Buying and Selling Antiques

By Shana Karn and Andy Seyfried, Co-Owners of The Second Knob Gifts & Antiques, 129 North St. Dryden, Ph: (607)844-5662

“Hi. Do you buy antiques?”

If we had a nickel for every time someone called our shop and asked this question, we would be rich probably spend it all on antiques.

Yes, we do purchase antiques and collectibles at our shop. We are, however, selective—there has to be a market for our purchases, pieces have to be in a marketable condition and we must have adequate room to display the piece. Limited storage and display space is the primary reason we have to be so selective. We have A LOT of antiques in storage, waiting for their turn on a shelf. In fact, we have so many items in storage that we are dedicating the spring to populating our new web store with antiques and collectibles. We’ve spent a lot of time filling www.thesecondknob.com with gifts for sale but now our overflowing antique storage areas require a broader outlet.

Selling antiques requires a lot of time and attention. Andy has to gauge the antique market—what’s selling to dealers/collectors and customers this week, month, or year?  And sometimes, more importantly, what’s NOT selling? Which market has tanked? What items are no longer “moving?” Shana focuses her attention on antiques in the home décor—- which antiques are hot trends in home decor?  She studies over Country Living, Smart Retailer and Pinterest.

Warmer weather brings additional opportunities for selling—- outside antique shows, antique sales, and, at The Second Knob, tent sales under the big white tent in our parking lot! Be sure to watch for our tent sales—- this is when Andy brings many items out of storage.

Our antiques come from all over [the world]. Many times, we purchase pieces as we travel—including but not limited to travels to the Adirondacks, Vermont, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Nebraska, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida. On our trips, we visit antique shops – some of which become “favorites” and are revisited when possible.  But we don’t limit our antique hunting to antique shops; we stop and yard sales, go to auctions, peruse flea markets and sometimes knock on doors to ask about rickety barns that we just KNOW are packed full of old things.

Purchasing pieces from private owners is often preferred. Private owners (especially elderly owners) frequently share their memories of the piece and its history—- how old it is, where it came from, how it was used. These details are invaluable when buying and selling antiques. If we feel the seller’s emotional attachment to the piece, we convey it to buyers.

While our travels are primarily along the east coast, many of our antiques have traveled much, much further.  Some items have made there way east from California, Texas, the Dakotas and Utah while others have crossed seas—- from Japan, Germany, Slovak states and England.

We have pieces still in storage, from 40+ years of buying—from estate sales, auctions, garage sales going out of business sales, seniors who are down-sizing.  We have pieces we purchased which were prefaced by “I have this box from my cellar,” or  “I have a few things out in my car trunk for you to look at,” and, in the last few years at our shop “Hi. Do you buy antiques?”