Antique coffee pots are a charming item to add to your collection of antiques, no matter what types of items you might be interested in collecting. Most people won’t search for an antique pot to actually use on a daily basis because today’s coffee machines are simply much faster and more efficient than antique models. However, when you are looking for a decorative collectible, you can find plenty of different antique coffee pots to add to your collection. Because coffee pots are a general purpose item, antique models aren’t as properly appreciated and collected as they should be. For you, that means that you can often find great deals on items that people don’t realize are valuable when they are selling them.
If you are shopping for antique coffee pots, here are some things to look for:
Age/date markings. Many pots were made of silver or other metals in the past because they were heated over coals or a stove. They all should have date marks, company names, or other trademarks stamped onto them somewhere. Sometimes, pots have been too used and no longer bear these marks, but try to find them when you can.
Diamonds in the rough. Many times, you can walk into a thrift store and find antiques that aren’t even seen as antiques. Older coffee pots that people have retired are put on shelves here and sold for pennies on the dollar when they could very well be worth much more. Don’t spend a lot of money on something if you aren’t sure about it, but if it’s only a few bucks it is worth picking up if it looks old.
Reproductions. Even with something as obscure as antique coffee pots, people have been known to fake them. After all, if someone can get away with replicating an expensive antique, they can make a lot of money. Make sure that you are purchasing original pots that are from decades or centuries past and not something made recently to ‘model’ the older styles. Reproductions are essentially worthless in terms of value, while antiques can fetch a lot of money.
Dents, tarnishing, or other imperfections. While this might seem like a red flag to stay away, it’s actually a good indicator that you’re getting a real antique. Too many dents or wear marks that cannot be removed could detract value, but often the small flaws and rough appearance can be cleaned up with a little polishing and restoration. You can easily get a valuable coffee pot for a low price if you buy something that needs a little TLC.
The great thing about antique coffee pots is that they aren’t as coveted as many other antique collectibles. However, they are also rare because people use coffee pots regularly and they don’t maintain much of their lifespan after being used for too long. If you are interested in collecting antique coffee pots, make sure that you know what you’re looking for and that you can take the time to validate the item as an antique and not just an old piece of junk.