Even today antique ceramics and porcelain are popular with customers. Look for names like Royal Dalton, Wedgwood and Delft for real value. Companies that exported China to the US are from England and China. Stoneware or antique pottery made in the United State has different patterns and companies depending on the regions of the US. It is often called yellowware, redware, stoneware or pottery.

Jewelry is still popular as a collectible at antique markets. Look for real gold and silver with genuine stone when buying for value. Watches and clocks are something to think about. Look for pocket watches, mantle clocks made by manufactures like Seth Thomas, Rolex, and Gilbert’s.

Popular trendy collectibles are antique toys made of metal that wind up. Some manufacturers make metal or battery operated robots that perform different task. Advertising signs, tins, boxes and products always are popular with the avid collector. Antique and modern dolls has a place in many women’s homes.

Hunting for antiques is like a sport, it takes skill, the more you study and practice, the better at it you will become. The joy that comes from finding just the right piece to complete or even begin a collection becomes almost addicting. After a while, it becomes second nature to be on the prowl anywhere you go.

Remember that it all begins with confidence. If you don’t feel confident, fake it. Pretty soon if you fake it enough, even you will come to believe and feel that you really do possess that confidence. Do not be too anxious to make a purchase. Think about it, bargain with the seller. If you are too anxious, you will never get a good deal. Above all, have fun, antique hunting is thrilling, fun and rewarding.

Shopping for antiques in a thrift store is an excellent way of getting a new piece that someone else might not have realized was so valuable. There is also a good chance that you can get it at a heavy discount, since the thrift store might not even know that it’s something special. Aside from shopping at estate auctions, this is the best way to acquire new treasures, hands down. Estate auctions are also great places because while you might end up being in a bidding war with other people over some items, there are often many other great items which your fellow bidders may neglect to see the beauty of and you can snatch them for almost nothing.

Metal: Items made from metal, whether they’re lamps or picture frames, are usually worth holding onto. Their value doesn’t decline and even if they don’t turn out to have much historical worth they’ll hold up and you can eventually pass them down.

Pictures: Isn’t it that you always hear about people striking pay dirt when they buy a Picasso at a garage sale? If you’re unsure, buy it anyway but only buy something you’d actually want to keep and display in your house!

China: China holds its value well and it’s really functional if it doesn’t end up being worth much. It’s often the easiest to trace, too, since most china makers have engraved logos and special watermarks that they use to set their pieces apart.