The Allure of Antiques: Guide to collecting timeless beauty

Hyderabad: Dictionary defines the word ‘antique’ as a piece of art that was made over a hundred years ago. There are people who have made a hobby out of collecting antiques.

Antique collection could prove to be an expensive but a worthwhile hobby. Antiques are pieces of art from earlier period and are priceless and that’s why they come at a higher cost.

Antique collectors

A wide variety of antique items attract the collectors. Stamps, furniture, jewellery, cars, paintings, clocks, statutes and sculptures; the list is endless.

There are people who collect a certain kind of antique because they find it fascinating. Some collectors want things that are readily available while others collect things that are very hard to find. You may collect antique furniture to furnish your home because it is a wise investment and it looks sophisticated too.

Collecting antiques can be a relaxing hobby. Searching and finding desirable items either in antique stores or on online auction sites can be an enjoyable pastime.

Visiting local flea markets while travelling can be great fun. Some collectors join a collecting club online or in their neighbourhood too.

Period Furniture:

Nothing adds sophistication to your home quite like antique furniture. Well polished old sofas, beds, tables, chairs, bookcases, cupboards, screens and many more wooden pieces add charm and class to any house.

However, care must be taken in apartments to see that large pieces of furniture do not take too much space and end up overwhelming your room. Old leather-bound classic books are priceless and a joy to own and read if stored and displayed well in antique book cases.

Old photographs

Magnificent pieces of black and white photographs and lithographs hold a great attraction for antique collectors.

The antique collections of photographs would have pictures from an old specific era, representing a country’s culture or history. The collection might include beautiful pieces of photography by some well known photographer or would have beautiful images captured of a very early period, highlighting the culture and trends of that time. Black and white photographs add to the beauty. Photographs of your ancestors also tell a lovely tale.

Sculptures and statutes

A beautiful or interesting sculpture or statute strategically placed in the living room can make it a conversation starter. A spotlight directed to it draws the attention of visitors.

If you practice collecting antique sculptures or are interested in it, the best source of information about adding more to your collection would be subscribing to the magazines that are available in the market, providing indispensable information about these antique rare pieces. It is also a great investment.

Old Coins

Coins can be bought online as well in shops that specialise in sales of these. These can be displayed on an antique coffee table under a glass, strategically placed on a dark piece of felt for best effect.

Antique collection of old guns

Antique gun collection as well as collecting vintage cars is becoming more popular day by day.

Guns attract the interest of a lot of people, as it is a symbol of pride and power. Especially when it is an antique gun, it adds to the status and standard of the antique gun possessor as well. If you are new in the field, to be on the safer side spend more time on researching and collecting information and start with relatively small and less expensive antique guns.

Most of these need to be bored so they cannot be fired for safety purposes as otherwise one needs a licence to possess a gun.

Collection of vintage cars and bikes is a time consuming and expensive hobby which is best left to the tycoons of today’s world.

Collecting old clocks, watches and pens unveils past history and unravels the mysteries of time long past. Stamps, postcards and old coins give their collectors immense pleasure and a sense of possession, as do pieces of period furniture, old paintings, lanterns and antique jewellery.

As for those who do not want to spend so much, they can always buy copies at a fraction of the cost of antiques for a unique look.