How to Buy Antiques and Collectibles Like a Pro

Buy artifacts you like too much to sell. Choose quality over quantity. Write detailed descriptions and take great photos of your finds. Price them realistically. Forget old style local auctions and sell multi-channel yourself: Ebay, Kijiji, Etsy, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Become a shipping guru, build you own shipping rate list. Someone in Mongolia is ready to kill for your Art deco lamp. Keep your inventory tight. A small rusty part can fire up a $20 000 muscle car again. Hunt for new finds everywhere and don't be shy to become friends with scrap dealers and garbage men. They...

As a buyer, I am faced with the same challenge as my customers when I acquire jewelry online and at auction: Often no certificate provided, untested stones and hearsay. Don't be afraid to ask for a certificate from a certified jewelry appraiser before buying. Make sure purity (VVS, VS, SI, I), color (G-H, K-L), carat (stone size or total in "CT"), cut (round, cushion, oval) and suggested retail value are specified in the description. Use tools such as Info Diamond and Gold Price Calculator to help you determine the approximate value of your find before buying. Jean A Sarrazin, Professional Picker and President of Veteris Collection Inc.

When I find sought after collectibles and rarities, I always ask myself: Is the vendor's price too high or too low? Compared to other objets sold by this vendor, is it plausible to find an original here? Is it unusually clean for its age? Does the wear on the object look genuine or intentional? If the paint isn't worn out, is it really original? Online: Do I see all the angles of the objets, or am I facing voluntary omissions?  Train your eyes to differentiate the good defects from the bad perfection. There's no magic recipe except: Trust your instincts. If it looks too...