The first decision you have to make when looking for quality antiques is where to look. It’s important to understand that not every second-hand store is the same and narrowing your scope will help you to avoid sifting through inventory that seems irrelevant to you. Quality antiques can be found in thrift stores, estate sales, antique malls, antique stores, flea markets, and auctions, as well as online platforms like eBay, Etsy, Craigslist, LetGo, and Facebook Marketplace.

THRIFT STORES

I love thrift stores: the magic, the volume, the unknown. Thrift stores are where you are going to truly have that “diamond in the rough” experience, but be prepared to dig through the strata of chairs on tables on couches on rugs with little to no help from the store associates. I personally enjoy thrift stores that give back to the community or the profits go to charity. In Chicago, my absolute favorite spot is The Brown Elephant in Andersonville.

When purchasing pieces from thrift stores, there will probably be some condition issues.  Thrift stores are great if you have DIY in your heart, but be mindful of your skillset and abilities. For the average person, condition issues with minor scratches and minor finish loss are easy to fix. Unless you have more extensive restoration experience, steer clear of water damage, staining, or structural repairs. Know your limits!

ESTATE SALES

Estate sales are wonderful and weird. The idea behind an estate sale is to liquidate the entire contents of a home, so you will be able to find pretty much any household goods, jewelry, clothing, furniture, at an estate sale. The key here is to do a little bit of research ahead of time. Since an estate sale is focusing on the items of one person or family, pieces tend to be of the same style and quality. By researching sales ahead of time, you can filter out those that might not fit your taste and focus your energy on those which do. During the pandemic, many estate sales have gone online or have had inventory moved to a location other than a home. An excellent resource to find estate sales near you is estatesales.net. Keep in mind that estate sales are often organized by a professional valuation company, so items will be priced based on the perceived value of the piece, however, the goal is to liquidate the inventory so the best deals are to be had on the final days of the sale.

ANTIQUE MALLS

Antique malls are massive spaces that are broken into stalls and booths of individual antique dealers. Each booth will have a different style or focus and some will be better maintained than others. For example, on my last visit to the Florence Antique Mall just outside of Cincinnati, there was a booth dedicated solely to Fiestaware. It was eye-catching, to say the least. The specialized booths can be a double-edged sword in that you are likely to find that missing piece for your collection, however, if the dealer is exclusively sourcing only a few types of pieces, then they are very aware of what the market will pay and the pricing is less competitive. 

Additionally, you probably will not have any interaction with the dealer to inquire about more information on pieces. Similarly, the dealer will set prices and the mall might be able to extend a set discount or call the dealer, but you won’t have much ability to negotiate one-on-one.    

ANTIQUE STORES

Antique stores are amazing. Obviously a lot of bias coming through here, but seriously they are. Dedicated antique stores have an identity, a soul. Pieces are going to reflect the dealer’s personal style, so that is why one store may feel like home to you and another might not. If I walk into a store drenched in Rococo Revival, I will feel claustrophobic— give me clean lines all day long! An educated dealer will be able to give you background on individual pieces, movements, and styles. You will likely pay more for pieces given that the dealer has already separated the wheat from the chaff. However, pieces will probably be in better condition, either found that way or the dealer will have had them restored or conserved. During the pandemic, many brick and mortar stores have turned to Instagram where they post featured pieces for sale, which has been an unexpected delight during my evening doomscrolling.

FLEA MARKETS

Flea markets are some of the more diverse places to look for antiques. Similar to antique malls, there will be individual booths of vendors, each with their own style, personality, and pricing systems. Unlike an antique mall, you might have interaction with the vendor and therefore more opportunities for negotiation. Pieces here may be rife with condition issues, so again, know the extent to which you are able to and willing to do repairs. The end of the day is the best time to haggle as vendors might not want to pack up unsold items.

Looking to feel productive while not actually doing anything? Flea Market Flip is an excellent choice for mindless binging and watching other people do work.

AUCTIONS

For the inexperienced, auctions can seem a bit intimidating and a little bit aloof.  But don’t worry, auction houses are happy to take your money too! Auctions are a lot of fun and in the last several years, on-line bidding has become possible at most of the major auction houses. Auctions are ideal if you are looking for something specific. Websites like Live Auctioneers or Invaluable.com are great databases for upcoming auctions, and you can search for specific styles or pieces. One of my favorite auction sites is Everything But the House, but that is mostly because I am within driving distance and don’t have to pay to ship.

OTHER ONLINE PLATFORMS

EBAY

As I just mentioned, more major auction houses are providing online bidding, however one auction site still reigns supreme: eBay. You can find quality pieces on eBay, however, PROCEED WITH CAUTION. Since anyone can sell pieces and you are not in a position to do a physical inspection, it is very easy to get swindled. Additionally, shipping tends to wash out whatever “deal” the seller is offering. My best advice is to avoid using eBay for high-end items; for these pieces go to an established auction house that can validate the authenticity of pieces and has a good reputation within the industry. If purchasing on eBay: always, always, always research the seller.

ETSY 

Like eBay, Etsy can have similar issues with shipping costs and reputable vendors. I have found Etsy to be somewhat more reliable, albeit pricing is not competitive. Etsy is great if you are looking to support small businesses and are able to pick up locally. Again, research the vendors thoroughly.

CRAIGSLIST

Craigslist, the Wild West of the online platforms. Anyone can sell anything without creating a profile or establishing a reputation. Full disclosure, I have found some quality pieces on Craigslist for significantly under market value, but were there moments where I was concerned about getting kidnapped? Of course not, I sent my husband to do the pickup. Using Craigslist to for antiques can be a slog and it is not the most efficient way to find pieces, but there are definitely opportunities to find low-priced treasures. My advice: trust your instincts when communicating with the seller, inspect your pieces when picking up and before payment, conduct the transaction in a public space or if that is not possible, bring a buddy. 

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE AND LETGO

In the past, I have not had much luck finding quality pieces with Facebook Marketplace or LetGo. I believe the reason for this is that the demographic using FB Marketplace and LetGo is not the same demographic that regularly owns antiques. This may change over the course of time and I will update this post if I start having success with these platforms.

I hope this information was helpful and I am happy to answer any questions about finding antiques at lindsey@owendecart.com.

from the desk of Lindsey Owen