Bowe Packer - Antiquing Secrets: Fastest Way to Discover Antique History & Learn How to Collect Antiques Like a Seasoned Veteran

Antiquing Secrets

Fastest Way To Discover Antique History & Learn How To Collect Antiques Like A Seasoned Veteran

Bowe Packer

Publishers Notes

Disclaimer

This publication is intended to provide helpful and informative material. Please understand that this guide is intended to help get you off to a great start of learning about Antiques and is not the end all be all of antiques.

There is much to learn about this long living, vast hobby. You will run into things I did not, that is just the natural process of life. However, the author has made every effort to provide you with sound information at a good price.

The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from the use or application of any contents of this book.

Any and all product names referenced within this book are the trademarks of their respective owners. None of these owners have sponsored, authorized, endorsed, or approved this book.

Always read all information provided by the manufacturers product labels before using their products. The author and publisher are not responsible for claims made by manufacturers.

Kindle Edition 2013

Manufactured in the United States of America

Dedication

I dedicate this book to all those people out there who remind us of the things we have forgotten about ourselves.

And this holds especially true of my beautiful and amazing wife, Alma. She is the one woman who has the most amazing talent to let me grow and love the things about myself that I have not fully accepted.

I cherish the love she has for me when I may not know how to love myself.

May we all have this kind of beautiful soul in our life.

Sent from LOVE,

Sunshine In My Soul

PART 1: Preparing For The Antique Hunt

So you think you want to collect antiques? Did you always have a passion for history? Or did you discover a unique item that is propelling you... nudging you... to go on the quest?

Either way, its best before you start out to learn more about this amazingly complex, yet elegantly simple hobby. You are about to begin a journey that will entertain, educate, and excite you for the rest of your life. Guaranteed.

Introduction: Welcome To The Great Antique Hunt

For years, when friends would talk about their antique collections, I felt a little (okay, more than a little) intimidated. I used this standing joke when asked if I collected any artifacts, Why of course! You should see the collection of dust I have at home. Its all over the house.

Since then, Ive taken a second look at antiquing. I had always been a history buff, but then I found an actual historical item or two that I thought were really interesting, and thats all it took.

I was off. I had signed up, evidently, for the Great Antique Hunt. Unfortunately, I knew very little about the several pieces I initially purchased -- despite my knowledge of history. And my hunt was more like a game of pin the tail on the donkey. I felt blindfolded and as if someone had twirled me around. There I was making decisions upon which I knew very little. Needless to say, not all of them were the wisest.

In my first several months of collecting, I discovered -- looking back with that inevitable 20-20 hindsight -- how much money I actually wasted on what I thought at the time were quality antique pieces

Finally, I was able to stop myself, take my blindfold off, and just digest the hobby a bit farther. And that made all a world of difference. The next several purchases I made not only delighted me, but were appraised and valued as a smart move. (Imagine that! Me! Performing some smart moves!)

And as I sat down one evening with a cup of tea, content in my days purchases, I wondered how many others were wandering aimlessly like I had been. And thats when I vowed to write a small compendium that would give the novice antique collector a solid beginning in the hobby and provide the veteran with a great review.

Viola! The birth of a book

And yes, the result is this eBook, Creative Antiquing Secrets: What Every Antique Hunter Must Know. Ive taken a close look at where my largest and most expensive mistakes were made and wrote about those topics. Of course, the purpose is to try to save you from the time and expense of making the same mistakes.

As you initially read through this book, youll immediately see that it is divided into several subjects. Part I is entitled Preparing for the Antique Hunt. It encompasses the introduction and the first three chapters.

With the help of this book, youll learn everything from exactly what constitutes an antique to how to negotiate in order to get the best price, as well as a chapter devoted solely to tips and techniques for getting the most for your money and the highest quality antiques you can find.

Part II, Pursuing Pottery deals specifically with the collection of pottery -- from England as well as America. And of course, we talk about pottery trends in history throughout Europe as well.

When it comes to identifying furniture, youll want to turn to Part III. Again, the division of topics includes continental Europe, English and then American. In this section, youll discover the joy that accompanies a find as well as the despair when you discover your piece isnt worth what you thought.

In the fourth section of this book, youll discover what makes antique glassware.... well, antique. Its called Grabbing Glassware. Youll also discover the difficulty involved in distinguishing glassware from continental Europe, England and America!

And finally, Ive provided you with an appendix of resources to help you pursue your Great Antique Hunt, including the names of some very good organizations as well as a short glossary to help familiarize yourself with the terms youre guaranteed to hear on your journeys.

Ready to start this new adventure?

Chapter 1- Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

Tell me, exactly how do you spot that antique in the field? Some individuals -- usually those who know the least about antiques -- are quick to answer that. They readily spout off that an antique is any object that is at least 100 years old.

And to a certain degree, these folks are absolutely right. They just dont go quite far enough in their definition. Just because an object happens to be old, doesnt automatically make it an antique. Well, it doesnt make it a valuable antique -- one you would desire to own.

The antique connoisseurs argue that age alone cant define value. You must also look a little farther, especially toward the quality of an object, whether it is furniture, glassware or pottery. As one expert told me recently, An item that was ugly and lacking in quality more than 100 years ago, is probably still ugly and of poor quality today.

Well said.

What about that genuine reproduction?

Sooner or later, even the most careful of antique hunters discover this. And they mutter choice words upon finding it out. Have you ever seen any furniture or other objects marked as a genuine reproduction? Friends of mine chuckle when they see this, immediately translating it into one word, fake.

Well, consider this fact. Especially in the realm of furniture, those genuine reproductions themselves are now coming upon their 100th birthday. What would that make them? Well, yes, old. But technically, now we have genuine reproductions that are actually antiques. Does it make them collectibles as well? An excellent question. One, by the way, with no definitive answer.

The four-part antique litmus test