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Antique Boxes – History, Budget, Types & Tips

Many people have a fascination with antique products. They are so aesthetic and contain so much of our history. So, no wonder antique boxes are one of the most popular items among collectors. If you are about to purchase an antique box read this guide first. This in-depth antique box buying guide will help you navigate all the due diligence, various terminology, and the different types of containers available from the different eras. 

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Guide To Buying Antique & Collectable Coins

Investing in antique and collectable coins, (or numismatics as money collecting, coins and notes, is officially called), can be a fun pastime and a good way to invest money. It is more personal than simply buying stock in a commodity, and is something tangible you can enjoy too. 

There are however a few points to keep in mind that may seem obvious but often get overlooked. 

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Antique Ceramics Buying Guide

When you hear the word ceramics, what springs to mind? Is it the vases and figurines from a Grandparent or family friend’s home? Is it a delicate plate or a special mug that comes from a wedding collection or special occasion? Or is it something a little more rustic which builds on the popularity of stoneware and earthenware in the modern ceramics market?

The fact is, the ceramics market covers a wide variety of different decorative and useful pieces – but often, people overlook ceramics as something dainty and old fashioned. This article is designed to introduce the diversity of ceramics, in particular the antique ceramics that grace the windows and display shelves of vintage and antique stores around the UK – and how you can build your own high class collection.

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Victorian Antiques Buying Guide

Victorian style is the name of British fashion, architecture, and the applied arts trends emerged in the second half of the 19th century. Named after Queen Victoria who held the throne from 1837 to 1901, this style is deemed as a balancing act between traditions and reforms. Victorian antiques are as unique as Her Majesty herself. They masterly blend visual aspects of the bygone eras and technological advances.

It is common to divide the Victorian period into three stages:

• Early Victorian period (1837-1851);

• Mid-Victorian period (1851-1875);

• Late Victorian period (1875-1901).

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Rococo Antiques Buying Guide

Rococo antiques are a study in quaintness, intricacy, and chic worthy of royalty. If you are looking for items to become the focal point of your interiors or festive looks, you can fully bank on these bold pieces.

Rococo is a style in interior design, applied arts, painting, sculpture, and architecture that was popular in the mid-18th century. Stemmed from Baroque (it is sometimes called Late Baroque), it differs from it in a more refined, delicate, and sophisticated look.

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Regency Antiques Buying Guide

Regency is the name of a few interior design styles common for different historical eras. All three regency antique styles have sophistication and ostentatious luxury in common. That being said, there are drastic differences between the French, English, and Hollywood versions. From curvy-shaped and lavishly decorated French Regency, through straight-lined English interiors, to playful Hollywood designs, this is our comprehensive guide to divergent styles titled Regency.

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Queen Anne Antiques Buying Guide

Despite a short reign (1702-1714), Queen Anne bestowed her name to a fairly exquisite style of architecture and applied arts. Strictly speaking, the style started taking shape during the reign of Queen Mary and her husband, William III of Orange, and persisted for some time after Anna’s successor, George I, took the throne. Overall, its influence is noticeable throughout the first half of the 18th century.

The Queen Anne style flew across the ocean and had been a dominant force in the American colonies until the beginning of the 1800s. Overall, Queen Anne antiques display a transition from baroque to rococo. While early examples of furniture boast massive shapes, dramatic curves, and decorative details, later designs, especially those of American origin, became lighter, simpler, and more sophisticated.

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Neoclassical Antiques Buying Guide

18th century Europe experienced the so-called Age of Revivals. Styles that shaped the world centuries ago made a comeback. They retained their core features yet developed new ones, which made them catnip for contemporaries. One of the most influential of these revived styles was neoclassicism. Archaeological finds in Italy and Greece stirred interest in Ancient Roman and Greek cultures, and soon their distinctive features entrenched in architecture, interior designs, and works of art. 

The Neoclassical style started its march across Europe at the very beginning of the 18th century, and France was its jumping-off point. French Neoclassicism is also known as the Louis XVI or Louis Seize style. Neoclassical pieces made in Germany and Austria are known as Zopftil, which later evolved into the Biedermeier style. 

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Gothic Antiques Buying Guide

The 19th century saw the so-called period of revivals. Architects, designers, and artists nodded to the cultural heritage of the past. The parade of historical styles included Rococo, the Renaissance, Classicism but medievalism and its inherent Gothic features made, perhaps, the strongest impact. The Gothic Revival (also known as Victorian Gothic or Neo-Gothic) was a dominant force in fashion and interior design for only 30 years (from 1830 to 1860) but it bestowed a multitude of impressive pieces on us. Romantic, eccentric, majestic, Gothic Revival antiques are sought-after by collectors and those looking to add a touch of pizzazz to their interiors.

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Georgian Antiques Buying Guide

Sophisticated, timeless, and luxurious, Georgian antiques are catnip for collectors. With prices showing upward trends and exceeding thousands of pounds, furniture, jewellery, and household items made during the Georgian era are of particular interest to investors. Whether you’re looking for a profitable investment option or a striking accent for your interior, you can’t go wrong with Georgian style antiques.

The Georgian style is the general name for several trends in architecture, art, and design that prevailed in England during the reign of the four kings of the Hanoverian dynasty, from George I to George IV. In total, this period lasted from 1714 to 1830. Naturally, over the course of its natural evolution, the Georgian style underwent numerous stylistic changes. Nevertheless, it managed to keep the main features immutable, namely the harmony and symmetry of forms, simple mathematical relations, pale colour schemes with contrast accents, and elegant decor.

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