Three Tips for Identifying Great Vintage and Antique Finds

Collectors and treasure hunters love to search for vintage and antique finds.Yet,even enthusiasts with many years of experience can get stumped when meandering the many booths at a flea market or antique mall.

It’s important to develop a keen eye so you don’t miss out on a real treasure.

In this article, I’ve outlined three key tips to help guide you on your quest in finding vintage and antique treasures. Before we get started,let’s be clear on what it means to be“vintage”

or“antique,”since many folks incorrectly use these words interchangeably.

Vintage is an item that is at least 20 years old, while something that’s an antique is over 100

years old. You might say,“But Suzette, your shop is called ‘Spot of Vintage,’yet you offer both vintage and antique items, what gives? ”Well, let’s just chalk this up to some creative licensing,it’s a catchy name and Spot of Vintage and Antique is a mouth full!

Okay, so moving on,here are my tips for finding authentic treasures.

Tip 1- Style of the Time

Before you even pick up an item, it is helpful to identify the general timeframe. For the sake of this article, let’s focus on the 19th and 20th century.

In general, you’re more likely to find items with in this period if you are in the United States.

Let’s also add one more caveat, we’ll be focusing on Western Art and reserve our discussion about Eastern Art for another article based on its complexity.

Here are some important periods to keep in mind when identifying the era of potential treasures:

Victorian(1837–1901): Abundance of pattern and ornamentation of pattern and ornamentation.

Art Nouveau(1890–1910): Elegant curves and long lines

Art Deco(1919–1939): Sharp angles and geometric shapes

Mid-century Modern (1945–1970): Clean lines, organic shapes

Postmodernism (1970–1990): Eclectic and colourful

Memphis Design (1980–1987):Scattered, brightly colored shapes and lines.

Tip 2- Decoding Marks

Whether you’ve picked up a piece of porcelain or crystal, there’s a good chance you’ll find a

“maker’s mark” stamped on the bottom of the piece.

Through out a company’s lifespan, they may have made numerous changes to their mark. These alterations in design or wording can indicate a specific production period.

Aside from pinpointing the version of a maker’s mark, here are some other clues for identifying the age of a piece.

1890 – Name of Country

1914 – Made In

1933 – Oven proof

1955 – Dishwasher proof

1962 – Handmade

1970 – Microwave safe

Keep in mind that not all items will have a visible mark or give many clues, especially in the

case of early or handmade pieces. In such instances, studying the characteristics of the piece

itself, such as the form and decorative elements, becomes crucial in determining its origin and age.

Pro-tip: Even though today’s collectors benefit from online sources to help identify an item’s origins and age, don’t rely solely on marketplaces, such as eBay, to provide you with the

information you’re seeking. I call it a game of “telephone” when a seller gets the wrong information from another seller and then uses that incorrect info as the “gospel truth.

A good seller has done their own research and provides factual information from reliable

sources. The price of an item should match the price of similar items sold. Unfortunately, I’ve

seen many instances of items priced without knowledge of the market’s history, resulting in

overpriced items out of greed or ignorance, or items being undervalued just to get them sold.

Tip 3– Condition is Everything

Similar to location in real estate, condition is king when it comes to the value of an antique or vintage item. Before you hand over your money, it is important to do a thorough check for chips,cracks, fading paint , or crazing. These condition issues can greatly depreciate

value. I have encountered many instances when a seller has not disclosed an issue on a

piece.Many sellers figure that it’s your responsibility to find the damage, since you are buying the piece.

Unless you’re purchasing from a highly reputable source, you should do your own due diligence by carefully inspecting the item. When shopping on Spot of Vintage, you’ll find all my items have been carefully inspected. Any condition issues are noted in the description and documented with a photograph.

Pro-tip: When checking on the condition of glassware or pottery, close your eyes and run your fingers around the rim. You’ll have a better chance of feeling a chip then spotting it with your eyes.

Although it may be a bit daunting,with some research and experience, you’ll eventually be able to accurately identify and date items you find. As with anything, when you do the work,

you get the rewards. I pride myself on the quality I offer at Spot of Vintage , along with the information I share about each item.

Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions or wish to share some of your own tips on finding treasures