5 things to know before buying olden furniture at a show

A Sotheby's trained, Chicago-based furniture expert and former Chicago antiques dealer will be the highlighted speaker this weekend at the 47th Hinsdale Antiques Show at The Community House in Hinsdale.

Jennifer Litwin will discuss how to assess and buy antique furniture at a high-end show like the Hinsdale one -- or anywhere else. She also will talk about how to choose the right pieces to complement your home.

Litwin is author of the book "Furniture Hot Spots" (Lyons Press, 176 pages, $18.95) in which she gives tips on buying furniture at various venues including auction houses, flea markets, stores and showrooms, as well as antiques markets such as this high-society event. Her second book, "The Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever" (192 pages, $14.95) to be published by House of Collectibles, is due out in October.

Here are her tips for buying antique furniture at a show:

1. Get a list of the dealers who will be at the show before you go. Antiques shows usually have a catalog that lists dealers and their booths. Check on the dealers who will bring the kind of furniture or objects in which you are interested and see if they have a Web site. "People are shopping online before they make an actual purchase as research," she says.

2. If you buy something, take the dealer's business card and make sure you can contact him or her should there be a problem. Without a written warranty, the consumer has no recourse should something go wrong.

3. Negotiate. Usually a dealer will go down 10 percent to 20 percent because he doesn't want to have to transport the piece back across the country. Also, the dealer wants to be able to cover his booth costs (which can be anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000).

4. Check the Web to see if the goods the dealer is selling at the show seem more expensive than the furniture online. This should help you negotiate the best deal.

5. Ask if the dealer can arrange for and assume the shipping or delivery expenses. Some will pay for shipping as a courtesy or as part of the negotiating process. Shipping can add up to 10 percent of the cost of the entire goods. If the piece has been dismantled in order to deliver it, ask if the dealer can put it back together for you as part of the deal.

Want to buy real antique! Things to consider...

Steps

1. 
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   Learn the difference between true antique, near antique and vintage:
   

   • true antique is at least 100 years old according to the majority of antique dealers. This is based on tradition and the customs laws of many countries. However, some societies define antiques as having been made before 1930.
   • near antique is anywhere between 75 to 99 years old
   • vintage means 'of a certain time'. It is the description used for a range of collectibles, and especially those from the 40s, 50s and 60s.
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2. 
3.  Explore your closets, attic, basement and/or storage room. Something that is already under your own roof might just answer one of the descriptions: the linens and silverware Grandma received as a wedding gift, a baby bed that has been used "for ages", the toys your parents played with when they were children... the list goes on. Any of the objects you find could be the first piece of your collection.
4. 
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   Decide:
   

   • Whether you want to keep these valuables or sell them. Either way: have them appraised, to make sure your insurance is adequate, that is, that it covers the value of all your antiques in the event of theft, damage or loss, or, if selling, to make sure you get a good price.
   • What exactly you are looking for:
     
     
     • A certain kind of object such as a sculpture?
     • A piece from a certain artist?
     • Artwork from a certain period, i.e. Art Deco?
   • How much you are willing to spend.
5. 
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   Browse at garage sales. You won't be the first to find a rare object that was dismissed as "junk"... Remember the saying: "One man's trash, is another man's treasure"?
6. 
7.  Visit house auctions. What goes for you goes for anyone: pieces that don't mean anything to other people might be just what you are looking for.
8. 
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   Search the Internet. Famous auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's can be visited online too. You may even find something at eBay.
9. 7
   Attend an auction at an auction house. Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonhams have offices all around the world, probably in your country as well. You will be able to see the pieces more closely before they are auctioned, and make a better decision whether or not you want a particular piece.
10. 
    8
    Bid online or on the telephone. This is called an absentee bid. To bid online, you are required to fill out a form either on paper or online. When your form is processed, you are registered to bid.