I am starting an ornament collection for my kids. What should I look for? Which items will appreciate over time?
Arianne R. e-mailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca; and our antiques expert, Marla Good, answered:
If someone is looking to start a collection, whether for themselves or their kids, they should only follow one rule: Buy what you love, and enjoy it. Ornaments that follow this rule will achieve the ultimate price: Sentimental Value.
Most of my childhood ornaments are now on my tree, because my mom has converted to the monochromatic glass ball and ribbon side, and the tacky Santa Clauses and elves from my youth still suit my aesthetic (which hasn’t yet achieved a trendy description like “Shabby Chic” or “Wabi Sabi”, it’s just “Vintage”).
Here are some other tips to consider:
- Antiques often have to pass through several sets of hands and circumstances to get to the top (and may topple from there the next time Martha features something from her own fantastic collections and reproduces it to sell). A collector should never begin with the idea that ultimately the items will have greater monetary value.
- The reason the most valuable collectible items are sought after? Perhaps they were so well loved -- and in the process damaged or destroyed -- that only a finite quantity of amazing examples remains.
- If something is made to be a collectible, it's not. What appreciates, older or new, depends on so many factors, though rarity and condition, age and manufacturer are always the top determining factors. Limited editions that are numbered in the thousands are hardly rare, so keep that in mind before shelling out top dollar.
- Look for well-made, unique or artisanal items that resonate with you or your child personally – and make the time spent decorating with them the most valuable part of the holiday.
I've started to buy my daughter one ornament each year to remind her of something significant from the year that's passed – and if we find it from a vintage seller, so much the better. When she moves out, she'll have enough for her own first tree. Whether she'll love them for what they are as collectible objects remains to be seen; but more likely they'll have sentimental value due to attachment over time, and I understand my passion for a particular aesthetic may never match hers. But we’ll both have priceless memories.
Marla Good started working with antiques as a teen in her native Buffalo. In Toronto for 15 years, she's worked for Birks Estate Jewellery Department and Ritchies Auctioneers as Head of Jewellery, Couture and Timepieces. She currently works at a small antique store and deals privately.