide desirable features. The problem is compounded by the fact that most antique furniture has dropped in value over the past couple of decades. Selling a 19th-century credenza you love for twice the original price is one thing; begging for offers on Craigslist quite another.
According to a recent New York Times article, “In an age when so-called brown furniture is far out of favor, antiques can make a property feel dated and less appealing to buyers — especially younger ones.” There are many delicate conversations that I have had with sellers to try to explain that and to help them find creative solutions to make their homes more marketable.
That doesn’t mean, though, that owners of antiques need to book a dumpster delivery. As with the financial market, many collectors buy when the market slumps, only to benefit later. Georgian 18th- century furniture, chests of drawers, tripod tables, and Pembroke tables can all be had for a fraction of what they cost 15 to 20 years ago. High-quality antiques from the late 18th century — the 1770s, 1780s and 1790s — are still reasonably available in the marketplace. But as the 21st century rolls on, the 18th century — along with all the wonderful Rococo, Neoclassical and Georgian antiques from that time - will soon seem as distant from us, as the 17th century does. Hence, progressively fewer of these beautiful, old, 18th-century antiques will be accessible to collectors over the next decade.
American primitives and folk art are categories that retain strong collector interest right now, especially in finishes that age well and in original paint. The best pieces are heavily competed for at auction. Their popularity is probably due to the fact that primitives have elegant, plain architectural lines and subdued colors that blend in well with mid-century modern “antiques.” As in most antique categories, good quality brings top dollars, and one-of-a-kind ‘best’ pieces are bringing record prices. Today there are more primitive dealer specialists than ever. A collector can still find plenty of good primitive antiques in both furniture and in smaller items, with the best shopping being found with specialty primitive dealers and at specialty primitives antiques shows.
And even though so-called brown furniture is in a slump, Dennis Harrington, head of Sotheby’s English and European Furniture Department in New York, said, “It’s too early to talk about a comeback, but we’ve had a slight increase in interest over the last two years,” he said.
As supplies dwindle and the recognition of this trend increases, prices will predictably rise, so, even as many of us downsize. So, despite all of the above, it may be wise to be very discriminating when deciding which antiques to jettison.
Michelle Galler is an antiques dealer, design consultant and realtor based in Georgetown, DC and Rappahannock County. Her shop is in Hazel River Arts & Antiques in Washington, Va. Contact her at antiques.and.whimsies@gmail.com or via Facebook at Antiques, Whimsies & Curiosities.