Welcome to Antiques Research Guide (Updated for 2023!)
You’ll find plenty of information here to learn how to research your antiques and collectibles and to help you identify, value, insure and price your items to sell. Learn how to value antiques here!
It’s difficult to sift through the billions of pages on the Internet to find information on something that you’ve picked up at a garage sale, thrift store, auction, estate sale or an item that you’ve inherited, we’ve created this free informational site to help you on your quest.
Many hours of work went into putting together this information, if you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.
Quick TIP: Antiques can sometimes be found in self storage rental auctions for much cheaper than you would pay elsewhere. However, you will not be able to inspect the item before bidding, so be sure to buy with caution!
Get started researching your items here —
- Using Google & Other Search Engines To Research Your Items – Learn some great tips for finding and pricing your items using the power of Google!
- Using eBay To Research Your Items – eBay can be valuable in your research, but you need to know how to use it!
- Using Specialty Search Engines – There are specialized search engines that can help you immensely!
- Researching Art – Have an oil painting, watercolor, etching or sculpture? You need these tools!
- The Best Antiques & Collectibles Books – Our recommended books, just updated with 2014 and 2015 guides! We’ve just updated this page with all the new versions of books available!
- More Antiques Resources – Many other online resources to help you in your journey.
- Online Appraisals – If all else fails, try having someone else do the research for you.
- Find Professional Appraisers – A professional appraiser can be invaluable, especially if you need a value for insurance purposes.