Antiques and collectibles research guide

General Resources

General books about antiques and collectibles can be found in the 745.1s in both the circulating and reference collections.

Magazines can be found in alphabetical order in the periodicals area.

  • Antiques & Collecting magazine. Monthly. (NWL)
    Better coverage of popular collectibles than rare antiques. Articles cover a wide variety of items every month and advertisements can put you in touch with buyers and sellers.
  • Antiques Roadshow Primer by Carol Prisant. 1999. [745.1 PRI]
    Introductions to different types of collectibles provide tips on assessing the age and value of a piece. Helpful inserts called "Old News" list popular collectibles of little commercial value. Access the Antiques Roadshow web site at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow.
  • AskART
    This web site provides an abundance of information about thousands of American artists. You will find biographical information, magazine and newspaper articles, book references and exhibit information. For a subscription fee, even more information is available, including auction prices.
  • The Magazine Antiques. Monthly. (OWL)
    The collector of fine arts and antiques will find informative articles, book reviews and dealer announcements.
  • Miller's Antiques Encyclopedia. 1998. [R 745.1 MIL]
    Each section of this book is an introduction to a different collecting area, such as furniture and textiles, and includes information about manufacture, history, collecting, care and identification.
  • Treasures in Your Attic by Joe L. Rosson. 2001. [745.1 ROS (OWL)]
    Think you might have some valuable collectibles in your home? Treasures in Your Attic tells you where to look and what to look for.
  • Who Was Who in American Art. 1999. [R 709.22 WHO]
    This is one of the most comprehensive resources for information about American artists. It includes biographical information as well as signatures and monograms.

General Price Guides

Bear two things in mind as you use these price guides: 1) People selling to dealers can expect to get prices below market value and 2) A multitude of factors affect actual prices. These sources can only give you a general sense of an item's worth.

  • Ebay
    This auction site can also be used as a price guide. Just click on category headings or enter a term in the search box to find items of interest to you and the prices people are willing to pay for them. You do not have to be a member of Ebay to view prices.
  • Kovels' Antiques and Collectibles Price List by Ralph Kovel and Terry Kovel. Revised annually. [745.1 KOV]
    Written for the average collector, Kovels is one of the more extensive price guides. It lists items in alphabetical order and cites actual asking prices. You can also view prices at http://www.kovels.com, but the site does require registration.
  • Miller's International Antiques Price Guide. Revised annually. [R 745.1075 MIL]
    Collecting from a British point of view. Miller's has more pictures, but fewer entries than other price guides. Values, given in pounds, are estimates based on actual prices.
  • Prices4Antiques (database)
    Prices4Antiques provides price and background information on antiques, collectibles, fine art and historic Americana.
  • Warman's Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide. Revised annually. [745.1 WAR]
    More than a price guide, Warman's provides other important information about the items it lists— bit of history, collectors' clubs, auctions and resources for future research. Values are estimates based on actual prices.

Appraisers

Appraisers are another source you can turn to when trying to get a sense of an item's value. Some professional appraisal organizations maintain lists of members on their web sites. Take a look at the home pages of the American Society of Appraisers and the International Society of Appraisers to find a local professional.

Appraisers can also be found in the Yellow Pages under "Appraisers."

Bear in mind that there are many different kinds of appraisers. Before you consult an individual, make sure she or he has experience with antiques and collectibles.

And don't forget, professionals usually charge a fee for their services.

Specialized Identification & Price Guides

The Library has many price guides to specific antiques and collectibles. Unlike books that cover antiques and collectibles in general, which are in one place (the 745.1s), these specific guides can be found throughout the collection in relevant subject areas. Books about collecting jewelry are with the jewelry books, books about collecting religious memorabilia are with the religion books, etc.

Below, you will find a selection of specialized guides. To find others, ask a librarian for help or check the catalog by entering the subject heading, "[Topic] Collectors and Collecting." For example: Furniture Collectors and Collecting.

It is possible that you may not find an entire book devoted to your particular collectible. When this is the case, look in the indexes of more general books for pages or chapters devoted to your topic.

Books

  • Bookfinder
    What are booksellers actually charging for used books? This metasite allows you to search several online second- hand book databases at once.
  • Official Price Guide to Old Books. [018 OFF (OWL). 2000.] [R 018 OFF (NWL). 1999.]
    Nineteenth and twentieth century books are listed in alphabetical order by author. Values given are estimates based on actual prices.

Coins

  • Standard Catalog of World Coins by Chester L. Krause and Clifford Mischler. Revised annually. [R 737.4 KRA]
    This volume helps the collector identify and evaluate coins minted throughout the world from the beginning of the twentieth century to today. Arranged in alphabetical order by country, values given are based on estimates.

Comic Books

  • Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. Revised annually. [741.5973 OFF]
    Comics are listed in alphabetical order by title, but a "First Appearances" index helps you track down characters. Prices are estimates.

Furniture

  • Warman's American Furniture. 2000. [749.213 WAR]
    Arranged by type of furniture, this guide provides basic background information as well as values, many of which are actual auction prices.

Glass

  • Fenton Glass: The First Twenty-five Years by William Heacock. 1994. Values 1998. [748.2 HEA (OWL)]
    One of a series of titles from Antique Publications that covers Fenton glass. Prices are estimates.

Jewelry

  • Unsigned Beauties of Costume Jewelry by Marcia T. Brown. 2000. [739.27 BRO]
    A survey of rhinestone jewelry of the last 100 years. No attempt is made to profile individual manufacturers, so this title is more helpful as a value than an identification guide.

Pottery

  • Collectors Encyclopedia of Roseville Pottery. First Series by Sharon Huxford and Bob Huxford. 2001. [738.37 HUX (OWL)]
    One of a series of titles from Collector Books about Roseville pottery, this volume reproduces color images of selected lines. Values are estimates.

Sports Cards

  • Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards. Revised annually. [R 769.4979 STA]
    One of the most complete guides to baseball cards. Values given are editors' estimates and are arranged alphabetically by name of card.

Stamps

  • Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue. Revised annually. [R 769.56 SCO]
    A classic, exhaustive guide to postage stamps so widely used that it sets prices as much as it reflects the market. Six volumes cover the countries of the world in alphabetical order (with the exception of the United States, which is in volume one).
  • Scott Stamp Monthly. Monthly.
    Features articles and value updates for the annual catalog.

Toys

  • Schroeder's Collectible Toys Antique to Modern Price Guide. Revised annually. [688.72 SCH]
    Listed alphabetically by category and maker, Schroeder's provides some background information as well as prices based on market values.

Care and Restoration

Books that cover care and restoration in general can be found in the 745.1028s. Books that cover the care and restoration of specific objects can be found throughout the collection in relevant subject areas.

  • Antiques Clinic. 1998. [745.1028 ANT]
    Not a guide for the home restorer, this title gives general guidelines about the proper care of various types of antiques and directs the reader to consult a professional for serious problems.
  • Care and Repair of Everyday Treasures by Judith Miller. 1997. [745.1028 MIL (OWL)]
    Illustrations and step-by-step instructions help the reader undertake antique repairs at home. Furniture, ceramics, textiles, glass, jewelry and metalware are included.
  • Caring for Your Art by Jill Snyder. 2001. [702.8 SNY]
    How to handle, display, photograph, store, transport and document art in various media.
  • Caring for Your Family Treasures by Jane S. Long and Richard W. Long. 2000. [745.1028 LON (OWL)]
    Family memories are often preserved via materials not covered in standard antique care books. This title covers the proper handling of wedding dresses, scrapbooks, photographs, musical instruments and militaria (among other things).
  • Northeast Document Conservation Center
    Look at this nonprofit organization's web site for detailed information about the materials and techniques used to preserve books and paper documents.
  • An Ounce of Preservation by Craig A. Tuttle. 1995. [025.84 TUT (NWL)]
    Advice on preserving, restoring and caring for photographs and papers.
  • Repairing Pottery and Porcelain by Lesley Acton and Paul McAuley. 1996. [738.18 ACT (OWL)]
    Clear instructions and information about materials used to mend broken, chipped and cracked ceramics.

Buying and Selling

General books about buying and selling antiques and collectibles can be found in the 745.102s. Books about online antiquing are in the computer area under the 025.0638s.

If you are trying to find local antique shops, the Yellow Pages remain the best place to look.

  • Adventures at the Auction by Leslie Hindman. 2001. [025.0638 HIN (OWL)]
    Newcomers to the world of auctions will find some helpful advice in this volume—how to find auctions online and off, how to bid, how to sell and generally how it all works.
  • Antiques on the Cheap by James W. McKenzie. 1998. [745.1028 MCK (OWL)]
    Whether you're interested in becoming an antiques dealer or just interested in a good deal, McKenzie provides helpful advice on buying, fixing and selling antiques.
  • Collector's Guide to Online Auctions by Nancy L. Hix. 2000. [025.0638 HIX]
    Ebay is not the only online auction site. Find out about the others (and Ebay too) in this overview.
  • Antique Trader Guide to Fakes and Reproductions by Mark Chervenka. 2003. [702.874 CHE (OWL)]
    Enter the market prepared. Learn how to spot fakes of some of the most collectible antiques—Depression glass, Tiffany, Roseville, Rookwood, Staffordshire and Stickley.
  • Maloney's Antiques and Collectibles Resource Directory by David J. Maloney. 2003. [R 745.1025 MAL]
    An invaluable tool for anyone in the antiques and collectibles market, this title provides contact information for dealers, clubs, magazines, prominent collectors, appraisers and other experts organized by area of interest. An online version of this publication can be found at http://www.maloneysonline.com.
  • Official Directory to U. S. Flea Markets. 2000. [R 381.1 OFF (NWL)]
    Organized by state and then city, entries provide the name of the flea market, a brief description, contact information, location and hours of operation.

revised 9/06