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Aurora Antiques Show &Sale

June 28 & 29, 2008
               Saturday: 10 – 5               
Sunday: 11 - 4

Sponsored by -

The Aurora Historical Society & The Rotary Club of Aurora

Leighton Intermediate School
Directly across the street from Aurora Farms Premium Outlets on Rt. 43

Free shuttle service between Aurora Farms Premium Outlets
and Leighton Intermediate School

Links & Tips to Helpful Sites

Antique: An object having special value because of its age, especially a domestic item or piece of furniture or handicraft esteeemed for its artistry, beauty, or period of origin. (from the American Heritage Dictionary)

Generally speaking, an antique is anything 100 years old or older (though this definition has been expanded to include items made up to, and including, World War II), while a collectible is less than 100 years old, was mass-manufactured, and carried an inexpensive retail price originally.

Antique collecting dates all the way back to the preservation of religious objects from a millennium ago. During Feudal times, only the nobility and the clergy possessed any sort of wealth, and the church alone produced "art" -- defined as religious artifacts.
    
In the 16th century, wealthy European merchants began the tradition of building their own private collections of rarities. Before the advent of banks (in the early 19th century), a person's wealth was accumulated through the acquisition of artistic rarities and displayed on sideboards and cabinets in one's home. With the development of archaeology as a scientific field of study in the 18th century, public and private collections of antiques (artistic rarities) flourished.

Antiquing became a popular hobby in America beginning in the 1970's. There are several reasons for this. First, a redefinition of the sort of objects carrying the label "antique" made the hobby accessible to more people. Previously, only an object made prior to 1840 could be considered an antique. This definition changed to include anything over 100 years old. Presently, the most universally accepted definition of antique is any item produced prior to, or during, World War II. Second, there was a broadening of the definition of items deemed collectible. Finally, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of television programs on antique collecting. These programs convey the fascinating history of collectibles, the aesthetic value of craftsmanship, and the astounding prices fetched by some pieces.

        Magazines & Publications        

 Helpful Internet Sites        

Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles

US Patent Dates & Numbers

Brown Owl's Antiques Glossary

Roman Numeral Converter

Antique Talk

       Webcams -
                view of archaeological digs around the world            

    How to find the Value of an Item?                     

   Tips on Care of
Antiques and Collectibles       

• When displaying your antique collections remember; sunlight, heat and humidity are an antiques worse enemy! Take gentle care of them and you will enjoy and your children´s children will enjoy also. Protecting a piece of history is invaluable.
• To prevent leather bound books from drying out, use petroleum jelly every few years
• Removing wax from candle holders is an easy task. Simply place the holders in a freezer for about 2-3 hours. Remove from the freezer and peel the frozen wax off your collectible.
• Coins should be left in "found" condition. Cleaning makes them less desirable to collectors.
• Ceramics can be washed with soap and water, but only wipe gently with a damp cloth if they are repaired, damaged, or have cold-painted decorations.
• To polish brass make a paste of equal parts of salt, flour and vinegar. Rub on brass with a soft cloth. Rinse completely. Shine with a clean, dry, soft cloth.
• Store plastic toys or other plastic items away from the heat, not touching one another.
• Don't use plastic bubble wrap to store silver and ceramics. Heat and humidity can cause permanent discolorations.
• Rearrange lamps and decorative items on wooden tabletops. If you don't, exposed wood will lighten and unexposed wood will remain dark after time.
• Porous pottery and ironstone can be cleaned with wig bleach obtained from a beauty salon\
• Clean mildew on wooden furniture with a cloth moistened with one cup water mixed with one tablespoon bleach and one tablespoon liquid dishwashing detergent. Dry with a clean cloth.
• To remove unpleasant smell from an old chest of drawers, use baking soda, cat litter, or charcoal chips to absorb the odor
• Tin signs or cans will fade in ultraviolet sunlight, or fluorescent light.
• White powder forming on glass or pottery with a lead glaze is poisonous. Remove the item!
• Marble sculptures will discolor from pollutants if near a window or an active fireplace. They may scorch or crack near a heater.
• Lemon juice will remove the remains of gum, adhesive tape, and other sticky tapes.
• If you scorch a textile while ironing, rub a cut onion over the scorch, then soak cloth in cold water for one hour. Rewash and try again.
• Do not store foods or beverages in crystal bowls or bottles for long periods of time. Vinegar, acidic juice, and alcoholic beverages will leach the lead out of the glass.
• Do not use olive oil to polish a wooden bowl, or it will turn rancid. Wash and rinse bowl well if using an olive oil salad dressing.
• If displaying paper items, remember that light of all kinds (electric and sunlight), will eventually harm paper.
• To clean antique ivory, dust with a soft cloth or brush, and use a clean woolen cloth to buff it.
• Do not polish dark antique bronze or you will destroy the old patina and lower the value of the piece.
• Chlorine in cleaning products products will harm bronze items displayed in a room where these products are used.
• When storing old toys remember to remove the batteries first.
• When repairing dolls remember that changing the original hair in any way will lower its value.
• Glass Christmas ornaments should never be stored in a damp basement. Mildew will cause damage.
• Antique clocks must be cleaned and lubricated every five years. To set most clocks, hold the minute hand in the center, turn it clock-wise, wait for each strike. Wind fully each time, but do not over-wind.
• To clean glass with an iridescent finish, use cool water and very little mild soap.
• Never display grandfather clocks near a heat register or radiator. Be sure to attach them to the wall for safety. Most old grandfather clocks have a small hole for a screw inside on the backboard.
• A signature on a piece of cut glass adds at least 25% to the value, but it can be difficult to find.
• Clean antique cloth dolls by gently vacuuming through a layer of nylon net. Do not vacuum silk.
• Clean andirons using liquid metal polish and 0000-grade steel wool to remove resin caused by smoke.
• Polish old carved furniture using paste wax applied with a stenciling brush. Buff using a shoe brush.
• Ceramics can be washed with soap and water, but only wipe gently with a damp cloth if they are repaired, damaged, or have cold-painted decorations.
• To polish brass make a paste of equal parts of salt, flour and vinegar. Rub on brass with a soft cloth. Rinse completely. Shine with a clean, dry, soft cloth.
• Store plastic toys or other plastic items away from the heat, not touching one another.
• Don't use plastic bubble wrap to store silver and ceramics. Heat and humidity can cause permanent discolorations.
• Rearrange lamps and decorative items on wooden tabletops. If you don't, exposed wood will lighten and unexposed wood will remain dark after time.
• Porous pottery and ironstone can be cleaned with wig bleach obtained from a beauty salon.
• Clean mildew on wooden furniture with a cloth moistened with one cup water mixed with one tablespoon bleach and one tablespoon liquid dishwashing detergent. Dry with a clean cloth.
• To remove unpleasant smell from an old chest of drawers, use baking soda, cat litter, or charcoal chips to absorb the odor.
• Tin signs or cans will fade in ultraviolet sunlight, or fluorescent light.
• White powder forming on glass or pottery with a lead glaze is poisonous. Remove the item!
• Marble sculptures will discolor from pollutants if near a window or an active fireplace. They may scorch or crack near a heater.
• Lemon juice will remove the remains of gum, adhesive tape, and other sticky tapes.
• If you scorch a textile while ironing, rub a cut onion over the scorch, then soak cloth in cold water for one hour. Rewash and try again.
• Do not store foods or beverages in crystal bowls or bottles for long periods of time. Vinegar, acidic juice, and alcoholic beverages will leach the lead out of the glass.
• Do not use olive oil to polish a wooden bowl, or it will turn rancid. Wash and rinse bowl well if using an olive oil salad dressing.
• If displaying paper items, remember that light of all kinds (electric and sunlight), will eventually harm paper.
• To clean antique ivory, dust with a soft cloth or brush, and use a clean woolen cloth to buff it.
• Do not polish dark antique bronze or you will destroy the old patina and lower the value of the piece.
• Chlorine in cleaning products products will harm bronze items displayed in a room where these products are used.
• When storing old toys remember to remove the batteries first.
• When repairing dolls remember that changing the original hair in any way will lower its value.
• Glass Christmas ornaments should never be stored in a damp basement. Mildew will cause damage.
• Antique clocks must be cleaned and lubricated every five years. To set most clocks, hold the minute hand in the center, turn it clock-wise, wait for each strike. Wind fully each time, but do not over-wind.
• To clean glass with an iridescent finish, use cool water and very little mild soap.
• Never display grandfather clocks near a heat register or radiator. Be sure to attach them to the wall for safety. Most old grandfather clocks have a small hole for a screw inside on the backboard.
• A signature on a piece of cut glass adds at least 25% to the value, but it can be difficult to find.
• Clean antique cloth dolls by gently vacuuming through a layer of nylon net.
• Do not vacuum silk.
• Clean andirons using liquid metal polish and 0000-grade steel wool to remove resin caused by smoke.
• Polish old carved furniture using paste wax applied with a stenciling brush. Buff using a shoe brush.