It may be difficult for you to understand why anyone would want to give away or to sell their family photographs, but just as there are people that are willing to sell their family photography, there are also people out there who are interested in buying up these old antique photographs even though they are of complete strangers. There are people that are collecting antique photography, and they are actually just as diverse as the images that they are collecting. This is an excellent example of the old adage “One man’s junk is another’s treasure”. This is an adage that surfaces often in the field of collecting and antiquing, and collecting antique photography is certainly no exception to the rule.

It is important for you to keep in mind that antique photography can be sold both as art and as antiques. Rare pictures are typically considered to be art rather than as antiques, where as more common images are going to fit into the antiques category rather than as art. Knowing which is going to be which is unfortunately going to require that you do some research.

Many collectors of antique photography are drawn to a specific subject matter, such as antique photography featuring children, antique photography featuring landscapes, antique photography featuring special events and so on and so forth. Others choose to collect antique photography because it allows them to build a connection with places, people and events from the past. Some people look at antique photography with an artist’s eye, marveling at the quality and the effects of the images that were composed in the past using bulky and rudimentary equipment.

Just with any field of collecting, some people who get into antique photography do so because they have an eye on the concept of investing. They are hoping, after all, to cash in on this field of collecting which has gained popularity in the past 30 years or so. It is extremely important for you to understand different types of antique photography and what equipment was used to take those photographs in order to get the most out of a collection of antique photography.

For example, Daguerreotypes involve producing an image on a copper plate coated with silver. They are the earliest of all photographic images and were first produced in 1839. The Ambrotype is a negative image that was produced using a glass plate and it was introduced in 1854, but it was passé by 1865. In 1856 there were Tintypes, but they had waned in popularity by the time that 1867 rolled around. They were still seen in a number of different forms until as late as the year 1930 however. Often the subject of these images gives way to their true age.

Photo Credits: BL1961

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Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Clocks-

Antique mantle clocks are a wonderful investment that not only beautify your home, but also provide you with a great conversation piece. Many antique mantle clocks are true works of art and with careful shopping, you may even end up with one that used to grace the palace of a royal, or that one stood on the mantle of someone famous. If you are looking for a great new antique, a mantle clock is a wonderful choice.

Here’s what you need to know before you go shopping.

1. What is the country of origin?

This is particularly important for many different reasons. First, it is always nice to know where an antique came from and if you can find one that was constructed in a foreign country, the value may be increased. Second, this is an important part of owning a conversation piece. You’ll need to be able to pass along a little bit of the history of the mantle clock. If it’s origination is not clear, there are some clues that can help you, such as the types of figures that were used, scenes that are depicted, or even the materials that the mantle clock is made out of.

2. Does the clock still work?

This is also very important since finding a good clock maker is very hard these days. Ask the seller to prove that the mantle clock is operational before you actually decide to purchase it. This may be difficult online, but a small video will usually provide you with the proof you need to make a good decision. Otherwise, you may need to take the seller’s word for it. If this is the case, make sure they have good feedback. A beautiful clock that doesn’t work may be a beautiful showpiece, but it’s only really valuable if it is still running.

3. How is the clock powered?

Ideally, you should look for a mantle clock that has a wind-up mechanism. Most antique clocks will, and this is also a great way to find out just how old the piece is. Modern mantle clocks are typically battery powered, so if you are looking for an older model, stick with the ones that are wind-up. You won’t have to worry about finding the right battery and there is just something special about a wind-up clock.

4. What is the overall condition?

Again, due to the fact that finding clock makers is so difficult, it is important to find a mantle clock that is in very good to near perfect condition. While some small flaws can add to the conversational value, if the clock is damaged, it will reduce the overall value of the piece. Try to find a mantle clock that is at least in good condition overall.

Shopping for antique mantle clocks is a very fun pastime, and these also make great collectibles. Whether or not you actually have a mantle to put them on, these clocks can brighten up any home and provide hours of enjoyment.

Originally posted 2008-08-27 14:00:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Dealers -> Antiques -> Decorative-Arts

Years ago, before the introduction of plastics and resins, even animals’ indoor homes like antique bird cages were considered beautiful pieces of furniture. Of course, some were plain and utilitarian, but many more were actually created in the popular furniture styles of the times. Bird cages were designed to fit into the home’s aesthetic and enhance a room rather than stick out because they were different, or worse, be an eyesore.

Antique bird cages can be quite valuable, depending on the material, the style and the age. An important thing to remember about these cages is that years ago, materials were used that we know aren’t exactly healthy for pets today. Some cages may contain lead-based materials or paint that isn’t healthy for anyone, let alone the occupant of the cage. If you’re looking for a cage that’s not just for decoration, but will be home for your feathered friend, choose a modern cage. You can find bird cages today in many different styles and designs. Just look beyond your local pet shop or pet superstore to the more niche stores and you can find bird cages just as ornate as those from 100 years ago.

If you’re looking at antique bird cages as purely decorative and collectible items, then you can worry much less about the materials and concentrate on the design, instead. You can pay hundreds of dollars for some cages, so it pays to know what you’re looking for and how much you’re willing to spend before you start.

You can be eclectic and collect several different antique bird cages, representing many different styles and cultures, or you can focus on a particular country of origin, or furniture style. You might want to buy only those bird cages that look Georgian or Victorian, with ornate designs and scrolls popular in the furniture of the time. Or you might want only very exotic Tunisian-style bird cages with their recognizable shape and curvy wire design. Wooden bird cages that look like large mansions, or small ones with ornate wire and beadwork—it’s your choice, and you have lots of variety to choose from, especially if you search through online auctions.

Unfortunately, many auctions will say little other than “old bird cage” or “wooden bird cage, looks antique.” If antique bird cages don’t bear a manufacturer’s name, artist’s name or date, it can be difficult to tell how old they are, what materials were used, and even where they came from. Some styles are pretty obvious, as with most Asian bird cages, but other times it can be very difficult to tell a reproduction bird cage from an actual antique. And sometimes the country of origin is just a best guess depending on the style and materials.

Antique bird cages can be stunning pieces of art as well as interesting conversation pieces. In the end, you’ll want to purchase them for their beauty and how much they interest you, rather than their age or whether they’re made of wood or bronze.

Originally posted 2008-12-02 05:00:40. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Antiques -> Decorative-Arts

Gothic art refers to any art, whether it’s a painting, a sculpture, or some other medium, created from about the mid-12th century through the end of the 14th century. Art was still created over the next century that’s often called International Gothic, but this type of art was more secular and generally had a more natural style than the Gothic art produced during the preceding 200 hundred years. It’s those 200 years that are considered the span of the Gothic art movement. The last century of International Gothic eventually turned into the Renaissance period.

Gothic architecture that was often used in cathedrals was created during the same 200-year period as the art. France was the birthplace of Gothic art, with the change springing from changes in the Romanesque style of art. Sculptures, paintings, fresco and stained glass were some of the most popular mediums.

Gothic art began as sculptures of Christian icons, and then artwork telling Christian stories. Eventually the art style became popular in the secular world, with it being used to tell non-religious stories, as well. It was during the Gothic period that often artists were required to belong to some sort of artists’ trade guild. Recordkeeping for artists and their work was more detailed than ever before. More Gothic artists are known than from any of the previous eras. It was also during the Gothic period that some artist began regularly signing their names to their work.

Gothic sculpture became a huge part of the movement, and popularized the idea of sculptures of Saints and other figures in cathedrals and abbeys. The first building considered to have been created in the Gothic style is the abbey at St. Denis, built in the early 12th century. Other buildings followed, with the idea becoming popular in Germany and throughout the rest of Europe.

Paintings done in that style didn’t really start to appear for half a century after the sculptures became popular. And like with many era changes, there’s no one moment when it’s clear that the Romanesque style had been replaced with Gothic art—the change is gradual, with more animated expressions and body poses, and slightly more realistic ratios as far as size. Panel paintings and illuminated manuscripts represent a huge amount of Gothic paintings. Oil paintings on stretched canvas weren’t really popular until the Renaissance period that would follow.

For this reason, finding authentic Gothic art from the original period is very difficult, and very expensive. Most surviving art is in the form of illustrations and sculptures. For the avid collector, a dealer is probably the best way to find pieces, though some sellers on eBay tend to specialize and may be helpful.

Reproductions and a variety of types of art in that style have been created since the end of the movement, of course, and almost any kind of dark, fantasy or Celtic art today is often called Gothic. Some vintage Gothic art done in an authentic style created just 100 years ago can be quite valuable.

Originally posted 2008-12-27 14:00:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Antiques -> Architectural and Garden -> Weather Vanes, Lightning Rods

One of the most interesting collectibles you can run across is a weather vane. These used to adorn the roofs of houses and every one in awhile you’ll still see one up there. They range from simple roosters to ornate structures that can weigh several pounds. If you have been thinking about collecting weather vanes, there are a few things to think about before you get started.

1. Is the weather vane still operational?

If you plan to actually use your weather vane, it’s always nice to make sure that it will actually work. It will need to be able to spin around freely once it is installed and it’s also important to make sure that it has all of the connecting parts that you will need to be able to install the piece on your roof. A weather vane must also be balanced properly so that you can tell which direction the wind is blowing. Otherwise, it’s a nice decorative collectible, but it’s not really serving any purpose.

2. When was it made?

This is a consideration that is important for those that have older homes and are trying to stay within that certain time period. Adding a weather vane to an older home is a great way to complete the look, but it’s a good idea to take the time and do the research to make sure that you are getting an authentic piece. Older weather vanes will usually be quite heavy and will have a unique balance system that allows them to take the brute force of a strong wind without being taken down.

3. What material is it made of?

Older weather vanes that are more collectible are usually made out of wrought iron. This allows them the ability to withstand most of the elements. Even if one is brightly painted, it should still be wrought iron underneath. This does add weight to the piece, but it also ensures years of durability. This is the main reason that it is so easy to find collectible weather vanes – they were made to last for many, many years.

4. Does it have the original propeller?

If the weather vane was intended not only to gauge the direction of the wind, but also the intensity of the wind, it will have a propeller. Ideally, you should look for one that already has the device, preferably an original one. If you do find an older weather vane that is missing its propeller, you may be able to get it restored. However, try to find someone that is knowledgeable in the repair of old weather vanes and make sure that they use the right material so that you’re adding value to the piece instead of taking away from it.

Collecting weather vanes is a fun past time and once you really start looking for them, you can see just how many different varieties that there are. Look for one for your roof, or start a table top collection – either way, they provide much enjoyment.

Originally posted 2008-08-30 05:00:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Ceramics, Porcelain

Ceramic piggy banks have an interesting history. Why pigs, exactly, and not bank shapes or a tiny safe? Apparently, we use pigs because of language, and a simple mistake. The word “pygg” was an old English word for an orange clay commonly used to make jars, pots, dishes, and almost anything we use ceramic for today. Extra coins in a household were commonly dropped into a jar made from pygg. Language evolved over the next few hundreds years, and in the early 19th century when some English potters were asked to make pygg banks, they made banks shaped like pigs. They were a hit with customers, and the piggy bank was born—or so the most widely believed explanation says.

One other version of the origin of the ceramic piggy bank claims that a young boy in the early 20th century wanted to raise money to help lepers. He sold his pet pig and donated the money from the sale to help leprosy victims. His generosity caused people to call it the Pig Bank Movement, thus staring the name piggy bank. A church in Kansas bears a plaque commemorating the boy and his generosity, and the piggy bank in general.

Who hasn’t had a piggy bank at some point in his or her life? Ceramic piggy banks are popular items today, and are often given to children at birth or as a first birthday gift, as an heirloom and to foster the good habit of saving money for a rainy day. Silver-plated banks are often engraved with the child’s name and date of birth or some other milestone date when given as gifts. And often tradition has the gift-giver putting the first coin into the bank before giving it as a seed for future wealth.

The value of collectible ceramic piggy banks hinges on a number of things like the age, the condition, and the significance of the design or the bank itself (did it belong so someone noteworthy, or was it created by someone famous, for instance.) What kind of piggy bank you purchases depends on whether or not you’re interested in it as a collectible, or if it’s simply because you love the design.

Vintage ceramic piggy banks can be called vintage simply because they’re not in a currently popular style. Be sure it’s not just labeled as vintage, but collectible as well, if you’re looking for an investment piece to add value to your collection. The uniqueness of the bank, and the quality and condition all figure into the price and the value.

Very old ceramic piggy banks will often have cracks, chips or crackling. If you can find a very old bank intact, you’ve probably found a nice collector piece. Just be sure to ask the seller, whether online or in person, if repairs have been made, if any chips have been glued, or if any type of re-glazing has been done to the bank. You’ll want one as close to its original condition as possible.

Originally posted 2008-10-29 14:00:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Antiques -> Antiquities -> Greek

Greek sculptures are amazing works of art, almost all of which reside in museums or private collections. A collector would do well to find painstaking reproductions of famous sculptures, or art depicting them. The history of these art pieces is interesting, though, whether you’d like to own a reproduction, a new piece created in the Greek style, or whether you’re simply interested in developing a new appreciation for the sculptures of the masters.

The earliest of the Greek sculptures we know of today dates back to 900 BC, and unlike the white marble structures that most recognize, it was made from terra cotta. The sculpture, which was unearthed from two separate graves where pieces had been buried, is known as the Lefkandi Centaur, because it’s believed that it represents Chiron the centaur from mythology. This also makes it the first time Greek myth appeared in an art form, if the experts’ guesses are correct about what the sculpture represents.

The Geometrical period, which ranged from about 900 to 700 BC, saw most Greek sculptures done in either terra cotta, ivory or bronze. The bronze sculptures were usually left as offerings to the gods. Many sculptures were of horses or men, but a variety of animals were also represented.

The Daedalic period saw Eastern influence in the depiction of the flowing hair and wigs and very triangular jaws on figures. Then the Archaic period of Greek art and sculptures gave way for more rigid figures and more Egyptian influence, in art that usually depicted myths, or sometimes even just daily life. And the Classical period saw Greek sculptures become more realistic and lifelike. It was this period that produced some of the most amazing and beautiful sculptures in the world, and likely the ones that you can look at and instantly recognize as Greek. The first sculptors whose names are widely known today came from this period in Greek history.

It’s also interesting to note that when you see Greek sculptures, they’re typically all white. But archaeologists have discovered that most such sculptures were actually originally painted a variety of colors. By using very detailed testing, some have even been able to reproduce the paint and colorings used on Classical statues. The sculptures are white now merely because the paint has dried with age and fallen away, some experts say.

Greek sculptures are timelessly beautiful, and any home can benefit from this type of artwork. If you’re looking for a piece to use on a table as a centerpiece, or a frieze to adorn a wall, then choosing a sculpture that speaks to you or fits the atmosphere you want to convey is the most important thing.

If you want to collect Greek statuary to display as a group for its own sake, do some research into the sculptors and pieces that are most well-known. Online auctions like eBay are a great place to look for Greek art in general, as well as reproduction Greek sculptures or sculptures done in one of the different Greek styles.

Originally posted 2008-12-30 05:00:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Lamps

There is a huge market right now for collectible antique lamps and these functional decorative collectibles can brighten any home. If you’re looking for a collectible that is not only beautiful but also functional, antique lamps are the perfect answer. There are literally hundreds of thousands of these currently on the market and you should be able to find one that matches your tastes quite easily. Here’s a quick buying guide to get you started.

1. Does the lamp still work?

While this shouldn’t be a deal break since lamps are easy enough to repair, it is important to find out if the antique lamp is still in working condition. Remember, restoring or fixing an antique can impact its overall value, especially if you have to use brand new parts to get the job done. Ideally, an antique lamp should work, but you may want to have it checked out by a professional, depending on the age of the lamp, to make sure that it is safe to run in your home.

2. How old is the lamp?

This is a big issue when it comes to running the lamp on your standard house electricity. Some older antique lamps should probably only be used as decorative objects since they may be unsafe to plug in. Again, getting an expert opinion on this is probably necessary to make sure that you are dealing with a lamp that is safe to use as well as pretty to look at.

3. Does the lamp have any interesting history?

Antique lamps are great for conversation starters and it always helps to find out if there is an interesting history behind the lamp. This shouldn’t necessarily be something that would convince or keep you from buying, but it is information that is nice to have. In fact, in many cases, a lamp with a better history will actually be worth more money than one that does not have a known origin.

4. Is the cord in good condition?

We really can’t stress safety enough when it comes to antique lamps. Our other points covered whether the lamp still works, but you should also consider the state of the power cord before making your purchase. Antique lamps will commonly have older cords that may be frayed. These can easily be replaced, but doing so may lower the value of the lamp.

5. How many lamps of that type were made?

This is a question that any serious collector of antique lamps should ask. If you are looking for an investment in a collectible, it’s always important to find out just how many were made since this can greatly impact the overall value of the item, both real and perceived.

Antique lamps are a great collectible and many people prefer this type since they are actually quite useful in the home. Just remember to put safety first before purchasing and using an antique lamp in your home to avoid fire and electrical hazards.

Originally posted 2008-09-14 14:00:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Dealers -> Antiques -> Asian

For anyone who enjoys Asian art, an antique silk screen can make a gorgeous addition to your home. Paintings and even silkscreened prints with an Asian theme can give a room a distinct atmosphere, but there’s nothing quite like a paneled screen that can be hung on the wall like artwork or placed on the floor. And while a new silk screen might offer a wider variety of colors and designs than antique ones probably do, new ones just don’t bring with them that ancient feel and authenticity.

A reproduction of an antique Chinese silk screen will probably cost anywhere from $100 to $300 today. Some reproductions are hand-painted in much the style one would have been done hundreds of years ago, so if you’re looking for a screen as close to an antique original as possible, these are your best option for finding one affordably.

A true antique silk screen could cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars and on up, but most likely you’ll find true antique screens priced well into the thousands, with some very exquisite pieces easy reaching five figures. Much depends on how the screen is made, its age, its condition and whether or not it has the original fasteners and findings.

An antique silk screen that’s handpainted with four panels and a very small, unobtrusive frame is the most common type you’ll probably find. In many, the entire painting was done as one solid piece of art across all four panels, and there’s no real border to speak of. In some screens, each panel has its own image, and most of these have some sort of frame or border around each panel. Some have the border around each panel, with each panel as part of the large painting, as well.

The least expensive type of screen will most likely be the kind with no border around the individual panels and one large artwork covering the whole thing. The price is determined by the age of the screen and its condition. Sometimes a silk screen isn’t painted, but embroidered instead, or finished with a combination of the two. Often these will have the borders around each panel. Ask what type of wood makes up the frame—zitan wood is especially valuable, as it’s so rarely used for things today. It’s an extremely dense wood that sinks in water, and was once a popular type of wood in China. A wooden-framed screen could be rather plain with only straight borders and legs, but some are intricately carved, adding greatly to the value.

When you’re looking a silk screen, either in person or on eBay, ask if the fastenings are original or if they’ve been replaced. Be sure and ask about any damage, as well, because pictures don’t always reveal small details. Any antique screen will likely grow in value at it ages, so they’re all good investments. The ultimate test in whether you should purchase an antique silk screen, though, is whether or not you love the artwork.

Originally posted 2008-12-07 05:00:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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