Estate sales are an excellent place for antique collectors to find amazing deals, and if you plan to go to your local estate sales looking for antiques, there are some things you may want to keep in mind. Estate sales will have an eclectic mix of items, and everything from modern furniture sets, to rare antique pieces, to costume jewelry may be for sale, so it’s important to go in to an estate sale with some type of idea of the items you may be looking for.
One great tip for antiquing at estate sales is to bring a flashlight. While this is something you may not think to carry around while antiquing, it can be a huge help, and even a tiny keychain flashlight can really shed light on what you may be buying. With antiques, you’ll often be looking for particular details or maker’s marks to determine just what you’re buying, and a flashlight can help to make these things far more visible.
In the same vein as a flashlight, you may also want to carry a small magnifying glass along with you. Not only can a magnifying glass help you to see difficult marks, but it can help you to determine damages as well, and this can be a huge help in the search for antiques. A small chip is typically nothing on an older piece, and some damage or patina aging is to be expected, but a magnifying glass can help you to determine if pieces have been refinished, if damages are beyond repair, and of any other minute details that could prove important for the item.
A small notebook is another item that you’ll want to carry along with you while antiquing at estate sales, and this goes along with a working pen or pencil. A notebook can help you to keep track of all of the items you may be considering, as well as what their place may be in an auction, and this can help you to have a more organized and fun experience!
At Heritage Estate Sales, we see a great deal of visitors coming to our estate sales looking for antiques, and we want to make this process an enjoyable one for every person who comes out! If you’d like to learn more about antiquing at estate sales, contact us today and we’d love to help!