Antique Vases

Collecting Antique Vases

As with any hobby, collecting a particular item takes a little research. The last thing you want to do is begin collecting vases, especially expensive ones, without knowing what you are buying. As in any antique business, there are unscrupulous Antique Dealers who charge high prices for reproductions. There are several things any newbie collector should do before they start spending their hard earned money:

1. Know the collectible by purchasing or borrowing from the library, collector and price guides on the subject.
2. Be wary of purchasing items sight unseen. If you do make a purchase this way, make sure the merchant has a clearly stated return policy in writing.
3. Insist on insurance for any item that will be shipped to you. Breakables, such as antique vases, absolutely have to be insured when being sent through the mail.
4. Shop with a person who knows a lot about the item you are collecting to ensure your first purchases are genuine ones.

If you don't have someone to shop with you, bring your price guides or collector's guides along. This makes it easy to check maker's marks as well as knowing the colors an item actually comes in.

Lady Head Vases

Lady head vases are relatively inexpensive antique vases for collectors. They can be found in almost any antique store and they come in many different sizes. To be sure, your grandmother probably had one displayed on a shelf in her home, as they were very popular during the 1940's through the early 1960's. The lady head vases are also still being made, so if you are serious about collecting antique vases, read up on this hobby using lady head vase collector price guides available at most retail book stores. You can find these antique vases at various places including:

• Flea markets
• eBay
• Antique stores
• Garage sales
• Chrissy's Head Vase Heaven

Fostoria Bud Vases

Fostoria bud vases are usually found in antique stores, due to their age and delicate condition as Depression Era glassware. The most popular bud vases in the Fostoria collection are the American and Colonial styles. These vases come in many colors from the typical light green of Depression glassware to a wide array of pastels. Fostoria bud vases are also available in a wide variety of sizes. There are many price guides on Fostoria Glass, from full-line catalogs in paperback to several guides in hardcover. If you aren't familiar with this line of glassware, opt for a color hardback price guide to correctly identify them. Websites that cater to Fostoria antique vase collectors include:

• Fostoria Collectors
• Milbra's Crystal
• Mother Druckers Fostoria Glassware
• Centennial Antiques

Oriental Vases

If your tastes run on the expensive side, there are always beautiful Oriental vases, including those from the Ming, Qing and Song Dynasties. These extremely valuable vases are difficult to find, mainly because the owners are unwilling to part with such beautiful items. Before purchasing any item as pricey as fine Oriental porcelain, you should do your homework and at the very least, make sure the appraisal on the item is from a trusted specialist. There are many books on the subject of Oriental antique vases. Favorite books on the subject that can be purchased at most new and used bookstores include:

• Porcelain In Palaces by John Ayers
• Marks and Monograms on European and Oriental Pottery and Porcelain by William Chaffers
• Painting on Porcelain: Oriental Designs by Annick Perret

If you prefer doing your research online, consult Gotheberg.com, it is the definitive antique Chinese porcelain collector site run by Jan-Erik Nilsson.

Conclusion

As with any hobby, learn everything you can about the item you are collecting before you spend a dime. Price guides, collector's guides and clubs can help you identify the real thing from fakes and reproductions. A small investment in these guides can literally save you hundreds of dollars in erroneous purchases.

Be wary of shopping for antiques online. It is difficult to discern color and irregularities such as cracks and chips from an online photo. If you do purchase something online, insist on insurance or walk away from the sale. It is not unheard of to have a seller ship a broken item on purpose, especially if they have a "no returns accepted" policy.

Finally, make your shopping more productive and fun with a friend that is familiar with your hobby. They can help you spot fakes, as well as help you find good deals.