When Buying
Always examine the lot before your bid--bidding on an unexamined piece often brings you pain.
Beware of words like "in the style of", or "in the school of"...that means it's not authenticated. Could still be a good but keep your wits about you.
Be scrupulously honest. If a seller finds out you cheated them or paid too little--even if they set the price--you will have trouble buying in that town forever more.
"There are plenty of temptingly gullible folks and plenty of downright despicable people who maybe deserve being ripped off . . . but don't do it anyway. There are already enough rip-offs in the antique business. Of course, there's no harm in learning to be an uncommonly clever horse trader. That's part of the game." by Mother Earth News
Always get a receipt. Sellers remorse can be difficult to deal with if you don't have something to back up what you have done. (Also the taxman likes to see them.)
Touch is better than sight when examining glass. Tiny flea bites are felt more often than seen. Do look for cracks in the necks and handles of glass or pottery.
Look around. I once bought an antique toy sewing machine and in another room discovered the original box for it was holding buttons......I bought the buttons for a dollar!
When Selling
Dust pieces with a damp cloth, but be very careful not to clean most things--the patina can only come with age and is what buyers want!
"Display well to sell well"
Don't sell until you know what you have. On a recent "Pawn Stars" episode, Big Hoss was going to sell Chum Lee some pikes for $400. He was happy because he would double his money. Imagine his red face when his dad called in an expert and found out each pike was worth $1500!
Sometimes the frame is worth more than the picture---think about it.
Auctioneers have set percentages, but if you tend to bring better stuff, try negotiating down the percentage.
Rapid turnover beats higher price. Selling a lamp for $100 three times in a month beats selling a single lamp for $200 in the same period.
