How To Start An Antique Business

The timeless proverb "One man's trash is another man's treasure" well defines how to start an antique business.

People are fascinated with artifacts and treasures that have survived generations, and are willing to pay handsomely for them.

There is no deep dark secret about how to start an antique business. It is just a matter of knowledge and making your work into a labor of love.

Antiques and collectibles can be obtained everywhere. Yard sales, thrift shops, classified ads, antique auctions, vintage goods stores and swap meets are all sources for inventory.

A great deal of the enjoyment of the antique business is searching for and acquiring the goods you wish to resell.

Where To Sell Your Goods

An antique business is one of the few professions not bound to a brick and mortar establishment.

Antiques, defined as items which are at least one hundred years old, and other collectable vintage items that are not quite as dated can be marketed in a retail store or in an antique mall, at an auction, or through your own dedicated website or existing online auction site.

Many antique dealers specialize in only a handful of antique fields like vintage toys or antique furniture in order to become experts as possible in their field. Others choose the cornucopia approach. They sell antiques and collectibles from all walks of life providing a little something for everyone.

How To Start An Antique Business - Setting Yourself Apart

Develop a discerning eye. Not everything old is desirable. A basic rule of thumb is condition, condition, condition. The more perfect an item, the more valuable it is to the collector. Items need to be in original condition, not modified or retouched, and come with as much documentation as possible. Who did it belong to? Where was it made? Where has it been all these years?

Sometimes these questions simply cannot be answered, but every attempt should be made to do so. The answers translate to a higher selling price.

There is a wealth of written material covering all you need to know about quality antiques and collectibles. It does not matter if the books are out of date with reference to values - it only matters that there are descriptions and photographs to aid in identifying an item. Develop a library of books, periodicals, and auction house catalogs that you can reference again and again as you grow.

Even if you are not yet buying, go to auctions, visit antique stores, and join online discussion groups and message boards where enthusiastic collectors gather. Put your finger on the pulse of what's hot and your business will grow quickly.

Be a business at all times - buy low and sell high, give stellar customer service, and practice good business methods such as having adequate insurance, bonded employees, and safe and secure shipping when necessary.

Also strive to always be accurate, as antique dealer's Achilles Heel is misrepresentation. Strive to know everything there is to know about a piece before you offer it for sale.

Fortunately, there will always be antiques and collectibles and there will always be collectors. This makes finding out how to start an antique business an excellent foundation for success in life.

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