Home >> Collecting >> Antiques

How to Collect Visiting Card Cases

Starting in the early 19th century, ladies and gentlemen would leave their calling cards when visiting friends and acquaintances. The elegant cases that held these cards are now highly collectible. The cases were manufactured by a variety of companies throughout the world and were made from many different materials, including ivory, wood and silver. This variety of materials and makers offers a wealth of choices for the collector who wants to start a collection or add to an established one. Getting started is a matter of doing some research and then getting ready to buy.

Instructions

- 1
  Know more about the collectible. When starting or adding to any collection, you need to do your research. Research helps you to familiarize yourself with the styles and manufacturers that produce the collectible, to make sure you are paying a fair price for an object, and to learn to recognize authentic collectibles from fakes and reproductions. An easy way to learn more is to look through guidebooks. There are several books available to collectors of visiting card cases, including "Visiting Card Cases" by Noel Riley, "Visiting Cards and Cases" by Edwin Banfield, and "Calling Card Cases &Stands" by John Mebane. Visit your local bookstores and library, or check out Amazon.com to find books for collectors.
- 2
  Search online resources. It is helpful for your own collecting to see some of the finest examples of visiting card cases that were made and to see what is being collected by others. One way to see a wide variety of cases in on the Internet. A site such as The Card Case Forum offers information about the history of visiting card cases and features pictures of cases that are part of personal collections.
- 3
  Find local shopping sources. Visit local antiques and collectibles stores to see if they carry visiting card cases. Let the owners know you are interested in this area of collecting, and leave contact information so they are able to call you if they receive new inventory. Also, look for antiques auctions in your area. These are often great places to find individual cases or even entire collections at a reasonable price. Auctionzip.com, which has a section on antiques auctions, can help you locate auctions in your region.
- 4
  Look for reputable Internet dealers. Buying cases over the Internet can be fun because of the large variety of inventory available, but it can also be risky because you are unable to examine the pieces before purchase. It is important to pick sellers who have established a good reputation with buyers and who offer a clear returns policy. If shopping from a site such as eBay, check the feedback from other buyers. Don't be shy about e-mailing the seller with questions or asking for further pictures. Finally, always pay with a credit card. In most cases, your card company will offer some type of fraud protection.

Antiques