On the Antique Trail in the Mid-Atlantic

Collecting antiques begins with that first piece. If every picture tells a story, so do antiques. Each and every piece has a history, likely some battle scars, and a character all its own. This acquisition is your first. You obsess over its placement. You display it. You talk about it. You compare it to others you see in various shops. Suddenly, the allure of collecting intensifies; it becomes a passion, perhaps an obsession. You can't pass an antique shop without longing to explore its every nook and cranny.

Antiquing is about finding that one-of-a-kind piece or rarity that no one else possesses. Only those who thrill at digging through crowded, pungent rooms filled with curios and oddities understand that the whole point of antiquing is discovering, learning, and acquiring a part of someone else's history. In our erratic world, it offers a sense of perpetuity, a link to another time-perhaps another place. In an age where long-held traditions are rapidly dwindling, the right object -in all its inanimate glory-may be one's only resonant connection to days gone by.

And so begins your lifelong expedition of antiquing.

But where to go and how to know what you are buying is truly a task in study. "Spend a year educating your eye before you make a big purchase," advises Jane Grant of Savage Mills' ultra 'lux EJ Grant Antiques. "Your best protection is working with a reputable dealer." Certainly there are some real deals to be had in flea markets, auctions, and non-descript shops. But the experts warn that you risk buying something that isn't all you might imagine it to be. Jean McHale of Gaines McHale in Fell's Point, urges, "Go to the shops. Talk to the owners. Those forthcoming with information about the piece, and who take the time to know what your needs and interests are, are the reliable ones. They are looking to create a lasting customer relationship, not just to make a sale". Both of these prominent dealers appreciate the significance of the philosophy they impart...they own two of the most revered antique establishments in the region.