How Many Years Does it Take to Be an Antique?

How many years does it take a piece to be an antique? If you have some old pieces in your collection you should consider the potential value, you may be sitting on a fortune. Carry on reading this article and we will tell you how many years it takes to be an antique plus how to get the best price for your collection.
How Many Years Is Antique?
The dictionary describes an antique as "a piece of furniture, tableware or the like, made at a much earlier period than the present." It is commonplace to recognize an antique as over 100 years but this timescale is sometimes disputed by experts with items aged between 50 and 80 years often being classified as antique.
What Do People Want?
Before trying to price an antique you need to know about it, otherwise you may fall foul of an astute buyer or dealer. You should find out as much as you can so you are aware of a realistic selling price by answering the following questions:
Is your piece desirable? Is it commonplace or rare? Is it well looked after? What is the history of the piece? Where was it made? And by who? Are they desirable manufacturers?
To find out this information look for manufacturers markings and then research the piece in books from your local library or increasingly on the internet. Also speak to the person you got the piece from as they may have clues as to its history.
If you can't find any information you can always visit a local antiques roadshow or take it to a local dealer. Often here you will be able to get a free price estimate, but be aware that upon auction prices can vary wildly.
How To Get The Best Price For Your Antiques
Of course the condition and rarity are the main factors with antiques but a smart seller can increase his chances of getting a good price by being proactive.
Gain as much information about the item as this will help you in two ways:
it will appear you are knowledgeable in antiques so you are less likely to be bamboozled by dealers
you can 'sell' the item to a potential buyer by being able to 'paint a picture' of it.Buyers are not just after something that will look nice in their house they are trying to find something unique and with a history, that they can tell their friends about.
Now you have the sales patter you should try to find your own buyers. Of course a local auction is a good start or better still eBay is great place to get an immediate worldwide audience. Why not list your antique on ebay and then visit the internet forums and social groups and chat to people. You will be able to find groups dedicated to your exact style of antique.
This will greatly increase your chances of finding a buyer and teach you more about antiques into the bargain. You can then add a link to your listing, but remember direct selling in forums is frowned upon so join in the discussion and people will quickly start to check out your link.
Now you know how many years does it take to be an antique, you can get the best price for your items and start to become and expert in this vibrant and exciting hobby of antiques. You may even decide that you want to start trading antiques to make a tidy income.