New York - As was noted earlier this year in the most recent Global Home Furnishings report, produced by ResearchandMarkets.com, antique and vintage furniture has officially become the hottest selling trend in today's decorative arts marketplace. While the ride to the summit's top has been great for most of those in the industry, it's also raised a rather important follow-up question related to its current popularity. Namely, has the industry's newfound fame been a result of the public's seemingly sudden interest in second-hand and vintage items, or has a younger generation of style mavens and vintage curators been responsible for putting the antique and vintage scene back on top of the decorative arts podium? 

For some, it's likely to have been a natural convergence of events, or perhaps even a timely combination of both. However, what many in the antique and vintage community really want to know - beyond just the who or why behind the industry's recent upswing in popularity - is the what. Or more precisely; the type of items dealers and sellers are now looking to purchase when it comes to stocking their businesses with today's latest home décor trends.

New York - While supply-chain snarls, Amazon delivery delays, and partially empty shelves at big box stores may be today's norm, this certainly isn't the case when it comes to the availability of antique and vintage items. After two years of being inside, along with a restrained pandemic fueled economy that encouraged purchases online rather than face-to-face, the doors have finally opened wide and people are once again outside this summer scouring their local decorative arts markets, antique shops, and vintage fairs in search of their favorite items.

Whether you're a collector, a dealer, or just a buyer hoping to score that perfect house-find, hunting through the countryside and nether-regions of the antique and vintage world can sometimes seem like a daunting endeavor - especially when it comes to discerning the true from the fake, the great from the pretenders, and the popular from the passé. As antique and vintage themed décor has soared in popularity recently, finding those top-tier treasures has become more difficult than ever. 

Cast Iron Doorstops
Cast from pig and scarp iron poured into a sand mold, authentic doorstops from the turn of the twentieth century have become extremely popular recently - especially those with their original paint. Perhaps the most famous of makers, Hubley Manufacturing Company out of Lancaster, LA are considered by many to be the best of the best. Known for initially making piggy banks and door knockers, the company added hand-painted doorstops to its repertoire in 1909. The doorstops were offered in a wide range of subjects that included flower baskets, depictions of homes, dogs, fictional characters, and exotic animals such as giraffes (one of which sold for almost $11,000). Even modest examples of more common themes with their original paint can still generate substantial sums. Asking prices of $500 to $800 would not be out of the question. Just be sure to look for the three-digit number or the word HUBLEY on the back to ensure authenticity. Other makers include, Bradley & Hubbard, Albany Foundry, and Wilton Products. Reproductions do exist, but the casting process is often more basic, leaving surfaces with more of a sandpaper feel than a smooth surface.

​D. Harman (AIA), is a former Asheford Institute honors graduate and a freelance writer who has a knack for picking trends when it comes to the decorative arts world. When away from his keyboard, Mr. Harman is also a top "picker" for some of New York's finest antique & art establishments.

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New York - There's no question that there's been some rumblings for years from antique and vintage dealers about the quiet rise of the new-bohemian influence within the current decorative arts marketplace. However, for many in the industry this apparent subtle changing of the guard from one style period to another not only makes sense, but in some ways should have been expected. Especially when one considers that the movement from minimalist design to maximalist décor is also representative of the chronological progression from Mid-Century modern to Bohemian chic as it actually occurred during the late 1950's into the swinging 60's.

For the uninitiated, the Bohemian design aesthetic (Boho), represents the virtual polar opposite of the Mid-Century movement. It's all about earthy colors and fabrics, wood tones, old rugs, along with mix-and-match patterns. "It's what I like to call warm and inviting, rather than cold and austere," says dealer Sheila Durst from her downtown New York showroom, which features exclusively handcrafted items from the 1960's and early seventies. Durst says she dabbled in the Mid-century movement when it was hot a few years ago, but always felt more comfortable with warmer tones and hues from the design period that came after it. "I think the world had been on a modernist trend since the early 1930's," says Durst. "First it was Art Deco, which kind of seamlessly transitioned into the Mid-century movement, until the chain was finally broken by the arrival of the back-to-earth and natural feel of the 1960's." Durst claims that sales of her authentic quality rattan and macramé pieces have really taken off in the last year or so, and thinks this movement to a more natural decorative arts feel is just the beginning of a much bigger trend. 

Many industry experts agree that there's certainly been a perceptible shift away from the modern motif in recent years, but that doesn't preclude it from still being popular in a number of design circles. In fact, according to Dorren Sorell's New York interior design firm, modernism has simply adapted its focus to embrace new style elements that are currently moving up the popularity pole. "The industrial design style may bring to mind cold concrete and metal, but it also consists of natural looks of brick, wood, and other earth elements, says Sorell." So, while the streamlined look of Mid-Century modern may be fading, Sorell thinks that its modernist offshoot - the industrial look - will continue to be popular and will likely blend well with the new Boho aesthetic. Some of the more common design cues to watch for include, unfinished furniture, functional metal-and-wood chairs, along with metallic accent pieces in silver and bronze.

For design consultant Tom Hanson, detecting major seismic shifts in decorative arts trends can be difficult to predict. "They usually come on slowly," says Hanson, "and sometimes end up morphing into one another until there's enough steam to really push one particular style to the top." Hansson says he thinks the Boho style has all the markings of a trend that's likely here to stay. "A few years ago Cottagecore became a thing," says Hanson, "It was very closely associated with the rise of Boho at the time, but quickly became consumed by it." Hanson believes that while Cottagecore embraces many of the ideas of Boho with items such as original antique and vintage pottery, rustic furniture and cast iron decorative pieces, he says it simply wasn't a strong enough trend on its own to sustain itself - despite plugs from celebs like Taylor Swift. In the end says Hanson, it got absorbed by the larger Boho movement, which he feels now dominates the softer side of the decorative arts spectrum.​

Hector Ramirez, who co-manages one of southern California's largest antique and vintage malls says it's like déjà vu... all over again. "When the Mid-century craze really started rolling back in the early 2000's, you could still find the odd 50's credenza as a sidewalk-giveaway in some of the older suburban areas around here, but within five years that supply was locked up tight." Ramirez says that the same sort of conditions are now starting to apply to certain Boho pieces. "A year ago I could count on one hand how many of our vendors had patterned foot-stools and ottomans, or big floral print couches," he says, "but today it seems like they're arriving off the delivery trucks on an hourly basis." 

Despite the recent uptick in popularity, most antique and vintage dealers should still be able to find plenty of opportunities for sourcing out some great Boho-buys at garage and estate sales across the country. And, while it's certainly possible that the left-and-right hand coasts may have already begun to tweak to the Boho movement, it will likely be a considerable amount of time before this type of inventory becomes scarce in any meaningful way. Most dealers are only currently beginning to take notice of the trend, and consumers who are still disposing of such items at Goodwill, thrift stores, and yard sales, are likely to continue doing so until the rising price-point becomes all too obvious (even to those who are not in the know). However, until that time comes, it would appear that the field is now wide open for those willing to put 'bank' on a rising trend.

- Senior A.I.A. Staff
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New York - Over the last ten years the options for antique dealers and vintage enthusiasts on where best to sell their wares online has become an increasingly refined process that has resulted in not only more precise and exact decorative arts listings, but has also created a wealth of new topic-specific industry websites specifically geared to such sales. Gone are the days when dealers were stuck with a broad spectrum two-choice listing on either eBay or Craigslist, or the sometimes unreliable and confusing categories of Facebook's Marketplace. Today, antique and vintage dealers can choose from a myriad of site-specific options when it comes to marketing their inventory online.

To find out what sites worked best, staff writers at the school spoke to a number of industry insiders to get their take on how some online sales platforms have created or developed new approaches related to the marketing of decorative arts items, in order to offer dealers more choice and options when it comes to promoting their goods. Below, we've tabled some of those results.

Offerup is one of Janet Cowers favorite selling sites. Cowers, who operates her own antique and vintage business in Portland, Oregon, says one of the sites best features is the integrated ability for buyers and sellers to negotiate out a price (hence the name). She's also fond of the regional approach whereby sellers and buyers can meetup to avoid any shipping fees. While some service fees can apply, they're not huge she says. As with many of today's best sites, you’ll need to download the app, provide some good quality photos, a well-written description, and a listing of your general geographic location. Cowers says she takes inventory that hasn't moved in a month and places it on Offerup at a discount. "So far the results have been outstanding," says Cowers, "I've really been able to save on the shipping of big items by loading-up multiple orders and delivering them in a single day to different local customers at one prearranged location." According to Cowers, she uses a large parking lot at a nearby conservancy hiking trial as a drop-spot, since it's highly visible, free, and offers lots of room for unpacking and packing-up for her clients.

Going one step further on the regional purchasing and selling scale is Bookoo - a site that claims its legacy comes as a result of yard sale fans who decided to create a site for other yard sale fans (minus the actual going to yard sales part). Wendy Dalton who runs two vintage Etsy shops from New Jersey, says she's a believer. "I buy almost as much stock as I sell," she notes. "However, the great thing about Bookoo is how local it is - sometimes I'm literally only a block away from picking-up or selling some of my inventory." Dalton says she's used Offerup as well, but thinks prices are better on Bookoo. "They want everyone to know their site is garage sale sourced," she says, "which means you have to buy right in order to sell here and still make a profit." The registration process is straightforward though, and according to Dalton, once you're account has been setup, Bookoo lets you list an unlimited number of items. "I really like it because it has more of a community feel than some of the other sites," says Dalton, "It's almost like a chat-group!" 

Thomas Dryer is also a fan of regional buying and selling. Hailing from San Francisco with both an online presence and bricks & mortar shop, Dryer says he previously used eBay for his online sales but became tired of the escalating prices. Today, he says he's switched to eBid for listing and selling some of his finer vintage stereos from the 1970s and 80s using a local pick-up option. Aside from their very low commission rate of 3%, Dryer feels that eBid is a great alternative for those wanting to avoid rising fees associated with conducting business on eBay. "They have literally all the same features as eBay," says Dryer, "including the ability to import any of my items on eBay, directly over to my eBid account, which means I can get a lot more exposure for some of my items." Dryer says that his sales have been just as good on eBid, and that he's currently considering a lifetime membership for $50 that would drop his already low fees even more. "It's a win-win," says Dryer, "I'm saving money and selling more."

New York - Oh, what a difference a few years can make, especially when it comes to the world of the decorative arts. From proclamations of "It's over," to "people just don't want that old stuff anymore," the claims relating to the demise of the antique and vintage industry over the last twenty years have been about as plentiful and exaggerated as those levelled against the famed American satirist, Mark Twain. In fact, not only has the antique and vintage industry been thriving recently, but since the onset of the pandemic, the public's demand for decorative arts items from the past has literally exploded across every major sales platform to be had - from bricks and mortar shops, to pop-ups, and every conceivable type of online concern in between - the antique and vintage industry is now experiencing a wave of popularity and profitability that up until now, has never been seen before.

Another piece of the puzzle, at least according to Christina Williams, who runs a number of high-end consignment shops in and around Atlanta and Savannah, thinks the explosive growth of interest in antique and vintage furnishings is also likely a direct result of price. Why? Because, for the most part, consignment pricing for quality items is almost always going to be cheaper than purchasing comparably newer items, which makes the consignment option an attractive proposition for savvy buyers, especially during uncertain economic times. Williams says her numbers over the last twelve months have been so strong that she now has a 'buy team' that scours high-end Atlanta neighborhoods with homes for sale in an attempt to beat out Estate Sale companies for the rights to sell the clients goods and chattels. "Demand is so strong," says Williams, "that if I didn't get to some of these houses first, and come out with a signed contract, I probably wouldn't have enough inventory at months end to stock my stores."

Statista, an international company that specializes in market and consumer data for businesses, says that conservatively they expect the antique, vintage, and consignment furniture resale market to increase by over seventy-percent in the next few years. So what's fueling this current market growth? Well, for starters, many analysts point to the changing buying tastes of young Millennials and Gen Z consumers who started the "used" trend with vintage clothing, while seamlessly transitioning that into used furniture. Originally part of the Ikea mindset, many began to finally balk at the uniformity of design, and instead sought out uniqueness in not only their clothes but home furnishings as well. Now, with some discretionary income finally arriving, Millennials and Gen Z'ers are pursuing even more one-of-a-kind purchases that are in keeping with their collecting preferences, and which often come with a more expensive price tag. In fact, in a recent survey conducted by Chairish, over thirty-one percent of Millennial and Gen Z respondents said that they had become much more interested in buying used, vintage, and antique furniture online over the last two years, than in the two years prior.

New York - Deborah Torres had always dreamed of operating her own antiques and vintage business. As an avid garage sale attendee while in her teens, Torres would scour the east coast of Florida from Jacksonville to St. Augustine in search of anything that caught her eye and collecting interest. "I didn't really have a ton of money to start out with" says Torres, "but I had an old mini-van that was gifted to me by my father, so I had some cheap transportation and room for a good sized haul."

By the time Torres hit her mid-twenties, she'd run out of storage space for her collectibles at the family house, and her father was pushing her to either move, or move her "stuff" out. With her van and a trailer loaded up, Torres decided to take the plunge and rented a small booth at an antique mall down the road from her home. Fast-forward twenty years later, and Deborah Torres is still in business, and says she looks back fondly on those early years when she was just starting out, but wishes she'd known a little more about the antiques and vintage trade before fully committing to it as a lifelong career. "I love it, but having some training or guidance would've really helped me grow my business at the beginning," she says.

New York - For Amy Hacker, starting her own antiques and vintage business prior to the great pandemic, seemed like a no-brainer, at least that's how Hacker describes her decision to leap first, and think later. Hacker, who grew up on Long Island in an artsy family - with a dad who played in an orchestra, and a mother who worked at the Met - had always been surrounded by people who appreciated things that were old, rare, and intrinsically beautiful. "My mother would come home with tales from the museum, and on the weekend, we'd try to recreate the experience with trips to antique stores and estate sales," she says. Hacker believes that by the time she was in her early twenties the dye had already been cast and starting her new decorative arts business became a matter of when, not if. "I think I simply lucked out," she says matter-of-factly. "I opened during the pandemic and my sales literally took off on day one." Hacker said she fully expected things to calm down once people returned to work and Covid hit the rearview mirror, but they didn't. "As soon as the first supply-chain issues started cropping up, I began to notice an almost immediate bump in furniture sales," says Hacker, "and since then, it's just been a steady stream of inventory flying out the door - I simply can't keep up."

New York - For many antique and vintage dealers it can be easy to lose sight of the proverbial what's-popular "ball" sometimes, especially when it's tossed across the field so frequently with little advance notice. While online behemoths like Etsy, eBay, and Wayfair are often considered the barometer for what's trending and popular in the marketplace at any given time, there are many industry insiders who actually take a contrarian view, believing that the Internet giants are more of a market laggard than they are a predictor when it comes to deciphering the current direction of decorative arts trends. 

New York - Now in its thirteenth year, the Asheford Institute's annual survey of top decorative arts buying trends from the past twelve months has just made its way onto both digital and paper newsstands across the country.

The survey and poll of past students and graduates has become a staple to many in the antique industry for its unique ability to look into the current state of today's decorative arts marketplace as it relates to overall sales trends for dealers within the collecting community as whole.

Lead researcher for the school, Anthony Harper, says the key to getting print-worthy survey results that people can actually use to help plan their own buying strategies for the upcoming year is based on receiving actual sales data, alongside item-specific requests from buyers, which can then be used to indicate interest within a particular collecting genre.

As with virtually everything this past year, Harper says the ongoing pandemic continued to have an effect on not only large scale supply-chain issues for new and freshly minted items, but also for older collectibles with a few more miles on them. "Last year categories like costume and period jewelry boomed," he said, "but this year, it was all about finding inventory." Harper believes that some categories in the poll rose or fell not necessarily because of a lack of popularity, but because of a lack of stable inventory. "When everyone is online doing stay-at-home on their computers it's going to have a net effect on available stock out there for dealers."

New York - For those in the antique and vintage business, hitting thrift stores to stock up on inventory can often feel like a bit of a treasure hunt. The lure of the hidden find is always there in the back of one's mind, but in reality, how practical is it to expect a walk-in win at many of these second-hand venues, especially considering the public's current interest and craze for scouring out anything old, vintage, and retro themselves? Well, according to some dealers in-the-know, the chances of scoring are still pretty good - providing you're aware of what's selling in today's decorative arts marketplace.

Christa Blanchard, a longtime textile seller in upstate New York, says location can mean everything when it comes to the art of buying at thrift stores (aka, thrifting). "For me, the wealthy neighborhoods definitely have a lot more inventory to offer, but it usually comes with a higher price," says Blanchard. “Stores in these areas tend to have employees who know what's valuable and what's not." Blanchard feels that while she may pay more for certain items such as name brands like Armani denim, or middling couture items from Michael Kors, the final return on investment is usually always going to be better. "I'm buying from rich neighborhoods, but selling in middleclass ones," says Blanchard, "It's a good way to turnover inventory from one geographic location to another, while making some money in the process." Although there's now more competition from everyday buyers, Blanchard believes that many of the best deals can still go unclaimed. "I once forgot a vintage Chanel scarf that I'd seen in a bin at one of my favorite thrifts," says Blanchard, "but when I came back two weeks later, it was still there." While noting that not all of her outings are outright wins, Blanchard attributes the majority of her thrifting success to simply being prepared. "It really helps to know what you're looking for if you want to profit from it," she says. ​

However, not all dealers believe you have to move upmarket to find the best deals. Donny Walsh, a purveyor of fine Pyrex products, and other collectibles, says that his inventory comes almost exclusively from thrifting in lower-rent neighborhoods in Los Angeles and outlying suburban areas. "I've always had good luck finding stock in rundown areas of big cities rather than the affluent parts of town," says Walsh, who chalks up the diversity of his finds to the multicultural aspect of the neighborhoods he visits. "Some of the thrifts I attend are in predominantly Latino communities, so many of the items being sold tend to reflect this heritage." Walsh says aside from his Pyrex collecting he's purchased a number of Barro Negro ceramic pieces over the years, as well as other pottery originally sourced from Mexico. "There aren't a tremendous amount of dealers scouring these neighborhoods, because most of these thrift stores are providing essential goods to people rather than merely decorative arts items for one to look at," says Walsh. But that doesn't mean deals can't be found. According to Walsh some of the best pieces he's picked up, including some Atzompa green-glazed ceramics, were literally in plain sight, while a patterned Pyrex bowl, which he later sold for just under a thousand dollars, was laying in a box next to the door with some pastry tins and mismatched cutlery. "I know my market," says Walsh, "so it's not a total surprise when some of these things just happen to pop up." ​

While most dealers agree that location can play a major factor in helping to determine what constitutes a top-notch thrift store find, for others it's often more about the history of the neighborhood, rather than its exact location on a map. For Jessica Reynolds, who's been dealing in early Americana and primitives since her father first introduced her to the antiques trade as a teenager, the Great Lakes region of Pennsylvania and New York have always been verdant picking grounds for thrift stores that were ripe with goods and chattels from local area farms. "I can remember a time when the entire contents of an old farmhouse that was being sold-off or liquidated would end up in the back-half of the town's local Salvation Army building," says Reynolds. "You could literally have your pick of untouched pieces in their original state - worn paint and all." Most of what Reynolds encounters today is still the same, but just on a different scale. "I recently came across an original pine dry sink - from the 1870s or 80s - that was lumped in with a few old bed-springs which had been hauled into our local thrift store from a residence just outside of town." While Reynolds acknowledges that the chances of finding high-demand pieces like this are now more rare, they do still exist she says. "We live in a region inundated with farms and early Americana furniture" says Reynolds, "in some ways, it's exactly what you'd expect to find." Other items that Reynolds says are still relatively common in her area thrift stores include, old blanket boxes, washstands and even the occasional 'authentic' harvest table. "Most of my thrifting comes from the stores in the smaller towns," says Reynolds, "because that's where I can usually find the best examples of old country furniture." 

For Susan Haskin, and a number of other online dealers, it's often more about the type of store you're attempting to scout, and the relative timing of your purchases, that will determine whether or not your thrifting venture proves successful or not. Haskin, who's been running an Etsy business devoted to mid-century kitchenware and decorative objects from the same era, says that her favorite thrifts are often those managed by smaller religious ministries. "Goodwill and the Sally Anne are usually picked-over in my area of Seattle," says Haskin, "but the smaller one's, often formed by local churches, can be a great source for smalls, especially old kitchen items." Haskin acknowledges that living in an area with so many mid-century homes and apartment buildings is probably beneficial to her business, but also thinks that differentiating the types of thrift stores out there can help dealers make wiser choices. "I especially like to hit the little thrifters in spring, when everyone is doing their clean-outs," says Haskin. "I'll purposefully steer away from the big [corporate] players, because I know they'll either be busy, or over-priced." Haskin says she's witnessed a huge discrepancy in what thrifts charge over the last ten years as some of the more well known charitable organizations have raised their in-store prices considerably. "I understand their reasoning," says Haskin, "but I'm also running a business, so I have to go where I can get the best deal on buying stock." Haskin revealed that on average, she's still been able to get about 50% of her yearly inventory from thrift stores alone. "I'm still able to buy things like Anchor Hocking's, Fire King dishes for pennies on the dollar," she says, "but now it's mostly sourced from the smaller hole-in-the-wall thrifts rather than the corporate juggernauts."  

As with anything, there are of course going to be exceptions to any rule - including the value/time proposition one needs to consider when buying from thrifts. However, according to most dealers, the pitfalls of plying through old baby clothes and boxes of unwanted junk, are generally far outweighed by the potential opportunity to score a bountiful selection of reasonably priced inventory that can yield a handsome pay-off in the future. Providing of course you have some prior knowledge on the subject at hand - and can tell your Picasso from your Pollack.


- A.I.A. Staff Writers
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New York - For many in the business this day has always been a little bit like smoke on the water - something that often appears - but with no guarantee of arrival. However, in this particular instance there's no question that the recent  prevailing winds of the decorative arts have quite literally blown in a generational change that's shaken up the antique and vintage industry's genetic make-up on a global scale.

Even as Gen-X'ers gave way to Millennial's, and then to Gen-Z, it has always been apparent that Baby-boomers were the one's wielding the lion's share of power in the decorative arts world, while simultaneously controlling the markets forward direction, at least until now. Whether due to natural attrition, a renewed interest in our shared past, or perhaps a simple break from flat-pack and Ikea inspired furniture, it now appears that the industry's latest up-and-comers have finally wrestled the antique mantle away from not only the older boomer-generation, but also from a business model rooted in another century.

With many of these new-age dealers reporting in well under the age of forty, and sporting such professional and diverse training resumes from the tech, media, restaurant and fashion fields, it's no surprise that their methods for achieving success would also be entirely different than that of their predecessors.

On the other side of the pond, a fresh batch of diverse and under-forty dealers has also begun to take hold of the industry. However, what's remarkable about these young guns is that not only have they been able to bring along the antique traditionalists, but they've also been able to inspire a new generation of collectors and buyers to follow them through the use of detailed and age-pertinent item descriptions on social media.

For British dealer Adam Calvert Bentley, his start came as a result of a single stint at an antiques show, and a helping-hand from a friend who encouraged the launch of an Instagram account for his wares. "My first post was a photo of me setting up," said Bentley. After some initial online success, he continued to develop and work the branding of his IG presence, which eventually led him to become a full-time dealer. Today, Bentley is recognized as one of the top up-and-comers in London when it comes to items from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. His inventory is eclectic, with items ranging from Louis XVI lanterns, to Chinese export pieces, and oversized eighteenth-century armchairs.

While much of the Next-gens use of growth tactics within the decorative arts industry may appear somewhat benign at first glance, the devil is in the details. From encouraging quick sales by reducing mark-ups to both the public and dealers alike, to focusing on limited but popular 'types' of inventory that results in high turnover ratios and a more fluid cashflow for businesses. For other young upstarts, it's been the very selective and targeted use of social media. Crafting followers from different veins of the Internet ether that aren't just click-and-forget friends, but individuals that are actively engaged in one's brand on an almost daily basis.  

For those who've patiently waited for the new millennium to break out with fresh-faced collectors and buyers, it's been a generational revolution that's been a long time coming. And, while some boomers in the industry may be sad to see the days of 'cash-registers' and 'sales-tickets' depart the standard business-coil, most of today's antique dealers would likely agree that it's more than a fair trade if we can finally entice an entirely new generation of collectors and buyers into the world of the decorative arts, for the price of doing business on the "Gram."

- A.I.A. Staff Writers 
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New York - In a recent article by Megan Slack, found in the prestigious Homes & Gardens Magazine, the claim is made that, "Interest in antique shops has recently risen by approximately 50 per cent, antique auctions have increased by 80 per cent, and antique markets have jumped by 129 per cent." While we're certainly not going to disagree with these figures, as our own in-house numbers have also shown a dramatic industry-wide bump in antique and vintage sales over the last year, the question many dealers and buyers seem most interested in, is exactly what type of antique and vintage items are spurring these impressive sales figures.

To get a better grasp of what's been selling so far in 2021, we decided to speak to a number of experts, industry-insiders, and decorative arts dealers from around the globe in order to get a more complete understanding of what's been pushing the antique and vintage markets to such highs over the past nine months. Below, is the list complied by our experts with their take on this seasons hottest selling items so far. ​

While noted earlier last year in Asia, the rise in the popularly of antique jewelry has apparently also made itself known to dealers on North American shores as well, with prices rising uniformly across the board throughout the year. Nigel Hill, a gems specialist from New York, who often represents major auction houses both here and abroad, says that while the buying frenzy for period correct antique jewelry probably started in the high-end Hong Kong auction houses a couple of years ago, the trend has now trickled down to everyday dealers. "We're getting far more collections from people wanting to sell, because they've suddenly become aware of the price increases due to the realized auction results," he says. Sandra Cooke, who owns an Etsy store and walk-in business in downtown Toronto, concurs with Hill's assessment. "Two years ago it was all about costume jewelry," she says, "Today, I'm only sourcing mid to late Victorian pieces like broaches, pendants and necklaces." Cooke says sales began to rise last year online, and by the end of summer, once Covid restrictions had eased, her store literally became full of urban hipsters on the search for older authentic pieces. "I'm as shocked as anybody," says Cooke, "but it's certainly nice to see some of these lovely antique pieces return to prominence."   

Electronics from the 70's and 80's are continuing to surprise collectors and dealers alike. Paul Talbot, who's been specializing in old Apple computers and vintage video games for more than twenty-five years, says that there's a strong market for full computer systems to vintage console games and even some magazines. Talbot says that it's not just the products themselves, but sometimes the components too. "I bought an auction-lot of semiconductor chips years ago that turned out to be the same ones used on the Apollo missions," says Talbot. "Today, those chips are selling for thousands of dollars." While Talbot is quick to point out that most stuff that was mass-produced during the latter half of the twentieth century is not collectible, items from the 1970s and 80s are. "Apple ll and Commodore computers are increasing in value rapidly," says Talbot, "Even the ones with later serial numbers are now fetching five-figures at auction." Talbot, who markets his wares online only, says that sales have been brisk since the pandemic, with prices rising commensurately throughout the year. "It's the best fall I've ever had, "said Talbot, "I'm just hoping it keeps up through the winter... and beyond."

- A.I.A. Staff Writer's
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New York - Buying a new home, especially an older one, can come with a variety of pitfalls. However, for one lucky New Yorker it also came with a surprise win - behind ceiling-panel number three - which led straight to the attic.

For David Whitcomb, who bought the old century-home in Geneva, New York, last year with plans to convert the dilapidated building into a law firm and upper floor rental unit, the find came as nothing short of a huge surprise. 

Whitcomb related that while he was giving a friend a tour of his new purchase, he noticed a drop-down ceiling had deteriorated and was showing floorboards and rafters above it. He said he had no idea that there was a room above it, "It wasn’t in the paperwork," he said, "and we didn’t do an inspection because we knew the building needed to be renovated."

​​New York - One of the collateral effects of the recent Covid pandemic, which included lockdowns, has been the ability of many who were confined to their own four-walls, to not only tidy-up around the house, but to finally act on that long procrastinated promise of cleaning-out and clearing-out. With the additional time spent at home, people were able to sort, organize and prepare for disposal like never before. As restriction measures eased, and life began to return to some degree of normalcy, garage sale watchers began to notice an interesting trend; listings for garage sales suddenly began to explode in the early fall.

Other dealers also seem to be aware of the uptick as well. Sharon Miller, a vintage kitchenware aficionado, and part-time decorative arts blogger from New England, says that she cut down her weekend forays before the pandemic simply because they weren't returning any real value. "I was primarily looking for pyrex and mid-century kitchen pieces," says Miller, "but finding good examples was becoming increasingly hard." Miller noted that belonging to an online garage-sale board, was how she first became aware of the sudden increase in overall listings. By the beginning of fall, her neighborhood was experiencing twice as many sales as normal said Miller, but with a much better selection. "I was seeing a lot of good vintage items that I hadn't seen in years - including some valuable 30s era toys and jewelry." Miller thinks that many of the recent garage sales she attended were being held by first-timers. "These were definitely not your regular garage-saler types" says Miller, "the quality was just too good." ​

For most industry insiders the answer came around 2010 with the growing influence of massive vintage buying and selling sites such as Etsy and Bonanza. Recognizing the surging interest in collecting by the upstart millennials, many long-established dealers began to segue from period pieces to more consumer driven commercial objects from the midpoint of the 20th century onward. 'Brown' may have been out, but kitsch was in, and there was plenty of it to go around.

Multi-generational dealer Susan Collier, whose parents had started their antique business in Portland during the 1970s, believes firmly that the early millennial generation not only single-handedly saved her parents business, but were also responsible for a renewed interest in authentic antiques (including brown furniture), as their search for mid-century modern and kitschy pieces also led them into rooms filled with wooden furniture from earlier periods, including the Victorian era. "At first, most of them were just looking for the vintage stuff from the 50s and 60s," says Collier, "but pretty soon they started to realize the value in picking up late Victorian pieces, which at the time we were almost giving away." Collier credits her father for anticipating the market change when he started buying up Mid-century furniture from garage sales at the turn of the century.

Not all of the antique resurrection can be tied to millennial interest in the Mid-century motif though, at least according to Oliver Flynn, whose boutique interior design firm in Soho, New York, has been charting the rise and fall of decorative arts trends for almost thirty years. Flynn says his daughter, who currently manages the firm, noticed the 'repurposing' movement of antiques and vintage items beginning early in the century. "It started with the shabby chic and painted furniture trend," said Flynn, "and then progressed into areas like Steampunk and industrial." Flynn acknowledges that at first he was mortified by the changes people were making to authentic antiques, but knew it was a do-or-die proposition for the industry. "I really didn't like the fact that wonderful Victorian pieces were being painted a vibrant purple or two-tone blue, but that's what our clients wanted, and I think it saved a lot of wonderful examples from ending up on the scrap heap." Flynn's daughter believes that the millennial interest in repurposing and being environmentally friendly has also greatly helped the antique industry as a whole. "They may not be the antiques that my father remembers," she says, "but underneath all that paint, they're still there." 

New York - Trying to figure out how the year's most popular decorative arts buying trends will shake-out in January, is never a good idea. Styles and design cues can seemingly change on a whim these days, but especially so as you move from the colder winter months to the more seasonal antique fairs and vintage markets of spring and summer. By then, many have often left the vestiges of last year's previous "hot items" (along with their winter coats), to be stored in the darkest recesses of attics and closets. However, for most in the antique and vintage trade, the vernal equinox is when the year's true trends start to emerge.

To cut through the clutter of what appears to be popular, and what's actually trending, we decided to speak to a number of dealers and experts from varying disciplines within the decorative arts market to get their take on what's really shaking-out when it comes to this year's mid-season trends.  

For Shelley Cates, a principal at a Connecticut interior design firm, it's all about the marble - not the round one's mind you - but the big thick white slabs that make up tables. "If we can find original Victorian washstands with the marble on top, it's usually gone before I can even text my clients a picture," says Cates. However, it's not only antique pieces that are in demand, according to Cates, but also seventies themed marble side and coffee tables. Also on the list are large travertine dining tables, which Cates says are extremely popular due to their high degree of resiliency against staining and general abuse. Lighter colors, such as white with black swirls, seem to be most popular with clients due to the overall neutrality of the stones appearance, as well as its ability to blend with both antique and contemporary furnishings.  ​

​On a smaller scale, Jackson says that bar and dinner glassware from mid-century on, remains her top seller. Although she laments that complete sets of multicolored cocktail glasses from this era are literally becoming impossible to find. "I haven't been able to source enough inventory this summer to keep pace with demand," she says, "and when I do manage to stock up, the prices being paid at auction are just plain nutty!" Jackson believes that kitschy and mid-century kitchenware will continue to dominate the marketplace for the foreseeable future, especially with the younger generation she says. "They're my entire online client base - they'll often PM me before I can even list an item for sale!" ​

For Michael Behrs, architectural antiques and vintage garden furniture have continued to dominate his sales throughout the spring and summer. Based in Toronto, Canada, Behrs says that while the decorative arts market has been strong across the board in virtually every category, he's noticed that it's been particularly heady in certain segments that are directly related to the massive increase in home sales and renovations that occurred during the early part of the pandemic. "People were just spending so much more time at home, redecorating, renovating or buying second properties as a Covid-getaway," says Behr. "By the time these deals were sealed, there was a huge need for practical decorative arts items like interior columns, fireplace mantles, archways, fancy gates, etc." Behr acknowledges that he's in a particularly good situation, since he has plenty of land to store the large pieces, but says that even smaller decorative items in the main shop have also been selling quickly. "It's been my best summer yet," he says, "whether that's just an after affect of Covid or not I can't tell, but for now I'm just shipping and delivering as fast as I can."

For a good number of dealers, it would seem that many of these trends that were originally prognosticated and brought to light in March, have continued to hold the line this summer despite some rather dramatic changes in the economy, Covid, and life in general over the last four months. Whether or not we'll see a surge of interest in something new, or a return to the quieting and settling down of longer lasting and more entrenched decorative arts themes remains to be seen. However, for many of the dealers and experts we spoke with, the old adage of, making hay while the sun shines, seems to be the mantra of the season.  
​
- A.I.A. Staff Writers
​​

New York - It wasn't that long ago that many naysayers of the early 21st century were sounding the death knell for the antique and collectibles trade - but a funny thing happened along the way to the market. While prices did indeed drop for some traditional antique styles such as "brown furniture" and Grandma's china, a whole new group of collectors and collectibles suddenly appeared to take their place. The transition, while not occurring overnight, nevertheless became clearly perceptible to dealers and buyers alike, as Mid-century modern, textiles, costume jewelry, vintage 60s, and 70s modular, quickly became mainstays of the new decorative arts age.

When Covid hit, many dealers were left wondering how this new resurgence in the antiques and vintage marketplace would fare during lockdowns and storefront closures. However, mid-way through the pandemic, to the surprise of many, dealers were reporting strong online numbers and solid curbside sales. For those in the industry, there was worry the success may have only been temporary, due to people staying at home and having little else to do other than peruse online sales and auction sites. However, this notion quickly changed as dealers across the country began reporting some of their best numbers to-date following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

​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.

New York - It wasn't that long ago that many bemoaned the fact that millennials just didn't seem to be interested in antiques or anything old. But oh what a difference a few years can make. 

Fast-forward to the beginning of the twenty-first century's third decade, and millennials have literally become the driving force in today's antiques and collectibles marketplace. Sales of vintage items from online platforms have never been higher, and the resurgent interest in antiques and collectibles by a younger generation has suddenly become the norm, not the exception. However, what's been most startling about this recent generational shift has not been the interest-led move from the over-50 crowd, to twenty and thirty-somethings, but how millennial's have managed to transform the entire buying and selling process, as well as the customer base to which they're trying to reach. 

How such upstarts have been so adept at wedging their foot through the proverbial decorative arts sales door, may seem like a mystery to those of us currently pondering the need for dentures, but for the younger generation, hitting a successful stride in the antiques and vintage business simply came down to one all-important platform; Instagram.

While Facebook's sister company certainly isn't new to the scene, it's how the "Gram" has been used and developed by millennials that sets it apart from the rest of the crowded online marketplace, and especially bricks & mortar companies. 

​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: info@asheford.com or call the Registrar's Office toll-free at: 1-877-444-4508.

New York - We've all heard the stories before about the incredible discoveries and massive price realizations that can come from a simple happenstance stop-over at a local garage sale, but how often do these rare and valuable finds really occur in today's world of instant price-checks, and eBay comparison apps. For many antique and vintage dealers, the answer is surprisingly, more often than you might think. While most dealers will tell you that they're certainly not making "million-dollar" finds on a regular basis, many will acknowledge that they are still sourcing great inventory from the tried-and-true garage sale platform, despite the advances in technology that allow amateur sleuths and collectors to compete for the same items. 

Other industry professionals also seem to have taken note of the change related to the scale of purchases. Chicago based Interior designer, Andrea Howard says many of her clients became reluctant to commit to a particular style last year, opting instead to wait until they could see where things were trending post-Covid before pledging themselves to a particular design motif. "We had a lot of requests for paintings, sculptures and objects d'art in 2020, but very little interest in full size makeovers that involved items like furniture." This year however, Howard says she's already seen a snapback to bigger decorative pieces and complete ensembles. Over the last few years heavily painted furniture had been popular with clients, according to Howard, but she feels the trend may have finally run out of steam. "People now seem to want more wood-toned pieces that perhaps reflect a stable and more traditional past." Howard says she isn't sure whether this nostalgia for a return to brown-wood is simply a reaction to people wanting to move past the pandemic, or a legitimate style shift, but notes that either way, the increase in customer demand for classically styled furniture has picked up substantially since the beginning of the year. "I'm not banking on a full return to the old days just yet," says Howard, "but I'm definitely going to be reaching out to my suppliers for an eyes-on approach, just in case it does return."
​- A. Howard (Interior Designer)

While many dealers and industry pundits are seeing a return to full-size purchases this year, Joanna Burk, a "glass specialist," with sites on Etsy, eBay, and a host of other collectible platforms, says it's not all about the "big." Burk claims that her sales of mid-century barware and pretty much everything party-glass related up to the 1970's, has been on fire over the last twelve months. "Maybe it's just because everyone was hanging out at home and starting cocktail hour early," says Burk. "Or perhaps it's just a renewed interest in an old collectible, I can't really say for sure, but I do know that I'm spending most evenings packing orders." Items such as colored glass tumblers with mid-century motifs or design cues from the 1970's (think white plastic wine glasses), are hot sellers says Burk. "Two years ago I couldn't move crystal glass, now I have a waiting list for any Art Deco crystal that comes along."
​- J. Burk (Online Dealer)

For most of the dealers and industry insiders, the prognostication of this year's decorative arts direction wasn't just about whether or not trends ended up being in the big or small vein, but whether or not they could sustain some consistency moving forward. "I reckon we've got Covid pretty much in the rearview-mirror now," said Tom Preston, while returning back from a pick in Tennessee, "and because of that, people are back out shopping again, which means there's a good chance you'll see some of these trends really take hold and settle in for a good long while."  
 

- A.I.A. Staff Writers
​

​New York - ​What's in a name?

For those of us in the decorative arts industry it would appear that the common-usage monikers of antiques, collectibles and vintage may have finally begun to merge. In a span of less than two decades, many collectors, buyers, and sellers of Victorian and stately Georgian pieces have quietly morphed their interests and purchases beyond the standard classics, moving collections and inventories into the broader and more contemporary range of early-20th century, mid-century modern and vintage themed pieces.

These separate, yet somehow relatable classifications have in many respects been forced upon traditional dealers by the public's changing tastes towards the decorative arts over the last twenty years. Gone are the ubiquitous and all encompassing brown-patina "antique" pieces that were once a staple of literally every mid to high-end home of the last sixty years - now replaced by the sleek and angular lines of twentieth-century modernism. 

However, after more than a few decades of seemingly divergent lines of travel in meaning and scope, it would now appear that some of these decorative art terms have not only begun to run parallel to each other, but in some cases have even begun to merge. Initially, many antique venues at the turn of the century, fearing a loss of public interest (and business), through the use of the word "antique," pivoted quickly by adopting new monikers that included vintage and retro into their overall promotion and branding strategies. Other businesses even went so far as to create category specific words such as "Vintiques," to convey the changing direction they felt the decorative arts market had taken.

Yet surprisingly, for many industry insiders, these terms have almost come full-circle, to the point of even becoming somewhat synonymous with each other. While purists may still count the years to officially denote what constitutes a proper antique, others have taken on more of a blended sensibility when it comes to what these expressions truly represent.

​Florida - The Asheford Institute's latest results from its yearly annual survey of top buying trends within the antiques, vintage and collectibles marketplace has just been released. 

The Institute, which has been conducting the industry related survey on its graduates for over twelve years now, uploaded its latest trending data on decorative arts sales for 2020, via a dedicated page on the school's web site. While Covid 19 certainly had an effect on people's buying and collecting habits over the past twelve months, many trends from this year's poll remained the same, despite the pandemic. In other instances, new collector categories were added, with some surging in popularity as people found themselves spending more time at home and in front of their computers.  

Building on the results from last year's survey, 2020's poll offered an improved questionnaire that placed increased emphasis on compiling and grouping detailed information related to customers specific decorative arts buying habits over a twelve month period. Strong interest from past readers looking for updates to previous years statistics, prompted the change in format construction of the survey to include a broader base of information as it applied to the overall popularity of certain collecting genres within the antiques and vintage marketplace.

"Despite the difficulties with Covid, we're continuing to ask questions that will hopefully further illuminate the specific sales categories and industry practices that have been most profitable for antique and vintage dealers over the past year," said Institute Director, Charles Green. "Being able to provide our students and readers with as much pertinent information as possible about what's selling in a particular geographic region, and how they can apply that data to help grow their own antique and vintage business has always been key to the survey."

One of the main factors for the poll's continued success says Green, has been its steady increase in size. "The number of respondents queried has jumped year-over-year. Last year we increased the survey size by ten-percent, and in 2020 we upped that number by another nine-percent," said Green. The school's director believes the yearly increase in raw data compilation has greatly improved the accuracy of the poll's overall results regarding the popularity of particular sales categories within the antiques and collectibles community. "With each passing year the survey has not only grown in scope, but has provided a better picture of actual sales results within the marketplace itself," said Green.    

Anthony Harper, the school's lead researcher for the survey, echoed the director's comments about the revised poll format, while reiterating that the main objective of the Institute's survey has always been to provide as precise an analysis as possible of measurable interest in current decorative arts trends. Harper went on to state that the key to getting meaningful survey results was based on receiving actual sales data alongside item-specific requests from buyers, which could then be used to indicate interest within a particular collecting genre.

Even though Harper has helmed the development of the school's surveys for over twelve years, he's still impressed at how well the results of past polls have managed to stand up over time. "When we first started out, we weren't sure if we were reflecting actual overall market conditions, or just a niche representation." However, since those first days, Harper said that not only did subsequent poll results reveal where the market was at, but more importantly, they often foreshadowed where it was going to be. "Over the years, I realized that was probably one of the most significant and valuable pieces of information to come from the poll," said Harper.

New York - To say that everyone is a little fatigued from the whole Covid nightmare is probably the understatement of the year. After months of lockdowns, openings, closings, reopening's, and everything else in between, most have just come to the conclusion that it's simply down to a waiting-game for a vaccine. However, even with the uncertainty this pandemic has brought over the last ten months, businesses have managed to go on; for worse (and surprisingly for some), for the better.

During the pandemic's initial outbreak back in March of this year, staff writers contacted a number of antique and vintage vendors from across the nation to try and pin-down how they were feeling about their prospects for the upcoming year. While many of them were obviously tentative and filled with a certain degree of apprehension due to the nature of the pandemic, some had already pivoted their antique and vintage businesses to a different model by the beginning of May. 

This past week we returned to chat with many of these dealers to find out how their 2020 year was closing out...

Calvin Smith, a second generation antiques dealer on the upper east coast near the Maine border, told us in March that he'd seen a lot of nostalgia buying at the onset of the pandemic. "I think people were just settling in for the long-haul," said Smith when we spoke to him last. "I don't really think anyone truly believed it was going to go on this long." Smith says that while he ramped up his online sales in the early spring to prepare for the lack of in-store shopping, he was pleasantly surprised that by the time summer came, he was actually able to have foot-traffic within his premises. "I don't know whether or not people were fearful of another lockdown, and maybe not being able to get back out, but they just seemed to be a lot more serious this year about buying rather than browsing. We didn't sell a lot of furniture, but higher end carry-away items like art glass and objects d'art really sold well." Smith claims that although his foot-traffic was down by more than forty-percent, he still managed to recoup eighty-percent of his instore sales, and made up the difference with his online efforts of smaller more packable items. "I can't really complain," says Smith, "I'm probably going to be up by about ten-percent at years end, so I'm pretty happy with how the season turned out so far."​