We buy antiques across more than 30 categories — furniture, ceramics, silver, clocks, jewellery, bronzes, scientific instruments, and decorative collectables. Every piece is assessed individually in writing. You receive a separate offer for each item, not a single lot price that obscures what anything is actually worth.
Our valuations are based on current secondary market data — recent auction results and dealer retail prices — not insurance replacement values or probate figures, which are designed for different purposes and consistently overstate what buyers will pay. You accept the pieces you wish to sell and we return the rest at no cost. Free insured postage. Written valuation. Paid in 72 hours.
The categories below represent the main areas where we have specialist buying knowledge. Estate clearances often produce mixed collections; we handle the full range without requiring you to sort or catalogue items in advance. If something does not fit neatly into a category below, email a photograph first and we will confirm whether it falls within our area of expertise.
Georgian mahogany and satinwood pieces, Victorian walnut and rosewood, Arts & Crafts oak, and early 20th-century items with design attribution. We look for original surface patina, intact hardware, and evidence of period construction (hand-cut dovetails, pegged mortise joints). Reproduction furniture and flat-pack pieces fall outside our buying remit; we identify these on arrival without charge.
English factories — Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Worcester, Derby, Minton, Spode — as well as European pieces (Meissen, Sevres, Dresden). We assess against known pattern references and factory marks, distinguish hand-painted from printed decoration, and check condition under UV light to identify invisible repairs. Restoration significantly affects value and is always disclosed in our written offer.
Hallmarked sterling silver from any British assay office, plus Continental silver and Scottish pieces which carry their own distinct marking systems. We assess candlesticks, flatware, tea services, salvers, inkstands, and small decorative objects. Weight is one factor; maker's mark and date letter command separate premiums — a Paul Storr piece is not simply assessed by the troy ounce.
Longcase (grandfather) clocks, bracket clocks, carriage clocks, Vienna regulators, and mantel clocks with named movements. We assess case quality and originality, movement maker, and condition of escapement — a non-running clock is not without value if the movement is original and the case is fine. Clocks with replaced dials, recut cases, or replaced movements are assessed accordingly.
Georgian, early Victorian, mid-Victorian, and Edwardian jewellery assessed for period characteristics, metal content, gem quality, and maker attribution. Pocket watches valued for both case metal and movement quality — names such as Dent, Frodsham, Kullberg, and Nicole Nielsen command premiums well above the metal value. See our dedicated pages for full specialist detail on specific jewellery categories.
Bronze figures and groups, ivory carvings (legally saleable when pre-1947 and meeting UK CITES requirements — we advise on documentation needed), unusual scientific instruments, barometers, globes, antiquarian maps, and decorative objects that defy easy categorisation. We buy on the basis of genuine market demand, not optimism — and will tell you honestly if a piece is unlikely to attract sufficient interest to justify the postage.
The antiques market is not uniform — different categories respond to different drivers. For furniture, condition and originality of finish matter more than age alone; a George III card table with intact crossbanding and original handles is worth substantially more than a later-restored example of the same period. For ceramics, maker attribution and pattern rarity can override size: a small Meissen figure from the Kaendler period outvalues a large later piece from the same factory. For silver, both maker and weight matter, but certain pieces — particular tea services by celebrated silversmiths, rare provincial pieces from Exeter or Newcastle — carry significant premiums above melt or even standard auction estimates.
The legal distinction between "antique" (100+ years old) and "vintage" (20-99 years) is commercially relevant beyond terminology. Genuine antiques, properly provenance-documented, benefit from CITES exemptions for materials that would otherwise require export licences, and are treated differently by certain institutional buyers. We understand these distinctions and apply them accurately in our assessments. Items that fall just under the 100-year threshold may be classified as late vintage and valued against that market, which is often equally strong.
Email photographs or call 01234 815116 with a brief description. For mixed estates, a rough inventory helps us advise on what to include and whether any items require specialist handling beyond our standard postage pack.
We send a free prepaid, tracked and insured label. Your items are insured to £5,000 from the moment the courier scans the parcel.
Your parcel is opened publicly on YouTube. Condition is documented on camera before any specialist handles your items.
Each item receives an individual written offer, including the category assessment basis and any condition notes. No lot pricing that obscures individual values. Accept what you wish to sell; we return the rest free. Paid in 72 hours or +3%.
Call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk.
Get your free pack →In trade and customs terms, an antique is generally 100 or more years old. Vintage covers roughly 20–99 years. The distinction matters for CITES exemptions on materials like ivory and for certain export requirements. We buy both antique and vintage items across our full category range — and will tell you which classification applies and why it matters for your specific piece.
It depends on what you have. Auction suits rare, high-value single pieces with established demand — but charges 20–25% commission, takes 6–12 weeks, and guarantees nothing. Dealers are fast but buy at 30–50% of retail. Online marketplaces require expertise and effort. Fair Vintage offers specialist assessment, individual written offers, and payment in 72 hours with free insured postage — a strong option for mixed collections and inherited items where certainty matters.
Both. A single significant piece is as welcome as a full estate clearance. The only practical limit is for items of very low value where postage cost and assessment effort outweigh the sale value — in those cases we will say so honestly before you send anything, rather than waste your time.
We assess against current secondary market data: recent auction results for comparable pieces and dealer retail prices adjusted for our cost structure. We do not use insurance replacement values or probate valuations, which consistently overstate what buyers will pay. Our written offer states the basis for each valuation so you can compare against any independent assessment you have already received.
Yes, though condition significantly affects value. For furniture, original patina is often preferred over later restoration — a refinished piece can be worth less than one with intact original surface. For ceramics, unrestored damage reduces value less than poorly executed amateur repair, which we identify using UV light. We always state the specific condition factors that influenced our offer, so you understand the reasoning rather than just receiving a number.
Within 72 hours of your parcel going live on our YouTube channel — guaranteed. If we miss that window, we add 3% to your total.
Individual written offers per piece based on current market data — not insurance values or lot pricing. Open live on YouTube. Paid within 72 hours.