| Antique auctions online, like any other business, have | | | | get the item they bid on. Instead, it goes back to |
| their own peculiar bits of unique words and phrases | | | | the original owner. |
| that you may not be familiar with if you don't usually | | | | Collectible |
| bid on such auctions and especially if you don't buy | | | | These days, virtually everything is "collectible" and |
| antiques very often. Therefore, we decided to put | | | | seeing this term used by an auction house simply |
| together this simple guide to the language of antiques | | | | means that they are trying to drum up extra |
| and online auctions which should allow you to more | | | | business. The word simply means that you could |
| easily find your way around the various offerings | | | | have a collection of these items; however, since |
| that exist out there. | | | | people collect all kind of objects, virtually anything can |
| Online Auction | | | | be labeled as "collectible." |
| Unlike a traditional auction, an online auction is one | | | | Reproduction |
| which is held entirely online. There are numerous | | | | This is an especially important term to know if you |
| formats that these kinds of auctions can take, | | | | want to bid on antiques. A reproduction means that |
| including things like silent auctions such as eBay and | | | | this item is not an original. There are reproductions of |
| live auctions. | | | | virtually every antique and antiquarian object |
| Traditional Auction | | | | imaginable, along with reproductions of most famous |
| When people think of an auction, this is what they | | | | ancient objects as well. |
| usually imagine - a room somewhere with various | | | | Antiquarian |
| objects for sale and a person standing in the front | | | | While this term is commonly used to refer to books |
| calling bids for the things for sale. The price keeps | | | | which are antiques, it technically means someone |
| going up until no one else wants to bid and then the | | | | who is involved in the business of antiques in some |
| item is sold to the highest bidder. | | | | way. |
| Silent Auction | | | | Antique |
| A traditional silent auction is a situation where various | | | | In the United States, there is no legal definition of |
| objects are laid out on tables along with a list to be | | | | antique; however, a good rule of thumb is that an |
| filled in with a bidder number and a bid. The bids can | | | | object should be at least 100 years old in order to be |
| continue to be made until the time specified for the | | | | antique. |
| end of the auction. eBay runs an online variation of | | | | Vintage |
| these kinds of auctions. | | | | When a seller wants to advertise an object which |
| Reserve Price | | | | they think may be of interest, but the object is less |
| A reserve price is the amount below which a seller | | | | than 100 years old, those who are honest will usually |
| will not sell an item. These are especially common | | | | refer to the object as being "vintage" rather than |
| with antique auctions online as a seller may believe a | | | | "antique." It is not uncommon, for instance, to find |
| particular object is worth a certain amount of money | | | | antique auctions online offering "vintage" 1950s |
| and simply refuse to sell for less than that amount. | | | | furniture for sale, which while it is only about 50-60 |
| Even if people do bid, if no one goes over the | | | | years old, is often highly desirable and something |
| reserve (a number which is often hidden in order to | | | | which fetches quite a bit of money. |
| maintain interest), then the highest bidder does not | | | | |