The most expensive antiques in the world! This is interesting. Things of the USSR era, for which antique dealers have been hunting for more than one year.Expensive retro items that have not been found

Do you know that

antiques are some of the most expensive things in the world

Even diamonds are cheaper! For example, the Guarneri del Gesu violin was once sold at auction for a record $ 4 million! The master who created it was considered one of the main competitors of Stradivari himself! By the way, many musicians believe that this violin still sounds better ...

The most expensive antiques in the world! THIS IS INTERESTING

But the most expensive antiques in the world that you will not find by visiting an antiques store is

handwritten book by Leonardo da Vinci himself

- one of the greatest artists, poets, physicists of our time. This antique was sold at auction in 1994 for an unimaginable price of $ 31 million. By the way, absolutely everyone knows the person who acquired it - this is the head and founder of Microsoft - Bill Gates!

The most expensive antiques in the world! THIS IS INTERESTING

He, in turn, keeps the manuscript in his home collection. But you can also look at this work! Bill Gates hosts an annual exhibition where this book is displayed. You can also go to shops and get a maxi lift, which is an excellent remedy for wrinkles and is quite popular with women. It is known throughout the world as the Code of Leicester. Why does it have such a strange name? Somewhere in the 16-17 centuries, it was acquired (or inherited - at the moment it is not known) by the Lester family, in whose honor the chronicle got its name.

It is believed to be one of the most important notebooks taught by Leonardo da Vinci. It contains a huge number of sketches, drawings, formulas, and so on. It really can be compared to a modern physics textbook! True, some pages of the notebook were never understood by scientists, which again confirms the amazing nature of the great artist da Vinci!

Unfortunately, you will not be able to hold the book in your hands. Its pages are so shriveled that at the slightest touch they can simply turn into dust ...

The market for military antiques has always been, is and will be a demand for items released in a single copy, many of which boast a unique history. Most often, these are weapons that belonged to great people or are associated with key events of the era. For example,

saber of Napoleon Bonaparte

was launched under the hammer at the Osenat auction in 2007 for € 4.8 million, becoming the most expensive piece of antique European edged weapons. Eastern antiques compete with western military antiques. The most striking example is

qing dynasty chinese saber

Sold for $ 7.5 million Forbes has selected the 10 most expensive military antiques sold at auction sites in the past 13 years

The Sun Also Rises

became a kind of milestone in the work of Hemingway. Unfortunately for its publishers, this was just another book by an aspiring author. The novel was released in a limited edition by Scribner's in 1926. The copy was sold at Sotheby's in New York in April 2004 for a record $ 366,400, more than three times the maximum appraised value. This will be explained simply: firstly, by the ideal safety of the book, and secondly, by the author's signature on the inside of the cover. It was addressed to Dr. Don Carlos Gaffi and stretched for as many as 20 lines, so it would be more correct to call it a letter rather than a signature.

The famous auction house Dallas Auction Gallery held its next auction, the main discovery of which was

sale of a pair of antique vases from the era of the reign of Nicholas I.

This expensive antique, created by the craftsmen of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, was accidentally found in a private collection in America. The paired vases were supposed to participate in the auction with an estimate of one to one and a half million dollars, but the lot was sold a week before the auction day for two million seven hundred thousand dollars.

Expensive antiques were inherited by Randy Buttrem from his grandfather, Frank Buttrem, who was the founder of a large American company. The previous owner bought the vases in Munich in the 1920s and moved them to the United States. As a child, Randy saw these incredibly beautiful vases in his grandfather's mansion in Oklahoma, but he never knew their real value.

The authenticity of the expensive antiques was confirmed by a porcelain specialist from the Hermitage. One of the vases contains the image of a famous painting by a Dutch master of the eighteenth century called "The Concert". According to the data preserved in the Hermitage, in 1832 the canvas from the museum was sent to the Imperial Factory to create a copy of the painting on a vase. After the information about such a magnificent find appeared in the press, collectors from different countries of the world began to take an active interest in vases. As a result, the owners of expensive antiques agreed to a private sale.

Another interesting and expensive find of the year was

old painting "The Victim of Polyxena"

Recently recognized as a work of the famous French master Charles Lebrun, who worked in the seventeenth century. The antiques were sold at Christie's in Paris. The lot brought its owner over $ 1.8 million. The work was discovered on the eve of a major renovation that had begun at the Ritz, the most popular hotel in Paris.

One of Christie’s specialists succeeded in attributing the canvas. The initials "CLBF", which belonged to Charles Lebrun, were found on the canvas. For many years, expensive antiques were in the room where his star guest Coco Chanel lived. "The Sacrifice of Polyxena" was bought by representatives of the Metropolitan Museum, in the collection of which there was not a single work of Lebrun before. This antique piece will be on display starting at the end of May this year.

I was dismantling the rubble in the apartment and found old spoons. Not some tiny little ones for tea, but straight scoops: heavy, solid, long - 30 centimeters each. With monograms. Maybe the XVIII, or even the XIV century. Like cupronickel. “Spoons - an antique store - a new car, - instantly flashed through my head. "You just need to wash them."

I typed in the Internet "large old spoons". Utensils like my treasures were exhibited for only 1,500 rubles, but I could not find exactly the same monograms. “Let the professionals appreciate it,” I decided. "And at the same time, maybe they will buy it right away." And went to the antique shops.

TIME IS NOT WORTH ANYTHING

Prone-naphthalene grandfathers in pince-nez or seasoned uncles in expensive suits remained in vulgar cinema. In antique shops on the Arbat I was met by young hipster-looking guys. Here is Alexey - by his red beard and ripped jeans you can never say that he is an experienced art critic.

Cutlery, even silver, is of no use to anyone. Especially if this is not a set, but scattered things. And your spoons are not even silver, they will never be bought. - He appreciated my spoons, not even looking up from playing tanks on the computer.

Ilya from another shop confirmed the diagnosis:

It's not silver ... So what, what are the old ones? They don’t give money for the time!

Antiquaries work quickly and uncomplicated. Either they immediately determine the value of the thing or photograph the item and send it to a specialist. And he says whether to take the thing and at what price.

PENSIONERS - KEY SUPPLIERS

The main resource of antique shops is retired old people. This is understandable: can you live on a Russian pension? ..

One of them brought him to evaluate the statuette - a boy with a dog. This is the memory of my wife. Left with nothing. Antiquaries have a lot of such figurines, so why take more?

Then an elderly woman came in. I brought a sack of amber.

When I lived in the Baltics, I bought a lot of this stuff. The granddaughter is getting married, you need to help, - she explained.

Lech, look, do we need such stones? - antique dealer Sergei photographs amber and sends the photo to his partner. Lech refuses. The woman nervously puts away her supplies and promises to see something else interesting at home.

I keep hoping for luck. And, reassuring myself that the intermediary antiquaries will still give less than the collector, I decide to find a buyer directly.

Including crazy and aggressive.

For me to take such spoons, first pay me yourself! We'll buy it for only a couple of rubles! - they were excited.

I posted an ad on Avito. The girl immediately called, introduced herself as Svetlana and said that she was ready to give 10 thousand rubles for the spoons.

I want to be sure that the spoons will not go away to anyone, so I will make a prepayment. Give your card number, I’ll transfer money, ”she suggested.

“This is a wiring,” I guessed. Fraudsters are looking for sellers on Internet sites, promising them an advance payment. First, they will ask for the card number. And then, under various pretexts, the code on the back of the card, the password that came in the SMS, and so on. This is enough to pay with your money in the online store.

There was an idea to put spoons on Internet auctions like the Bag, but there, for registration, you need to take a selfie with a passport, which I did not want.

I left the spoons at home and will use them myself.

ANTIQUES 'OPINION

Treasure under the nose

If you look carefully, it turns out that many are the owners of treasures.

Modern coins cost decent money if they were issued in limited editions. For example, one five-ruble note of 1999 of the St. Petersburg Mint is sold for 150 thousand rubles, 5 kopecks of the same year - for 200 thousand rubles,

1 ruble of 2003 costs 30 thousand rubles.

Sergei Koronevsky recalls how one day his grandmother brought a vase to an antique shop and asked for at least a thousand rubles. And the vase turned out to be a work of art from early Holland in the early 18th century, which was eventually bought for $ 15,000.

The inexpensive segment of antiques will rise in price only if the dollar grows very strongly, and that is unlikely, - sighs antiquary consultant Grigory Pyatov.

And he cites as an example Soviet postage stamps, which were issued in millions of copies. There are so many of them that they will never cost much.

What kind of antique items can now be sold at a high price?

Lifetime editions of the classics - Pushkin, Gogol, Lermontov. The price of a book can range from $ 2 - 3 thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Chekhov's lifetime editions, but not all. This is because during his lifetime he was released in large numbers. The first lifetime editions are very much appreciated, - says the antique dealer.

He advises paying attention to the books of the 20s of the last century, which were illustrated by eminent artists. The thicker the book, the worse. More rare specimens are found among thin editions.

Look on your bookshelves - maybe there are books by Mayakovsky with illustrations by Lissitzky. They can be sold for 300 thousand rubles. and more expensive.

Pre-revolutionary publications on history and military affairs are appreciated.

Grigory Pyatov spoke about ephemera - one-day things. For example, a ticket for the opening of the Moscow metro can now be sold for several hundred dollars. There will also be a demand for an advertising napkin of a pre-revolutionary pastry shop, old candy wrappers.

Many have old photo albums, maybe there is something worthwhile? - I ask the antiquarian.

He says that 30 years ago, things like that went off with a bang. In the 90s, the new Russians wanted to "make a biography for themselves" and bought various old portraits for a lot of money. Now a pre-war snapshot of some Aunt Moti on vacation is not needed by anyone except her descendants. Of course, the portraits done by Rodchenko, Nappelbaum, Khaldey (famous photographers of the 1920s and 1930s) will always be valuable.

Soviet porcelain figurines cost from a couple of hundred rubles to several tens of thousands. Size doesn't matter. In an antique shop I saw a modest figure of a sailor for 20 thousand rubles, and next to it a large sculpture of two lovers for only 5 thousand rubles.

This was done in Ukraine, they are not valued, - antiquaries explain.

Figures of the first edition and products of the LFZ (Lomonosov Porcelain Factory) are appreciated.

The first series of LFZ figurines are easy to identify. At the bottom there is a hole through which the porcelain is blown. It should be no more than 3 mm in diameter. If it is wider, then you have the third or fourth print run, ”adds antiques expert Sergei Koronevsky.

In this section, we answer the questions: how to sell antiques in Moscow as expensively and comfortably as possible, how to properly evaluate an antique item, what antiques or items are antique stores interested in buying, what can be safely attributed to the concept of "antiques", and what after 200 years never will.

Where to start wanting to sell antiques

Where does any sale begin? It is true, from the assessment of the value of the item itself or the market value of items similar in parameters and condition on the market, in our case, antiques.

What are the options for action?

• 1. Find a similar an icon, a porcelain figurine or a silver cigarette case on the Internet. On the forum or on Avito. And see how much they are trying to sell. A small caveat: "trying" is the key word here. Because, it is not known how long they have been trying to do this and with what success.
• 2. Write out addresses all nearby pawnshops in the area and call with the question "how much will you give for a porcelain figurine?"
  The answer is predictable: until we see with our own eyes - we will not say anything, carry it.
• 3. Take with you your antique masterpiece and take a ride through the pawnshops of your city.
  It's already warmer. But unfortunately, in most pawnshops, which mainly practice the purchase of gold, watches and telephones, there will not be a connoisseur of Soviet porcelain or, say, an expert gemologist to appreciate a statuette, icon or amber decoration. The key word here is "worthy". And not "for a thousand."
• 4. A calculating person go straight to the antique store. And he's on the right track. Why? Because antique shops are focused on selling expensive antiques. Phones and gold chains are of little interest there. For that is the client base accumulated for decades.
  For a certain client-collector of porcelain or antique Tsar's coins, your copy has every chance of being bought five times more expensive than the price named in the purchase "from the metro".
• 5. We save time... Before you set off with your samovar on a trip to antique shops in the center of the capital, it makes sense to take a photo of it and send a photo to the email address of the antique store. Thus, having found out for yourself - is there any interest on the part of antique dealers in your goods. If so, great. Find out the order of prices and hit the road.

Evaluation of antiques by photo online

With the advent of online evaluation of antiques based on photography, it has become incomparably more comfortable to sell antiques in Moscow. Instead of going to all the antique buy-outs and pawnshops in Moscow, now it has become enough to photograph an icon, statuette or silverware with a camera or smartphone and send the photo to the website of an antique store. After that, wait for a response within 10 - 15 minutes. Having chosen the maximum purchase price among the stores that responded to the offer, go to the address with confidence.

What are antique shops buying?

1. Ancient icons. Yes, the Russian icon at all times enjoys an enviable demand from collectors and ordinary people who want to join spirituality

2. Gold and gold jewelry. Let it be known to the reader that in some places gold jewelry is ready to be assessed not "per gram", but by their antique value. And this is several times higher than what they are ready to give for an old brooch in the nearest buy-out or pawnshop.

3. Soviet porcelain. It is collected and eagerly bought by people "in the subject". And antique shops, acting as intermediaries, willingly buy porcelain figurines from the times of the USSR.

4. Silverware: Forks, spoons, cup holders, glasses, silver salt shakers - all this has the highest liquidity among connoisseurs of hoary antiquities. An antique shop is right there. And you are ready to buy expensive antique silver and put it on commission at your price. Antique silver collectors are frequent guests of antique commissions. And the exhibited item made of enameled silver will not stay on the store shelf for a long time.

5. Tula samovars: These are the ones with a pipe. They drowned, in those ancient times, with coal or wood. Not to be confused with electric ones (they are not needed by anyone except summer residents who want to add the entourage of the tea ceremony in the garden). Have value. And, at times, considerable.

6. Amber beads :. Seemingly,; amber is not a diamond. It is not expensive. The result of evaluating antique amber beads will pleasantly surprise you. We promise :) Yes, but the key word here is "antique", not just "amber beads". Old, by the standards of the antique market, these are amber beads produced in the last century. A characteristic visual feature are beads made of opaque amber

7. Bronze statues of Buddha: earlier they were brought to us from China. There are very few of them in the hands of the population. The owner of such a statuette has every chance of replacing it with a solid capital. Buddhist collectors appreciate the Buddha statues and are willing to offer a good price. All over Moscow, only in 3 places are there specialists who are able to appreciate the 19th century bronze statue of Buddha and set a high purchase price for a well-preserved specimen.

8. Paintings: due to the impossibility of promptly, on the spot, to find out the authenticity of the canvas, the cost is assigned, as a rule, underestimated. There is a great risk of acquiring a fake and staying with it forever. Therefore, it is very difficult to sell a painting urgently, even if it is from the 19th century "for dear". And the examination, quite possibly, can cost more than the painting itself, not unless of course you are sure that this is Savrasov in the original ...

Let's say more: even having an expert opinion from an authoritative commission in hand, the chances do not increase one iota. What to do? There is time and desire to put up for sale "to the maximum" - we agree on a commission sale. In a reputable antique store located in a crowded place, the chance that the painting will quickly find its new owner is quite real.

How to evaluate antiques in our antique shop

There are several options:

• 1. To find out how much antiques cost, you can easily call the phone number listed in the "contacts" section. If, in an oral dialogue, both parties decide that cooperation is interesting, we ask you to send a photo of the antique item by e-mail or through one of the mobile applications (WhatsApp, Viber) for a more accurate assessment of your copy.
• 2. Send a photo of an antique item to the mail [email protected] ... It is advisable to indicate your phone number for feedback
• 3. Ask a question through the "question-answer" form in one of the sections of the site on the subject of your copy.
• 4. Use the blue "Callback" button located on the right. In the daytime and in the evening, the expert calls back within 5-10 minutes

The appraisal is made with the seller. It takes time from 5 minutes to an hour. The assessment of an antique item of great historical and artistic value can be increased over time.

If you live far from Moscow

• If you live in the near or far suburbs of Moscow and do not want to waste time on a trip to the center of Moscow, but at the same time have a strong desire to sell an old, antique item at the purchase price in antique stores in Moscow, contact our manager. The appraiser will come and meet at a convenient place for you for free.
• This offer is valid for owners of valuable and rare antiques.

How to sell antiques profitably

Directly to an antique collector? But where to find it. Generally speaking, serious collectors, by their nature, are very distrustful people and prefer to replenish their collection only in trusted places and from people with a reputation.

Accordingly, you are not their client. A private person who wants to decorate his apartment with an expensive statuette or an attribute of spirituality? But without being an expert, who is willing to charge a high purchase price? Without wasting time, bypassing small dealers from bulletin boards, you can contact an antique salon specializing in commission trade in antiques. What you, in fact, have already done.

How we can be useful for you.

The shop acceptance department employs a group of specialists in the field of ancient Russian culture and art. Each has a unique experience. Today, our experts advise about 30% of antique salons and shops throughout the country, constantly participate in all Russian exhibitions and antique auctions. Many famous collections have been formed with their direct participation. Often, absolutely free of charge, we are ready to give you all the comprehensive information on your copy. Give an initial estimate of the market value of an antique porcelain or icon, directly in your presence. Antique masterpieces, of course, require more detailed analysis and, accordingly, time.

Payment and confidentiality of the transaction

Payment is made in cash or, at the discretion of the client, by transferring funds to a bank card. Payment of the entire amount due for an antique item is carried out immediately after the agreement of both parties on the mutually beneficial acquisition of the subject of the transaction. The purchase agreement is accepted after a visual inspection and evaluation of antiques within the walls of this antique store in Moscow or at the meeting point of our representative with the client.

Antique Store strictly follows the policy of non-disclosure of personal data and commercial information about the transaction. The content of the correspondence with the client and his contact data are not stored in the database of the antique store for more than 3 days and under no pretext are not transferred to third parties.

Where and for how much to sell antiques, you can find out both online, by sending a photo in any way, or come to the office. Here you can sell porcelain, silverware, coins, icons, orders and medals, watches, antique books and jewelry. Buying antiques is our landmark! Therefore, we have the best conditions for evaluating antiques.

Antiques and household items of antique value. Jewelry, bronze items, crystal, porcelain, silverware, paintings and watches, antique dishes, silverware, jewelry, interior items, jewelry made of silver and gold, icons.

Free estimate of the market value of any antiques

Evaluation of antiques allows you to determine the exact value and authenticity of a thing. It includes the following criteria that affect the cost:

• Determination of the state of the product.
• Establishing historical value as in implementation sower of gold, sell which can be done in the shortest possible time.
• Correctness of the content of metals, precious stones.
• Availability of documents for an award, medal, etc.

All these indicators are established by an expert during an individual meeting with a client or through a quick assessment of the value, for example, if an icon needs to be sold.

We evaluate the following items for FREE:

• Antiques and antiques. This includes cigarette cases, boxes, icons, cutlery.
• Gold and silver items: candlesticks, foreign or domestic antique silver, gold rings, bracelets, pendants, watches.
• Wartime items: insignia, tokens, orders and medals, edged weapons, etc.

The difference between a collection buying from a pawnshop

The eye of an expert is able to appreciate a thing at its true worth, without at all underestimating its significance in material terms. When selling, you can be sure that the coin or antiques will be in good hands, will replenish a capacious collection of valuable things, and possibly go to a museum or an exhibition.

Besides, you shouldn't forget about safety. The purchase is carried out only with the relevant documents confirming the value of the coin, order. When selling, the client receives the agreed amount strictly on time. All transactions are carried out in a legal way with the provision of the necessary documents.

Buying antiques is one of the activities in which our professional club specializes. If you want to sell silverware, porcelain, antique porcelain quickly, profitably, anonymously, we will be happy to help you. Come to our offices, call or write to receive free consultations and discuss the details of a possible deal. Due to the large number of clients among collectors, we will find a buyer for your rarity.

Catalog of antiques on the site

The antiques section of our collector portal includes the following subsections:

The purchase of silverware, antique porcelain and glass has been carried out by our club for over 25 years. So, by contacting us, you can count on professional services.

How the free valuation of antiques works

To get a price for your rarity, you can take advantage of several possibilities:

Send a high-quality photo of the product through a special form on this site, mobile messengers or social networks. You will receive an answer with the exact cost in a minute.

Come to one of our offices located in 4 cities of Russia and talk “live” with appraisers.

When carrying out the assessment, the presence of brands and brands of the manufacturer, the indication of 84 samples (if we are talking about silver products), the workmanship, and the state of the art are taken into account. An erased drawing, gilding that has faded or lost over time, mechanical damage, deformation, traces of cleaning can reduce the cost of antiques by 20-30%.

How to recognize a fake

If you are just starting to compose your collection of antiques or have found an old item in your grandmother's house, then it is important to acquire at least minimal skills in order to distinguish an authentic old item from a fake. Professional evaluation of antiques and identification of authenticity is carried out by specialists with extensive experience, so if in doubt, come to our offices for competent advice.

First things first, make sure the silver item is actually silver. This can be done at home as well. For example, use a magnet: silver will not magnetise. Also, silver heats up quickly even from the warmth of the hand and cools down just as quickly. Under the influence of simple sulfuric ointment or chalk, silver will turn black. More sophisticated verification methods are used by specialists.

There are cases when truly antique items age, adding several tens of thousands of rubles to the price. And it's not only about applying an artificial patina, but also removing old coats of arms and soldering new ones, rubbing out initials and applying others to silver dishes. Upon closer inspection, you will notice traces of stripping and thinning of the metal in the processing area. Even if it is thoroughly cleaned, it is enough to breathe on this place, and all scratches will be clearly visible.

Pay attention to the clarity and depth of the marks - the original ones are made of hard metal, the fake cheap ones are made of soft metal. There are cases when stamps are cut from cheap antiques (spoons, for example) and soldered onto expensive ones (coffee pots, creamers, etc.). Examine the area around the stamp carefully to locate the soldering point. It is also worth comparing the brand of your item with the brand from the catalog - even many years after the release of the product, the brand on it retains proportions and lines.

On porcelain and glass products, stamps, stamps are also cleaned and others are applied. Over the years, the stamps lose their clarity, so the "fresh" print should alert you. Study the stamps of the factories - on the original product all proportions and character of lines, numbers and designations must be observed.

Remember that the more expensive an antique item is, the more tempting it is to counterfeit and sell it for a fortune. Therefore, when buying antiques from tsarist times or propaganda porcelain (and the cost of such items sometimes amounts to hundreds of thousands of rubles), do not risk it and contact the professionals.

Our acquisitions

We are proud that our club has many clients who turn to us to sell porcelain, silverware, antique glass products. If you are looking for where to sell silver spoons or old jewelry, come to our offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Voronezh or Yaroslavl for a free live assessment. You can also use the feedback form on this site or send a photo of the item through mobile applications, social networks. Free appraisal of porcelain and silver is carried out by our experts on an ongoing basis.