Antique objects fall into the category of art and many collectors of art do so because they identify with the work, the artist and probably more importantly, the look of the piece. Some people also collect as an investment for the future whilst for others, it’s the challenge of finding something special to their eyes that really appeals to them. The beauty of collecting antique objects is the incredible variety we have to choose from. We see things that make us go ”Wow! That’s beautiful!” and we want to own it. We appreciate the workmanship that has gone into the manufacture of these old objects, the time it must have taken and can even imagine it’s journey over the years. It can be very rewarding to research our collections, to learn the background of the items and whether their value is holding.
How we come to own an item can also have an impact on our connection to it. Some things are inherited so there’s sentiment attached and other times, we could have picked up a bargain that we like to tell everyone about. The bottom line is that we appreciate the look, the origins and the knowledge that we’ve gathered about it. We also hold onto the hope that it’s value will increase in time.
Some people prefer quality over quantity and others prefer quantity! Either way, once you’ve developed a passion for certain types of antiques, it can become quite addictive. With an endless choice of items to collect with origins from across the world, be it furniture to smaller items of jewellery, silver, glass, porcelain, paintings, oriental and tribal to mention but a few, functional or purely aesthetic it isn’t hard to get carried away. It brings years and years of joy to the eyes and heart and even if you decide to sell them at some point, always bear in mind the pleasure that those objects have brought to you. Remember too that items produced a long time ago have stood the test of time and we have acquired them as temporary guardians. In today’s throw away society together with the environmental impact of certain types of manufacture, this becomes another reason to collect antiques and older items. It is just another form of recycling and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet!
On selling. Some items have appreciated enormously over the decades and if you’re buying for investment, it boils down to what you paid for it initially as to whether or not you’ve made a good investment. There are things that have depreciated in value that were once ”must have” items, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that they have brought joy and satisfaction to you which is the most important consideration at the end of the day.
Looking to collect Antiques your self?
A great start would be to browse through the thousands of antiques already listed on our website. Our website has multiple antique dealers ready to sell to you right now. Get browsing today and start collecting today.
Thank you to Honey Lane Antiques NI who wrote this blog post. You can visit their official website here.
