Excerpt
Contrary to what many people think, antiquing or shopping for collectibles is not just a pastime for avid collectors and professionals anymore. Young couples are setting up housekeeping with bedroom suites, dining room sets, knickknacks, and all sorts of housewares purchased from antiques malls and flea markets. People who have chipped a plate or are missing a cup and saucer from their favorite everyday dishes are out there looking for replacements instead of discarding the rest or being reduced to a seven-place etting. Good friends are buying that perfect something old or something blue bridal gift. Nostalgia hunters are looking for a trace of their past in a replica of the toy they played with until it wore out, or the candy dish identical to the one on Grandma's coffee table - the one she always kept filled with those delicious pink mints.
The good news is that because of the popularity of hunting for reminders of the past, replacements, special gifts and everyday items, more antiques and collectibles are available now than ever before. They're coming out of closets and down from attics. Boxes of them are being carted up from basements and dragged out of garages. Old barms are being raided and storage sheds emptied simply because people are discovering how appealing the old and venerable pieces really are. And yes, people are incorporating their treasures into their home decor, enjoying the aesthetic beauty of some items while putting others to practical use. The even-better news? Because antiques and collectibles are for sale in such abundance and at such good prices, it's a shopper's market.