Preface
The following survey was conducted from January 2015 to December 2015 by the staff at the Asheford Institute of Antiques. It consists of a sampling of over 1000 current students and past graduates that are actively employed or working within the antiques and collectibles marketplace within the United States and Canada (both urban and rural areas). All participants chosen, own and operate their own antique businesses, and are listed as, proprietors in the survey.
Survey Mission Statement
This survey was directed toward market trends in the antiques and collectibles business. The primary focus of the survey was to gauge interest in current trends of antiques and collectibles, based on sales and requests for particular items/genre/periods from customers. The survey was informal in nature, and did not employ any standardized measurable scientific practices or criteria. The survey was further broken down into age groups, indicating item/genre/period specific preferences for each of those groupings. The item/genre/period listings are represented in scale, from 1 to 10, with 1 being the most popular.
(*Special Note: While the survey did not include specific geographic comparables, the terms North East (NE), South East (SE) North West (NW) and South West (SW) were used when applicable, to indicate particularly strong interest in item/genre/periods. Listings without these notations indicate “all” geographic areas, and common interest.)
Poll/Survey
(*) Victorian – this term is not inclusive of, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Mission style, in this survey.
Antique Business - Proprietors Age Grouping: 20–38
1. Mid-Century Modern Furniture - Almost any furniture originating in the late 1930's through to the 1960's. Bent plywood chairs, Eames, and Herman Miller style anything, along with more commercially produced items. (NE) (NW) (SE) (SW)
2. Paintings - Preferably off-beat and somewhat unknown – all styles - but particularly from the Mid-Centruy modern period from the 1940's, 50's and 60's. (NE) (SW) (NW)
3. Memorabilia (collectibles) - Wide range from automotive (motorcycle especially), to cameras, to vinyl records, lunch boxes, games, including 50's and 60's pop-culture items, some paper antiques i.e. old film posters. New in this category for 2015 was also some 70's related furniture, rugs, console tables, electronic games, etc.
4. Early Americana/Canadiana - harvest tables, chests of drawers, side tables, hutches, coffee tables (reproductions), mirrors, small wooden and metal farm tools, blanket boxes, dry-sinks, etc. Anything primitive. (NE) (SE) (NW)
5. Glass - Particularly from the 1930’s and up. Vibrant colors and unusual shapes - vases, pitchers, objects d’art.
6. Mirrors - All periods. With more emphasis on metal frames from the 30s, 40s and 50’s.
7. Lighting - 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s. Special interest in chrome and stainless (style) lighting from the 1930’s through the 1950’s.
8. Art Deco - Most specifically related to furniture – chests of drawers, armoires with metal accents, some jewellery and clocks. (NE) (SE) (SW)
9. Art Nouveau - All items related to this period of time. (NE) (SW) (NW)
10. Victorian(*) (early- mid) - Some "plain" furniture items, but more so jewellery. Some “smalls” such as pins, little wooden boxes, hat boxes, kitchen utensils, etc.
11. Textiles - Rugs, quilts, tapestries etc. (NE)
Antique Business - Proprietors Age Grouping: 38-58
1. Early Americana/Canadiana - blanket boxes, harvest tables, early chests of drawers, side tables, hutches, coffee tables (reproductions), small wooden and metal farm tools, dry-sinks, etc. Anything primitive. (NE) (SE) (NW)
2. Memorabilia - wide range from automotive – car related, as well as 'signage' (tin signs for gas stations, oil companies, etc.), toys, cameras, vinyl records, neon signs, some paper antiques (posters, newspapers).
3. Folk Art - all varieties and in all price ranges from whirligigs, to weather vanes etc. (NE)
4. Art Nouveau - all items related to this period of time. (NE) (SW) (NW)
5. Mid-Century Modern - primarily lighting, but some furniture as well.
6. Architectural antiques - items such as balusters, mouldings, doors, old windows (stained glass), railings, etc. (NE) (SW) (NW)
7. Jewellery - all periods and styles - with emphasis on Art Nouveau and some Mid-Century modern.
8. Victorian (early, mid and late) - furniture items mainly, ranging from tables, bookshelves, bookcases, what-nots, hutches, flat-to-the-walls, washstands, chairs, sideboards, benches, etc.
9. Glass - All types. Particularly from the Victorian era.
10. China - all types..
11. Silver - all items.
12. Mission - chairs, side tables, desks, etc. Still very popular in the (NE), and sells particularly well in the (SW).
Antique Business - Proprietors Age Grouping: 58–78
1. Victorian (early, mid and late) - furniture items mainly, ranging from tables, bookshelves, bookcases, what-nots, hutches, flat-to-the-walls, washstands etc. Including many of the more "ornate" pieces from this era..
2. Georgian (Style) Furniture - tables, chairs, dinning room tables, sideboards, etc. (NE) (SE)
3. Paintings - primarily Victorian.
4. Lighting - lamps – leaded glass, art glass, oil lamps, etc.
5. Silver – all types.
6. Chairs - all types. Upholstered, wing-backs, ladder-back, etc.
7. Clocks - mainly late Victorian.
8. China - all types, including dinnerware.
9. Books - all varieties, but especially hard-backs and first editions. (NE)
10. Art Nouveau - all items related to this period of time. (NE) (SW) (NW)
*** Disclaimer: This survey was conducted for entertainment purposes only, and relied on a sampling of verbal and written responses for its construction. The data was compiled from provided information, and thus, should be treated accordingly in regard to accuracy and correctness.
The following survey was conducted from January 2015 to December 2015 by the staff at the Asheford Institute of Antiques. It consists of a sampling of over 1000 current students and past graduates that are actively employed or working within the antiques and collectibles marketplace within the United States and Canada (both urban and rural areas). All participants chosen, own and operate their own antique businesses, and are listed as, proprietors in the survey.
Survey Mission Statement
This survey was directed toward market trends in the antiques and collectibles business. The primary focus of the survey was to gauge interest in current trends of antiques and collectibles, based on sales and requests for particular items/genre/periods from customers. The survey was informal in nature, and did not employ any standardized measurable scientific practices or criteria. The survey was further broken down into age groups, indicating item/genre/period specific preferences for each of those groupings. The item/genre/period listings are represented in scale, from 1 to 10, with 1 being the most popular.
(*Special Note: While the survey did not include specific geographic comparables, the terms North East (NE), South East (SE) North West (NW) and South West (SW) were used when applicable, to indicate particularly strong interest in item/genre/periods. Listings without these notations indicate “all” geographic areas, and common interest.)
Poll/Survey
(*) Victorian – this term is not inclusive of, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Mission style, in this survey.
Antique Business - Proprietors Age Grouping: 20–38
1. Mid-Century Modern Furniture - Almost any furniture originating in the late 1930's through to the 1960's. Bent plywood chairs, Eames, and Herman Miller style anything, along with more commercially produced items. (NE) (NW) (SE) (SW)
2. Paintings - Preferably off-beat and somewhat unknown – all styles - but particularly from the Mid-Centruy modern period from the 1940's, 50's and 60's. (NE) (SW) (NW)
3. Memorabilia (collectibles) - Wide range from automotive (motorcycle especially), to cameras, to vinyl records, lunch boxes, games, including 50's and 60's pop-culture items, some paper antiques i.e. old film posters. New in this category for 2015 was also some 70's related furniture, rugs, console tables, electronic games, etc.
4. Early Americana/Canadiana - harvest tables, chests of drawers, side tables, hutches, coffee tables (reproductions), mirrors, small wooden and metal farm tools, blanket boxes, dry-sinks, etc. Anything primitive. (NE) (SE) (NW)
5. Glass - Particularly from the 1930’s and up. Vibrant colors and unusual shapes - vases, pitchers, objects d’art.
6. Mirrors - All periods. With more emphasis on metal frames from the 30s, 40s and 50’s.
7. Lighting - 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s. Special interest in chrome and stainless (style) lighting from the 1930’s through the 1950’s.
8. Art Deco - Most specifically related to furniture – chests of drawers, armoires with metal accents, some jewellery and clocks. (NE) (SE) (SW)
9. Art Nouveau - All items related to this period of time. (NE) (SW) (NW)
10. Victorian(*) (early- mid) - Some "plain" furniture items, but more so jewellery. Some “smalls” such as pins, little wooden boxes, hat boxes, kitchen utensils, etc.
11. Textiles - Rugs, quilts, tapestries etc. (NE)
Antique Business - Proprietors Age Grouping: 38-58
1. Early Americana/Canadiana - blanket boxes, harvest tables, early chests of drawers, side tables, hutches, coffee tables (reproductions), small wooden and metal farm tools, dry-sinks, etc. Anything primitive. (NE) (SE) (NW)
2. Memorabilia - wide range from automotive – car related, as well as 'signage' (tin signs for gas stations, oil companies, etc.), toys, cameras, vinyl records, neon signs, some paper antiques (posters, newspapers).
3. Folk Art - all varieties and in all price ranges from whirligigs, to weather vanes etc. (NE)
4. Art Nouveau - all items related to this period of time. (NE) (SW) (NW)
5. Mid-Century Modern - primarily lighting, but some furniture as well.
6. Architectural antiques - items such as balusters, mouldings, doors, old windows (stained glass), railings, etc. (NE) (SW) (NW)
7. Jewellery - all periods and styles - with emphasis on Art Nouveau and some Mid-Century modern.
8. Victorian (early, mid and late) - furniture items mainly, ranging from tables, bookshelves, bookcases, what-nots, hutches, flat-to-the-walls, washstands, chairs, sideboards, benches, etc.
9. Glass - All types. Particularly from the Victorian era.
10. China - all types..
11. Silver - all items.
12. Mission - chairs, side tables, desks, etc. Still very popular in the (NE), and sells particularly well in the (SW).
Antique Business - Proprietors Age Grouping: 58–78
1. Victorian (early, mid and late) - furniture items mainly, ranging from tables, bookshelves, bookcases, what-nots, hutches, flat-to-the-walls, washstands etc. Including many of the more "ornate" pieces from this era..
2. Georgian (Style) Furniture - tables, chairs, dinning room tables, sideboards, etc. (NE) (SE)
3. Paintings - primarily Victorian.
4. Lighting - lamps – leaded glass, art glass, oil lamps, etc.
5. Silver – all types.
6. Chairs - all types. Upholstered, wing-backs, ladder-back, etc.
7. Clocks - mainly late Victorian.
8. China - all types, including dinnerware.
9. Books - all varieties, but especially hard-backs and first editions. (NE)
10. Art Nouveau - all items related to this period of time. (NE) (SW) (NW)
*** Disclaimer: This survey was conducted for entertainment purposes only, and relied on a sampling of verbal and written responses for its construction. The data was compiled from provided information, and thus, should be treated accordingly in regard to accuracy and correctness.
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