If you are interested in buying and selling antiques, finding a good, trustworthy dealer is important. A dealer is a knowledgeable person who often owns an antique store that can offer you advice when buying and selling antiques such as authenticity, historical information, price guides, and negotiating services. Antique stores are a great place to start in order to find a good dealer. Most owners of antique stores will be well-versed in buying and selling and knowing good finds versus reproductions. When you call the antique store, ask the owner if they are a dealer, and if so, set up an appointment to meet with them. You should be armed with several questions to see if they can be of help to you:
1. How long have you been collecting/selling antiques? Usually, the longer a person has been in the antique business, the more they have seen and the more knowledge they have gathered along the way. Some owners may only be concerned about the business end and may employ dealers to work at their stores. If so, ask if you may speak with their dealer.
2. Are you a member of any professional organizations? While membership does not guarantee the dealer to be trustworthy, it does show that the dealer has agreed to adhere to the standards and practices of the organization. You can contact the National Association of Dealers in Antiques for more information. A dealer may also be an antique appraiser and a member of an appraisal organization. Some of the professional organizations require continuing education to keep dealers up-to-date on their research skills and knowledge.
3. What do you specialize in? Some dealers have a general knowledge of antiques while some might be more specialized in glass, dolls, jewelry, etc. If you are looking for something specific, it will help to have a dealer very knowledgeable in that field.
4. Do you have any reproductions in the shop? Often, among the antiques are reproductions. Many buyers don’t mind buying these if they know they are indeed reproductions of the originals. But, you want to know if your dealer is honest in acknowledging that there are reproductions or skilled in knowing how to tell the difference. If there are reproductions in the store, are they labeled as such, and are they separate from the originals? Be wary of owners who mix in the reproductions without clearly labeling them.
5. What do you like about my antique and it is a good buy? When you pick an item from the store, question the owner about that item. Try to find out what they know about it and whether the price is reasonable. They should be able to tell you about the age, condition, and possibly a little history of the item.
6. How do you know this is real? There are small differences between real antiques and reproductions and the professionals should know those. They may point out a signature on the bottom or style as a clue. It is a bad sign if they stumble on their answer. In that case, you should probably look for another dealer.
7. How do you research items? Dealers should use a variety of resources including the Internet, book and guides, personal experience and professional associations to determine authenticity, condition and pricing of items.
8. Do you guarantee authenticity? Any dealer worth their weight should be willing to back their items with a guarantee. If not, they don’t have enough confidence in their knowledge.
Be willing to spend time with a dealer, and develop a relationship. He might even be willing to travel to other stores with you seeking new items. A couple of additional things to look for in a dealer is if they offer an interest-free layaway plan for more expensive antiques and if they will deliver and help you set up the antiques. Also, check to see if they keep customer lists. A customers list is a listing of items you are seeking but that are not currently in stock. While out shopping for their store, they may come across the item and contact you about purchasing it. If you are looking for a dealer to whom you may sell your antiques, be sure to ask what fee they charge. If you think that is too high, ask around, and see what other dealers are asking.
Most importantly, you should get a feeling of trust and comfort from your dealer. This may be someone with whom you will spend quite a bit of time, and you want someone you like, trust, and from whom you can learn.
