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Rare Antiques
by
Samson
Rare Antiques
What are antiques? Antiques are simply defined as ‘old collectible items.’ A number of objects accumulate more value as they age. Among them are vintage cars, jewelry, furniture, coins, and vases, among others. Not only do they grow in sentimental, historical, and cultural worth, the also grow in corresponding monetary value. For antiques, the older, the rarer, and the stronger the item is despite its age, the more valuable it is. That’s why rare antiques cost a lot of money, and only those who can afford it can really collect them. Why do people collect antiques? Antique collectors usually get into this hobby not just because of antiques’ worth in all aspects, but also because of the pleasure of being able to appreciate the art and craftsmanship of earlier humans etched in each antique piece. Having antiques gives a feeling of collecting pieces of history with these silent witnesses of the past. Antiques are important in sociological, historical, and anthropological studies. They are also especially important in many other social sciences, and even in actual sciences such as geology. What are the different types of antique collectables? There are various types of antique collectables. Among them are antique pieces of furniture (be it English, continental, American, African or Asian, among others), glasses, plates and ceramics (such as silver plates, Sheffield plates, and ceramic plates), pottery, porcelain, ivory items, enamels, products of metallurgy, precious stones (such as ruby and jade), antique clocks and watches, antique musical and jewelry boxes, jewelry, cars, laces, embroidery and other fabric products, and tapestry, among many others. Where can antiques be found? Antiques can usually be found in museums, antique shops, homes of antique collectors, old houses, and other places where antiques can be displayed. Dealers of antiques, especially rare antiques, usually belong to national trade associations, antique collectors associations, or other groups of antique enthusiasts. Antique Shopping: Testing Rare Antiques There are various ways of testing the authenticity of antiques, especially those that sellers claim to be ‘real antiques’. The first and most basic is by checking if there is any marking or signature signifying the maker or the antique item and/or the year it was made. Antique collectors make use of black light with long waves in checking out antiques and testing if they are authentic. These black light devices offer various ways of detecting fake or broken antiques. If you find any of the following on the antique item before you, you might need to reconsider the price ad conditions of your trade. 1. Porcelain Repairs Some signs of antique repair cannot be easily seen by the naked eye. However, with the ultraviolet light from black light devices, it would be easy to spot if repairs were made on porcelain antique. 2. Reproduction Glass With today’s technology, it easy to make an imitation of almost any work of art, including antiques. The use of black light on antiques made of glass is particularly helpful in detecting reproduction glass. Reproduction glass usually does not glow under black light. Also, you can determine the type of glass used on the antique item simply by checking out the color that they’re supposed to exhibit under black light. Depression glass, American colorless glass, Vaseline glass, and other glasses have their different characteristics. 3. Repairs in Works of Art Even repairs, cracks, and other blemishes in art works can be detected under black light. Some paintings might have been repaired. 4. Ephemera Chemical bleaches and dyes glow under black light. Because of this, you’d be able to see if any memorabilia item has been tampered with. Even antique items made of fabric and iron can be checked using black light. Just make sure to ask antique experts of read on how to interpret what you would see under the black light.
Philip Nash has been interested in
antiques
since he was young, with his father being an
antique collector
himself. He inherited his father’s collections, knowledge, and interests. He studied more about antiques in a university in Connecticut.
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