Financial Independence Through Junk
Google for Antiques Research
Researching your Collectibles and Antiques
I've been kickin around Antique Shops and Auctions a long time now, read up on the Price Guides for FUN, faithfully follow Antiques Road Show, and I still know nothing about much of anything!
So how do you go about getting information about an item you have no clue about? How can you find it's value, it's history?In the Olden Days, I would go through 30 Price Guides, ask my Store Mates, Ask anyone who might have an Idea.
Today we have Google! We also have thousands of Experts who are happy to share the knowledge they have with anyone who can find them!
Lets face it there are some items you may never Identify, they carry no Makers Marks, no pattern, and many times no indication as to what it even is!
1st thing of course is there a MAKERS MARK? TradeMark? Copy Right? Or even better a Patent Number or Pat.Pen. Date.
Google has a Patent Number Look Up! YES I KNOW WOW! I JUST FOUND IT! Put your Number in and bingo all the Info that's fit to print on that item!
http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en
Many times you just can't tell what a who a Makers Mark is. You have a symbol, some initials, a few numbers, some chicken scratches.
I'm putting a list of Research Links together, so you wont have to look as hard as I did! LOL
But there are many sites that have archived Hundreds of thousands of Makers Marks, from Dinnerware and Pottery, to Silver Smiths. Sometimes it takes a while to find the mark you need, it's really a HUNT, but I can guide you in the right direction... I hope. Google is a wonderful resource.
Don't forget that Google will let you Search Images too.
So if you know you have a Roseville Vase but not sure what pattern Google up Roseville Vase in the Image Search and Look until you find your pattern then click the image, go to the site and see if more information is available. Umm yes it takes time, sometimes a lot of time, but you learn a lot too!
This is why it's important to Web Sellers with blogs, to give each Image used a Name and Tag them well! I found Auctionwally using Google Image Search! Wasn't even looking for Wally, but a Picture he had( and Named right )was close to what I was looking for, and clicked the Picture and the rest is Antique History!
1 Photo with information that Google could use helped me Find this WEBSITE!
Can't find what your looking for using the keywords you have been using? Try mixing them up. change the order of words, try similar words, Sometimes, you have to "Drill Down" to the info you need.
Example: Brooks cameo
Brook came looking for information on her Beautiful Cameo. Knowing absolutely nothing about cameos, it was a challenge for me.
1st I Googled "cameos" one of the 1st sites was About dot Com. Not much help but they did have other links to other sites and those where helpful!
I wanted to find out about Flapper Girl cameos and Smokers to boot. I Googled Image Searched "Flapper Girl Cameo" Thousands of Images came up and I looked and looked and looked... then I noticed that many of the images came from the same site, I learned a TON about Cameos, met a World Renown Expert on cameos. Before too long I could make some better calls about Brooks Cameo. pleased to say I was right on about it.... and it lead me to find 2 more friends I've met on line, a Book, and a never ending love of Cameos!
MORE Later
PickerBrad
I've been kickin around Antique Shops and Auctions a long time now, read up on the Price Guides for FUN, faithfully follow Antiques Road Show, and I still know nothing about much of anything!
So how do you go about getting information about an item you have no clue about? How can you find it's value, it's history?In the Olden Days, I would go through 30 Price Guides, ask my Store Mates, Ask anyone who might have an Idea.
Today we have Google! We also have thousands of Experts who are happy to share the knowledge they have with anyone who can find them!
Lets face it there are some items you may never Identify, they carry no Makers Marks, no pattern, and many times no indication as to what it even is!
1st thing of course is there a MAKERS MARK? TradeMark? Copy Right? Or even better a Patent Number or Pat.Pen. Date.
Google has a Patent Number Look Up! YES I KNOW WOW! I JUST FOUND IT! Put your Number in and bingo all the Info that's fit to print on that item!
http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en
Many times you just can't tell what a who a Makers Mark is. You have a symbol, some initials, a few numbers, some chicken scratches.
I'm putting a list of Research Links together, so you wont have to look as hard as I did! LOL
But there are many sites that have archived Hundreds of thousands of Makers Marks, from Dinnerware and Pottery, to Silver Smiths. Sometimes it takes a while to find the mark you need, it's really a HUNT, but I can guide you in the right direction... I hope. Google is a wonderful resource.
Don't forget that Google will let you Search Images too.
So if you know you have a Roseville Vase but not sure what pattern Google up Roseville Vase in the Image Search and Look until you find your pattern then click the image, go to the site and see if more information is available. Umm yes it takes time, sometimes a lot of time, but you learn a lot too!
This is why it's important to Web Sellers with blogs, to give each Image used a Name and Tag them well! I found Auctionwally using Google Image Search! Wasn't even looking for Wally, but a Picture he had( and Named right )was close to what I was looking for, and clicked the Picture and the rest is Antique History!
1 Photo with information that Google could use helped me Find this WEBSITE!
Can't find what your looking for using the keywords you have been using? Try mixing them up. change the order of words, try similar words, Sometimes, you have to "Drill Down" to the info you need.
Example: Brooks cameo
Brook came looking for information on her Beautiful Cameo. Knowing absolutely nothing about cameos, it was a challenge for me.
1st I Googled "cameos" one of the 1st sites was About dot Com. Not much help but they did have other links to other sites and those where helpful!
I wanted to find out about Flapper Girl cameos and Smokers to boot. I Googled Image Searched "Flapper Girl Cameo" Thousands of Images came up and I looked and looked and looked... then I noticed that many of the images came from the same site, I learned a TON about Cameos, met a World Renown Expert on cameos. Before too long I could make some better calls about Brooks Cameo. pleased to say I was right on about it.... and it lead me to find 2 more friends I've met on line, a Book, and a never ending love of Cameos!
MORE Later
PickerBrad
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