She only doing what she know… 🏁 #grandnationa She only doing what she know… 🏁 #grandnationaltour #stl
MAY tings… MAY tings…
A rooftop situation is always a good idea! Recentl A rooftop situation is always a good idea! Recently, I was invited to a Happy Hour of bites and beats at @angadartshotel’s @artbar.stl and when I say the food, drinks, and the vibe were necessary during these stressful times. I see another visit soon in my future. Cheers! 🥂
April photo dump. And things of that nature. ✨✨
Are we twinning or nah? 😂😂😂 Are we twinning or nah? 😂😂😂
4/10 should be declared a national holiday because 4/10 should be declared a national holiday because on this day a king was born! Happy birthday, son. Love you more than words can say! 🎉🎉🎉
May we continue to have crazy/fun adventures toget May we continue to have crazy/fun adventures together. You deserve an overflow of serendipity, and all the joy I can provide. Still celebrating—Happy Birthday, Mommy! 🎉🎉🎉
Worked hard all week so we deserved a little treat Worked hard all week so we deserved a little treat. ✌🏾
My novel ‘A Clermont Lane Wedding’ is certainl My novel ‘A Clermont Lane Wedding’ is certainly not biographical, but there are traces of my life all up and down this book (hint hint). It’s a perfect Spring Break read!

It’s got romance, intrigue, a little mystery, and a family legacy on the line. On sale on Amazon, eBooks and paperback, link in bio.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Legal
  • Contact
  • Media Kit
  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Media Kit

The Cubicle Chick

Career | Midlife | Style

  • Home
  • Career
  • Style
  • Family
  • Travel
  • Culture

Contributors, Cubicle Life, DIY, Featured, Tips, Travel & Lifestyle · February 20, 2013

Fab Thirfting: How to Shop for Antique and Vintage Items Like a Pro


Written By: DIY & Craft Contributor, Katie Femia

How to Shop for Antique & Vintage Items Like a ProHave you seen the television show American Pickers? Or perhaps you are a Pawn Star fan? Seeing all of these people turn their trash into treasure might have you wondering if you could do the same. After all, would you love to find out that the knick knack you bought at a thrift shop for $1.00 was really worth $100? I know I would!

The truth is, when you know what to look for, finding the treasure in the trash is really quite simple! The secret is knowing where to look, and what to look for. Once you have mastered that, you will find that there is a treasure trove in antiques and vintage items! Antique and vintage items have never been more popular, with shows such as Antiques Roadshow, channels such as HGTV, and other shows and networks cashing in on the vintage inspired craze, now is the time for you too to jump on the bandwagon.

Interested? Here are five tips to get you started!

1. Know where to shop:

You can’t buy vintage or antique items if you don’t know where to find them, right? First, check your local newspaper for auctions in your area as well as garage sales and estate sales. These are a great place to find vintage items that have not been picked over yet! These types of sales will typically run 1-3 days, so you will want to get there early for the best selection. The last day is often half off day, so if there was an item you were debating you might want to check back on this day. Thrift stores are also a treasure trove of vintage items as well as consignment shops, and many of them offer student or senior discounts. If you are comfortable doing so, ask when they restock their shelves so you can be there when fresh merchandise comes out. Last but not least, hot items are still turning up on ebay.com and Craigslist.com if you want to shop for vintage items from the comfort of your home. This can be a bit tricky since you are often buying items sight unseen, so be sure to read descriptions well and check seller feedback.

2. Know what speaks to you:

What appeals to you? Vintage clothing? Pottery? Old books? Statues? Vintage linens? Furniture? It is typically easiest if you pick a category or two and stick to it. This way, you can learn as much as you can about it and really develop a keen eye. Once you have mastered a category, pick another! You might find yourself attracted to a certain look or time period. Soak it in! It will be easiest to learn about items that have some sort of natural appeal to you, so focus on that to keep it fun and interesting! It is fun to find a diamond in the rough, but really fun to find an item that speaks to you!

SprintPhoto_bbal4g

3. Learn how to read labels:

Knowing how to read labels and markings on vintage items in key. Most antique and vintage items will be marked in some way. Pottery, china, glassware, and ceramics are usually stamped on the bottom. Items marked Japan, Austria, France, are typically old. Anything marked China or Hong Kong are new and not antique or vintage! Look for dates, patent numbers, or maker’s signatures to help you identify an item. Old books will have early copyright dates and be first printings, paintings are often signed and dated, pottery stamped, etc. When looking at vintage jewelry check for artist signatures and markings to see if it is sterling or real gold. Such markings can really determine treasure from trash. Always look for these marks and research them to know exactly what you have found.

4. Check for damage:

Nothing will hurt the value of an item quicker than damage! Before purchasing any vintage piece, check it over well. Carry a magnifying glass with you if you need. Look for cracks, chips, repairs, holes, stains, missing parts, missing pages, etc. Even if an item is repaired, if it has been damaged previously then the value is depreciated. While it is hard to find such old items in mint condition, you can still find them in fair shape. Check items over well for any flaws, and pass them up if the price does not match the condition. You want your purchase to be an investment, and the best way to do this is buy items in great shape.

Now, the one time it is ok to ignore this rule is if you are upcycling a piece of furniture. If your whole intent is to find an old piece for cheap and give it a new look, damage can be overlooked. For example, this old chair was a steal at $5.00, but it did have extensive scratching and cushion stains. Since I was painting and recovering it anyways, none of that mattered. In its current state, it was not worth $5.00. But for revamping, it was the perfect piece at the perfect price! The final results turned out pretty cute.

SprintPhoto_bb2ixe

5. Learn to Negotiate:

Part of buying vintage items is getting a great deal, so don’t be afraid to negotiate. Most sellers, whether it be at flea market, yard sale, estate sale, or even antique shop will take less on an item. The trick is, ask nicely and offer to pay cash. Sellers won’t be so anxious to give you a deal if you insult their merchandise and point out the flaws. Make an offer of 10-15% less than the asking price and offer to pay cash. If you are buying an assortment of items, ask for a discount for buying bulk. It never hurts. While most thrift stores have firm prices, ask them what days they run discounts or student/senior sales and take advantage of those offers!

So what exactly can you find on your adventures? Well all sorts of things! If you are looking for retro furniture, record albums, vintage clothing, gorgeous glassware, or even old books, these places can have what you are looking for and at a great price! It is never a bad idea to research your item and find current selling prices on eBay to get an idea of what it might be worth.

On one of my latest trips, I found a few pieces of beautiful antique silverware in a bin. All silverware was marked .19 cents each. When I checked for markings, I found it was marked sterling and they had the company name on them as well! I was able to find out more about this company and identify the pattern online, and it turns out my .19 cent silverware was worth about $40.00 per piece! Now that was a great find!

photo(212)

photo(213)

Another great find was an old fur coat, with the asking price of $30.00. I checked it over well for damage and it seemed in good shape. I also checked the tags and found it to be a Christian Dior piece! After some online research I found the coat carried a value of $200.00. Another great find!

photo(217)

photo(219)

Not all finds are good ones. In fact I have encountered some real doozies in the past. But the hunt sure is fun. So get out there and see what treasures you can dig up! You just might be surprised at what awaits you! Good luck!

 Photo credit: Katie Femia

 


Related Posts

  • Check Out My Interview on Operation Cubicle Podcast

    Recently, I was interviewed by Agent Jackson on his Operation Cubicle Podcast. I would love…

  • Introducing New Travel Lifestyle Site, AroundTheWorldInPink.com #TravelTuesday

    Alongside my partner, fellow blogger Raijean from SwaRai.com, we came up with AroundTheWorldInPink.com, a Girls'…

  • Fab Beauty: Holiday Inspired Nails & DIY Nail Design Tips

    With the influx of the holiday season brings a little bit of the holiday magic…

In: Contributors, Cubicle Life, DIY, Featured, Tips, Travel & Lifestyle · Tagged: antiques, Katie Femia, shopping, thrifting, Tips, vintage, vintage shopping

join the cube

You’ll Also Love

Do you not like coffee because you find it bland and boring? Here's how to make a not so boring cup of coffee, and it might make you a java fan.How To Make a Not So Boring Cup of Coffee
Stress Free Tips for Moving Into Your First Home
New Season of my Work It Podcast: Being Totally Transparent

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Next Post >

National Day of Unplugging is 3/1: Can You Spend a Day Offline?

Advertisement


Hi there! I'm Danyelle Little, a St. Louis blogger, mom & and empty-nester. This site is for those of you who like to get the best out of both worlds-personally and professionally. Learn more about me HERE!

Buy My New Holiday Novel

join the cube

Recent Posts

  • The Nurse Practitioner’s Guide to Building an IV Therapy Brand
  • Career Options in Medicine: Exploring PA and MD Pathways
  • Planning a Vacation to Orlando: The Best Places to Shop and Explore
  • Seattle Round Trip: Elliott Bay, Hawaii, Alaska and More
  • Letter To My Daughter As She Turns 21: The World Is Yours

The Cube on Facebook

Checkout my NEW podcast

Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Google Podcasts

Affiliate

Perdue Farms Special Offer

View the blog

instagram

Follow @thecubiclechick

She only doing what she know… 🏁 #grandnationa She only doing what she know… 🏁 #grandnationaltour #stl
MAY tings… MAY tings…
A rooftop situation is always a good idea! Recentl A rooftop situation is always a good idea! Recently, I was invited to a Happy Hour of bites and beats at @angadartshotel’s @artbar.stl and when I say the food, drinks, and the vibe were necessary during these stressful times. I see another visit soon in my future. Cheers! 🥂
April photo dump. And things of that nature. ✨✨
Are we twinning or nah? 😂😂😂 Are we twinning or nah? 😂😂😂
4/10 should be declared a national holiday because 4/10 should be declared a national holiday because on this day a king was born! Happy birthday, son. Love you more than words can say! 🎉🎉🎉
May we continue to have crazy/fun adventures toget May we continue to have crazy/fun adventures together. You deserve an overflow of serendipity, and all the joy I can provide. Still celebrating—Happy Birthday, Mommy! 🎉🎉🎉
Worked hard all week so we deserved a little treat Worked hard all week so we deserved a little treat. ✌🏾
My novel ‘A Clermont Lane Wedding’ is certainl My novel ‘A Clermont Lane Wedding’ is certainly not biographical, but there are traces of my life all up and down this book (hint hint). It’s a perfect Spring Break read!

It’s got romance, intrigue, a little mystery, and a family legacy on the line. On sale on Amazon, eBooks and paperback, link in bio.
The miracle of being a WOMAN. A life giver. A soul The miracle of being a WOMAN. A life giver. A soul nurturer. A blessing. ✨
Follow on Instagram

Work With Me

  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Media Kit

join the cube

Site Info

  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal
  • Site Disclosure

Copyright © 2025 The Cubicle Chick · Theme by 17th Avenue