Appraising Antiques

Leslie Goodwin is a professional antiques dealer and conservator with 20 years experience in selling and appraising. She appraised on the first U.S. Antiques Roadshow. She has sold thousands on items online and off and some of her folk art is currently featured in a museum exhibit in Santa Fe, NM. She has published dozens of feature articles and worked as a Magazine editor. She has sold everywhere from flea markets to high end prestigious antiques shows.

"This is a fun and painless way to give yourself a firm grounding in the wide wonderful world of antiques and collectibles."
— Kyle Husfloen, Managing Editor, Antique Trader Weekly and Antique Trader's Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide

"Whether you consider yourself a beginner…or a dedicated collector, you will find chapters in this easy-to-read book…designed to enhance your material needs."
— Milton L. Talbert, Jr., 1st Vice President, National Association of Dealers in Antiques

Includes Tips on Spotting Fakes!

Do you love to poke around at estate sales and antique shops — but can't really tell the difference between Queen Anne and Queen Victoria? Do you dream of owning that old Oriental rug or Meissen figurine — but worry that the dealer might gouge you on the price? Relax. Writing with humor and common sense, Ron Zoglin and Deborah Shouse demystify the highfalutin terminology of the antique world — and show you step-by-step how to find, bargain for, buy, and decorate with antiques.

Inside, find helpful advice on how to:

• Distinguish between real antiques and stuff that's just plain old
• Develop a plan of attack before you begin your hunt
• Select antiques based on the five key points of the Radar Test
• Accessorize your home or office with antique European, Oriental, and American glass and porcelain
• Clean and care for your precious finds
• Work an auction — real time and online

"Retailers must grab this! It is good for you, good for your business, good to give to your customers. Unlike some reference books that are used a page or chapter at a time to answer a question, this book is best enjoyed from cover to cover. 'Cameos Old & New' is not just a reference; it is The reference for cameos." -- Karen Tweedie, Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, and also Southern Jewelry News, Spring 2009 "This is a must-have for anyone involved along the path cameos take, from start to finish, into the market place, and beyond." -- Gem News "Any library strong in collecting will find here a unique acquisition." -- Midwest Book Review "Comprehensive reference guide" -- Jewelry Artist

Focusing on gemology as a science rather than a fine art, the authors have written an honest and straightforward book that lays the groundwork for identifying gemstones in an easy-to-read-and-understand volume. They outline useful information on setting up a lab, securing proper lighting, and identifying the essential and optional instruments used in successful gem identification. They also explain how to identify the myriad inclusions and blemishes found in natural and synthetic gemstones and devote a section to enhancement techniques found in antique and estate jewelry. Recommended.
- Stephen Allan Patrick, East Tennessee State Univ. Lib., Johnson City
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

"Superb appraisal reference book" -- International Pearling Journal, June 2009 "Does an admirable job of bringing one of the first 'How to be an appraiser' books up to the present date. This new edition provides a good starting point for the novice and a wealth of reference information for the veteran appraiser."-- Gems & Gemology Summer 2009 "offers all the information that practicing or aspiring appraisal professionals need to establish an appraisal business." -- Southern Jewelry News Featured in 'Instore' magazine, and also in Rapaport, Diamond Report.

"---A most informative book giving the basics to help any colector or dealer---" -- "Old Stuff " Feb./March 2001

This elementary handbook supplies the necessary knowledge and tools to uncover the mysteries of fine, costume, and Mexican jewelry. -- Naine Antique Digest, December ,2000

The real estate boom has come and gone. The stock market is always a risky business. Today the smart money is in antiques and collectibles: you don't need much to get started, and the market for everything from furniture to folk art, from bottles to baseball cards, is just beginning to explode!

Bruce Johnson, the expert called the "Dear Abby" of antiques, shows how you can turn today's bargains and discounts into tomorrow's hot money-making deals. Here are hundreds of inside tips that show you how to:
-- Get in on the bottom floor before prices begin to go through the roof
-- Enter the business without a formal education or a sizable investment
-- Expand your operation and increase your income without taking time away from your present job
-- Find the best sales, the best days to attend, and the best deals
-- Negotiate bargains with dealers -- and beat them at their own game
-- Create print ads for your wares that will pull in customers eager to buy
-- Sell your treasures at a profit from your home, or at flea markets, yard and garage sales, auctions, and antique malls

Plus:
More than thirty antiques-related services you can run from your home, including caning, appraising, and refinishing.

Everything you need to know to run a profitable and satisfying antiques business from your home
From estimating start-up costs and finding customers to writing ads and taking your business online, this comprehensive guide provides down-to-earth advice on every aspect of setting up and running a thriving home-based antiques business. Learn all about buying and selling antiques online, making money with antiques in other ways, and much more. Whatever your plans, large or small, each chapter can help you experience the satisfaction of establishing and building your own home-based antiques business. Look for useful charts and worksheets throughout the book, including:
Sample Consignment Agreement
Checklist for Selling on eBay
Expense Summary
Stock Records
Estate Sale Checklist

"Beautifully illustrated. You will find expert inforamtion and clear insightful guidance on all aspects of appraising" - Antiques & Collecting Magazine, August 2004.

Run--do not walk--to borrow, beg, or buy a copy of PBS-TV hosts Rosson and Fendelman's latest book (the first one was named for their show, Treasures in Your Attic). This treasure trove is the first realistic and practical guide to self-appraising antiques--or seemingly old objects. The purview the authors establish for themselves is definitely decorative accessories; furniture, glass, pottery and porcelain, silver, and that wonderful category, miscellaneous, are the areas scrutinized. Part 1 introduces readers to the mechanics--knowledge needed, the process, factors that determine value, pricing (yes, there's more than one), and research. Part 2 then supplies the details on 45 different items, ranging from four Victorian side chairs to a rare Georg Jensen silver bowl. Each features facts first, like form, materials, and method of construction, then delves into more description, such as, How do I know it's old? Or rare? The last section is filled with resources, a librarian's dream. Appended are appraisal valuations and a glossary. Barbara Jacobs
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