Are Antique Dolls and Carved Furniture Considered Collectible?

Diane asked

Are antique dolls and carved furniture still considered a collectible?

This question can be taken two ways.
What makes an item an antique or a collectible?
Or. Are these antiques still sought after?

So for our readers that have read this question in either manner, we will be answering both interpretations here.

What Makes an Item an Antique or a Collectible?

We have answered this question in more detail in our article “The difference between antique, vintage, and collectible items.” Essentially what it comes down to is age, not style, not materials, or even rarity. A true antique is defined as being anything that is 100 years or older.

This covers everything from stoneware, to furniture, clothing, toys, tools, carvings and even piping and bricks.

Everything else is considered to be a collectible.

Are These Antiques Still Sought After?

The desirability of any antique or collectible is highly subjective. Fads and trends can push up the demand for particular items. This is relatively short lived however, as there are many factors that can effort how much of a demand there is in the marketplace.

Lets use the humble Hummel Figurine as an example. Certain figurines use to be considered hard to come by, and as such were highly sought after driving up their prices. Then came along the introduction of the internet, and with it sites like ebay. That which was once hard to come by, could now be found by the hundreds if not thousands.

In our article “eBay – The Death of the Common Antique Market” we go into more detail on the impact that ebay has had on market values. In the short of it, ebay has driven down the prices, as it has eliminated the rarity of these items.

Additionally, Hummel collection was more of a generational thing. Popularity of the Hummel grew following WW2 and skyrocketed to astronomical proportions. Regrettably, their prices, and desirability have been on a steady decline in recent years, as more and more people from that generation have passed away.

For many antiques and collectibles, there will always be a market to trade. How much of a demand there may be, we cannot say. You could get lucky and have a collection of antique dolls that collectors may be willing to pay through the nose for. Or they may find themselves in a similar fate as the Hummel, existing in an over supplied market, with little demand.

The same can be said for your carved furniture. The 19th century Black Forest Carvings are still popular among collectors, and as such the demand for these pieces has a relatively strong and healthy market. Other less popular pieces however, not so much.