Welcome to All About Antiques Guide – your source for all things antique. The term antique generally refers to collectible items that have attained a certain age, usually 50 years, although automobiles and certain other machines are considered antique at 25 years of age. Antiques are collectible because of their condition, rarity or uniqueness.
Understanding that there is a difference in genuine antique items, items that are vintage, collectors’ items and objects that are collectable, they all have one thing in common, their age, although for collectibles the age may not be as much of a factor. Collectables are manufactured for the specific purpose of collecting and may range from miniature spoons to dolls to about whatever you can imagine. Collectibles started off as value-added items like collector cards in cigarettes and in many cases progressed to being sold individually for the purpose of collecting. A collectors’ item on the other hand was not manufactured specifically for collecting but due to certain factors became valuable for collectors. For our purposes we are going to consider all four, vintage, collectable, collectors’ items and genuine antiques under the same umbrella of “antiques” for this site.
Antiques can range from very small like thimbles, to huge like airplanes, trucks and automobiles. They are bought, sold and traded all across the country and the world at private sales, flea markets, second hand shops, via classified ads and on the Internet. Shows like “Antique Roadshow” have brought a new awareness of the value of things that have been in storage or just laying around the house, basement, attic, garage or barn.
Antiquing can be a walk down memory lane. Whether the items are from your childhood or the childhood of one of your ancestors, it is a great way to get in touch with your roots. From bottles to bassinets the treasures vary not only in quality but in regions, manufacturers and materials. Keeping your eyes open at the local flea market for that treasure is a must. Buyers and sellers tend to be more sophisticated than in days gone by but there are still great bargains and treasures to be had. It is not necessarily the seller who does not know what he or she has that you are looking for. Often it is the seller who knows what they have, but want to move it quickly that proves to be the great find.
Occasionally there will be an accidental discovery of a great antique or collectors’ item. Some of the more memorable examples are the discovery of a nearly mint Honus Wagner baseball card in an antique desk and a rare Bugatti automobile found in the garage of a late doctor. Both of these items are valued in the millions of dollars. Recently, a rare Asian vase worth hundreds of thousands was found in a box of curios in Scotland.
The purpose of this site is to provide you with the current and useful information you need to find, acquire and sell the antiques you find interesting and affordable. Whether it is antique dolls, antique furniture, ( we love antique oak furniture) antique boxes or vintage signs and advertising, Americana or the myriad items treasure hunters across the world seek, we hope you enjoy your experience at All About Antiques Guide and we hope you visit often.
