How to Spot High-Quality Items at a Thrift Store

A trip to the thrift store is essentially a scavenger hunt, but for adults. You never know what you are going to find, and if you’re very lucky, you may even come across several hidden treasures. If you want to make solid decisions when shopping at a thrift store, then here’s what you need to know.

Spotting Maker’s Marks 

Paying attention to the material, construction method, weight, and little details of a specific piece can be a very good way for you to recognise a winner. A good thing to do is look out for the maker’s mark. This is a very distinctive mark that is found on older jewellery or pottery. The mark could represent the designer, manufacturer, or craftsperson. Every mark is different, and it could be a label, stamp, or even engraving. It could even be branding, or a metal tag. Some might include company logos or images, and others may include a name. Finding a mark can help you to find out if a piece is in fact authentic, but with that said, something not having a mark doesn’t mean that it’s not. Lacking a mark doesn’t mean that something is worthless, as it is possible for marks to wear away over time. If you want to identify a mark, you need to look in hidden spots if you can. On furniture, it may be inside the drawer, on the back panel, or on the leg. On ceramic pieces, it’s usually on the bottom.

Using Google Lens is a great workaround here, as you can use this to search for the mark and then identify the company. From there, you can find out its potential age. You can also compare it to a legitimate piece to find out if you have scored a bargain.

Looking out for High-End Brands

You also need to look out for high-end brands. Some brands are known for their quality, but others are known for their name and high value. You can even find vintage items online. If you have a list of manufacturers or brands that you would like to search for, as well as the popular items that are from that collection, you will find it easier to find what you are looking for. If you want a high-end piece of furniture, look out for Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Thomasville, and more. Glassware may include Murano and Steuben, and from there, you can find it easier to spot high-end pieces.  

Numbered Prints and Pencil Signatures

You should also keep an eye out for numbered prints, as well as pencil signatures. If you want to spruce up your space, art can be a good way to go, but at the same time, it can be difficult to find something that really speaks to you. Originals are worth more than prints, and if you want to score an original, you need to look out for the indicators present. One thing you can do is look out for visible brush strokes. You can also look out for artist notes as well as pencil sketch marks. If something is limited edition, this is also great. Finding a print that is limited to just 50 prints could make it valuable, but at the same time, a famous print limited to 1000 prints could be worth just as much. It might not be possible for you to determine the weight of the item, but as a general rule, the heavier an item is, the more likely it is to be valuable. 

Glass and Crystal

Another thing you need to look out for is whether something is glass or crystal. It’s very easy for crystal and cut glass to look similar. Crystal is normally a type of glass but has a higher amount of lead oxide. It’s also more expensive than cut glass, which is why it is beneficial to be able to identify it. While both options look great, glass is worth less. One way for you to distinguish between the two would be to tap it with your fingernail. If you hear a sound that is similar to a bell ringing, then there’s a good chance you have crystal. Cut glass won’t make a ringing sound. Crystal glassware also shows blue or even purple hues when you shine a light through it, with a prismatic effect. Crystal is also heavier with glass and tends to have more rounded edges.

Wood Furniture

If you want to buy some wooden furniture that is high quality then you don’t want to look for perfection. When something is made by hand, there are imperfections, and therefore, pieces are worth more. Look out for slight differences in the sheen or the color, and also take note of decorative detailing so you can find out if it is hand-crafted or not. When wood is carved by hand, you will see variations and inlays. It’s also possible that you can spot hand-crafted wood by looking at the less visible areas. An artisan piece of wood will still have carvings in lesser-seen areas, but if you have a more mass-produced piece, then it’s entirely possible that this will look unfinished on the sides, and that the underside won’t even be stained.

Although things like this tend to be small, it is a good way for you to make sure that you are not buying pieces that are not actually worth as much as you think. By doing your research and by having a keen eye for detail, you will find it easier to find pieces that really work for you and that stand out overall. If you want to go bargain hunting, you can visit one of our stores. We also have a loyalty program for those who want additional savings.