by Paul Murphy

Created on: February 20, 2009   Last Updated: March 08, 2009

Collecting antiques and collectibles: Why we do it

Most people come to the world of collecting in many different ways.

I found my-way to collecting by getting pocket watch from my father-in-law

To hand down to his great grandson when he became eighteen.

I went to the library and researched the pocket watch, and found it to be 1800 silver with a Birmingham assay mark, and in fine working order!

My interest

in this little pocket watch, i took the little pocket watch to a valuation at a Auction House to try and find out what value would be handed down to my grandson.

It turns out He is a very very lucky young man.

I have found a new fascinating hobby, and I set about furthering my interest by visiting the library and studying the the subject, and all the indication are to specialise in field of interest.

You guessed it, pocket watches, gold and silver

With gold and silver I Bought a book on gold and silver marks and how to date the Antiques marks

Being very unsure of how to begin I started looking round old jumbles sales in church halls, and car boot sales,This did not give me much Success.

My problem is how to move forward, I did meet someone who advised me what happens at flee markets which I found out is and in between market not quite antiques. very good collect ables and the sellers do not always know what they have on their stalls,

They don't always specialise in their subject, they are there to sell items and are almost certainly open to a fair offer.

What happens when you find and item of interest?

I allow the seller to impress me with his knowledge on the gold pocket watch, then I go visit all the stalls of interest and select items on each stall that I would like to buy.

By the time you get back to the first stall the Item might have been sold, by the end of the mark I came away with two gold pocket watches.

When you have your two antique gold pocket watches, are you going to keep them or get them valued.

I had my valuations and I had to make a decision keep them both or sell one and make my starting capital back, so one watch to the collection and have the capital to do the same again and build a valuable asset for the future.

As you may of guessed, I chose to sell one watch and go and buy other antique watches to build my collection. This is a way I can recommend and it worked for me

Looking back after five years I have a collection of 167 gold pocket watches all different and a very happy collector

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