It is amazing to me how many people ask "What is going on in the antiques market today?" The answer is quite simple. The economy has taken a big bite out of the market. People are not selling their homes as frequently as in the past, the job market is depressed, and the average person does not have extra income to spend on or invest in antiques and collectibles. The bright spots are still in the higher end markets, but even those markets are not dependable. Lately (June 2010) we have seen a little more consumer confidence.
There have been corrections in many fields that were needed. Let's face it. Many younger people do not have interest in lots of items that the baby boomers collected. The older dealers have to be aware of new trends. Taking a short profit has become increasingly more popular amongst the savy dealers.
Larry Shapiro is the owner of Always Buying Antiques and www.appraisalsandantiques.com.
