Expert Insights: Antique & Collectible Wisdom from Industry Pros
Expert Insights is your gateway to the wisdom of the antiques industry’s most respected voices. Gain invaluable knowledge from esteemed conservators, historians, seasoned dealers, and expert appraisers. This section offers practical tips and engaging behind-the-scenes stories. As you uncover their rich narratives, elevate your understanding and appreciation for these treasures.
Beyond Social Media: How to Get Your Vintage Shop in Front of New Customers
by Sloane Middleton Mann If you’re relying on social media alone to grow your shop, you’re playing on hard mode. Not necessarily because you’re doing anything wrong, but because you’re ...
How to Turn a One-Time Buyer Into a Regular Customer
by Sloane Middleton Mann Most vintage sellers work incredibly hard to get a customer. They source, style, photograph, list, market, and follow up just to land one transaction. Then that ...
Forgeries: Why We Feel Betrayed
by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Consider two porcelain pieces side by side. To the untrained eye, they appear indistinguishable. Yet, one is an original. The other is a copy. Ask ...
The 250th Anniversary Americana Boom: From Local Antique Malls to Historic Homes
with Jessica Rickman CPPA, Certified Personal Property Appraiser The core theme of this piece is clear: often, historical collecting is about building a tangible bridge to the foundational moments of ...
The Market Prep Timeline: 30 Days to Setup Day
by Sloane Middleton Mann Selling vintage at a market is equal parts sourcing, logistics, and storytelling. The sellers who consistently have strong days are rarely “just lucky” with foot traffic ...
Quarterly Antiques Market Report & Insights
Gain valuable insights from the latest Quarterly Antiques Market Report, uncovering trends, valuations, and opportunities for collectors and investors alike ...
Tea Caddy Miniature Federal House & a Mechanical Bank
by Jessica Kosinski $2,908.99 (Bids 68, Bidders 12) Antique 19th C. Folk Art Painted & Carved Wood Tea Caddy Miniature Federal House. “This auction is for an antique, 19th Century, ...
The Fabric of a Neighborhood: 555 Voices Speak from a Nashville Quilt
by Jessica Rickman Full view of the Nashville quilt. Photograph by Author In the discipline of textile appraisal, we appraisers typically search feverishly for even a singular maker’s mark. A ...
The Hidden Trade-Off in Every Sales Platform (and How to Choose Wisely)
by Sloane Middleton Mann There are a million pros and cons to every online platform you list on as a vintage seller. Decision fatigue is real, and we can run ...
Top Antique & Vintage Categories 2025
Top Selling Vintage & Antique Categories 2025 Editor's Note The antiques marketplace continues to evolve as collector preferences shift and new categories gain attention. The following report from the Asheford ...
The Neuropsychology of Eco-Friendly Collectibles: Why Sustainable Objects Are Finding a Lasting Place in Today’s Collections
by Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. On a quiet Saturday morning at a regional antiques show, a longtime collector paused ata modest display table. Nestled among mid-century ceramics and vintage textiles ...
Hidden in Plain Sight: Unveiling a Cartier 14-Karat Art Deco Masterpiece
with Jessica Rickman CPPA, Certified Personal Property Appraiser Recently, as I was going through a large box of very old jewelry that a client had dug out of her attic, ...
Unearthing Fraternal Treasures: Raiders of the Lost Ark
with Jessica Rickman CPPA, Certified Personal Property Appraiser As an appraiser with almost two decades in the world of antiques and collectibles, I’ve seen everything from George Washington inaugural buttons ...
What Labubu Dolls Reveal About Modern Collecting
By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. In recent years, Labubu dolls—quirky, sharp-toothed collectibles sold in sealed “blind boxes”—have become a global sensation. At first glance, they may look like yet another ...
From Zero to Authority: Building Online Credibility as a Vintage Seller
by Sloane Middleton Mann For many vintage lovers, shopping with your business isn’t just about what you sell. It’s about them seeing you as a trusted source. You might have ...
A Cure for Impulse Buying
By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D. Buying something you desire can make your brain glow, literally. Certain regions fire with excitement, anticipation, and reward, turning the object in front of you ...
Go Big, or Go Home: A Basket Case
As a professional appraiser favoring American antiques and Southern folk art, I recently had the privilege of examining what is unquestionably one of the rarest and most celebrated icons of ...
Instagram Strategy for Vintage Sellers: Why Most Shops Are Using It Wrong
by Sloane Middleton Mann Instagram has become the go-to platform for vintage shops. But here’s the hard truth: most sellers are using it wrong. Instagram was never built for direct ...
Innovations in Antique Perfume Bottles: Around the World with Craftsmen Who Shaped an Industry
By Lynn Garson, Southern Vapors Excellent example of Sileda Wales cranberry and silver perfume bottle with assay marks, 6 inches tall This article delves into the transformative innovations in antique ...
JUST AN OLD CHRISTMAS CARD: Celebrating a Holiday Tradition
Story and photos by Donald-Brian Johnson Just for “Daddy,” a gingerbread man with flocked glitter finish visual. Hallmark, 1946. Watch out for that snowball! The “sweet little niece” pictured on ...
Nostalgia and Beauty: The Red Rim Coca-Cola Serving Tray Series
By Chris H. Beyer - Copyright 2025 Author’s Coca-Cola tray collection display Coca-Cola® serving trays were issued by the Coca-Cola Company for a period of nearly 70 years to merchandise ...
The Future of the Antique Business: What’s Coming in 2026
By Rob Wolfe of American Pickers If the past year has proven anything, it’s this: the antique business is far from slowing down. Auctions have been strong, private buying has ...
Barbie Bubble Cut Midge Ken Wedding Party Gift Set and a Guhl & Harbeck JUPITER N Cast Iron Mechanical Pencil Pointer Sharpener
by Jessica Kosinski $3,317 (Bids 66, Bidders 25) Amazing rare! Vintage Barbie Bubble Cut Midge Ken Wedding Party Gift Set NRFB. Up for auction is a fantastic, very rare, original ...
Civil War Belt and Pistol
By John Sexton Q: I bought this belt and pistol in a tag sale in Stratford, CT, for $300. My wife is upset with me buying it, but I love ...
Eye Witness to the Golden Eye
with Jessica Rickman CPPA, Certified Personal Property Appraiser During a recent estate appraisal, imagine my initial shock when this stunning piece of jewelry from the collection literally stared right back ...
