Kovels’ Top 10 Shopping Tips for Thrift Stores

Kovels Top 10 thrift shopping tips – how to avoid wasting money and get the most out of a thrift store visit.

CLEVELAND, OH, US, August 21, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — The antiques and collectibles experts at Kovels.com as well as fellow collectors know the thrill of the hunt at thrift stores, also called charity shops, hospice shops, second-hand stores, and consignment or resale shops. Vintage clothing, jewelry (watches, earrings, necklaces and brooches), baskets, plates, china, furniture and even artwork all can be found. Shopping smart can reap rewards. Here are Kovels’ Top 10 Tips on how to avoid wasting money and how to get the most out of a thrift store visit.

1. Take along assorted batteries to see if toys work.

2. Take along a tape measure.

3. Watch out for price stickers that might be hiding flaws or chips.

4. Watch out for worms in wooden pieces. The tell-tale sign is tiny pin holes in very old, slightly damp wood. Even antiques lovers don’t want a table with very small, almost transparent worms hatching in their dining rooms.

5. Chipped cut glass is hard to spot. Run a hand over the rim and feel for tiny chips or cracks that follow the indents of the pattern. Pieces can be repaired, but it will add additional cost.

6. Find a pretty paperweight? Watch out for cracks. Millefiori paperweights sell high but are often forged. Find a good one? Don’t keep it on a sunny table; they can start a fire.

7. Check clothing for stains and odors. Sometimes stains may not wash out and stinky rugs will remain stinky.

8. Looking for furniture bargains? Measure before you go shopping. A narrow staircase, low ceiling or sharp turn may turn an indoor table into an outdoor one.

9. Watch out for fake advertising signs, especially those made of tin. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.

10. Feel free to pick up items, but remember, if you break it, you buy it. If children come along, be sure they know the rules: hands behind their backs, ask for help for a closer look, and wait outside if bored.

Bonus tip! Admire items, and you will often get extra nice attention from the dealer, especially if you can show you like antiques and collectibles. If it happens to be a gift for your grandmother, say so!

Terry Kovel is America’s foremost authority on antiques and collectibles. She is the well-known columnist and author of more than 100 books on antiques and collecting. The all-new 53rd edition of Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide will soon be available at Kovels.com and local bookstores. Terry Kovel will discuss antiques and collectibles topics with accredited media. Photographs are available. Contact pr(at)kovels(dot)com.

About Kovels.com
Kovels.com provides collectors and researchers with up-to-date and accurate information on antiques and collectibles. Online since 1998, it offers more than a million prices of antiques and collectibles reviewed and edited by experts for accuracy and a directory of commonly used marks on silver, pottery, and porcelain. The website also has encyclopedic Identification Guides on many types of antiques and collectibles from 1900 to 2000, a step-by-step Downsizing Guide, articles and advice on how to settle an estate and buy or sell at auctions, 60+ Buy and Sell Guides about different types of collectibles with tips on how to make buying and selling more profitable and fun, and hundreds of readers’ questions with Kovels’ expert answers. Kovels.com also has a digital version of “Kovels On Antiques & Collectibles,” the Kovels’ monthly print newsletter, along with 46 years of archived newsletters.

Liz Lillis
Kovels’ Antiques Inc.
+1 216-752-2252
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn