New York - With the arrival of fall heralding the beginning of the hottest selling season for antique and vintage markets, we thought it might also be the perfect time to reach out to a few long-term industry insiders from within the decorative arts field to get their take on some of the top lessons learned when it comes to the best buying practices for a successful "pick" of antiques and collectibles. For some, this hard-earned wisdom has occasionally come at the expense of a few mistakes, which is why many of the participants were only too happy to share their expertise in the hope that others might avoid similar pitfalls along the way.

Trust Your Instincts
For almost all queried, this simple mantra came in at number one with virtually every dealer and curator polled. While research is essential, 'don't be afraid to trust your gut' was the most familiar refrain heard. "Often, the pieces that truly speak to you are the ones you should invest in," says David Lee, owner of Pixel Playground Retro Games. If an item resonates with you personally, it's more likely to hold sentimental value and potential financial appreciation.

Condition Is Key
While the history of an item is important, its condition is equally crucial. Dr. Lori Verderame, an antiques appraiser and host of "Ask Dr. Lori LIVE," points out, "Even the rarest antique can lose significant value if it's in poor condition. Restoration can help, but it’s always better to find pieces that have been well-preserved." She advises collectors to look for items that are in as close to original condition as possible, as these will retain or likely increase in value over time​.

The Value Or (De-Value) Of Restoration
Tom Robinson's east coast refinishing shop, which has been conducting high-end Georgian furniture restorations for over thirty years, says that restorations can be a double-edged sword. While it can restore an item's former glory, it can also diminish its value if not done correctly. "I've had many novice antique dealers come to me with items they bought 'on sale,' who didn't notice the botched restoration until later when they got it home." By that time it can often be too late says Robinson, who notes that it's incumbent upon the buyer to really examine the more expensive pieces closely before plunking down any cash. "Take some time to lift, prod, poke, turnover, or do whatever is necessary to get a full view of what it is you're buying, and make sure you ask the seller for any known 'fixes' that have been attempted." Robinson says that learning what's considered an "acceptable" restoration often only comes with experience. 

Do Your Research
Research is a cornerstone of successful antiquing. "Understanding the period, style, and maker of an item is essential," says John Atzbach, a specialist in Imperial Russian antiques. "Knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions, whether you’re buying or negotiating prices." Online databases, reference books, and expert consultations are invaluable tools for anyone serious about collecting​ or selling within the industry.

Keep An Eye On Trends
While personal taste can help guide you as a collector, being aware of market trends can be a necessity as a dealer. Michael Andrews, an auctioneer at Andrews & Co., notes, "Certain styles and periods come in and out of fashion. Keeping an eye on what's trending can help you make smarter purchases that appreciate in value." For example, he highlights the ongoing popularity of mid-century modern furniture, which has continued to rise in price recently, despite its decorative resurgence occurring almost twenty years ago. 

Patience Pays Off
Patience is a virtue in the world of antiquing. "Some of the best finds come to those who are willing to wait," says Jane Smith, a veteran antique dealer at Heritage Antiques. She recalls how she once spent years searching for a specific Victorian brooch, only to find it unexpectedly at a small estate sale. "Don’t rush the process. The hunt is half the fun, and patience often leads to the best discoveries," she advises.

Finally, one of the most important lessons according to many of those we spoke with, was the simple concept of 'enjoying the journey.' Antiquing is as much about the experience as it is about the acquisitions. "Don’t get so caught up in the value or rarity of an item that you forget to enjoy the process," says Dr. Lori. "Every piece has a story, and the joy of discovering that story is what makes antiquing such a rewarding endeavor." Whether you're visiting flea markets, estate sales, or antique shops, most dealers were unanimous in their belief that one of the most important aspects of 'antiquing' was to simply savoir the adventure and the connections made along the way.

- A.I.A. Staff Writer's

The 1950's Returns
While many baby-boomers still have fond memories of Happy Days reruns and Grease flashbacks, it's another generation that seems to be spinning the wheel forward, at least according to David Kirk, who runs a 1950's vintage themed store in Nevada. "It's all about the kids" says Kirk. "I've been doing this for almost forty years, when boomers were my only customers, but today it's like a third-generation removed." Kirk says that many of his 'younger' clients love the vintage leather jackets, sunglasses, retro-converted car seats, and sock-hop poster memorabilia that adorns his store walls. "It's not Mid-Century stuff per se," says Kirk, "but more like the chrome and vinyl soda-shop bar stools - or what I like to call juke-box décor." Kirk, who also runs an online version of his 50s store, says that sales really began to take-off last year. "I have absolutely no idea why," he mused, but thinks that some of the newfound interest in his 50s-themed Americana items may just be part of a younger generations desire to harken back to what was often perceived as a simpler and less strenuous time in life to grow up in. "I've sold more bobby socks and saddle-shoe combos to kids in their 20s over the last ten months, than over the last five years," says Kirk, "There doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason to it, other than perhaps a possible breaking trend."  ​

American Folk Art - Portraits
According to some of the top auction houses, sales of Early American antiques are beginning their rise back to prominence within the decorative arts scene, however, a number of auction researchers are also reporting that one particular genre within this field is showing stronger than expected sales. Included in this group is Christie’s Sallie Glover, a specialist in Early American Folk Art who has been predicting the rise in art portraiture for a number of years now. “American folk portraiture appeals to many different types of collectors,” says Glover. “These works can go just as well with traditional American furniture as they do with a modern interior.” Glover's sentiments seem to match other results for online auction reports that also indicate a noticeable rise in popularity for this type of art form. Doris Henley, an Early American themed online dealer who also aggregates realized auction prices for her business, says that sales of her folk art portraits have ballooned over the past ten months. "I could see it coming," says Henley, "at first it was just a dribble, but then it really opened up about a year ago and the prices started to climb." Henley says she doesn't expect the popularity of folk art to wane anytime soon. "Brown wood and history are just coming back into vogue," she says, "this run has a long way to go yet."

Decorated Chests
Inaya Abbas, who runs a specialty themed bricks-and-clicks business devoted to antique blanket boxes and chests, says that while numbers ramped-up after the pandemic and remained constant for the next couple of years, it wasn't until the end of 2023 that she really began to notice an uptick in requests for items and sales of some of her more ornate inventory. "Shaker stuff was selling," says Abbas, "but the more exotic chests that I'd had shipped back from Asia and the Middle East really started to move by the early part of 2024. It's as if a light went off and everyone suddenly decided they had to have a blanket box - it's been crazy busy," she says. Abbas, who's been selling within the decorative arts scene for almost fifteen-years, believes that we're just beginning to see the tip of the iceberg now as people move further away from today's modern motif as a core decorating principle. "I think it's just time for a change, people seem to want more warmth and color now."

Rotary Phones
While it may be hard for some to fathom, since it might only seem like yesteryear that we were all on landlines (we were), Jin Chang says that sales from his retro collection of last century's rotary phones has been on a skyward trajectory since he opened his private collection website to the public and online sales in 2022. "Most of my buyers are Asian kids who love tech stuff." says Chang, "but it's slowly beginning to change." Chang thinks that most of his clients just want that connection to early past tech, and they're willing to pay for it. When he first started out, Chang claims that finding inventory was easy - it was plentiful and cheap - but no longer. "You can still buy some cool 'hole-dialers' at good prices," he notes, but admits that much has changed over the last year or two. "I now have to compete for inventory in some places," he says, "it's not like the old days where you could literally find examples that had been thrown out with the trash." Chang believes that on average, prices for many of his better quality rotary's have probably doubled in price over ​the last year, and he doesn't see that slowing down anytime soon. "I've got more demand than supply," he says, "so until that changes, I think the market will continue to remain strong well into 2025."  

Vintage Studio Ceramics
Once lacking in the doldrums, vintage studio ceramics finally look to be making a comeback as well, at least according to many auction-house insiders and industry dealers. Benjamin Walker, Bonham's head of global decorative arts and design department, says that the auction house is seeing a comeback in interest for clay. “The international market for contemporary British ceramics is well established and has been growing in strength,” says Walker, “We’re now seeing a growing trend in American studio ceramics that is following this interest. Over the past five to ten years the category has gained more public interest and climbed in value.” Recent sales would seem to back-up Walker's claim, as examples from auction results showing a 1968 Hans Coper vase (with top) being sold for a record-setting $790,000 last year. Pam Newley, a New York artist who works in clay, and who also runs an established online gallery devoted to early twentieth-century American ceramics, says that she's also seen a marked increase in interest by consumers for quality ceramic pieces as well - and not just those from studios. "Ten years ago there just wasn't that much of a market for clay anymore," she says, "but in the last two or three years it's all started to come back." Newley, who's been in business for almost thirty-years knows it's cyclical, of course, but says that, "It's just starting-up again," so for those looking to get in on the ground-floor as collectors or re-sellers, "now would probably be a good time."

For most though, trying to ascertain the vagaries and movement patterns of 'in-demand' objects within the field of the decorative arts can often make one feel like you've got a better chance of nailing water to the wall, than getting a reliable market prognostication of things to come. However, as David Kirk is fond of reminding people who visit his store's 1950s-inspired website, "Figuring out what's going to be hot and collectible is easy; it's all just a matter of heading back to the future again... right?"

- A.I.A. Staff Writers
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New York - Finding that perfect blend, whether it be one's morning coffee, or a list of the current market's best-selling and most popular antique and vintage items can often require a little experimentation to get the desired effect. However, one source that often trumps all the rest when it comes to the simple facts regarding popularly sold items (and nothing more), are the hard and cold "realized" sales numbers provided by auction houses. When fully aggregated over a relative period of time, these statistics can add some serious heft to the tale of what's actually selling within the decorative arts world at any given moment. 

Which means that if you're searching for sales patterns that can have a meaningful impact on your bottom line as an antiques and vintage dealer, or as a collector wondering about present day values, then it's probably going to be worth your while to take note of how 2024's auction results are trending when it comes to marketplace sales. With that notion in mind, staff writers decided to reach out to a few auction houses, gathered some statistical reports, and then tabulated the information, which revealed several categories that have been performing exceptionally well recently, as shown in the results below. 

1. Fine Art and Jewelry: High-value sales in fine art, including Impressionist and mid-century Modern art, continue to be prominent. Antique and vintage jewelry, especially from renowned designers, is also fetching high prices at many of the top tier auction houses​ according to both Chirstie's and Sotheby's.

2. Luxurious Vintage Handbags: Especially those which come adorned with diamonds and gold hardware have been fetching impressive prices. For instance, Heritage Auctions recently sold one Hermès example for $185,000. Even basic Hermès bags, like the Rouge Garance Evelyn, can still sell well. An Evelyn bag recently displayed a 'sold' listing on eBay for just over $2,000.
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3. Vintage Political Collectibles: Perhaps it's just a spinoff effect from the current political landscape, but many online auction sites are reporting strong sales of Items related to political campaigns, such as buttons, posters, and memorabilia featuring images of candidates from the 1920s or earlier. Collectors are apparently appreciative of the historical significance and nostalgia associated with the pieces as the significant move up in pricing seems to reflect this interest.

4. Mid-Century Modern Furniture: According to LiveAuctioneers, this style remains highly desirable, with pieces from designers like Eames and Herman Miller continuing to achieve significant price increases. While demand was down slightly in some eastern urban areas like New York City, the overall auction results seemed to indicate that the interest in mid-century modern furniture continues to be a popular choice in almost all other locations across the country​.

5. Vintage Watches: Collectibles, including vintage watches from brands like Rolex, Cartier, Bulova, etc. are all highly sought after in the current market with strong realized prices. However, according to the curated online auction site Bidsquare, condition, rarity, and provenance still play a crucial role in determining their final value at hammer-time. Other more common bands such as Timex and Casio also proved to be winners with bidders.

6. Kitchenware and Barware: While many may have thought that the explosive resurgence in vintage kitchenware items, especially from brands like CorningWare, may have come and gone, according to numbers from the online auction site HiBid, nothing could be further from the truth. Cornflower Blue examples continue to list at extremely high prices with some selling in the thousands of dollars - apparently driven by collectors' nostalgia and their increasing scarcity as online buyers snap up dwindling supplies.​

9. Sports Memorabilia: Finally, Goldin Auctions says that iconic sports memorabilia, such as game-worn jerseys and autographed items are continuing to attract high prices, with a Michael Jordan game-worn jersey selling recently for $10.1 million. However, it's not just the uber celebrity sport tie-ins bringing in the cash, according to Goldin's website, as even average examples from the sporting world, such as collector cards and signed equipment from mediocre stars, are also bringing in substantially higher sale prices. 

​While pricing and trends can of course change like the wind, "realized" auction results can nevertheless highlight a broad area of interest within the decorative arts field that is backed by actual sales numbers. And, while many of the items and categories represented here seem to exude a certain historical significance, aesthetic appeal, and a touch of nostalgia, it would also appear that the majority of collectors who are footing the bills for these items are particularly focused on the well-preserved pieces that can offer them a clear line of provenance, and hopefully a potential upside in future value, in exchange for their high-dollar auction house investments.

- A.I.A. Staff Writers
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​NOTE: For readers seeking more information about the Asheford Institute Of Antiques distance-learning program on professional-level appraising, the study of antiques, collectibles, vintage and mid-century modern items, please click here to visit the school's Home Page. 

Should you have additional questions about the Asheford program, you can also write to the school at: [email protected] or call the Registrar's Office toll-free at: 1-877-444-4508.