Is the piece rare?
When trying to spot antique, you should determine whether the item you have collected is rare or not. If the product is only owned by very few people, then odds are you have somewhere to get started. More often than not, antiques are objects that were only produced in small quantities because probably only the royalty or the superrich could afford them.
Does the piece have an atypical style?
If the item is from an artist or manufacturer that designed other products or works, but this piece is certainly less common or has an atypical style, then chances are that item is antique and is more valuable. Probable reasons why you may find collectible manufactured products or artworks include: a certain style or manufacture style is no longer in use or the materials required for the design of that particular style became scarce and new techniques and styles had to be found. This makes the previous versions of the items scarce and more desirable.
Are there any handmade signs
For general items, you need to examine the item more closely, including its design or construction. If possible, make sure that you classify the item so you can simplify your search. Try to establish whether a particular item is handmade. Signs, such as hand stitches, marks/scratches from hand tools or a slight lack of proportion, may show that the item was designed by a person rather than a machine. Although only a few items are still handmade nowadays, this can show that an item is antique.
Is the item signed?
If the piece is signed or contains a seal or special identification mark of the producer or artist, that definitely enhances its scarcity. Something that certainly looks unique is a genuine object, furniture item, or a rare painting. Some products that became excellent sellers and highly sought-after in different market segments were designed from cheaper materials to resemble the more expensive types. While these substandard material products might also be antiques, the originals will definitely be more valuable and more durable as well.
Do Research
You can identify future antiques by researching online product reviews, reading magazines and assessing style catalogues. You can also spot antiques by visiting exhibitions and fairs featuring new items. Add products created by prominent artists to your collection. You can also visit local museums to determine the products that are most likely to be valuable in the future. There are many resources available, both online and offline, which you can use to spot the various types of antiques. If you are struggling to identify an object, then you could use local appraisers, local dealers, and antique manuals from your local library or websites such as Jason’s Junk. Some of these resources have a lot of information and photos of the various types of items. You can narrow down your options by brand or category in order to identify an object correctly.