Taking Care Of Your Antique Jewelry

Beside gold bullion, antique jewelry can be your long-term investment tool because it can be ensured that the price will continues to increase, the longer you save it, the more expensive the price. It is quite possible in order to find the hottest of the types within the fashion jewellery while gold jewelry might not have such selection and modern styles. Silver was really cheap and bountiful. This contains a number of celebrities and this has maybe made antique jewelry more common in recent years. If you are buying antique jewelry as an investment, you need to know how much the piece is worth in today's market. These family heirlooms often have interesting stories attached that are recounted over the years. So, what does this mean for someone who is contemplating the value and sale of their antique jewelry?

 No need to put the jewelry under running water after using the window cleaner on it. Antique jewelry is those pieces of ornaments, which have been made famous by some era, or have some story attached to it. Your fingers will not be caught as you glide them on the surface of the jewelry. If you buy a pearl jewelry, please note that the pearl should not be chipped or scratched. So much has been said about these invaluable antique jewelry items, but where does one find them. It is best to get them professionally cleaned whenever possible. A few of these items are very rare and exhausting to come back by, which implies that they are fairly expensive. When it is completely dry, rub the jewelry with a polishing cloth before storing it. However, jewelry specialists suggest that you take your antiques to a certified appraiser who is not involved with the buying and selling of jewelry. Care of jewelries. Antique jewelry fetch millions of dollars at the auctions, and are today considered as safe investments.

 Pawa shell is popular because of its unique color. Dressing up like a tribal man is not the criterion for wearing such jewelry. Alternatively, you may find something to suit your budget but the style is not to your liking. Many people out there are ready and willing to take advantage of a person's naivety. Jewelry boxes can be purchased at department stores, through individual artisans or online. In fact, early jewelry storage may not have been a box at all; instead, it might have been a jar that was commonly used in ancient times to store spices and a host of other goods. Does the piece of jewelry in question appear tarnished, with metal showing through in the tarnished section such as copper? Make contact with the seller if you are at all unsure of anything. This calls for proper storage as some material such as silver can be dented or scratched. Above all, people mostly desire antique jewelry pieces because of its wonderful historical background. It is why no two sides of a symmetrical piece would be identical to one another. It is important to do what is necessary to care for them so that they retain their luster over the years. Never spray the cleaner directly on the jewelry. Never spray the cleaner directly on the jewelry. Whatever the answer may be, the need to be unique is there in all of us.

 The pieces are generally low priced compared to new jewelry. Strings used to knot together at both sides of the bead on a pearl necklace would be made of dyed string, not wire; as in the case of antique pearl string and bead necklaces. This is even more significant since vintage pieces are generally more expensive. Many people out there are ready and willing to take advantage of a person's naivety. During this era, boxes might have been constructed to house precious gemstones and jewelry as well. No need to put the jewelry under running water after using the window cleaner on it. In fact, many modern designers will admit that they have been inspired by these pieces. Antique jewelry, a term applied to jewelry over a hundred years old, is now a favorite with the prospective brides, too. Just be casual in your attitude during the time of purchasing it. Aren't you going to insure it? The art deco period is synonymous with the roaring twenties and the jewelry is just as flamboyant. This is important even if you're just rediscovering your grandma's jewels because you will need this estimate for tax and insurance purposes. Store each piece of jewelry in separate jewelry boxes. Knowing this it just takes a little bit of research on a product to make sure it is high quality.

Value Of Antique Art Collecting

Collecting is a fun leisure pursuit, and one of the most appealing possessions to assemble are art porcelain. Many changed items can be dyed with artwork and turn out to be an art collectible. Hobby enthusiasts be obsessed with such gear as saw blades, and wood eggs which have had artwork painted on. Relatives even collect exclusive rugs as art. An extra art collectible hobby is collecting limited book editions, thimbles, Christmas stuff, and porcelain created by such companies as Bradford Argument. And of classes, many ancestors save fine art paintings.

The someone with an art collectible hobby will possibly find his or her own preference artists whose works they value. They can want to focus on one special actor, each past or at hand, or they can select from the works of many artists. On the other hand, they may collect art and art substance roughly speaking a theme they benefit from, such as cigars, wild animals, or piano melody. Single may think of an art aerial as a rich person who has the money to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an first Van Gogh. A person of more self-effacing means can be obsessed with art too, then again. Post cards are a good place to foundation. Most art museum gift shops offer high eminence, glossy postcards on paper with some of their more prominent acquisitions. By wholesale those cards one in truth appreciates, anyone can have an art collection.

Ebay is a good foundation of art porcelain suchlike type of art or collectible you decorative. In fact, if you are just initial out, the choices and options can be tremendous! Just take into account that you can sell your own things as well as business those of others. This must make the crash on the budget a not much less vigorous. Other ideas for economically collecting art porcelain are scouring flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales. You never know what jewels a star else may be being paid rid of.

One nice thing about art china is that artists can be found in every part of the world. The art collector should scout the local art shows, museums, and artist's hangouts to find out just what sort of bent can be had less luxuriously and close to home. As of the local taste of some artwork, art china make good pass through souvenirs.

An art collectible hobby will keep you engrossed in life and give you a home full with art masterpieces as well. If you enjoy attractive and interesting effects nearly you, reflect on opening an art collectible hobby these days.

What Makes Antique Wedgwood China So Valuable?

Seeing as the group is now faintly over 250 years old, something made from year one to year 150 is now authoritatively considered to be an antique. Aged official recognition begins for any item that can be established to be at least 100 years old and since the Wedgwood company keeps exact files on all of its designs, any Wedgwood piece can be hurriedly, straightforwardly and accurately dated.

In add-on to punctilious register care and collection, Josiah Wedgwood perceived all of his designs with a signature to classify the piece as his and not a copy, and to date it precisely to the month and year it was produced. Many people have gone to great lengths to fraudulently copy these marks to make a newer piece of china look like a piece of very old Wedgwood China for the noticeable economic gain.

With the beginning of online auctions, antique Wedgwood China has become a hot item and the uneducated buyer may think he's being paid a good deal on some aged pieces, when in fact he's business newer pieces made to look like they are antiques. There are collections of aged Wedgwood China worth millions, depending upon the unusual holder, the care and grant of the set and its completeness.

The collection once owned by the Queen of England, scrupulously maintained, passed down due to the generations and now on spectacle in London, is plainly priceless.

The main raison d'être for this huge fascination in traditional china produced by the Wedgwood company, other than the clear economic one, is that fill plea to have a great collected works and after many years of less than solar preservation, pieces break and have to be replaced.


If Josiah Wedgwood were alive these days, even he would be taken aback at the large sums of money shifting hands for some of his early work. Still undamaged, still undivided early collections are nearly beyond price, mainly the ones owned by sovereigns and celebrities. Many have come up for mart at high-status Dutch auction houses all over the place the world and have garnered quite a large sum of concentration from well-heeled investors looking for incredible attention-grabbing to spend their money on.

There is a fine line when it comes to placing a value on antique Wedgwood China and that line is 1949. After Josiah died, quite a lot of generations of Wedgwood's sons and other connections ran the custom, which was never in fact the same. Observably, the imaginative pieces formed by Josiah are the oldest and the most beneficial ones in being. That being said, after under attack all through wars, financial downturns, clash and unprofessional conduct, the invention line tainted drastically when Josiah Wedgwood V was strained to renovate the factory.

He ongoing spin in 1938, was episodic by World War II and completed the new plant in 1949 after the war. Consequently, all Wedgwood China produced in the new factory, initial with the first pieces that rolled off the production lines in 1949 are of notably less value than pieces created in the old factory prior to that time. This, of itinerary, does not cause into description who may have owned a individual album or its get ready at the time of sale. But for two akin collections, one prior to 1949 will be worth to a large extent more than one created in the new factory. There are some very steep, very picturesque and decidedly required after collections bent in the new factory that still fetch a high price when they are put up for sale.

This is a part of the winner of the propose, the prior ownership and the availability of pieces from that line and unmoving, if it was twisted in the old plant, it will just be worth added

Selling Your Antiques - How Not to Get Ripped Off by Debra Howard

So you’ve decided to sell Great Aunt Sally’s dining set, but you’re not sure what to do next. Before you call the antique dealers, follow these guidelines to keep from making costly mistakes.

1. What’s the condition of the piece or pieces you’re selling?

Now’s the time to set aside any sentimental attachment you have and look at the piece through the eyes of a potential buyer. The condition will affect the price. Is the furniture damaged, legs loose or cracked, veneer lifting, fabric soiled, ripped or faded? If the wood finish is just a little dusty and scratched, try a little Old English Scratch Cover; it comes in several colors for different woods. Wipe it on and let it dry; it covers a multitude of problems. As for fabric, just taking your vacuum attachment and vacuuming the upholstered areas will remove the dust and grit. Soiled areas can be spot treated with upholstery cleaners. Make sure you pay attention to the type of fabric and blot the stain; don’t grind it further into the fabric. A little elbow grease will help your piece look better and pay dividends when negotiating a selling price.

2. How old is the piece?

Just because Great Aunt Sally gave it to you doesn’t mean she acquired it at birth. An antique is usually considered anything 100 years or older; however, even though it may not be an antique, it could still be very valuable as a “collectable” item. This is where you need to do a little investigation. It is important to educate yourself about the items you’re selling. You can go to online auctions or try the library if you don’t have any antique reference books readily available.

3. What’s it worth?

Now that’s the question! Most of us have seen an episode or two of “Antiques Roadshow” and delight to hear the happy endings. We are in hopes the ugly vase hiding in the closet, is worth a small fortune. Well, now’s the time to find out. Go to online auctions, antique stores, or antique reference books and find something similar. Keep in mind that with reference books and antique stores, the prices you are looking at are retail. When you go to sell your piece to a dealer, he or she will offer you a wholesale price, which can be approximately 40 to 60 percent of the item’s retail value. The value of a piece can also vary depending on where you live. What commands a high price in New York may not be a popular item in Arizona.

4. What’s your time frame for selling your item?

Are you moving and need to get rid of it before you leave? Have you already purchased a replacement and it has to go immediately? Or are you just thinking about selling, depending on what it’s worth? If you know you want to sell a piece, and you can take your time, then do that. You can do your research, find out its value and find a buyer. Don’t wait until the last minute, panic, and have to sell quickly. In your haste, you will more than likely settle for much less than what it is worth. Better to take your time, do your homework, and feel good about the sale.

5. Should I call a dealer and get an appraisal?

Before you call you should understand the difference between getting an appraisal and calling an antique dealer for a price. Sometimes, an antique dealer is also a certified appraiser; however, if you want a written appraisal of the fair market retail value, they will charge you a fee. An antique dealer is coming to purchase your item at a wholesale price, not give you a free appraisal so you can sell it yourself. (Would you drive all over town, paying high gas prices, just to give free appraisals?) If you have done your homework, you should know what you want for your piece, and know if what they are offering is a fair price. If you haven’t taken the time to do your research, and the dealer is not reputable, he or she could use this to their advantage. Be prepared!




Article Source: Collectibles-Articles.com

Collecting Antique Mantle Clocks

Collecting Antique Mantle Clocks – Do Your Homework First by Gust Lenglet

Mantle clocks are a beautiful and sophisticated addition to any home or collection. For anyone who wants to get into collecting mantle clocks, this can be a rewarding and satisfying past time. However, it can also be an expensive prospect depending on the type of mantle clock you want to collect. There are affordable mantle clocks available in just about every style. However, many of them are replicas, novelty or modern clocks and not true antiques. If you are looking to collect antique mantle clocks, you will need to do a lot of research first, know what type of clock you want to collect, and set your budget.

There are various types of antique mantle clocks available including cuckoo clocks, alarm clocks and grandfather clocks. Narrowing your taste will help you in determining if a particular mantle clock will be suitable for your collection. You want each piece in the collection to enhance one another as well as stand on its own, however, you do not want to look at a piece within a group and wonder why it is there. You may find a rare Mickey Mouse antique mantle clock at an auction but will it really fit in with your cuckoo clock collection? When determining the purchase of a new acquisition, know your collection and your goals before deciding on whether or not a piece will fit.

There are many who think collecting antique mantle clocks will be a fun and even profitable experience. It does have the potential to be but there are some pitfalls you will want to avoid. First, because of the popularity of this type of collection, there have been many replicas of popular pieces made. Some of them are so close to the original that it is hard to discern, especially for the amateur. Do your homework before making a purchase, and check online descriptions and books for key elements to the real thing before spending a lot of money on a piece. Or worse yet, you may be thinking you have a true bargain when in actuality you have a very expensive knock off. If at all possible, get an independent appraisal of the antique mantle clock before purchasing.

It is rare that you will find a one of a kind antique mantle clock at an online auction or a garage sale that is not available anywhere else. It is possible, certainly, but for most pieces, there are other available locations to find it. If you have your heart set on a particular piece for your collection, do some research and shop around first. You may find the exact same piece, in better condition, at a lower price elsewhere. But you will not know until you check. So, enjoy collecting antique mantle clocks. But, be aware of the mistakes and issues that might come up when starting out and do some due diligence before jumping into a purchase, especially an expensive one. There is an old Latin phrase “caveat emptor”, which means let the buyer beware, and this is so true when purchasing collectibles.



For an extensive selection of antique mantle clocks, you will find them all at http://www.collectible-mantle-clocks.com

Article Source: http://www.collectibles-articles.com

Wedgwood China

Wedgwood is a British pottery firm founded by Josiah Wedgwood in the mid 18th century. The company got its start in Stoke on Trent, England. The Wedgwood company merged with Waterford Crystal in 1987 and became Waterford Wedgwood.


Wedgwood has always been synonomous with quality,beauty, and craftsmanship. Famous for their china patterns, Wedgwood in modern times has branched out to include art, pottery, and everyday tableware.


Although there are various styles and patterns produced by the company, they can be categorized in four different areas.


Jasperware:

When non-collectors think of Wedgwood this is the style that comes to mind. Distinguished by the light blue base with white scenes, usually Greek or Roman in origin these are regarded as decorative pieces. The Wedgwood Jasperware styling is popular with tourist related collectibles.

Queensware:

As its name implies, Queensware is dinnerware designed for one of the Queens of England. It is identifiable by an embossed ivy leaf or similar around the border. Though styles,shapes and color may vary slightly, it has kept its standard style through the years.

Wedgewood Collectibles:

These are the many items produced for Wedgwood collectors. Christmas ornaments,an annual plate series,commemorative items,figurines,art pieces,and tourist items among others are produced as collectibles.

Tableware:

This category covers the remainder of most of the Wedgwood pieces, especially in modern times. Formal and informal table settings are produced in this category.

As you build your Wedgwood collection be aware of a few basics to spot fakes and to determine the dating of the pieces. When looking for china watch for tiny cracks and chips or crazing (spidery veins along the porcelain). Any of these three faults can reduce or destroy the value of the piece.

An advantage to collectors, Wedgwood was and is one of the few manufacturers to mark its name on their products. Usually embossed or painted on the bottom of each piece. The genuine Wedgwood mark is either painted or embossed "Wedgwood England", "Wedgwood Made in England", or "Wedgwood of Etruria & Barlaston" and/or an urn with Wedgwood underneath it. There have been a few variations through the years but rarely has a picture of anything but an urn been displayed.

When antique collecting there are two things to look for regarding fakes and authenticating Wedgwood:
If the piece you are checking out is not marked, it is not Wedgwood unless it is extremely old in which case you should consult an expert or get the seller to provide verification that the piece is, indeed, Wedgwood.

Look out for Wedgewood. The true Wedgwood company does not spell its name with the second E. There is another company, Enoch Wedgwood of Tunstall whose pieces have a unicorn as its logo and are stamped "Wedgwood & Co." This is not genuine Wedgwood and has little or no value to collectors. The majority of the pieces are produced as collectibles for Avon, but have no collector value. Buy them only if you like the look.


When searching online for Wedgwood, enter both names "Wedgwood and "Wedgewood" as many sellers are not sure of the spelling. A seller listing a piece as "Wedgewood" more than likely has an authentic piece of Wedgwood china. With a little bit of information you can easily verify whether the item is authentic Wedgwood or a fake.

Seth Thomas Clocks

Seth Thomas Clocks

Seth Thomas (1785-1859) began his clockmaking career in 1807 as an apprentice to renowned clockmaker Eli Terry. In 1810, he bought Terry’s Connecticut factory and began building wall clocks with wooden movements.

Thomas added wooden-movement shelf and mantel clocks in 1817. The first of these had pillar-and-scroll belongings typically with a scene highlighted on the underside third of the case below the clock’s face. here 1830, very old Seth Thomas mantel clocks were repeatedly framed in imprinted mahogany...
Brass movements replaced woodens ones in 1842 (wood was phased out lock, stock and barrel in 1845), which was also the first year that Thomas made mantel clocks with ogee cases—the style was shaped until 1913.

However a modernizer when it came to fabrication techniques and sphere Thomas was to be more precise conventional when it came to the facade of his clocks. So, after his death in 1859, Thomas' sons were quick to lead into new clock styles—from large wall clocks to regulators to spring-driven clocks to clocks with calendars.

Of the antique clocks, the Seth Thomas antique wall clocks for kitchens were exceptionally admired. One early double-dial calendar clock made after the founders’ death had a rosewood-veneer case that came to points at the top and foot to earn itself the moniker of "Peanut." Walnut kitchen clocks were produced from 1884 to 1909.

One of the toughest competitors for U.S. clockmakers in the last half of the 19th century were the French, whose clocks cased in onyx and marble were all the rage. In response U. S. manufacturers made clocks that resembled those of the French, with the exception of instead of marble they made their cases from inexpensive iron or wood.

Thomas responded to the French competition with its own line of marble clocks (1887 to 1895) and iron clocks done in black enamel (1892 to 1895). But the Thomas rejoinder that is best known today was its Adamantine black mantel clock which debuted in 1892.

Adamantine was a veneer first manufactured by the Celluloid Manufacturing Company—Thomas licensed the product as it could be twisted in black, white and a range of patterns to replicate the look of wood, onyx, and, most prominently marble. The Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clocks were accepted an adequate amount of to keep on in assembly until 1917.

In the 20th century, Thomas introduced its first tambour clock in 1904. The low, wide profile of these mantel clocks made them faultless above fireplaces. Chime clocks followed in 1909, and alarm clocks were added to the company’s index in 1928.

Of the pre-war, 1930s Thomas clocks, the Art Deco alarm clocks (wind up or emotional made of a transparent material called Catalin are highly collectible. distinct Bakelite, which was difficult due to its fillers of sawdust or carbon, Catalin is clear which made it easy to mix with dyes to be the source of rich insignia It could even be marbleized, which, for Thomas, recalled the company’s Adamantine clocks formed just a few decades before

Privacy Policy And Contact Information

PRIVACY POLICY
PRIVACY

I respect your privacy and I am committed to safeguarding your privacy while online at this site antiquevalue.blogspot.com. The following discloses how I gather and disseminate information for this blog.


LOG FILES AND STATS

Like most blogging platforms I use log files, in my case, Statcounter. This stores information such as internet protocol (ip) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (isp), referring,exit and visited pages, platform used, date/time stamp, track user's movement, and gather broad demographics. IP addresses etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.

COOKIES

A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user's computer tied to information about the user. Some of the advertisers on this site use cookies. I can't access or control these cookies once the advertisers have set them.

LINKS

This blog contains links to other sites. Please be aware that I am not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. I suggest my users be aware of this when they leave this blog and to read the privacy statements of each and every site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this blog.

ADVERTISERS

I use outside advertisers to display ads on this blog. These ads may contain cookies and are collected by the advertisers. I do not have access to this information. I work with the following advertiser...Google Adsense. Please check the advertisers websites for their respective privacy policies.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any concerns please contact Rick at stevensray23@yahoo.com. This privacy policy updated June 2008.

March 26, 2009

Update to Privacy Policy:

* Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on your site.
* Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and other sites on the Internet.
* Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.

You can find additional information in Appendix A of the NAI Self-Regulatory principles for publishers (PDF)http://www.networkadvertising.org/pdfs/NAI_principles.pdf

Antique Price Guides

I knew value of antiques was a force to be reckoned with. I look forward to using this excellent resource to help others. I'm your friend when it comes to value of antiques. If so, what strategy do you employ for antique price guides. I don't want to lead you along the primrose path here.

That just seems weird to me. A pricing antiques in the hand is worth two in the bush. After seeing antique price guides firsthand I have to recommend pricing antiques. This kind of pricing antiques can turn your boring old value of antiques into the this thing of the stars.

Haha. This alone makes me want to check it out. Need to get the point across to everyone that antique price guides and I couldn't do a lot better. I don't do a lot of pricing antiques. This way you could devote all your energies to value of antiques. Some people think it's easy to choose the right item, and often it is. If you are going to buy antiques the value of antiques should never be taken for granted. Antique value is well worth a look. I agree with you on that. We should think outside the box for a minute. It is best to be on the safe side. Remember, most people are ignorant when it comes to value of antiques. We all know the rules of pricing antiques. Over the last few weeks we've been looking at important value of antiques. That's all there is to it. Antique price guides might still have a role. I'm astonished. That's easy. Why is pricing antiques important to me.

Even the most common antique price guides is only used rarely. When the rubber meets the road I would confront this entirely. I've got novellas of wonderful words about pricing antiques.

Right now I think pricing antiques is tolerable. All pricing antiques takes is a bit of effort and extended man hours. This is confusing to some. What are you doing when that happens to you. Probably not. Ok, maybe I am seeing pricing antiques and it. I am sure that you echo that sentiment. There's no golden rule because all antique price guides are different. It would not be surprising if you used antique price guides to surprise everyone they know. Value of antiques isn't keeping up with the times.

Value of antiques is one of the easiest things I have found. I focus on antique price guides.

Value of Antique

Many things go into determining the value of antiques. Popularity, manufacturer, quality, age are just some of the factors when it comes to pricing antiques. Auctions are a great source of information for pricing and popularity. Online auctions like eBay provide good indicators as to the value of antique. Other ways to determine antique value are estate sales and the typical brick and mortar auction houses.

One of the things to look for if you've found a piece that would look great in your collection are identifying marks. The manufacturers logo, the date, where made, are things that might be stamped into the piece you're studying. A bit of study is required to make full use of this information but, you're probably aware of that. Naturally, condition of the piece in question plays a big role in antique value. Coins and sports cards have a huge swing in price based on condition.

Other antique pieces might be repairable depending on how badly damaged and the availability of parts. Antique american clocks such as Seth Thomas antique clocks, Ansonia antique clocks just to name a couple, are very popular with collectors due to repair parts being available.

When it comes to adding to your antique collectibles, patience and timing is very important. If your body language tells the seller you are eager to add to your collection with what ever he's selling you are setting yourself up to pay top dollar. Getting in on the latest craze at it's highest popularity will empty your bank account in a hurry. When searching for antiques for your collection spend 80 per cent of your time on research; 20 per cent on the actual shopping and purchasing. Following this guideline will enhance the value of antiques in your collection and save you a few dollars as well.

Antique Value

So you're at the flea market and you've come across a vase that appears to have been made during the Ming Dynasty. Don't you wish you had done a little research on the value of antiques and collectibles before arriving at the market? What if you're on the selling end of the market? How many of us have read stories about someone buying an item for $25, get it appraised and...discover it's worth $5000 and the appraiser will be glad to take it off your hands. Not long ago, a guy I work with, and his wife, went shopping through pawn shops for items to decorate their new home. They came home with an antique desk purchased for $1000. Upon appraisal, for insurance purposes, they were told the desk was made in the mid 1800's by one of the more famous designers of the times and would bring a price between 40 and 50 thousand dollars. My friend and his wife sold that desk for 48 thousand dollars and began studying the value of antiques.

Everyone needs a hobby and putting together a collection of antiques, whether it's coins, jewelry, furniture, art, or just about anything made long ago can be both fun and educational, but it requires knowledge. Other collectors of like items can be a great source of information for pricing antiques in your collection. Attend local auctions and estate sales to meet other collectors and note the amount they are paying for the same kind of pieces you are collecting.

Read and subscribe to trade publications such as, Antique Week and Antique Trader to learn more about antique value and how you can apply this knowledge to building your own collection.

Specialty auction houses, Treadway Galleries, Rago Arts and Auction Center, and Cincinnati Art Galleries can offer insight to what your items might be worth. Keep in mind though, major auction houses usually only handle items $20,000 and up for a 25% commission. If you go that route make sure you have done your buying homework. When it comes to pricing antiques, always remember, it's not what you sold it for, but what did it cost you.