Internet auctions have had a great deal of influence on the evolution of the international antiques market.
Prices for several categories have dropped quite a bit because of the increased availability of some items, stamps for example. Stamps have been spread widely all over the world. This would have made them quite scarce in their country of origin, while that’s where most collectors are looking for them. As the digital highway has greatly reduced the distance between object and buyer, in many cases we even see an over-saturation of certain specialised markets. This goes for almost all objects. That’s why your odds of finding this special bargain on ebay now bigger than ever!
You can now for example buy Dutch Delftware from Belgian and Dutch sellers, instead of seeing your items pass through many hands and steadily increase in price through every step of that process. The same goes for English silver, French candlesticks, German statues, etc…
How can you find interesting items? COMPARE! Visit local antique dealers and see which items they have. Store inventories generally give a good image of the local demand in your area. And what’s more, antiques dealers are generally more than happy to give you some information about the pieces, including values and/or prices.
Next stop: BOOKS! Study those reference works, take them with you whenever you visit a museum, have a nice read before that well-deserved night of sleep.
Another hint: AUCTION CATALOGS! Another valuable source for information. Try to find auction catalogs with obtained results for an even better idea of values!
So, how does it work? Suppose you have looked around a little bit and local demand for Asian antiques seems pretty steady. Have a look at the Asian dealers on ebay. Here’s a list with some interesting shops located in Asia – they’re at the source, and what’s more… Those countries that are rapidly developing, catching up on the higher western life standard, will generally want to export a lot. That means that prices over there may well be only a fraction of the price you would pay at the local antiques shop or auction. But, beware of replica’s! Do your research, and don’t let bad dealers ruin it for you. If a purchase goes sour, don’t let go of your seller, even when he’s at the other end of the world. Put some pressure on him if you feel you’ve been poorly treated. After all, nobody likes to get negative feedback or wants to be involved in a dispute that might have ebay remove him!
So then, my final words for today… These are some interesting sellers that seem to be reliable (but not tested by me!) and have a good, decent stream of antiques for sale. Here are a few:
Ancient Chinese Coins: “chinese-ancient-coin“
Antique Asian Ceramics: “Koh-Antique“
Eclectic Collection: “pasarmanis“
High-end antiques: “ASIANTIQUES-Gallery“
Oh yes, one final word… If a seller has added a “Best Offer” button… use it! He won’t add that option unless he has some space left to bargain 
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any sellers I describe. Unless explicitly mentioned, they have also not been “tested” by me personally. It’s always a good idea to read a seller’s feedback, policy, etc… before completing a purchase!
Filed under: Ebay antiques bargains
