All About Antiquing: Finding Unique Treasures on Long Island

LongIsland.com

Long Island is a wonderful place for collectors to find unique treasures, rare collectables, and valuable antiques.

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Do you love antiquing? Do you get a thrill finding special treasures hidden among hordes of items in antique shops? Well, Long Island is a great spot to go antiquing. The Island has a very rich history and there are many places off the beaten path to search for hidden antique treasures. Places like farmhouses, estate sales, auctions, attics, flea markets, and garage sales are great places to search for rare collectibles, obscure memorabilia, and valuable antiques. If you travel to areas like Long Island’s North Fork there are many barns and shops teeming with antiques, just waiting to be rummaged through.

If you are new to antiquing, and even if you’re an experienced antique seeker, it is a good idea to do plenty of research. Compare prices on the web, talk to antique dealers and other people who collect antiques, and read antique and collectables books because unfortunately if you are unfamiliar with recognizing valuable antiques you may miss out on a terrific find, or get taken by a seller looking to make an extra buck off of a novice. Personal appraisals are also great to utilize when trying to find out the value of an item.

Always looks for signs of damage on the item. Damage can be a sign of authenticity and it can also be a sign that an item has been tampered with to look much older than it really is. Don’t focus too much on labels and makers’ marks. They are often found on fakes as well as authentic pieces so don’t put all of your eggs in that basket.

Also, if you’re looking for something specific don’t be too shy to ask the antique dealer about it. They may not necessarily have what you’re looking for but there is a good chance they may know other antique dealers in the area who could have the exact sort of item you are searching for.

Here are a few places on Long Island to go antiquing.

  • Eclect O Matic Antiques – 68 Maple Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714 – (516) 935-0148
  • Garden City Antiques & Fine Arts – 730 Franklin Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530 – (516) 873-8200
  • Huntington Antiques Center – 129 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 – (631) 549-0105
  • Oakdale Antiques Plaza – 1236 Montauk Highway, Oakdale, NY 11769 – (631) 567-3740
  • Stam Gallery – 287 Main Street, Port Washington, NY 11050 – (516) 883-1104

What unique treasures have you come across while antiquing on Long Island?