Antique Marketplace News

Step into the pulse of the antiques world with Antique Marketplace News—your insider guide to what’s trending, what’s selling, and what collectors are talking about. We bring together expert insights, market highlights, and curated stories for vintage and antique living.

Collection of Hans Christian Andersen Materials to be Auctioned at Bonhams April 21-29

Collection of Hans Christian Andersen Materials to be Auctioned at Bonhams April 21-29
A once-in-a-generation collection of materials related to Hans Christian Andersen—the Danish author renowned for his timeless fairy tales that have shaped literary history and inspired cultural phenomena across generations—will be ...

Makes Good Cents: Vintage Gumball Machines

This Norris Master machine, in excellent original working condition and made during the 1920s, sold for $600 in a 2012 auction.
by Douglas R. Kelly All of the debate surrounding the U.S. government’s potential elimination of the penny—a coin with a long and illustrious history—ignores what I think might be the ...

It’s A Cardboard Thing

Robby the Robot windup from the movie Forbidden Planet and its killer box.
by Douglas R. Kelly Ironing vintage toy boxes and writing about the process in the February issue of the Journal got me thinking about some of the other boxes on ...

Breweriana and Rob Wolfe: A Passion for Collecting

Porcelain beer trays. The value ranges from $600 to $2,500.
by Rob Wolfe of American Pickers Among the many categories of collectibles I encounter, one that stands out for historical significance and nostalgic appeal is breweriana. This niche area of ...

Asheford Institute’s 2024 Survey Results

Asheford Institute's 2024 Survey Results
Every year, Asheford Institute of Antiques takes a marketplace sampling of 'what's hot and what's not' by surveying its over 2,659 current students and past graduates actively employed or working ...

Building a Music Collection on a Budget

Bob Dylan
by Laurence Carpenter  In the world of music memorabilia, there’s a common misconception that collecting is reserved for the wealthy or seasoned enthusiasts who can spend six figures on an ...

Crumpled Cardboard Toy Boxes: Doing the Ironing

After ironing, the Hubley box flaps are now straight and true.
By Douglas R. Kelly On the annoyance scale, there are probably worse things than a creased/wrinkled/crumpled box. I just can’t think of any at the moment. Finding a great vintage ...

An Interview with John Sexton, The Civil War Collector

John Sexton
by Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher When it comes to Civil War memorabilia, John Sexton is the go-to guy. His decades as a consultant and independent appraiser of Civil War memorabilia make ...

What is your vintage cookie jar worth?

What is your vintage cookie jar worth?
Cookie jars have been kitchen staples for decades. Most of us grew up with one – the kitschier the better - and have fond memories of what could be found ...

Collecting Religious Artifacts: Antiquing on a Wing and a Prayer

Collecting Religious Artifacts - Cross
by Rob Wolfe of American Pickers  For centuries, collecting religious artifacts and iconography has been a pursuit that transcends time, geography, and personal beliefs. These objects often hold profound significance ...

Rubber Toys

Sun Rubber Co. Dodge sedan. Where are the wheels?
by Douglas R. Kelly Best to get this out in the open, right off the bat: I’m not a rubber toy person. Over the years, I’ve owned a total of ...

Treasures of Christmas Past: Christmas Collectibles

These are very rare Christmas displays that I found locally.
by Rob Wolfe Christmas is a time to create memories, gather with family, and—let’s be honest—for many of us, it’s a time to decorate to the nines. And for a ...

Toy Sleds: Just One More Run

Cast iron beast: The Karl Heusser “ Hela-Bob” bobsled. Photo: Dennis Simanaitis.
by Douglas R. Kelly When my editor, Judy Gonyeau, pinged me a while back and told me that toy sleds might make for a fun topic for this Holiday issue of ...

Auctioneers share top selling antique & vintage trends in 2024

Auctioneers share top selling antique & vintage trends in 2024
Asheford Institute of Antiques, an internationally recognized and industry-accredited instructional curriculum involving the study of antiques, vintage items, collectibles, estate sale liquidations, and professional-level appraising services, is also known for ...

Paper Trail

Ford’s Edsel Pacer postcard from 1958.
by Douglas R. Kelly Given the time and energy we spend pursuing antiquities and artifacts, it’s kind of surprising to me that we have a tendency to give short shrift ...

The Resurgence of Oasis: A New Era for Music Memorabilia Collectors

September 1994 Oasis USA concert poster.
by Laurence Carpenter In recent months, the music world has been abuzz with news of an Oasis reunion. This long-anticipated event not only rekindles the flame of nostalgia for fans ...

What not to miss on your next visit to The Met

What not to miss on your next visit to The Met
With holiday breaks coming up, there's no better time to visit a museum, many decked out for the winter season. According to a figure released in 2024 by the Institute ...

New Markets for Buying and Selling Antiques and Gathering the Stories with the Goods

Rob Wolfe on Vintage Computer Screen
by Rob Wolfe of American Pickers The antiques market is an ever-shifting landscape with new market entrants, ever-changing trends on what’s in and what’s out, and new ways of monitoring the ...

Online Antiquing

Online Antiquing
One of the most beloved aspects of antiquing, collecting, and thrifting is what we collectors call “the hunt”; knowing that your next great find is still out there just waiting ...

5 Collectibles That Could Soar in Value Over the Next 5 Years

5 Collectibles That Could Soar in Value Over the Next 5 Years
Whether you want to earn extra cash, grow your wealth, or diversify your portfolio, investing in collectibles is an exciting and fun alternative to traditional investments such as stocks, bonds, or ...

Collecting Collectoys

The Ford Delivery Wagon was the only model in the series that came with die-cast wheel hubs rather than tinplate.
by Douglas R. Kelly Louis Marx is never far from my mind. I didn’t know the man, but his company made so many cool and wonderful toys in the 1930s, ...

The Robot Bulldozer, A Flare Product by United Pioneer Company

Robot Bulldozer
By Rob Wolfe In the early 1960s people around the world were fascinated with imagining the future that technology could bring. There were many real and Hollywood-created reasons for this ...

Building a 401K Sports Memorabilia Portfolio

Building a 401K Sports Memorabilia Portfolio
This past June, both Barron’s and Kiplinger ran features touting sports collectibles as a winning investment. The Barron’s article, titled “Sports Collectibles Can Be a Winning Investment,” cited a 1952 ...

Summertime Scores

Tootsietoy’s pre-war bus looks like it stepped right out of a classic 1930s Frank Capra movie.
by Douglas R. Kelly Seems to me it doesn’t get much better than going on a summer vacation. This year, with family and job commitments, mine has been limited to ...

Out of This World Toys

Bantam released the book version of Forbidden Planet when the movie debuted in 1956.
by Douglas R. Kelly Science fiction movies made during the 1950s are among life’s greatest pleasures for at least two reasons. One, we didn’t know as much—as individuals or as ...