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Ad Rates / Articles / Classified Ads / Editorial / Home / Links / Showtime   Antiques guide author gives interview at her clinic    List Jessamy Johnson Next   The Internet has changed antique dealing forever   By Jessamy Johnson The emergence of the Internet, along with quality online photography, have changed the face of buying and selling antiques forever, says Judith Miller of Miller's Antiques Handbook and Price Guide.   Judith, a regular on BBC's Roadshow Antiques, had a lot to say during an interview after hosting an identification clinic at Cynthia Findlay's Toronto Antiques on King in October.   The clinic coincided with the release of the latest edition of her guide, Antiques Handbook & Price Guide (2012-2013).   There was a steady stream of clients throughout the morning clinic, but between gaps, Judith and I chatted about how she had started in the antiques world, the changes she has seen over the years and what is hot and what is not.   Judith is an avid collector - she jokes that her husband makes her promise every time she leaves the house ‘not to bring back one more single chair’.   Her main area of collecting is ceramics, but she will hone in on anything she thinks is beautiful or interesting.   Judith started collecting when she was little and it is the history of a piece that has always appealed to her: when was it made, who used it, what was it used for. This passion grew and by the time she was at Edinburgh University in Scotland in the 1960s, she was hooked.   Fortunately, her passion for antiques and collectibles led to a career in publishing and journalism. In 1979, she co-founded the international best-seller Miller’s Antiques Price Guide and has since written more than 100 books.   Judith appears regularly on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, which attracts six million viewers in the UK alone and is syndicated throughout the world.   Doing the Roadshow is an absolute joy as she has the opportunity to meet so many other collectors and sees so many beautiful and interesting objects, Judith said during the interview.   So what are the greatest changes in the antiques and collectibles world she has seen over the years?   She says without a doubt, it is the emergence of the Internet and the use of the web as a sales office. The quality of pictures on the web has improved so dramatically that collectors can have a good idea of what they are buying.   With today’s youth completely computer-literate (and the oldies are not faring too badly either) and want to buy online, the growth in Internet sales can only continue.   As a result, many dealers have gone online themselves. Not only do they use shop premises, but they will also have websites where they can showcase their treasures and give the collector an idea of what is available.   However, buyer beware.   The condition of a piece is paramount to its value and that cannot always be assessed online. Also, watch out for the modern piece. You could end up buying an object that looks old, but was in fact produced fairly recently.   Manufacturers such as Lalique currently produce pieces that were first made decades ago, and this will not be evident until you actually see your purchase.   Judith moves regularly between Canada and the United Kingdom and as a result enjoys an overview of the antiques and collectibles markets in both countries.   The economic recession has impacted on the markets in Canada and the UK and it has been tough for the dealers. Many antique shops have had to close, dealers have retired or simply stopped trading.   The only consolation for Canadian dealers is, since the Canadian economy has proved much sounder than those economies in the rest of the world, the impact has been less severe in Canada.   For buyers though, an uncertain economic climate makes this a good time to buy: a dealer wants to make a sale and everyone is being more realistic about pricing.   What is hot and what is not? Some areas are just not shifting. You cannot move mid to low-range ‘brown furniture’ for love or money. This goes back to the buyers being of a younger age.   Younger buyer wants furniture that is cutting edge and more streamlined. So, 1950s furniture onwards is of interest and pieces by leading designers such as Charles and Ray Eames or Arne Jacobsen can go for a fortune.   The good news though is if you like ‘brown furniture’ (and a lot of us do), now is the time to buy it. You can kit out a house or condo at a fraction of the price it would take you to furnish it with new furniture.   Likewise with Victoriana - while Victoriana enjoyed a renewed popularity in the late 20th century, it has now fallen foul of the fashion police. Pretty Victorian floral tea sets, which are over 100 years old, are not selling even if they are in mint condition.   So, again, now is the time to hit those auction houses and antique shops if you like that look. Who knows if it will be popular again, or if it will ever have a big re-sale value but, as Judith says, you should buy a piece because you love it, and not just because you hope that it will increase in value (though it wouldn’t hurt if that was the case as well).   But some antiques and collectibles are selling very well and are attracting a lot of interest. With the growth of the Chinese economy, there has been a surge in demand for Chinese 18th century Imperial porcelain and jade, and also for 19th century export ware. As ever, where there is demand, there is a price increase and these pieces are achieving great prices. However, the down side to the Chinese growth is that the Japanese market has become very flat.   The market in 20th Century Design is strong, with Mid Century Modern in particular enjoying great prices. Twentieth Century Design covers a variety of styles, from Art Nouveau, with its fluid, romantic look (though still with clean lines when compared to Victoriana), Arts & Crafts, which is more boxy and homespun, and Art Deco, with its more stylized and geometric design.   The market for arts & crafts and Art Deco is particularly strong. These two styles have the benefit of quantity, high price, medium price and low price pieces and varying conditions. This means that there is something for everyone. The market is buoyant and collectors are buying - furniture, ceramics, glass and jewelry have all seen strong competition between collectors and this is reflected in the prices.   The constructivism of the 1920s, as typified by Soviet posters, and the work of the Bauhaus design group (1919-1933), with its very plain, geometric and functional look, then follow. Mid Century Modern dates from the 1940s and includes furniture and objects that were produced in the post-World War 2 era through to the New Wave design of the 1980s and 1990s. Younger buyers love these more functional, edgy looks, and this popularity is reflected in the prices achieved. I asked Judith whether she felt there was a great difference between what a collector could find in Canada and in the UK.   She said two markets are actually quite similar. The staples found in British auction houses and shops are also found in Canadian auction houses and shops.   Judith sees many examples of European wares, such as Royal Doulton and Moorcroft,as well as European silverware, glassware and other smaller objects.   The immigrants to Canada brought their treasures with them and the family and friends left back at home would send them presents from there. However, in Canada, you obviously come across Canadian and American manufacturers whose pieces are not seen as often in Europe.   Judith Miller is visiting Canada and the United States to publicize the latest edition of her guide, which provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of the market place.   She is currently working on her next book, which will be called Trash to Treasure. It will showcase items, be it furniture or ceramics or decorative objects, that we and our parents and grandparents all got rid of.   The identification clinic was held at Toronto Antiques on King, 284 King Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1J2 (cynthiafindlay.com; 416.260.9057).   Photo:   1 - Judith Miller, clinic host, left, and Cynthia Findlay   Jessamy Johnson has worked in publishing at Penguin Books and Reed Elsevier and was the General Manager of Miller’s Price Guides for many years. Following the birth of her triplets, she left Miller’s and has worked since then in a freelance capacity as an editor and journalist. She started JessamyJohnson ClutterClear in 2007, a professional organization company.     Return to top of page   This Is Publishing © 2012 581 8th Line West, RR1 Hastings, ON, K0L 1Y0 Phone/Fax: 705-696-1833   webmaster