Going Once, Going Twice
A Guide to Buying Antiques, Art and Accessories at Auction

Part One: How Do Auctions Work? 

By Chuck DeLaney 

Not long ago you read in Designer Monthly of the fascination our peripatetic bon-vivant-about-town, David Dannenbaum found watching the auction of the Israel Sack collection of fine American antiques at the prestigious Sotheby's auction house in New York City.

In that article, the author of our Old Stuff & Whatnot, L.L.P. column describes the elegant and interesting people that frequent the high-end auction halls such as Sotheby's and Christie's. These are the two most prestigious auction houses in America, and the world's masterpieces of fine art and antiques are often sold during hushed bidding at these well-known institutions. Bidders discretely raise paddles as the price for each treasure rises. Cont'd

Tips from Successful Antiques Dealers

by Mary Dessoie

In the competitive antiques market and this less than brilliant economy, antiques dealers must be inventive and able to adjust to changing circumstances. Client satisfaction is a priority!

Recently I conducted an open forum, via e-mail, with several antiques dealers around the country who belong to my butter pat collectors’ club. These savvy dealers have been successfully weathering the downs of the current economy and they have agreed to share some of their smart business tips.

Marshall noted, "Collectibility changes as the age of the collector changes. People want the comfort items that they grew up with in their mother’s kitchen or at grandma’s home. Each generation has its own memory Find out what potential consumers in your region are looking for and keep up to date with your customers’ wish lists. Cont'd

CHECK THE OIL

by Fred Taylor

...AT THE DOOR

In the late 1980's the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation published an article about the contents of historical furniture finishes. It identified five main components of various historical finishes - tree resins, insect resins, oils, gums and waxes. Tree resins, such as from pine trees, are often used to make varnish. Insect resins, such as that from the lac beetle, are used to make shellac. Boiled linseed oil and oil from the tung tree are common oil finishes. Gum is another product from trees and is used as a binder. Waxes are primarily beeswax and the much harder carnuba wax. Cont'd