How to Buy or Sell — Trunks

Nineteenth-century trunks sell to people who want to use them as tables or toy chests. All kinds sell—humpback, flat, leather-covered, or wooden. In bad condition, the price is low, but since many people want to restore the trunk as a do-it-yourself project, almost any trunk sells. In the 1990s old alligator doctor bags, twentieth-century hard-sided […]

How to Buy or Sell — Textiles

The women’s movement in the 1960s and 1970s sparked an interest in the craft work of women from past centuries. That seems to have started the amazing rise in the price of old quilts, woven coverlets, samplers, and other examples of feminine handiwork from the past. The “country” decorating magazines added to the interest, and […]

How to Buy or Sell — Rugs

Everyone knows that oriental rugs have value, but it is almost impossible to determine the value unless you are a rug expert. If you inherit a large, old oriental, have it appraised by a rug dealer or sold through an auction gallery. Never ask a rug dealer to “make an offer.” If you were in […]

How to Buy or Sell — Clothing and Accessories

There are old clothes and there are vintage clothes. Styles change so quickly, that today, clothes 10 years old or more can be considered vintage. Anything that is wearable, in good condition, with no permanent stains or damaged fabric can be sold. The silly hats of the 1940s, the bowling shirts and Hawaiian prints of […]