Being an Antique Addict and Lover it seems only natural for me to present you the many advantages Antiques&Collectibles bring into ones life. After reading this article I had to share and add a little to it.
What Napoleon Missed:
Legend records an account of a sovereign who really goofed when he turned down an opportunity to acquire an exquisite French cabinet. If this famous non-collector found out who now owns this masterpiece, he would turn over in his regal tomb at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. Napoleon I, Emperor of France from 1804 to 1815, was offered a sumptuous cabinet that once belonged to in-laws of Queen Marie Antoinette of France. Bonaparte, who had little appreciation for peace and even less for curios, haughtily declared, “His majesty wants the new and not to buy old.” What perks do antiques offer that Napoleon so thoughtlessly disregarded? The benefits fall into four main categories: practical, financial, intellectual, and emotional.
Practical Perks
Mother Nature Loves Antiques:
Remember how Gram critiqued my antique choices? Her remark, “I threw one out just like it forty years ago,” suggests a rarely mentioned dividend of antiquing. Collecting is really a long-established form of recycling, which benefits our environment. Reusing discarded objects decreases the amount of trash entering landfills, and reclaiming wooden furniture saves trees by reducing demand for new wood.
No Assembly Required:
Have you purchased a new piece of furniture out of a box recently? Do you remember this tedious job? That experience illustrates another gratifying aspect of collecting: antiques, unlike most new furniture or practically anything else for our homes,they don’t require assembly.
Financial Perks:
Antiques Give More Dash for Your Cash
Visit an outdoor show or Antique store and compare. A 1940s end table may flirt with you with a price tag of only $40. Maybe a 1915 oak rocking chair for a mere $30.
It might seem unbelievable that in the twenty-first century you can buy a rocking chair and table for under $100, but it’s true. Although these pieces aren’t museum caliber, they are well made and charming. In contrast, what can you buy new for $70 in a furniture store (or even at Target)? You can actually buy better quality furniture for less by shopping for antiques.
Antiques Retain Value Better Than New:
The instant your new item leaves the store, it’s considered used merchandise and, therefore, plummets in value. Have you been to a garage sale where a downtrodden soul was trying to peddle a six-month old sofa? That demoralized individual might have been your antiques coach. After a day of wheeling and dealing on their driveway, and then thrilled to get $65 for what originally cost $650. That experience should teach us that antiques are far better investments when compared to new items.
Antiques May Increase In Value:
Unlike the former sofa, good antiques keep their value and sometimes increase. If you compare prices from the past to current ones, you’ll be startled to see how some have increased. For instance, buying a 1930s china closet in 1973 cost around $40 to $75. That semi-antique/collectible is now worth at least double that and sometimes even more. An excellent return for the investment. Best of all, it held up and still is desireable.
Antiques Offer Higher Quality:
It doesn’t take long to learn that antiques are usually better made than their modern counterparts. Older houses, as you know, have plastered walls, while contemporary homes have drywall. This similar disparity in quality exists between antiques and new goods. Modern furniture highlights the craftsmanship found in antiques. Current furniture may have particleboard or cardboard backs, unlike the solid wood backs used in antiques. When modern furniture features “carving,” it is usually plastic or molded, not the painstakingly hand carved wood found in vintage pieces. Modern furniture is assembled with weak, ugly staples, rather than with glue and screws. The same contrast in quality is evident in other products, from china to silver. While some modern goods have quality construction, they are the exception and are very expensive. How many of us have checkbooks that can tackle their lofty prices?
Intellectual Perks
Antiques Teach History:
Antiques make great history teachers because they offer personal and interesting insights into the past. For example, have you ever wondered why some old-fashioned chairs have casters on their front legs? Before central heating, they made scooting over to a warm fireplace much easier. Information like this illuminates the lifestyles and customs of our ancestors.
Emotional Perks
Antiques Provide Mini Vacations:
Have you ever heard the song Judy Garland sings in the 1950 movie Summer Stock? The lyrics include the words, “Forget your troubles; come on, get happy….” I always add, “…by going antiquing.” Rummaging aisle after aisle at malls, shows, or flea markets makes troubles and stress disappear as you search for that special antique. Or better yet, just enjoy being a tourist while sightseeing and reading descriptions, which incidentally is an easy way to study antiques.
Antiques Promotes Bonding:
Another benefit of antiquing is that anyone tagging along will probably become a lifelong friend. You can grow to respect your different tastes and shopping styles. One is usually the meanderer while the other is a sprinter. Your diverse modes complement each other; One spots the gems the other missed. Something to talk and tease about later.
Antiques can work the same magic with relatives. You can plan your vactions or summer get-togethers around outdoor shows,or maybe a small roadtrip on the hunt.
Antiques And Feng Shui:
For centuries, the Chinese have followed Feng Shui, the art of arranging objects to promote positive energy in homes and businesses. The philosophy incorporates many principles, but one in particular especially pertains to us collectors.
One of the tenets of Feng Shui is the importance of surrounding ourselves with possessions that bring happiness and harmony. Antiques do this superbly. It doesn’t matter if yours are pedigreed or mixed breeds; the important thing is to pick what you love. Persian carpets, 1900 oak furniture, 1930s Depression glass, Beatles memorabilia, English china, and baseball cards all can work their mystical charm by bringing happiness to their owners.Forgive me for being so upbeat, but if you’re a collector, you understand. Or if you are about to plunge into antiques, then you’ll soon discover why I’m so enthusiastic.
Let me illustrate with a story,a lady vigilantly holding a pink teacup and saucer to be appraised taught me the meaning of Feng Shui. Grasping her treasure was no easy chore, for an illness had gnarled her hands. But her grin reflected her rapture as she chattered to me about her grandmother’s china. Just sharing her joy with me seemed to erase her discomfort.
I can testify from experience that a glance at a beloved heirloom can give you a thrill. Perhaps grandma’s china or a favorite uncle’s chair gives you good vibes. Precious family mementos such as these can keep beloved relatives always in your heart and give you peaceful thoughts during rough times. That’s Feng Shui in action!
Just imagine that while resting in your recently acquired 1900 rocking chair that you sense the happy times the chair has witnessed. The antique’s positive feelings are now yours until it goes on to the next person. And hopefully you will add even more delight to your antique for future generations to enjoy.
Now that you know all the perks antiques bring to our lives, you probably realize why few (if any) portraits of Napoleon ever depicted him smiling.
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