Your grandparents’ home may be a time capsule of good memories and nostalgia, but it could also be a potential goldmine for rare artifacts and knickknacks. Think about all of the items that Grandma has refused to ever throw away, and now imagine what could be hidden in the attic.
There are often overlooked objects and rare oddities in homes that have been collected for literal generations. From quirky turn-of-the-century hardware to forgotten artworks, these items could turn your next visit into a treasure hunt.
There is an increasing demand for antique items that only increase in price as they get older and become rare and forgotten pieces. To the right collector, these items could be worth a small fortune.
Antique Home Hardware
Next time you’re visiting your grandparents, focus on what kind of drawer handles or doorknobs they have furnishing their home. If the home is old enough, it could be equipped with vintage hardware that’s worth a lot more than you’d think, especially if they are bronze or brass pieces.
In recent years, these items have come back into fashion, and new homeowners are looking to furnish their homes with antique hardware that has become increasingly hard to come by.
Just one ornate doorknob from the early 20th century can sell for hundreds of dollars. Complete sets of hardware to help bring together the aesthetic for a kitchen can even sell for much more.
Vintage Rugs
While most modern homes use commonly found rugs and carpets to bring together a trending chic, there’s still a huge demand for old, threadbare rugs that, to the wrong person, may simply look like they belong in the trash.
Some vintage carpets and rugs, especially Persian, Turkish, or hand-knotted examples, can be worth thousands of dollars, even if they aren’t in perfect condition. The most important factors that play a role in the value of a vintage carpet are its age, rarity, and quality.
Even faded or partially damaged carpets can be worth a lot to collectors looking to restore them to their former glory. One Persian rug from the 17th century sold for 33.8 million dollars!
Stained Glass Lamps
While the king of stained glass lamps is Tiffany, even non-branded vintage lamps can be worth a surprising amount. Stained glass lamps from the same time period as Tiffany lamps can sell for a small fortune as the market looks at their quality and unique designs.
Replicas and forgotten brands from the same time period can sell for thousands at auctions, especially if they have a unique pattern or vibrant colors that make them stand out from others. Demand has gone up with the resurgence of Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts styles.
Murano Glass
Murano glass vases and light fixtures have largely been forgotten about. However, to collectors and museums, they can be worth thousands, especially ones that are suspended in gold or metal crystals. Original pieces from the 1950s or earlier can sell for over $10,000.
They are truly unique pieces, and part of their appeal is through their multicultural heritage. Many of them combine Italian craftsmanship with modern design innovations. Even the smallest pieces can be worth a small fortune if they have the Murano signature on them or share similar design techniques.
Antique Paintings
In a modern landscape littered with reproductions and reprints of old paintings, it’s easy to dismiss art hanging on walls as purely decorative, but they could hold real value depending on their age and origins. There are documented cases where families nearly donated old paintings from relatives, only to find out that they were worth more than $100,000 and painted by artists like Julian Onderdonk.
There are so many lost and hidden paintings that bear the signatures of great artists from the Renaissance and further back. Don’t judge a painting just by its appearance, and put in the extra work to find out more about its heritage.
Antique Memorabilia
Antique memorabilia can be worth a lot to the right people. These items encompass all sorts of different things, from pocket knives to old desk calendars. They may not seem too extraordinary to the naked eye, but many of these items collecting dust in Grandma’s house could be rare and fascinating antiques that are sought after by collectors.
Knives are highly collectible, and old buck knives can sell for hundreds of dollars. Memorabilia that is often sought after is quirky in some way, like advertisement thermometers from companies that have long since gone out of business. Don’t overlook the small things that could be highly collectible.
Vintage Pianos
Modern pianos can cost an arm and a leg on a good day, but old pianos seem relatively plentiful and worth a lot to the right buyers. Antique pianos that have the right branding on them could be hiding right in your grandparents’ house and are worth a lot of money.
Look for brands like Steinway & Sons, Bosendorfer, and Yamaha – they often sell for upwards of ten thousand dollars! Many hobbyists enjoy collecting and restoring old pianos from the early 1900s, which have then gone on to sell for over a hundred thousand dollars.
Vintage Postcards And Photographs
While you might overlook seemingly ordinary objects in old drawers, like old postcards and photographs from a bygone era, these items have a growing demand among collectors. Photographs that have sentimental value could also have a lot of monetary value if they capture important historical moments or places.
History collectors also look for vintage postcards to complete their collections, especially ones that are rare and in good condition. Next time you see your grandmother’s postcards preserved in a plastic bag know that they could fetch hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
Antique Clocks
Remember that old analog clock that used to tick in your grandparent’s house? Antique clocks can worth a lot more than people give them credit for. Even smaller vintage wall clocks are highly collectable, especially if they come from the 19th century and survived to the present day in good condition.
Rare clock makers and complex mechanical systems can boost the value of these already rare pieces. In an era where everything is digital, there’s a lot of demand for the simpler, and yet more complex, items from history.
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