antique dealer

The work as antique dealer

Antique dealer ´s buy and sell antique objects and collectors' items. They may deal in a wide range of antiques or specialise in a particular field such as jewellery, glass, furniture or china.

The work involves acquiring items from salesrooms, auctions, markets and trade fairs, and selling them to the general public from shops or from stalls in antique centres. Some specialist dealers may work from home, buying and selling to order. With usage of the internet increasing may dealers now buy and sell some items online. Minor restoration work knowledge may be necessary.

An important part of the work is researching the identity and potential value of objects. As antiques have no fixed price, antique dealer ´s must be able to negotiate purchases and sales on an individual basis. They may also advise owners on the value of their antiques for insurance or sales purposes.

Hours and Environment

There are no set hours of work. Antique dealer ´s have to be prepared to work long and unsocial hours, including weekends and evenings (as most self employed people ;o)

A driving licence is essential as the work may involve a fair amount of travelling. Nights away from home may be necessary.

The work may also involve lifting and carrying.

Skills and Interests

To be an antique dealer, you should:

• have a passionate interest in the items you deal with
• be willing to research, study and learn from others
• be interested in history and preferably a specific period
• have good valuation skills
• have strong nerves and negotiating skills
• have good judgement and the ability to make quick decisions
• have business ability and a good sales technique.

Entry

No formal qualifications are needed for entry. It is common for people to go into antique dealing as a second career. This can be the result of a long-term hobby or of experience in an associated field such as art dealing or valuation. Experience is valued as highly as qualifications and enthusiasm and selling techniques are increasingly important in a competitive environment.
Antiques history blog
It is possible to enter the antique dealer profession by:

• joining an existing antique dealer, working in their shop, or one of the smaller or medium-sized antique or auction houses as an assistant or a general worker. It helps to have a qualification in selling or retailing. NVQ/SVQ in Retail Operations at levels 2 and 3, and NVQ in Sales at levels 2 and 3, are available at many local schools and colleges
• gaining some experience through work in a salesroom or an auction house as a porter, clerk, cataloguer, valuer or auctioneer. This can be supplemented by part-time study for qualifications in arts subjects such as history of art, fine art and decorative arts
• starting collecting and researching as a hobby and then taking a stall at a one-day market or fair. This could be gradually built up into a business
• joining one of the larger city-based salesrooms such as Sotheby's or Christie's who recruit small numbers of graduate trainees every year. You usually need a degree in a related area such as art or history of art.

Requirements for a degree are usually at least five GCSEs (A-C)/S grade (1-3), plus two or three A levels/H grades, or equivalent.

An Access to Higher Education qualification may also be accepted for entry to certain courses. If experienced in a related field, you may be able to gain recognition of skills through Accredited Prior Learning (APL). Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.

For those with unrelated degrees or wanting to study further, several institutions run postgraduate courses, although these can be very competitive or expensive. For example Kingston University runs an MA in Arts Market Appraisal (Professional Practice), and both Sotheby's and Christie's have postgraduate education programmes.

The British Antique Dealer ´s Association (BADA) has details on routes into this field on their website. See contact details in Further Information.

It is sometimes possible for young people to enter through an apprenticeship scheme (see Training).

Training

Most skills are achieved by extensive self-study, research and experience, although major auction houses may provide a training scheme. There are a number of privately run courses run by institutions such as the Courtauld Institute of Art.

For those who begin working in auction houses or antiques shops, learning will be gained on the job from those with more experience.

Apprenticeships may be available for those under the age of 24. In England these are currently Apprenticeships (level 2) and Advanced Apprenticeships (level 3).

Opportunities

Antique dealers in the UK work from shops, antiques markets and fairs and from home. Most dealers are self-employed, some are part-time and a few combine dealing with restoration work.

Jobs as assistants are difficult to get into but the BADA offers a forum for advertising vacancies in their members' newsletter.

Opportunities at major auction houses are few, but some recruit trainees on graduate training schemes. Promotion would be to specialist dealer or auctioneer.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Starting salaries for assistants are around £10,000 to £12,000 a year.
Antique dealers with experience could expect to earn £20,000 or over.
Successful dealers in specialist areas working at the top level can earn up to £50,000.

As an antique dealer your income could vary enormously depending upon level of expertise, location and whether self-employed or working for one of the major auction houses.