Is it an antique and is it worth something?
You’d know?
At some point in our lives, most of us will put ourselves in a position where we will have to ask ourselves the question:
Which of my most prized possessions should I keep because they might be worth something and which can I throw away?
You’d know ??
We start our own houses full of illusion and with all the beautiful disorder that makes up our life and that of the family, but as time passes, the children leave the house, we decide to move to a smaller house or perhaps we decide to live. abroad. At this stage we have to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.
As an antiques dealer for many years, I am often invited into homes to help customers with that question, or with a cry for HELP!
Well, we all have items that we wouldn’t part with for a million pounds, precious pieces passed down to us by parents, and little gifts from partners, children and grandchildren. Then there is the layer of semi-precious items that, to make a little more space, we could part with. Put them aside and we’ll come back to them later, our second best treasure.
But ‘closet fillers’ are a very different matter! How many services of teas, lace cloths and glasses do we need? In fact, be really honest, when was the last time you set the table with a starched cloth and all the matching silverware and glassware?
Call me a whore, but I usually serve my friends tea in china glasses. The wine is poured into dishwasher safe glasses and the dishes and silverware are an interesting mix ………… It is the company and the stimulating conversation that is important, I tell myself.
So what should we keep and what should we get rid of? We have carefully put our special treasures aside and now we must invite the children to see the “second best” treasures.
Make sure they have the opportunity to reject any part that you are thinking of parting with. A scruffy old chair according to your mindset could be one of your favorites and the comfortable setting for many bedtime stories.
On a personal note after the death of my mother, my sister and I were gathering her things and we found an enameled plate of little value. Go stood aside to give to the charity shop when my son asked if he could have ‘the money plate’. “What bowl of money?” I asked. “The one that grandmother always kept the pound coins to give us when we visited.” Fortunately, the ‘money plate’ was passed on to a very happy grandson.
So now the children, and possibly the grandchildren, have had their choice. It is time to decide what to do with the rest. Space can determine how thorough the pruning needs to be, but it’s worth knowing what you might sell and what you might have to give away.
Even antiques come and go “out of style.” At the moment the style is minimalist. A neatly placed statuette, a polished glassware item, not the Victorian style, not an inch of wall showing!
Anything that needs polishing – i.e. Copper, brass, silver and silver items – are unpopular, especially with younger generations who manage to juggle a full family and work life. Likewise, if it doesn’t go in the dishwasher, it’s a bit of a no-no!
So we are narrowing the field of what we can easily sell.
Small, exquisite and exciting pieces are desirable. It’s easy to get good prices for vintage sewing supplies, silver thimbles, old needle holders, silk reels, buttons, even wooden cotton spools and pin cushions.
Another very collectible area is: drink! Old corkscrews, bottle openers, wine and spirits labels, champagne taps, liquor measures and the pub’s pitchers of water to serve with a glass of whiskey.
Go through your drawers for old pencils and fountain pens and the kids will be boys, so hold on to any sports memorabilia. Would you believe that a golf ball filled with feathers sold for £ 6,000 and that old golf clubs, tennis rackets and pool balls and cues are highly collectible?
Smoking accessories are politically incorrect, but old silver vesta boxes, cigar cutters, and interesting cigarette lighters can cost a good sum.
Don’t neglect the children’s toy closet. Early tin toys, lead soldiers, and more recently Star Wars and James Bond can raise much-needed cash. Would you like to part with over £ 1,000 for a Victorian marble? Well, it happened to a German onion skin marble at the end of the day, so sift carefully.
So there are some tips when planning a little lifewashing. Many more tips to follow because I have a small corner of the store where I am selling vintage clothing, shoes, handwear and jewelry and I am doing very well, especially with the younger age group.
Until then, happy spring cleaning!
Lots of similar items and a newsletter and resources for antiques and collectibles at:
http://www.architus.com