Collecting Antique Furniture

Whether you're interested in it as a hobby or for decorating your own house, collecting antique furniture can be a very rewarding experience. You can start collecting antiques at your local antique stores, online at specialty antique retailers and also at estate sales. When collecting antiques, it is better to build a focused collection rather than a smattering of everything. For example, a collection of only Victorian antiques will become more valuable over time than a collection which has a little of Victorian, a bit of William and Mary, and some Georgian or Federal.

Collecting Rare Books

You can collect books that are your personal favourites. But seasoned book collectors tend to build a collection of limited edition books, first editions, signed copies, manuscripts or ancient books. You could also build a huge collection of books written by the same author(s). You can dig up some of these treasures in your local bookstore or if your library hosts a book sale but these days, the best sources for rare books are online retailers.

No matter what you collect, it is important to add to your collection continually and preserve it carefully. Get in touch with collectors who have interests similar to yours. This will help you learn more and even swap items if needed.