Several local dealers were busy selling their wares at a recent show of antiques at the Volusia County Fairgrounds. And the experienced antique dealers and buyers at that show had no trouble knowing the difference between antiques and other old things. Jo and Bob Sanford of DeLeon Springs, who specialize in antique glassware, have been dealing in antiques and collectibles for about 20 years. They attend only two or three shows a year because it takes a lot of effort to transport their fragile inventory from show to show. Bob Sanford said what makes antique glassware so special to him and his wife is the look, rather than the age.
Opalescence gives the glass a distinctive, smoky look.
It takes a lot of research to determine the value of an antique and set the price, said Sanford. Pricing antiques accurately comes with years of experience, although there's always room for negotiation. Even though price guides can become outdated quickly because of price fluctuations, they are excellent sources of reference for learning what's out there. And off the beaten path, too. The Sanfords, for example, are avid dealers of antique glass toothpick holders.