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"I have these china dishes. They are really old. How much are they worth?"
Dishes, clothing, figurines.whatever the object, I've been asked this question dozens of times. I've walked through garage sales and flea markets and noted countless items marked "old" or "very old". Many people have the idea that, because their item is old, it is valuable. This is not always the case. Many factors play when determining the value of an antique and here are a few of them:

1. Type of item. The value of an antique is constantly affected by the collectors market. Who is buying and what they are buying directly affects the price fetched by antiques for sale. A few years ago, antique porcelain and pottery was flying off shop shelves and fetching book prices at auction. Today, only the choice or rare pieces bring top dollar and the rest sits or sells for much less than the values listed in books. Why? The serious collectors already have the basic pieces and are looking for specific items, while new collectors are few. The category is not trendy right now. Give it a couple of years and a whole new group of collectors could drive the prices right back up. This scenario is very typical in the antiques business and could apply to anything.

2. Condition. An 1870s china doll with all her parts, unbroken, with original clothing, will sell for a lot more than an 1870s china doll with her legs missing and a dress made in the 1980s. Antiques that are intact, still work, and look nice will always bring more money than those that are damaged.

3. Rarity and quality. This ties in to number one above. Grandpa's black straight razor from the Sears Catalog will be worth far less than the pearl handled razor from Germany. If an item was mass produced, more examples of that item are likely to still be around today, so that item is easier for collectors to find. Why pay $20.00 for that item when the next shop has it for $15.00? On the opposite end, collectors who have been looking for that rare tin toy may pay thousands just to own it, since they have been trying for so long to find it. And always remember that junk is junk, no matter the era. Fortunately, most antiques are antiques because they were well made and survived the years.

4. Finally age. The U.S. Government defines an antique as an object that is 100 years old or older. To them, a ratty piece of burlap manufactured in 1907 is an antique. The collectors market is a little more discerning on this, and a little more flexible. Currently, the acceptable guideline in most collectors' circles for labeling an item as antique is manufactured prior to World War II. Some dealers and collectors are not as lenient on this and insist on following the government guideline, so check with the source of your information to know how they define antique. Anything manufactured between World War II and 1960 should be called "vintage", and anything newer than that "collectible". The term vintage is currently creeping into the 1960 to 1980 market on the internet as younger collectors seek their special items. As the government law applies to foreign trade and not U.S. commerce, this topic is definitely a matter of opinion and debate. (There are days my kids call me an antique, and I was manufactured in the 60s.)

The final say on the value of an antique is what is it worth to you? My mother's beat up, taped together composition dolls would not be worth much at an auction, but they are priceless to me. Any item that has sentimental and historical value will be worth something to somebody. That is the main reason the antiques market changes so frequently and why appraisers always estimate value. So what are those china dishes worth? Whatever you are willing to pay for them!

Learn more about this author, Janet Meydam.
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