The Antique Collector’s Resource Library
You don’t have know everything about antiques and vintage curios, but you should know where to look for the answers!
Whether you’ve spent years developing your knowledge base about decorative arts through formal education or you are new to the field, every collector and seller needs a group of resources to turn to when they seek help identifying, dating, and describing a find.
My shelves are overflowing with art history books, historical monographs, and resource guides I’ve accumulated from my formal education, and I’ve got a bookmark list a mile long in my web browser too. Some books are more useful than others…some more out of date than others! Remember historical knowledge is ever expanding, and books on marks and price guides can become antiquated themselves.
Of course your niche will dictate which of these resources will be most helpful, so I’ve broken down my recommended books by topic. You can explore my library of online resources with over 100 websites and articles here.
Resource Library
I linked to the resource available for purchase when possible. Includes affiliate links.
General Resources for Antiques:
The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
Anything by Judith Miller:
Miller’s 2024-2025 Price Guide
The New Antiquarians by Michael Diaz-Griffith
The Elements of a Home by Amy Azzarito
In With The Old – Classic Décor from A to Z by Jennifer Boles
There’s A Bed in The Piano: The Inside Story of The American Home by Myrna Kaye
Resources for China & Tableware
The Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique China & Silver
Kovel’s Dictionary of Marks for Pottery and Porcelain
Resources for Art
The Art of Buying Art: How to Evaluate and Buy Art Like a Professional Collector by Alan Bamberger
The Intrepid Art Collector: The Beginner’s Guide to Finding, Buying, and Appreciating Art on a Budget by Lisa Hunter
Art in China by Craig Clunas
Resources for Chinese Antiques
Chinese Export Porcelain: Standard Patterns and Forms, 1780-1880 by Peter Herbert & Nancy Schiffer
The Canton Famille Rose Porcelains by Dr. John Quentin Feller
Chinese Ceramics: A New Comprehensive Survey by He Li
How to Read Chinese Ceramics by Denise Patry Leidy
Blue & White – Chinese Porcelain Around the World by John Carswell
China for America – Export Porcelain of the 18th and 19th Centuries by Peter Herbert & Nancy Schiffer
Resources for British Ceramics
Collector’s History of British Porcelain by John Cushion and Margaret Cushion
Staffordshire Figures of the 19th and 20th Centuries by Kit Harding
British Ceramics 1675 – 1825 by The Mint Museum
Resources for Silver
Yesterday’s Silver for Today’s Table by Richard Osterberg
Silver: A Practical Guide by Joel Langford
Resources for Furniture
American Furniture: 1620 – Present by
A Field Guide to Identifying Woods by
Butler’s Field Guide to American Antique Furniture
The Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique Furniture
French Furniture: From Louis XIII to Art Deco by Sylvie Chadenet
How To Date Furniture (English) by Trevor Yorke
Fake, Fraud, or Genuine? How to Identify Authentic American Furniture by Myrna Kaye
Resources for Textiles
Oriental Rugs: An Introduction by Gordon Redford Walker
Oriental Rugs: An Illustrated Lexicon by Peter F. Stone
Quilts, Coverlets, & Counterpanes by Paula W. Locklair
The American Quilt – A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950 by Roderick Kiracofe
Resources for Cleaning & Caring
The Winterthur Guide to Caring for Your Collection
Is there a book you find particularly helpful that is not listed? Share with us below!
Definitely a must for any collector of Wedgwood Jasperware is Michael Herman’s Wedgwood Jasper Ware: A Shape Book and Collector’s Guide. Full of hundreds of color photos from the author’s collection and others, this book is a treasure trove of information for anyone who wishes to know more about beautiful Wedgwood pieces. Highly recommend!
Thanks Ann! I’ll definitely look this one up.