How to Buy Vintage & Antiques for Business or Pleasure
Have you wanted to start buying vintage and antiques, but have been too afraid or felt your knowledge base too limited to take the plunge? Do you already collect, but would like some ideas about how to do it better? In today’s post I promise to give you both inspiration and tools to help you buy better.
It’s not an overnight process by any means, nor is it something you can easily learn through books alone. It’s a very hands-on process involving, yes, some reading, but also seeing and holding pieces in your own hands and taking advantage of the expertise of others with more knowledge.
Becoming an antique collector should be thought of as an exciting journey involving the training of your mind and your body to recognize a real antique or vintage piece when you see it.
A Little Bit About Me and My Antiquing Journey
I grew up in the small town of Peru (NY) in a house filled with antiques and handcrafted (mostly Shaker-style) furniture. My dad taught high school shop, and he and my mom enjoyed all kinds of antiques, most of which they bought in poor condition and then my father restored to their original beauty, including a stunning deacon’s bench, an early oak refrigerator, and a large brass lantern turned beautiful light fixture. My dad also dug bottles and often took me along with him–junking and the thrill of the hunt are deep in my blood.
Becoming an antique collector should be thought of as an exciting journey involving the training of your mind & body to recognize real antique or vintage pieces when you see them.
Fast forward through high school and college to early married life. When my sweet husband and I moved into our first home, we filled it with cast-offs from friends and family. I cannot think of one new item we owned, save our bed. Living on one income, we couldn’t afford many new furnishings.
Not too long before the birth of our first child, my sweet friend Robin, an antique dealer, suggested that I get into the business. She thought I’d be good at it, and she told me it was the sort of thing one could easily pick up or put down, depending upon life circumstances.
At about the same time, I took the excess of my sweet grandmother’s estate, all the stuff left-over after everyone had made their selections.
Robin helped me sort through the items and identify the vintage and antiques that had some value. We priced them, and then she took me along to an antique show and let me sell my goods from her booth. I loved the one-on-one interaction with customers, and I learned so much about antiques. I caught the bug and soon found myself renting space in a nearby antique center.
Buying and selling, making profits and making mistakes, talking with other dealers, reading books and periodicals, attending auctions and estate sales, all led to my growth as an antique dealer, and they can work for you too. [Photo above: A booth I had about two years ago at the Gristmill Antique Center in Troy (NY).]
1. Study & Learn from Antique Items You Already Own
I was very lucky to have such a knowledgeable friend who mentored me for several months, until she moved away. But what if she hadn’t been available–how would I have learned enough to start collecting or selling on my own? I recommend searching your house for any vintage or antique items you may already own.
Perhaps a family heirloom or two, some decorative purchases you’ve made over the years at antique shops or flea markets. Begin investigating the item(s); perhaps it’s a piece of jewelry, Waterford stemware, or a Queen Ann style desk. Pretend you’re going to sell it and that you need to learn all you can about it.
So if I had owned this ironstone tureen before I got into the business, I might have picked this piece to study and learn from because I love ironstone. I have always found I retain information about antiques that I’ve actually owned myself better than if I just learned about some random collectible.
When I own something, I’m personally invested in it. When I hold it and examine it with my own eyes and hands, I can add all of that sensory information to the “file” in my brain called “xyz” antique. So start here–with your own vintage and antique belongings.
2. Utilize Your Library and/or Book Store for Research
In my early days of selling, my sweet husband and I used to go on dates to the bookstore. We’d get coffee and dessert, grab some books and magazines, and make ourselves at home on a comfy couch. I’d pour through antique books and research various collectibles, depending upon what new items I had recently purchased–antique purses, Roseville pottery, primitives, you name it.
I carried around a notebook to keep track of all the information I gathered. So if I had wanted to research my ironstone tureen, I would likely have unearthed some good info in a guide about English pottery or perhaps a general guide covering country antiques.
Another great place to do research is your local library. And while their selection may not quite as up-to-date or varied as that in the bookstore, you can take the books home and study them at your leisure, which is a nice benefit. In addition, libraries typically have a wide array of magazines that might prove helpful to you as well.
I also bought antique guides and other related materials at garage and estate sales whenever they were offered at a good price. You can build up quite a reference library this way. In addition, I keep a binder filled with magazine and newspaper clippings about vintage and antiques; it contains some really excellent materials.
Below you will find some affiliate links to resources I highly recommend (top row) and some new-to-me guides (bottom row) that look interesting.]
3. Conduct Vintage Research Online
Of course conducting research online is perhaps the easiest and fastest method these days, although sometimes it can be difficult to sort through all of the information that’s out there to get to the really useful bits. You want to use reliable sites that have a proven track record of providing good information.
I’ve documented over one hundred and fifty online sources covering a hundred different antique and vintage topics that I believe contain reliable, quality info (sample above).
At the end of the list, I also provide the names of some websites and blogs that I believe have good solid information that can be trusted, including Kovels, Collector’s Weekly, eBay guides, and more. (You can find it here: Antique & Vintage Online Info by Category.)
I’ve also begun to put together some price guides on collectibles that I have experience with. Here you see a screen shot of my price guide page, which covers the categories you see here, plus Jewelry, Transferware, Pyrex, and Christmas. I also have a few (with more to come!) in my Member Library that you can access by subscribing here.
4. Visit Antique Shops & Attend Estate Sales
Taking a trip to your favorite antique store, can really contribute to your learning experience. Plan on spending a couple of hours doing “research.” Look for items similar to your own; note similarities and differences. Note, of course, the price (jot it down in a notebook or on your phone).
Take a picture if you think it will add to your knowledge about the item. [I always ask for permission and have never been denied. Indicate that you are doing research or that you’re a blogger (if you are).] While you’re there, keep an eye out for things that catch your interest. They may be just the sort of things you’d like to collect or sell.
Estate sales are another great venue for learning more about various vintage and antiques. Often the advertisement for a sale indicates what type or era of antiques will be available at the sale. Depending on when you attend, you may even have a chance to talk with the dealer running the show and/or the owners of the house.
They could have useful background info on the things you are interested in. Find out about estate sales in your area via EstateSales.net, Craigslist, and your local newspaper. [Photo is of the Gristmill Antique Center where I have a booth.]
5. Make Friends with Others in the Antique Business
This may be my most important piece of advice: be sure to enjoy yourself and enrich your life by getting to know other collectors/dealers along the way. I mentioned that shortly after I got into the business, my dealer friend had to move out of town. I no longer had my “antique encyclopedia” readily at hand, and for whatever reason, I felt shy about talking with other dealers because I felt like such a “dumb” beginner.
One thing I know now, however, is that most dealers are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you, especially if you are open and friendly. I like to cement these kinds of relationships by being helpful myself and offering other dealers bargain prices on merchandise they are interested in.
Believe me, it will pay off in the form of good info, a good deal, and/or a good friend. All of this is true for online friends as well. Whether you’re a blogger or simply a blog reader, engage with bloggers in the vintage and antique niche. Leave thoughtful comments and don’t be afraid to ask a question or two.
Most of us love to chat with our readers and help out whenever we can. Just be sure there’s mutuality in the relationship. You don’t want to be knocking on someone’s door for help repeatedly without working on building the friendship at the same time in other ways.
This photo is of me and the sweet owner of the Gristmill Antique Center where I have a booth. He’s extremely knowledgeable and always ready and willing to help his dealers any way he can. I’m blessed to call him friend.
6. Pick a Collectible or Era & Begin to Learn About It
Are you in love with vintage clothing? Mid-century modern (MCM) furniture? Art Nouveau jewelry? Begin to use some of the methods we’ve talked about here to learn more about that collectible. Get a sense of what the items look/feel like, why they are valuable, what they’re worth, and whether they hold their value. Perhaps you are attracted to country style antiques. Start reading up on them.
Find ways to see pieces with your own eyes and to touch them with your own hands; take some more field trips to your antique shop and local estate sales. Use your research skills at the library and/or bookstore to learn more about the area you’ve selected.
7. Begin to Buy & Sell Some Antiques
Once you are pretty certain you want to start collecting a certain type of antique or selling antiques from a certain era, it’s time to begin buying. My advice is to start small. Set a strict budge for yourself and stick to it. The profit rule of thumb I use for buying is to (at a minimum) four times my investment.
So if I buy something for $1.00, I want to be able to list it for at least $4.00 (preferably $10.00!). If I can only get $2.00 for it, then I won’t buy the item. There is absolutely no way to make a profit with the goal of simply doubling your money, unless you are dealing with an item you know you can flip immediately with no overhead.
Of course, if you’re buying for your own personal collection, then you have to decide your own rule of thumb. Are you willing to pay market value, or do you want to build a collection on the cheap?
After buying some items, whether at garage and estate sales, flea markets, or auctions, research your purchases. Check on online, look at eBay sold listings, use some of my resources, and take some notes while you’re at it.
Depending on how much info you find, locate some other resources at the book store or library that might guide you further. Finally, pop into an antique store, and ask for some help. Most shop owner/workers would be happy to help you out.
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Make a Few Mistakes
If you are buying strictly for yourself, and you buy only pieces that you really like, then you can never truly go wrong. If, however, you bought an item thinking it had much more value than the amount you paid, only to learn that it does not, that can be very discouraging.
I have three thoughts about this: (1) don’t spend a lot of money on something unless you’re sure, (2) you can only be sure about something if you’ve learned about it– through reading, seeing, touching, and talking with knowledgeable people, and (3) learn from your mistakes.
Trust me, once you’ve spent too much on an item, you will do everything in your power to understand your mistake and make sure it never happens again!
More often than not your mistakes will be of a small magnitude. For example, you may buy something to sell, only to learn that you paid market value for it. In this case you probably will not be able to make much of a profit, but you will likely make your money back.
I consider the lovely mustard yellow vanity chair (above) to be a mistake. When I bought it, I thought I would spray paint the metal and recover the upholstery. Ultimately, I decided this effort would far outweigh the potential value of the piece, and I donated it to my local thrift store.
I lost only $2.00 because I’m so cheap fiscally conservative, but I’ll certainly think twice in the future before buying anything that requires too much work to upgrade it.
Use the knowledge you’ve gained, along with your eyes and fingers to evaluate a piece before buying it.
I always warn new buyers to try to keep their heads while shopping. Before handing over your hard earned cash, you want to be sure that you know what you’re buying. In other words, is it really what you think it is and is it in good condition?
I’ve gotten so excited about a purchase that I quickly made payment, only to discover when I arrived home that the beautiful perfume bottle has “Avon” written on the bottom, or that the base of the lovely sterling silver candy dish was welded on, making it worth only its scrap value (true story).
Use the knowledge you’ve gained, along with your eyes and fingers to evaluate a piece before buying it. If you are continually reading, observing, and talking with other collectors/dealers, then your knowledge base will grow and your mistakes will become few and far between.
Not without its ups and downs, dealing with antiques—whether as a collector or a seller–is part adventure, part treasure hunt, part hustle as you track down the next great deal, study it, learn from it, and enjoy it. It’s a junkin’ journey that promises to never leave you bored.
What hints do you have about how to buy antiques & vintage?
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This is an excellent article. It is a very fascinating and interesting profession to be in. Especially if you like history.
Thanks so much Debra! Yes, I do love history, so that’s all tied up in my love of antiques for sure.
Use http://www.worldcat.org to find library books around the world in all languages!! Then when you found your perfect resource, ask your library to do an “Interlibrary Loan” to borrow it! Amazing service that everyone should know about.
Wonderful information, Arlene! Thanks so much for sharing it with us all 🙂
Great article Diana. You gave sound and thoughtful advise. I too have made a few mistakes along the way but more successes overall. We have new owners at my mall so I’m in a wait and see mode as to my long term plans about my booth. I would love to be in a smaller mall/store with a more hands on arrangement.
Thanks Sharon, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I hope everything works out for the best regarding your booth, whether you stay at your current shop or move to a new one. I’d like to go into another shop (in addition to the Gristmill), but there aren’t all that many for me to choose from and most are about 45 minutes away. We’ll see…
I want to have an antique sale at my home. I have an old oak ice box. What do you think I can sell it for? I paid 375 for it over 30 years ago. It’s in wonderful condition.
thank you,
Mel
Feel free to email me a photo of your ice box, Mel. You can reach me at adirondackgirlatheart at gmail dot com. It sounds beautiful 🙂
I sent you pictures…Thank you!
What a lovely blog. I HAVE learned so much from you…with your informative blogs and pictures. Especially helpful to me is when you tell what you paid and what you’ll sell it for. Of course it all depends on the area too. I currently have 2 booths in two different locations and it’s been tough….April & May are down months so I’m looking forward to summer tourism. Love surprises and hanging out with dealers (like you), there is always something interesting and room for learning. Thank you for doing your blog. I save about half of them for reference. Have a great week! P.S. I love the vanity stool!!!
Susan you are SO sweet; thank you for the lovely compliments. The antique business is definitely not what it was fifteen years ago, that’s for sure. It’s hard to figure out what people are really after sometimes. Things should definitely begin to look up with summer around the corner. PS Well I guess I thought it was pretty neat when I bought it, but now I’m just sick of looking at it!!
I’m thinking people are looking for whatever is in the latest issues of the magazines they pick up in the grocery store….the mags about thrifting, “french”, country, boho….. what do you think ’bout that, diana?
My husband and I have collected antiques for over 40 years. I smiled when I read how you began because we, too, took the things from my grandmother’s estate that no one else wanted. Those are my most treasured antiques today. I think this post is very good advice for anyone who wants to start collecting.
I’m so glad you think so, Donna–thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for sharing this information. You are very helpful in all your blogs. But this one is the most informative. Your story is very interesting to me. I love reading about antiques.
Smiles
You’re very welcome, Nancy! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my blog–I love writing it and making all sorts of new friends and acquaintances along the way 🙂
Diana I have been following your blog ever since I came across it and just so admire your way of teaching and informing your readers about very pertinent information. I, too, started buying and selling vintage and antique items a little over 2 years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Your tips are good and spot on! My son recently moved to Owego, NY and I’ve had fun searching out new territory to bring back to PA. Keep doing what you’re doing – it’s so appreciated!
I’m so glad you left me a comment and introduced yourself, Dawn. Thank you for your kind words about my blog–I do enjoy writing it! Readers like you make it so worth it. You probably know that I live in NY, maybe three hours from Owego. We drive right near it whenever we head to Pittsburgh to visit my sweet husband’s family.
I recently signed up to receive your blog via email notification. I must say that I really enjoy it a lot and look forward to each and every new post. Your finds and tips really are wonderful & make me wish I was back on the east coast where I grew up. I now live in Arizona and antiques, yard sales, etc. are many, the finds are usually quite different in this part of the country. Thanks for the tips and my daily dose of nostalgia & keep up the good work!
Jane T. – Sierra Vista AZ
Welcome to my blog, Jane–I’m so glad you found it and stopped in to introduce yourself. Thank you so much for your kind compliments 🙂 If you are ever back in my neck of the woods, be sure to give a holler. We could meet for a coffee!
So many great tips, Diana…and the mistakes are things we always learn from! It is a fun business! I loved hearing more about your story!
Thanks Linda, it is a fun business–so glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
Hi Diana…it was fun reading your story. Yes, you were indeed fortunate to have a friend take you under her wing like that, and the oak refrigerator! My goodness, I didn’t know there ever was such a thing! Digging bottles with your dad sounds like fun. Maybe you could do another post about that….it sounds so interesting.
I can so relate to all your stories about the goofs I’ve made, and I love the boudoir chair. I don’t think I would give that away so quickly! 🙂
I envy you all your knowledge of antiques. My hubby and I used to love to have dates at the bookstore & library, like you. This is such an in-depth post, it will take a while to digest.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Florence 🙂 I think writing a post about bottle digging is a great idea–I’ll get right on that! Like I said in a comment above, I must’ve liked that little vanity chair when I bought it, but now I’m so tired of it hanging around. It’s heading out the door…
Excellent advice and great sources, Diana.
My mom was a vintage/antique researcher—pretty much all she did besides collect and hoard…lol. But, the secret is to find…out what something is. Besides that, we did auctions, church sales, garage sales and antique shows. She taught me the feel of old glass–as well as the color. How to tell old brass from new—again a feel thing. Having a passion for the unusual…and infinite trips to the library. Every year on her birthday she treated herself to a ‘good’ resource book, of which I have inheireted, at least those not moldy or water damaged, some long out of print.
Great post—and finding what something is on the internet…really depends on your ability to put the correct search words in. Generally I use visual descriptives first to find something the same or similar–and go from there. Ebay is a last resort—because half the time info is incorrect.
Again great post for those wishes to start out. Grins and thanks, Sandi
You’re a real pro, Diana! I’ve thought about trying a stall in an antique mall but always chicken out! I remember visiting with elderly neighbors when I was a kid and they collected antiques. I was amazed by them. Spent quite a bit of time around them and started scoping out flea markets in my early twenties. I think flower frogs and McCoy vases were my first collectibles:) Thanks for all the info and practical advice. Kathleen Charm Bracelet Diva {At Home}
Thank you for writing such an insightful and thorough article. I am a vintage reseller, and I could relate very well to much that you said. Great information. I really enjoyed reading this article and learned from it.
I have spent much of my life surrounded by antiques and vintage collectibles, and it never gets old for me. I am much happier surrounded by items with a history than with something new. I love the hunt, and it is so much fun for me to be able to do it as part of my “job” these days.
Thanks Again,
Gwen
Diana, such great tips! I’ve just recently started selling at a vintage flea. Held four times a year and this was my second time. It really is so much fun! For me, it’s all about the hunt. I love treasure hunting, but I can not keep everything. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
I enjoyed reading this post because you always sound so knowledgeable and now I know why.
Thanks for sharing with SYC.
Hello Diana, I just spent a large chunk of my Sunday afternoon reading different parts of your blog after initially finding your Christmas Angel instructions. I am an amateur antiques/vintage person; I don’t feel comfortable saying that I am a dealer–I still consider myself a “duffer.” I could relate SOOO much to so much of what you said. I knoI am going to learn so much reading your blog; reading it is like talking to a friend! I, too, have a love for old stuff (never met a piece of milk glass I didn’t love–well almost never!). I inherited a lot of my mother-in-laws stuff–complete with cigarette burns, bleach streaks, and glued on pieces; I’ve polished it for 40+ years and now it is MINE! My kids want to put me on Hoarders–really, I am finding homes for more of my picture frames. It’s hard matching up a picture to the right frame! I’m looking forward to learning from you.
Wow, you must be on “Adirondack Girl” overload!! You made me laugh with the term “duffer”–man girl, you need an upgrade 🙂 How about vintage buyer? Or lets coin a new term “vintager”? Ha ha. I don’t want to ever hear you call yourself duffer, lol. I hear you about the hoarding, but tell your kids it’s not hoarding when the stuff is good! So glad you stopped by and gave me a chuckle, Kathy. Let’s stay in touch–
Thanks for the article! Do you find that to get started, you had to reinvest most of your profits for a while to keep everything going? Just had a great first month at an antique booth. But I feel I’ve spent my profit plus more on new inventory. How do you make sure you’re making money?
Hi April–yes, especially in the beginning, I put most of my income back into the business.
But I ran my business a little bit differently maybe than others do. My husband would cash my monthly paycheck, putting the rent portion back into my checking account (which I paid rent from) and keeping 1/3 in anticipation of taxes. Whatever was left was mine.
I considered it my “garage saling” money, which I would divide by four and that would be the amount I had to spend each week.
Each week I would buy not just new stock, but supplies, household items (decor, furniture, etc.), and many gifts, especially for children. So I considered what I spent on household and for gifts to be the “salary” part of what I made. When the money ran out on any given week, it ran out. Only very rarely would I borrow against a future week’s allotment for a very special item.
I hope that helps!
Oh it helps a bunch! Especially heading into Garage Sale season, I don’t want to miss out on stock that will help keep us supplied in the colder months. I love the idea of splitting the budget into 4 weeks. I’m ok if we need to see a few months roll by to get the feeling of a profit…especially because it’s so fun!!
Thanks and I’m so glad I found your website!
April
Glad my suggestions resonates with you, April, and I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the business!! Have you subscribed yet? I send out a weekly newsletter to subscribers with even more info and opportunities 🙂 Plus you get access to my member library. Take care!
I love that you talked about antique shopping and how to find the best deals! A few days ago, my sister said she’d like to start collecting antique pieces. My sister loves antiques and vintage decor, so I do believe she’ll love to read your tips! Thank you for the advice on visiting different shops and comparing items!
You’re welcome Eli! It’s all about vintage and antiques here at Adirondack Girl @ Heart 🙂