Investing in historic antique furniture is a so-called “gourmet affair”, in this segment of investing, you have to have something behind you. People who invest in antique furniture, love unconventional luxury and like to surround themselves by it.
They are fascinated by the story behind a unique piece from the Renaissance period, Baroque, or from more extravagant Rococco. An investor in antiques likes to be pampered, loves uniqueness and likes to enjoy unconventional beauty. It is historical objects, artifacts and works of art that can bring the owners quite decent returns. However, knowing how and where to buy antiques and when and to whom to sell them is needed.
And there is no doubt that this is a great business model. Antiques and gems of history will not be re-created. Simply, their number is limited, so it is an investor’s safe bet. Another very difficult thing is that the repair of antiques is an incredibly demanding process, which is becoming invaluable nowadays. Few people know the process of repairing a Renaissance chair, whether they can connect pieces of Lombardy from the 18th century. Mixing varnish and correcting miniature details according to the rules of the old masters is not funny at all, so it happens that real historical values fall into oblivion or fall apart. An antiquity is considered to be an object older than 100 years, in theory, one could speak of a year before 1920. However, for each object, this limit is individual. For some of these subjects, it is determinant that they originate at the latest in the interwar period.
Why invest in antiques:
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- They are not subject to sharp price fluctuations
- Their prices have been rising steadily for years
- The number of collectors willing to pay more for them is increasing
- Besides the income, they provide aesthetic value
The key to success is a good strategy The alpha and omega of any successful investment is a good strategy. When investing in antiques, it becomes even more important. Their value does not depend on any indices as for example for shares. Rather, it is important to know what antiques to buy, when is the right time to sell them and where to turn for sales. Thus, for this type of investment, it is recommended to bet on education and the associated construction of the ability to recognise the value of things.
Attention needs to be paid to price, appearance as well as authenticity. A great investment can also be an investment into a work in a terrible state, where it is necessary to count in the next investment in repairs and reparations in the thousands of euros. The age of antiques, as well as the period or story of a given furniture determines its selling price in the future.
- Price
The price is, naturally, decisive, but not always! Some of the cheap stuff out there can become in the future valuables worth several times more, even millions.
- Appearance
The appearance only needs to be addressed if you cannot find a person who would repair the given piece and increase its initial value. Investors prefer to pay extra for an object with an eye-catching design than to save and buy antiques that do not suit their taste at all.
- Authenticity
A counterfeit has no aesthetic, or other value because it looks like a kitsch. Counterfeits cannot be sold in the circle of serious traders with experience.
How to buy?
The risks of buying counterfeits certainly exist everywhere, even in an auction company a mistake can happen. At the same time, however, you can do the best purchase of your life at flea markets or in second-hand bookshops.
- An Auction
Watching online auctions or live auctions is a very interesting option with a guaranteed security as you will also receive a certificate of authenticity. However, count on a higher price than the possible market value.
- An antiquarian bookshop
The price in antiquarian bookshops is relatively lower, but you may not always find there an original.
- A flea market
The quality at flea markets is usually lower, but lovers of historical furniture like to visit them from time to time. Sometimes you can find a really rare piece at a reasonable price. An expert opinion could help you with your purchase and subsequent sale. Testimonials are also processed online. Photographs will be sent to the expert and he will estimate the price of the product based on their examination.
A couple of interesting things
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- In the world, it is most often invested in Art Nouveau furniture from the early 20th century
- One of the records of auctioned antiques is held by a collection of domestic inventory for 374 mil. €
- There are also works of art among antiques, e.g. mask of the Fang tribe for 5.9 mil. €
- In Slovakia, the largest amount of money, within antiques, is invested in carvings and historical jewellery
- The old baroque secretary which was sold for € 17,000 still holds the 5th record in the auction sale of antiques in Slovakia
From an early age, I was guided by a love of history and true values and spent time with my father repairing historical works by long-forgotten masters, from paintings to historical furniture and sculptures. Unfortunately, these historical values will not be re-created, no one can produce them, we can only maintain their condition. Manufacturing production and fast time do not give us room for quality and true values.
