Restoration of antiques/ Larry Shapiro/ Appraisals and Antiques

We are always asked the question: "Is it o.k. to restore an antique?" The answer to that question is very complicated but quite simple at the same time. Each antique, each personal situation, and each restoration project is different. If you have a piece of antique furniture with the original finish and it is missing one leg, is it o.k. to add a new leg? Of course you would add the leg. You should have it completed professionally. But, you would not refinish the whole piece of furniture. You should have the leg constructed and finished to match the original. If you have an antique blanket chest in the original blue paint but you want to paint it red, it would not be wise to repaint the chest. If the present finish is not old, it really doesn't matter.

Every situation is different. The degree of restoration, the value, and the likes and dislikes of the owner are all a concern when considering restoration. Lets say you own a rare hanging chandelier but the original hanging device is broken and you are not able to use it in your home. A professional restoration would allow you to enjoy the use of the fixture. The value of the fixture if restored properly would not be as high as if it were all original.

Don't make rash decisions when considering restoration. Consult a professional appraiser or dealer. Weigh the options and then make an intelligent choice. Over the years we have seen too many costly mistakes that people have made concerning restoration.

Buying antiques with a guarantee

Larry Shapiro owner of Appraisals and Antiques.com advises to "get it in writing". When buying antiques at a show or one on one from a dealer ask for a written guarantee concerning your purchase. In todays market there are many fakes, repaints, copies, etc. Know what you are buying and make sure you get a signed receipt from the seller with everything he or she has represented about the item you have purchased. Sometimes dealers are fooled when they are the buyer and pass along their mistakes to the unsuspecting customer. If the seller does not agree to the guarantee, you should just simply cancel the sale.

antique furniture at auction today

Larry Shapiro antiques buyer and appraiser from always buying antiques and on the web at appraisalsandantiques.com recently said: "Antique furniture in general at auction is a steal." "The current economic climate, grouped with the lag in housing sales, and the addition of the younger people habitually buying inexpensive modernistic junk has led to a downturn in the prices of antique furniture at auction today". "Everything from a victorian oak chest of drawers to an antique American highboy has been affected"." The dealers have lost confidence and money in this economic situation we are in and the market is suffering." "In my opinion, we will see an upturn as soon as houses begin to sell and when the younger set realizes that what they own for furniture is not good quality." "Right now you can buy excellent quality antique furniture at auction for half the price of what it was selling for five years ago."

Larry Shapiro antiques and the show promoter

Larry Shapiro from appraisalsandantiques.com an antique buyer, seller, and appraiser recently was quoted on the subject of the "traditional antique show". Shapiro said: " The traditional antique show is no longer a viable entity in today's fast paced market". He went on to say: "Everything is different today". "Dealers can't show up at a show today and expect to sell items that sold three or four years ago." "Promoters have to work harder to get dealers who connect to todays marketplace and todays prices". " The average buyer today needs to be excited by a show". "The WOW FACTOR is necessary to keep the customers coming back." "We are in a transitional period that needs fuel added to dying embers". "The market today is a buyers market". "They control the market and dealers and promoters have to listen to their customers".

Larry Shapiro from Appraisalsandantiques.com talks about the art market.

The art market is as volatile as any other market in the antique business today. Buyers must be more astute in their selection for investment. Just because an artist is listed and his or her average sale may be a certain dollar amount does not necessarily insure that the painting you are considering has a dollar amount as high as the average past sale. Now more than ever, the buyer must look closely at the subject matter, the use of color, the size, and most importantly , the execution of the work. Is is better than any of the others that have sold in the past? Is it an average work by this artist? If in fact you feel that it is a great example, you should probably buy now. If it is only average, it is a good time to sit back and wait. When the market turns around you can loosen up a bit as more and more pieces will sell more easily. In present conditions pay close scrutiny to each purchase.

Larry Shapiro from Appraisalsandantiques.com talks about buying in a difficult market

The antiques market today is difficult because of the economic uncertainty. So how do you as a dealer respond to this issue? Keep a positive attitude when buying and selling. If you reflect a negative attitude to clients who are either buyers or sellers, you are hurting yourself. Everyone is aware of present conditions. A positive and pleasant attitude will help your chances of either making the buy you want or completing that all important sale. You may not be able to pay the asking price, but negotiating with a smile goes a long way.

Larry Shapiro is an accredited appraiser with The International Society of Appraisers and the owner of Appraisals and Always Buying Antiques located in Glastonbury CT.

What is going on in the antiques market today

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.