Antiques offer investment opportunity

For some antique collectors, like Don Harper, the items being collected have a greater personal value than monetary value. Others just like to specialize in collecting and selling particular items or types of antiques like glassware or vintage furniture.

But whatever your interests, investing in antique objects can bring you savings for a rainy day. With estate sales, auctions and Internet sales sites, people with all sorts of interests can easily find a piece to add to their collections.

Mary Robertson, owner of Annie Laurie Antique Mall, said that knowing about antiques and their values is important. She advises people to know the pulse of the marketplace.

"One of the ways I would suggest keeping an eye on the market is to to to e-Bay on the Internet. Check to see what is selling and what the going rate seems to be. Then scour the shops to find what you are looking for. THat is your best bet for making a quick turnover profit," she said.

Robertson knows how easy it can be. She recently found a Tarzan book at a flea market for a quarter. After checking the e-Bay sites, she sold the book for $225.

But Harper isn't always interested in making a profit with his collections.

His grandmother sparked his interest in antiques. "I guess I became interested in clocks because my grandmother had a couple of old clocks at her house. I just liked them."

After his grandmother's death, Harper started looking for clocks like those his grandmother had owned. "Now I have over 100 clocks, all from different periods. I have one from 1750, several from the late 1800's, and they're from all over the world," he said.

Over the years, Harper has made money on clocks, and he's lost money too.

"I've found the better educated I am about a clock before I buy it, the more likely I am to make money on it. But the truth is, make money or lose money, I have to like the clock," he said.

But not all antique and collectible investments should be thought of in the short term.

Scott Griffin, owner of Sentimental Journey Antiques in New Madrid says not everything should be considered in the short term. Antiques can provide both short-term profits and longer-term investments.

Griffin says the best rule of thumb, whether looking at a short term or long term investment, is to buy the best that you can afford. "That is the most likely way for you to make money on the item, whether you're talking about a baseball card or a piece of antique furniture."

A perfect baseball card can bring five times more value than a damaged card, and the same is true of any other object when it comes to antiques.

Collecting antiques as an investment requires being knowledgeable about what you're collecting. Collectors have to know the fair market value so they can buy low and sell high.

Griffin and Robertson remind potential collectors to think about holding onto an item for several years before considering a sale. Antique investments can be as volatile as the stock market.

Reputable dealers can usually provide you with a receipt at the sale so you can establish ownership. The receipt also should include a description of the item, a notation of damage or worn areas and an estimate of its origins.

Antique dealers caution, though, not to rely on price as a guarantee of authenticity. Some reproductions are sold as original pieces, though experts can help you differentiate between the two.

With the help of the Internet, Robertson said that people are actually becoming more knowlegeable about their antique purchases. "I think it is actually helping because it lets people know what to look for," she said.

Harper says it takes both a passion for collecting and some education about what the items. "You have to love something enough to want to learnmore about it."