Most young professionals (YPs) have probably started to invest in pieces of furniture that they’ll keep around for a long time as opposed to the cheap “will do for now” quick fixes of our university and early career days. Accompanying this is our increasing want for the unique and refined, which is why a growing number of our fellow YP peers have taken a recent interest in antiques. There are definitely a few things to keep in mind when it comes to sourcing and purchasing antiques, however, so we turned to the experts for some tips – the buyers of CBC’s Four Rooms.
If you’ve yet to tune in, the premise is this: in four rooms are Canada’s top antique buyers, each ready to spend big money on pieces brought forth by proud members of the public, who arrive with their prized possessions that are worth a fortune in their minds. The catch is that sellers can only visit one buyer at a time – and if they turn down an offer, it’s off the table for good. Trust us, it is more exciting than it sounds. Things get heated and dramatic as emotions of certain sellers soar, and each cast member offers an interesting individual flare.
Vancouver’s Scott Landon is a former RCMP officer who turned his passion for collecting into a full-time gig. Toronto-based Jessica Lindsay Phillips is a private collector who doesn’t shy away from dark and mysterious objects, with a collection that includes shrunken heads, mummies, medieval torture devices and tribal weaponry. The young, baby-faced Derreck Martin is the owner of Toronto’s 507 Antiques, a 22-year-old family business that is the largest antiques dealer in Canada. Montreal’s Eddy Rogo is an international auctioneer with over 25 years of experience in buying and selling the world’s finest antiques.
When it comes to buying antiques, the cast shared some of their tips…
1. If you are new to buying antiques, buy from a dealer who is qualified, established and understands the market – either those who are members of websites like 1stdibs.com or dealers associations such as CADA. They will always have your better interest in mind as their reputations depend on it.
2. Buy quality, both in the workmanship and in the materials of which the items is constructed.
3. Take condition into consideration when buying an item. If an item is in need of restoration or repair, that takes away from the value. Many collectors will pay a very high premium for an item if it is in perfect condition without ever having been restored. Look for untouched furniture, ideally. However, if you find something you know is quality but is banged up a bit, look for top-notch restorers to bring the piece back to life.
4. Buy what you like. Do not get too caught up with fads and trends – the best way to invest in antique and vintage is to stay with what you like. The furniture market, like fashion, is always recycling itself.
5. Keep an eye out for the unusual as these are almost always the most valuable. This is something you will have to train your eye for because more often than not ‘unusual’ attributes are subtle.
6. Buy the best you can afford and try to buy the best example of the class of item you are looking at within your budget.
For more insight, tune in yourself. You definitely learn a thing or two about the antique world from Four Rooms – whether you’re a potential buyer or seller yourself, or just curious.
Catch Four Rooms on Sunday night at 8 p.m. on CBC.
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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