How to Research Your Antiques & Collectibles

Hi Everyone,

​​If you are seeking more information on how to research your items, you'll find plenty of information here and on the Internet.  Your first step is to learn how to research your antiques and collectibles so you can identify value to sell or to insure and price your items.  

It's difficult to sift through the billions of pages on the Internet to find information on something that you've picked up at a garage sale, thrift store, auction, estate sale or an item that you've inherited, we've created this free informational site to help you on your quest.
Many hours of work went into putting together this information, if you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.

​Quick TIP: Antiques can sometimes be found in self storage rental auctions for much cheaper than you would pay elsewhere. However, you will not be able to inspect the item before bidding, so be sure to buy with caution!
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Here are a few ways to start researching ASAP!

• Use search engines to research your items.  Learn some great tips for finding out approximately how much your items are worth.
• Using eBay To Research Your Items - eBay can be valuable in your research, but you need to know how to use it.  Once you get the hang of the search feature, you will LOVE it!
• Using Specialty Search Engines - There are specialized search engines that can help you for sure.
• Researching Art - Have an oil painting, watercolor, etching or sculpture? Check these websites out for yourself.  
  AskArt - The best place to find out about an American artist. Search by artist name.
  ArtPrice - This is a great place to go if you have any type of art to research, whether it be a painting, print or sculpture. Just type the artist name into the search field. They give you any auction records, current pricing estimates and sometimes much more information including signatures, images or a biography. You get more information the more well known the artist is. Some features and information are available for free, but you need to pay a fee to get auction prices and more detailed information. If you have a piece of art you think may be worth something, the small fee ($8.25) is certainly worth it.
  Absolute Arts - Database of contemporary artists. 
• The Best Antiques & Collectibles Books - We will be adding our recommended books and guides here.

More Antiques Resources - Many other online resources to help you in your journey.  

1. Antique Tutorials - Tutorials and introductions to a wide variety of antiques areas including porcelain, art, autos, coins, watches, currency, clocks, glass, rugs, textiles and other antiques.
2. Antique Week - Currently you can register for free and get 4 weeks of their publication free.
3. Antiques Roadshow Online - The official website of the PBS TV show.
4. About Antiques - The About.com antiques channel, some good information can be found here despite being loaded with ads.
5. Antiques Information  - General information on the best ways to store your antiques at home instead of in pods storage.
6. Antiques Storage  -  Information on storing antique textiles in your home.
7. BBC Antiques - The BBC TV channel in the UK has this extensive site loaded with information. Check out the price guide with over 5000 items they have appraised on the British version of Antiques Roadshow.
8. Brimfield's - The official site of the largest antiques show in the US.

• Online Appraisals - If all else fails, try having someone else do the research for you.  We can help you so please let us know if you have any questions.  Thank YOU!