Many Internet sellers use the term antique fairly loosely when a better description would be simply old or vintage. Many shops carry antiques and collectibles. A collectible is simply a newer item that is in demand or lends itself well to a collection. Jewelry is one category in which items made before 1954 are considered to be antique. In 1954, costume jewelry was recognized officially by the government to be American art.
Collectors look for pieces that are marked or signed by the designer.
I m often asked how a price is established for an antique. The rule of thumb is to buy items at half the price they are worth. Find it cheap, and it should be worth twice as much as you paid for it. But dealers are often willing to come down 10 percent. Often, all you have to do is ask in antique malls.