Bonanzle offers unusual antiques and collectibles

Collecting antiques can be fun AND profitable. The best collections are started with something that interests you! Visit any antiques store, estate sale, auction, or flea market and you will spot something that intrigues you, often something you remember from childhood. If the price is right, take it home and let the learning begin!

How will you know if the price is right? And how can you be assured of a profit?

At first, you won't. The price is 'right' if it suits you - in other words, is it within your budget, and will you receive your value in enjoyment of the item? If so, take it home and enjoy! It's the only way to begin your education to make future purchases work profitably for you.

As an experienced antiques dealer, my personal rule of thumb when purchasing an intriguing antique, that I know nothing about, is this:

Can I afford to throw it away when I get it home, and find out it's worthless? Of the hundreds of antiques I purchase each year, it does occasionally happen that the item goes straight to the trash after I've learned about it at home.

I'm not the least discouraged by this - it is an expected result of antiquing. No one knows everything about everything, but the more items you handle, the more you will learn. The more you learn, the better your chances are of collecting items that hold their value, and increase in value over time.