The wary steps to antiquing
The world of antiques is a difficult one to traverse. There are many things that have to be on the minds of buyers and sellers. While this is not exhaustive, I do want to point out a couple of things that should be foremost in many minds.
Perhaps the most important thought is if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Take for instance the sale of several hundred year old swords, coins, and sculptures. For collectors this is always a draw, and in this case were from the Middle East. Better yet, these items were being put up for sale by a farmer at a deep discount to expected prices.
While some would avoid a firesale of this nature, others would see the opportunity to own a piece of history. But this kind of sale is illegal. And the men involved were arrested by authorities. In fact once the ‘artifacts’ were inspected it was found that they were fakes. Too good to be true this time meant a crime and a ripoff, the lucky thing only being that authorities were able to make an arrest before innocents could be swindled.
On a more mundane level, if you own an antique remember to care for it beyond your normal household chores. Damage from excessive heat or cold can steal the value of your prized possessions as fast as exposure to the elements. Thus all heat vents or air conditioners should have a wide berth from you antique possession.
While we all love to observe and display our proud items, be careful of the source of lighting. Continuous exposure to direct sunlight can be as bad as exposure to water over time. While I’m not suggesting placing an item in a closet, placing it directly under the window sill is not a positive plan either, even if it looks wonderful there.
Obviously the fastest way to damage your antique is to let it be exposed to water. Warps, marks, color fading, cracks and more can all be attributed to water in varying amounts over time. There is possibly noting more dangerous and as potentially available everyday. If your antique does get wet, blot up the water as soon as possible.
Of course dust is never a positive either. Regular dusting is always an important step.
Now none of this is a news flash. I’m sure every reader to this blog is already aware of all these things. But then again we all have busy lives, forget to do a chore, or think that just this once doing something or letting it go will be alright. But that is not the case.
This is just a reminder. As much for me as for anyone. And if it reminds you to move that table a few inches to the right in the summer or winter, or makes you suspicious of a too great deal somewhere well then it was worth the time to write.
