People who sit on "know-how"

Mansons gets my share; opiates don't work on me, and pot has absolutely zero appeal.

As to the original discussion, sometimes it's hard to say how you know something. I do mostly jewelry, and there are some things you just learn by experience. Some of those can be explained and some are a lot tougher. The simplest explanation can sometimes be "I bought one of those new."(LOL)

 

I've been dealing in vintage clothing/textiles for 15 years yet, still, I find it hard to explain to a novice what specifically about a piece indicates age to me. For instance, I may believe a dress or fabric yardage is from the 1940s but find it hard to put into coherent words just what specific style aspects of the item are indicating that to me. But then, I've always had difficulty explaining my thoughts... even when I wrote university papers on books/literature.

On a bit of a tangent: I've been mildly annoyed by a few people who refuse to share cooking recipes... I suppose they want the recipe to their favorite dish/cake to die with them.

 

Exactly, for me it's glass. Having been dragged to antiques shows and in and out of shops since the 1960s, it's just an acquired knowledge that can't always be explained.

I agree with Mansons that people don't always come back to a thread. I know there are times that I don't.

There is also the fact that many people who start the thread don't bother to come back and acknowledge that they have at least read the information they asked for.

Then there are posters who think that every answer is meant to be contested by them. I for one do not want to get into a board disagreement.

To me this board is meant to be a friendly place to ask questions, learn about what we don't know. To be helpful in our answers.

As I responded in another thread:
Many of us have been doing this for a long time. Much of what we learned was hands on, library books, learning from older dealers, just things we have seen.

Today the internet makes it so much easier. But not all info is correct, be it from those of us on the board or internet searches. (And that includes me)
All should be taken as a starting point for your own investigation.

I believe sharing what one knows is what keeps antiques/collectibles interesting. We are all constantly learning.

 

Alas, the morphine is swiftly becoming of no use - they have upped the dosage to the upper limits of "self medication" and still the pain persists (and will most likely continue to get worse). And grass was NEVER a favorite of mine, even in my party days. But it does help dull the pain and some of the induced thought processes are quite diverting!

Sorry if I was too graphic, sharing this process, but when it becomes your life and will likely be your legacy, you care little for the niceties of circumspection. To put it succinctly, when you are terminal, you really don't give a damn what you say or how you say it!!!!!

 

...which can be one of the few enjoyable things about it?(LOL) Once you hit a certain age, some of the rules can be tossed out the window at will.

 

Honestly I agree with what some others have said here - Sometimes it's just not possible, or not easy, to explain why we know, don't know, feel or don't feel something. It's stuff that can only be gained through experience, and the balance of probabilities.

It's not that people don't want to share information (okay some might not. Whatever) but it's just that they might struggle to explain something. And some of the manufacturing processes or sales processes that happened 100, 200, 300 years ago can be pretty complex, so...

 

Someone else mentioned textiles. Sometimes it's the feel of the fabric; I can tell vintage velvets from those made in the 80s or even later with my fingers. It works with antique cottons too, although prints can often be dated from the colors and design style. It's hard to translate that into 'how do you know'. My grandmother put a needle in my hand when I was five; it went from there.

A kid once asked me how I studied for the SATs. I told him I read every book I got my hands on from the age of five on up. Worked fine. Math was a little harder.
It's the same with antiques; you have to get your hands on good, so-so and lousy examples and just learn to "read" them.

 

But that's exactly why valuating something solely based on a picture isn't the same as having it in your hands.

 

Some things are impossible to evaluate from a photograph, or even several photographs. I know one particular forum where they refuse to valuate things for this very purpose. They'll tell someone all about the item they have, if they can, but won't give them a value.

 

Mansons I'm so sorry you're going through this. DH is going through a progressive problem too and while they haven't suggested pot (not sure if they can in this state) it's a problem very hard to deal with. I'm pulling for you

 

On the subject raised by the OP. There are lots of good opinions offered so far.

I think that there are so many reasons people don't always go into depth.

First may be that that photos provided may be inadequate or incomplete. Then there is the difficulty in evaluating something just based on a photo.I've catalogued many items and with something in hand you can describe in great detail things such as material, shape, color, pattern etc but without the object to work with its often easier to steer someone in a direction where they can research for themselves since they have the object in question.

Secondly people may be pressed for time or too busy doing other things to spend a lot of time on any one subject. There is always the occasional poster that will be offended or belligerent when it comes to suggestions so there is that.

Thirdly it's not always easy to tell or explain why you think something. For example, I've handled hundreds of 18th C pots. I have a minor level of confidence in my ability to tell an old piece from a more recent similar piece when looking in person. However when attempting to describe what someone should look for so much depends on the ability of the person who holds it to understand what they're looking at without offering an in hand comparison.

Lastly it's not a surprise that even experts don't always agree.

This place is really pretty wonderful!

 

I sometimes post a bit shorthand, so to speak, usually because I'm in a rush. I'm always happy to expound if asked, but as others have said, sometimes, you Know a Thing because you Just Know. sis is spot on.

What I do get arsy about are muppets like the ones on a Facebook forum I'm on - none here! - who consider themselves industry experts, unchallengable by anyone and feel it their due to be downright rude. They sit on their knowledge like a glued on hen and refuse to share ANY of it, because it's their "IPR". Oh please. Get over yourself. (No one here is like that.)

 

Everyone guesses wrong sometimes though.

 

Of COURSE they do - don't you and I? I can think of a recent instance on this board where someone who "knows their stuff" was proven wrong - and mentioned that they would mentally catalogue it for future reference......................its all part of the learning process...........and no matter how much a person knows, they can never know everything!

Well, there are a few who BELIEVE that they know everything, but not here!

 

There's a difference between a guess and a reply based on knowledge. You can still get it wrong, but a guess is simply that.

 

What an interesting discussion. I have been involved in antiques for a few years now and have amassed a mine of information by asking questions on various different forums. Soem very specific to a particular field like 925silver.com, or badgerandblades for antique straight razors, and I have always found the reponses to be interesting and generous. Often it will be something like 'have a look at this page' which then leads me on to other things or sources.

I am lucky that I am retired and have time to browse and learn and I appreciate that others are not so fortunate. I also speak three languages so I know I am guilty of sometimes not putting in the resource I refer to as it is a language other than English and I, rather stupidly, assume that others don't speak that language and might not benefit from being directed there.

 

I for one usually state when I am guessing - in other words, I might not be right - Go look it up.

 

@Mansons2005 I'm so sorry you're having to go through this. MY suggestion: You take whatever either they will provide, or you can get your hands on, that will keep you reasonably comfortable AND cognitive!!!! Whatever combination works!! I believe WE, but I for one at least, love your information, and always treasure your comments!!!! God Bless!!

 

Oh and as for value.
There are too many variables to give a value.

Condition.
Where you are selling. Store, ebay, craigslist, auction, insurance value.
What part of the country you are in.

Adding:
If values are given, they are often clarified as to where the poster is from.
Or links of comparable sales are often given.
But again it is up to the OP to do the research on their item and not take what is said here as gospel.

 

I second that.