We researched the best books on antiques and collectibles, looking for accuracy, readability, and affordability. Our top selection, Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide 2022, was written by a widely acclaimed expert mother-daughter collector team, is easy to understand, and is easily accessible and available at a great price. Here are the best books on antiques and collectibles: Readers can look forward to the highlights and history of pieces not only from high-end UK sources as found in most guides, but many from international, American, and other origins as well. Considered a trusted must-have reference book for any serious collector, this guide helps you prepare for the next antique venue or event, be it a yard sale, shop, or estate sale, with wisdom. Readers will learn how to place the proper value on a vast assortment of pieces. Sections on specific collectibles share tips on appraisal and what makes certain items more valuable than others. An excellent general guide on the subject, this book is most useful for collectors with broad interests. Written by a seasoned collector with experience collecting miniatures, wooden boxes, journals, and more, this book is a reliable source of information and guidance. Within its pages are instructions on how to differentiate between fakes and original pieces, as well as tips on purchasing and sales, cleaning collectibles, and the first steps of building a collection. Current prices are posted for not only the U.S. but also Canada and all of the United Nations. There is a handy guide inside for the grading of various coins, as well as identifying them. History backs up this well-known publication, as it has been in print since 1935. These marks, once authenticated, can help identify pieces and assess their history, including date of origin. Conveniently made in a pocket size for bringing along to the antique shop or estate sale, this guide is an excellent reference for over 6,000 different types of marks. With over 100,000 entries included, you’re sure to find anything you’re looking for, no matter how rare, as long as it was released in Britain during or after 1950. Readers will learn what kind of prices to expect if they ever decide to sell their vinyl. All record sizes are considered in the guide as well. With features on rare, federal, colonial, commemorative, bullion, and numerous other coins, this guide is remarkably thorough. Being the 79th edition of the Official Blue Book handbook, it consists of updates on everything from prices to images. Collectors are likely to appreciate having this book on hand before buying or selling. No matter if you’re buying or selling, this guide has up-to-date prices on jukeboxes dating back to 1928. Additionally, readers will find an abundance of historical information and analysis to lead you to the right item or buyer. Images in black and white show the features of each jukebox with a tinge of antiquity in keeping with the historical theme of the book. With chapters on understanding values, Prewar, Postwar, and the modern era, Club Cars, and more, collectors are likely to find what they’re looking for. Readers will find a well-designed resource with a readable format and accurate, up-to-date information. Over 5,000 color photos accompany detailed explanations of each piece for highly informative descriptions. Readers can also look forward to special sub-sections on several of the most popular antiques of the day and how to value them, as well as bonus sections about the designers who first created the pieces and the original factories that turned them out.
Readability
It’s also important to find a guide that is written at your level of understanding. With a huge range of collectors, from novice to highly experienced, there are also guides written for various expert levels. Flip through the pages and make sure you understand the vocabulary used before you purchase any book. The best option would be a book written for both beginner and experienced collectors.
Portability
Collectors often take their reference guides with them when frequenting auctions, estate sales, or antique shops. Some reference books come in a size that’s small enough to stash in your bag or pocket.
Why Trust The Spruce Crafts?
KJ Callihan is a writer for The Spruce and has also created shopping, gift, and activity guides for sites like AAA Northeast magazine, CNET, Knoji, and Oh My Veggies. She puts hours of research into making sure her guides provide the best products and information available. For this guide, she examined numerous items to select the highest quality options. She also consulted Tammy Janetzke, co-owner of the Unique Finds Fine Antiques and Cool Stuff Antique Shop, for expert guidance on antiques and collectibles. She co-owns the store with Julie Sangster, who is also an expert on the subject. Janetzke finds that her experience helps her determine by the look and feel of an antique whether it has value. While she notes that some people are good at falsifying things, she’s learned how to tell by observing the details. “Check to see whether the lace on an item is hand done, or if the glass has a finer or heavier cut,” she says. “Also, try investigating the age of the wood used or the weight of the item to give you clues about its value,” she says. Janetzke also carries a blacklight flashlight on her keychain, as do many antique collectors, so she can authenticate true uranium glass from fake. She says if it’s real uranium glass, it’s either green or yellow, and a blacklight should make it glow in a darkened room. Comic books, collector cards, old dolls, vinyl records, U.S. coins, and stamps are also considered to be hot sellers in the antique realm right now.
