Research

There are many ways to research antiques. Museums, trade shows, retail shops, and online auctions offer a plethora of examples in any collecting area for you to peruse. Specialized publications offer more insight from recognized experts. They identify current trends and help sort out the finest examples from the more common. Learning about your favourite area of collecting can help you appreciate antiques more and give you the knowledge to act quickly when you see something special. Below is a growing list of recommended publications:

Getting Started

The best resources to quickly identify what you want are websites or books with variety and colour pictures. Price guides cover many designs with colour photographs and present many levels of quality with corresponding price points. Websites have endless listings to browse or search through.
  • Miller's Antiques Price Guides
  • www.rubylane.com
  • www.ebay.com
  • www.antiques.dk.com

Learning More

Here are some helpful resources with more specialized information.
  • Local Dealers
  • Miller's Buyer's Guides
  • The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture by Howard Pain
  • Canadian Country Furniture by Michael Bird
  • English Canadian Furniture of the Georgian Period by Donald Webster
  • Cabinetmakers of the Eastern Seaboard by Charles Foss
  • The Furniture of Old Ontario by Philip Shackleton
  • The Painted Furniture of French Canada by John Fleming
  • The Early Furniture of French Canada by Jean Parlady
  • Antique Furniture of Quebec: Four Centuries of Furniture-Making by Michel Lessard

Can't Get Enough

  • Google searches to find websites of specialized dealers
  • Periodicals such as Upper Canadian Showcase and Maine Antique Digest
  • Traveling Museum/Gallery exhibits
  • Antique Shows: Canadian American