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How to Recognize an Antique

Despite a struggling economy, there’s a constant demand for valuable antiques. The United States is a young country compared with other nations, and what merits being termed an “American antique” has been debated for years. Those earning their living studying and marketing antiques differ in their opinions, but the consensus seems to be that anything at least one century in age can be called an antique item. Common objects likely to have been frequently used may be considered antiques if they are at least 60 years old and were discontinued or made obsolete by the modern age. Native American antiques can date from before the arrival of Columbus to the nineteenth century but are today deemed the ultimate property of their tribe of origin. Authentic war memorabilia circa the 1700s and 1800s can still be found in backyards in this country.

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the piece very closely. Note its condition in view of its assumed age and how it may have been used. Any antique is considerably more valuable if it is still in good condition. Minor imperfections (chips or cracks) may lessen value, but other factors may make the loss negligible.
- 2
  Decide how rare this item is today, or was, when it was created. The famous Faberge eggs of Imperial Russia are magnificent pieces of art, but they are even more valuable because a limited number were made, and they were once created only for members of Czar Nicholas Romanov’s family. The subsequent murder of the royal family by Lenin’s Bolsheviks make the Faberge eggs priceless relics of a bygone era. Does the item you are holding have a unique story?
- 3
  Judge your item based on its regional significance. If you live in New England, there won’t be much market demand locally for sixteenth-century cookware found on a sunken Spanish galleon, but it may be considered an important find if you happen to live in Florida. Likewise, a timepiece that is found at a Civil War battleground that is inscribed with the name of a fallen officer will prove especially lucrative in the Deep South.
- 4
  Note whether the item represents a national (or an international) historical tragedy or other momentous occasion. An individual’s personal perceived sentimental value is considered of lesser importance in the antiques marketplace than the sentimental value of an entire nation. An excellent example of this is an object that was lost when its owner perished aboard the Titanic, or a commemorative stamp designed to celebrate the end of World Wars I or II.
- 5
  Look for distinguishing marks, dates or other identifiers on the object. These can often provide clues as to an item’s place of origin and its creator. Does the object show unusual skill of craftsmanship? If so, this will add to its overall value because it is proof that this item was unlikely to have been mass-produced. It is also likely that such an object ceased to be made upon the death of the artist.

Antiques