I had a reader ask for a list of auction houses in Southern California that deal in antiques. I have done some research and provided a list of auction houses that seem to fit the bill. I have given a brief summary of the services they offer. Southern California Auction Houses That Specialize in Antiques: Don Presley located in Santa Ana, Ca. www.donpresley.com Don Presley's services include live in house auctions, live online auctions and consignment sales. Their consignment business offers … [Read more...]
What Type of Insurance Should I Have for My Antiques and Collectibles?
Most of us spend countless hours looking for those special pieces for our collections. However we tend to forget one of the most important parts of a collection. That is insuring our collections and choosing coverage that fits our needs. There are many options out there for insuring your antiques and collectibles. However getting the right amount of coverage or knowing where to start can be a very confusing and frustrating task. In this article I have answered some of the common questions … [Read more...]
How to Identify Your Hummel Figurine
In this article you will find 2 list to help you identify your Hummel figurines. Identify Your Hummel By Number Identify Your Hummel By Name The one of the most common question I am asked is: How can I identify what Hummel I have so I can find the value of my Hummel? There are a few ways to identify which Hummel figurine you have. … [Read more...]
What You Need to Know About Auction Reserves
I deal with a lot of auction houses for both buying and selling antiques and collectibles. I get asked a lot of questions about reserves. In this article I will answer many of these questions. Auction Reserve Q & A Should I put a reserve on my items? This really depends on what you are selling. Common Antiques and Collectibles: When selling common items it is not recommended to place a reserve on these items. Reserves can make it so buyers lose interest in an item (especially … [Read more...]
7 Antique Questions You Need to Know the Answer to
As a Personal Property Appraiser I get asked many questions about antiques. In this article I have answered 7 of the most commonly asked questions. These questions come up at almost every appraisal I have done.  How old does an item have to be to be an antique? There is a great debate about how old an item has to be to be considered an antique. The standard is 100 or more years. There are some antique dealers out there that like to say 50 years. This is so they can sell more items as antiques … [Read more...]
5 Popular Antiques and Collectibles You Can Find Cheap at Estate Sales and Resell for a Profit
We have all heard the stories about someone finding a painting at an estate sale or flee market for 10 dollars then selling it at an auction for thousands. While I was working at an auction house in the Chicago area I would see this happen regularly. For example a lady bought a stein for $12.00 at a garage sale on the way to the auction house. This turned out to be a Meissen stein that sold at an auction for $1,200.00. This happens more often than people think. Many times people will have an … [Read more...]
Are Your Antiques and Collectibles Insured?
As an antiques and collectibles appraiser I see many antique insurance claims. The most common mistake I see from collectors is that they assume their home owners insurance covers their antiques and/or collectibles. In this article I have talked about how to protect yourself from this common mistake. Most insurance companies in the United States will cover up to $2,500 of arts, collectibles and antiques. If you have an art, antique or collectible collection, this amount will cover about 1% of … [Read more...]
How to Document your Antiques and Collectibles
Over the years I have seen many antique insurance claims. A lot of the antique collectors face an antique disaster at some point in their life. These disasters can range from a broken dish to a loss of an entire antique collection. In this article I have gone over some steps on how to document your antiques and collectibles in case you ever need to make an insurance claim. Being prepared is your best defense when it comes to making a claim with an insurance company. Use the following steps to … [Read more...]
Antique Appraisal – How to Appraise Antiques and Collectibles Like a Pro
There are a number of factors you must consider when determining the value of an antique or collectible. Looking an item up in a price guide or finding a comparable item is only the beginning.In this article I have listed some guide lines to use when valuing your antique or collectible. I will start with one of the most important things to consider when determining the value of an item. … [Read more...]
Best Auction Houses in the United States
I have had a few readers of this site ask me the following two questions about auction houses: Which are the best auction houses to use? Are there any auction houses located near me? So I decided to compiled a list of the good auction houses in the United States and publish on this site. I have either used or have heard good things about these auction houses. There are over 100,000 auction houses world wide. The most popular auction houses are located in Europe and the United States. … [Read more...]
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