jeudi 15 novembre 2012

Collecting Antique Skeleton Keys Can Be Fun

By Dianne Crane


People collect a vast variety of things, however, there may be some that have never considered collecting antique skeleton keys. But, there are those out there that do and it is becoming more popular than one might think.

There are those out there that know this niche of antique collecting is not only fun and interesting but is also becoming very profitable. Prices for these collectibles are going up a long with the interest. Just like all antiques, value of items are always determined by the interest in the item, the rarity, age and the beauty.

While the values of these items seem to be on the rise, they are still at a price that is low enough to let even someone who is just a beginner or a casual collector get in on the fun. A single key can sometimes sell for nearly a thousand dollars, most of them at this point in time will sell for under ten dollars and some go for even a dollar or less when they are bought in bulk. However, as the interest in these items continues to grow, there are going to be less on the market to find which will eventually cause the prices to rise.

Rarity of the item is also something that is looked at and the more ornate antique skeleton keys are, the more rare they are going to be. This also means that their value will be more. You will find that some of the items can date back as late as the 1700s or even a little earlier and these are more rare and are going to be far more valuable than others not as old. Rarity is is used arbitrarily by those who sell these items because it is often difficult to determine just how rare they might be.

When you do try to figure out the age, it is a difficult thing to do. It is a tricky business gauging the age of anything, especially an old key because fakes are out there in great numbers. Having a guide can make the job easier but the best guides do not seem to be in English except for one that is called Keys Their History and Collection. Other than that, it is easier to leave it to the experts.

It is easier for experts though to judge the age of the key. They usually can figure it out by the way they were created. There are copies made often and people try to pass them off as real. These though, feel extremely light to the expert because they are generally aluminum and they have been painted. True old ones will be much heavier and will have a lot of patina on them, showing their age.

Since this is, right now an uncommon type of hobby, the more experienced collector will find it easier to find real treasures from just about anything. They are able to find those who do not realize what they have and will usually end up selling it for a rock bottom price. Those collectors who know what they are doing and what they are looking for will often find great bargains from sellers who have no idea how rare their item is.

There are some collectors that not only collect antique skeleton keys but have put them to use in interesting ways. One way is to use them to make interesting necklaces as well as eye catching pins or to use them for decorative purposes or as part of an artistic creation.




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