All About Antiques
Popular Guides
- Pewter vs Silver: 3 Simple Ways to Tell the Difference — Quick visual and magnet tests for identifying metal at home.
- Antique Marks & Signatures: Complete Identification Guide — Decode maker marks on silver, porcelain, glass and furniture.
- Best Online Antique Appraisal Sites (2026 Reviews) — Honest comparison of Mearto, WorthPoint and other appraisal services.
- Online Antique Valuation Tools for Collectors — Free digital resources to research and price your antique items.
- Antique Furniture Periods Chart (1600–1940) — Visual timeline of furniture styles with identification pictures.
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Is pewter softer than silver? Mohs hardness comparison
Read more: Is pewter softer than silver? Mohs hardness comparisonThe answer is yes. Pewter is softer than silver, scoring 1.5 on the Mohs scale versus silver’s 2.5-3. Context.
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Meissen marks: real vs fake crossed swords guide
Read more: Meissen marks: real vs fake crossed swords guideGenuine Meissen crossed swords marks have razor-thin, hand-painted strokes. Fakes smudge, print, or misalign. Here’s how to tell them apart fast.
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How to price antiques for resale: a dealer’s framework
Read more: How to price antiques for resale: a dealer’s frameworkPricing antiques for resale means layering comparable sales, condition grades, and market demand into one defensible number. Here’s the dealer framework. Get this wrong and you either leave money on the table or price yourself into a permanent display piece.
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Depression Glass Identification: Patterns, Colors, and Makers
Read more: Depression Glass Identification: Patterns, Colors, and MakersDepression glass identification relies on pattern, color, and maker marks. Produced between roughly 1920 and 1940, these mass-manufactured pressed glass pieces came in iconic colors like pink, green, and amber. Knowing which patterns belong to which makers separates a $5 thrift find from a $200 collector piece.
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Alphabetical list of antique furniture makers’ marks
Read more: Alphabetical list of antique furniture makers’ marksAntique furniture makers’ marks are stamped, branded, or stenciled identifiers that reveal a piece’s maker, period, and origin. Knowing how to read them separates a savvy buy from an expensive mistake. This A–Z guide covers the most recognized marks collectors encounter in the field.
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WorthPoint review: is the subscription worth it for collectors?
Read more: WorthPoint review: is the subscription worth it for collectors?WorthPoint is worth it for serious collectors. Its 800M+ sold-item database beats most free tools for pricing antiques and identifying marks. Whether you haunt estate sales every weekend or deal in silver and porcelain, WorthPoint gives you real sold prices — not wishful asking prices.
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2026 antiques forecast: 10 categories expected to rise in value
Read more: 2026 antiques forecast: 10 categories expected to rise in valueThe antique categories rising in value in 2026 include Arts & Crafts silver, mid-century ceramics, and Georgian furniture. Here’s what smart collectors are watching. Market shifts, generational taste changes, and renewed craft appreciation are driving these gains.
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Sterling silver vs silver plate: 5 ways to spot the difference
Read more: Sterling silver vs silver plate: 5 ways to spot the differenceThe difference between sterling silver and silver plate is in the marks, weight, and wear. Sterling is solid silver alloy through and through. Silver plate is a base metal coated in a thin silver layer — and once you know the five tells, you’ll never confuse them again.
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Antique glass identification marks: a visual dictionary
Read more: Antique glass identification marks: a visual dictionaryAntique glass identification marks reveal maker, era, and origin. Learn pontil scars, mold seams, acid stamps, and embossed codes that serious collectors rely on. Whether you are holding a pressed Sandwich piece or a hand-blown Bohemian vase, the marks on the glass tell the whole story.
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How to date antique furniture by hardware: nails, screws, and hinges
Read more: How to date antique furniture by hardware: nails, screws, and hingesThe fastest way to date antique furniture is by its hardware. Nails, screws, and hinges changed dramatically across centuries, leaving datable clues hiding in plain sight. Once you know what to look for, a single rusty nail can tell you more than a dealer’s label ever will.
