Shades of Light on Buying Antiques
As antiques dealers, we look seriously at thousands of objects a year and develop a strong sense of the market value of antiques within our purview. Yet innumerable categories of antiques fall outside of our expertise.
A recent experience purchasing something not within our familiar realm gave me (Kass) empathy for people who are attracted to antiques, but are intimidated because they have no touchstones for price structure.
This dilemma was brought home to me while shopping for glass shades that would be appropriate for the original, early 20th century brass sconces and a chandelier in the house we are restoring.
When Jeff first pointed out a pair of these shades I was immediately smitten, but thought that they seemed expensive. Through the decision-making process, I challenged myself to deconstruct what I meant by “expensive” – did it mean being overpriced for what they are (i.e., I could find the exact objects in the same excellent condition elsewhere for less money), or did it mean having a significant price because they are (now and presumably in the future should I want to sell them) rare, good, and desirable in the marketplace?
The former would mean I would not feel good about buying them, and the latter would help to justify the expenditure.
Occasionally a new customer will wonder aloud how to know if something is a fair price. I remember one person in particular who kept coming by our booth at a show and glancing in, then on one walk-by showing disappointment to see a sold sign on a set of Old Hickory dining chairs. He then spoke up saying, “I really liked those, but they seemed expensive.”
His comment aroused my curiosity, so I asked “Expensive as compared to what?” In fact, the person who had purchased the chairs was an experienced buyer of rustic furniture who had remarked that they were a good value.
The visitor responded that it was a good question, and upon reflecting said he was probably subconsciously comparing them to the price of contemporary chairs he had seen in furniture stores while shopping to furnish his ski condo. As someone drawn to attend an antiques show as an alternative to considering modern mass-produced furniture, he was gradually gathering the knowledge and confidence to make his first significant purchase.
Now back to my own experience contemplating the purchase of antique glass sconce shades. They were in a small cluttered shop of an eccentric purveyor where nothing was labeled with a price, never mind with an informative tag describing the items and their date of origin.
His responses seemed haphazard when we asked the prices of various shades, which did not inspire a sense of security. So in the end we relied on confidence in our ability to judge the quality of the shades for ourselves and went home with them, and have since purchased a few more sets of shades from the same dealer.
Our house restoration continues to lead us to consider genres of antiques that we were not previously familiar with, so I’ve developed a few rules of thumb to keep in mind when buying antiques for myself:
- Look carefully to determine quality, and don’t be afraid to engage the dealer in this contemplation by asking how the object compares to similar examples in terms of condition, craftsmanship, age, and rarity.
- If I love it and “need” it, if it perfectly fits a spot or a desired look and I can afford it, then I buy it. Almost every antiques shopper, myself included, has a poignant memory of the one that got away, so rather than live with regrets I’ve learned to listen to my (hopefully rational as well as emotional) instincts.
- Buy from dealers who instill confidence – for instance they are easy to talk with; are forthcoming with information; publicly post prices at shows, in their shop, or on their website; and want to maintain an ongoing relationship. Of course, if you are really knowledgeable or are buying something inexpensive, you can just as safely buy an antique at a roadside flea market from the back of a van owned by someone whom you’re unlikely to see again.
In the long run it is healthy that as antiques dealers we are also buyers of antiques for ourselves, because it helps to maintain our sensitivity to the elements of decision making involved in our customers’ antiques purchases. And it is also a good feeling to share with our customers the genuine pleasure of living with objects that illuminate the past.
