The Top Antiques of 2010

Here’s my annual list of what I think folks will be looking for and finding in the antique shops this season.
1. Americana: All things American are internationally collectible There is tremendous interest in American country accessories, especially “primitive” (handmade) items. Look for treen (carved wood), fractors (hand painted documents), maps, quilts, samplers, pottery, crockery, kitchen implements, tools, nautical items, anything that suggests this country’s earlier hard-working roots.
2. Silver: There are still plenty of good buys out there. Look for coin (.900) silver, silver jewelry (including Mexican), sterling flatware (especially interesting serving pieces), decorative and vanity items, and ornate or unusual old silver plate.
3. Estate Jewelry: From when gold was locked in by law at $32 an ounce, and jewelry artists used lots of it, stippled, tooled, Florentined and fashioned into settings for precious and semi-precious gems. Also, look for intaglios, cameos, enamels and inlays.
4. Asian Arts: Japanese Meiji (1868-1912) items are still very sought after for their intricate artistry. Japanese Imari and Chinese Canton and Famille Rose haven’t lost their appeal. But, it’s more than porcelain these days. Savvy collectors are picking up a wide range of wares – ivory, wood, soapstone and hard stone carvings, metals, paintings on silk, block prints, textiles, and lacquer wares.
5. Religious Items: Whatever the reason for it – devotional, scholarly or aesthetic – this is a trend that explores all religions, from mainstream to tribal. Look mostly for statuary, artwork, but also for ecclesiastical and liturgical items like candlesticks, vases, incense burners, textiles, etc.
6. Modernism (1920-1970): Call it Bauhaus, Art Deco, 1940’s Moderne, or 50s High-Style, or even Doo-wop. It’s futuristic and optimistic, and rarely a week goes by without some magazine or newspaper featuring an article about the return of some retro style.
7. Staffordshire Trans ferwares: The older it is the better, but anything up through the 1940s will do. Scenes are oriental, pastoral, gothic, classical, the kind of scenes you want to walk into, exotic and fascinating. They come in an array of colors — cranberry (pink), lavender (purple) and mulberry (brown) and the ever-popular blue. Perhaps the best, and the classiest, buy on the market.
8. Books and Writing: Any first edition is sought after, especially American authors. Also look for high quality gilt and leather bindings, miniature books, children’s books, cook books, and books with famous illustrators. Original jackets are a plus. Collectors also want writing-related items — desks and desk sets, inkwells, pens, bookends and paperweights.
9. Architectural and Garden: Old wrought and cast iron is particularly popular now —fences, gates, pickets, plant stands. Creative decorators are finding new uses for porch columns, garden statuary, jardinieres, cement urns, doorknobs, gingerbread, newell posts, barnsiding, old furniture ormolu and applied wood decoration. It’s an upside-down world. What was once outside is inside and vice-versa.
10. California Pottery: Collectors are noticing the really stylish designs of ceramics made in California in the mid-20th Century, especially during the post-war “High Style” period from 1945-1955. Still relatively inexpensive, it’s one of the best buys on the market.
See you at the Avalon Show in Community Hall this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I’ll be there appraising items and signing copies of my book.
Happy antiquing, everyone!
Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser is the author of “The Antiques Story Book,” and co-owner of the August Farmhouse antiques on Route 9 in Swainton. Send your comments and questions to aschwerdt @cmcherald.com