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RIAM Blog
The experts at Rhode Island Antiques Mall share their knowledge and experience on a variety of topics around antiques and collectibles. Fun and insightful reading for everyone interested in antiques from the serious collector to the hobbyist.
Blog Posts by Category
Blog Posts by Category
Category: Selling Advice – Specific Categories
What Makes Lighting Fixtures Valuable
Prior to the invention of the electric light, most lighting was achieved using portable oil lamps and candles that lit a small area, but larger spaces needed to be lit by chandeliers and sconces that were mounted to the ceiling
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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Selling Old Automotive Items
While predecessors to what we know as today’s automobile were being developed as early as the 1600s, the first modern automobile with an internal combustion engine was produced by Karl Benz in 1888. Ever since, many folks have had a
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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Do You Have Any Porcelain-head Dolls?
It’s probably safe to say that virtually every little girl in the world has had a doll of some kind. In America and other prosperous countries, most little girls probably had many over the course of childhood. More privileged children
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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Macabre Items are Big With Collectors
People have always had a fascination with death and the “dark side” of human nature. When it comes to antiques and collectibles, the term “macabre” refers to disturbing objects, usually of a frightening or gruesome nature. Who among us has
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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What Makes Antique Electric Lamps Valuable
Let’s start out with a question that many people think they know the answer to: Who invented the lightbulb, and when? If your answer was Thomas Edison around 1880, then you’re off by a country mile. The first lightbulb was
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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Is Your Glassware Worth Anything?
RIAM does several estate or downsizing house calls per week, and while each visit is unique, one thing remains remarkably consistent. In preparation for the visit, virtually everyone covers their dining room table with dozens of pieces of unwanted glassware.
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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Your Old Holiday Decorations are Desirable
One of the big lures of antique hunting and ownership is the memories they help us recall and recreate. For most of us, special holiday moments with family and friends are among our warmest and most cherished memories. Somehow all
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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How to Sell Your Old Books
One of the most commonly misunderstood categories of antiques is books. Once again, it all comes down to the law of supply and demand. Considering just how many books there are in the world (how many have you bought in
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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Old Cottage Items Hold Unexpected Value
As the world gets more and more hectic every day, folks of all ages are becoming more nostalgic about the simpler things in life. Some people are purchasing second homes as a way to get away from it all. Others
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
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Determining Whether Vintage Framed Prints are Valuable
Most people own at least one framed print of some kind, and many people own more than that. In the antiques world, finding the value of anything will always come back to the law of supply and demand. Too much
Scott Davis
July 29, 2020
No Comments
Ask the Experts at RIAM
With relevant college degrees and nearly 100 years of collective experience covering a broad range of art, antiques and collectibles – RIAM’s appraisers and experts can help you with your questions.
Submit your questions on anything from an object you can’t identify to how to care, collect, clean or restore your antiques. Your question might be the subject of a future article from our experts!
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