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What are the standards or grade of artifacts?

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  • What are the standards or grade of artifacts?

    I have read some books by Lar Hothem, here is two picture from them, look at the price.





    Teach me, please.


  • #2
    Dear Chi Yuan,
    While the books of Lar Hothem are a great resource for information, utilizing them as price guides is not recommended. That is because the owners of the artifacts were allowed to provide the pricing.
    What gives an artifact value is:
    1. rarity
    2. collector interest
    3. size
    4. color
    5. authenticity
    6. superior manufacturing
    7. absolutely no damage
    Sometimes collectors neglect some of the above, and can pay way more for something than it will be worth to another collector.
    On the whole, authentic artifacts have risen about 10% a year for the past ten years. Thus, a great piece bought in the year 2000 for $1500 may bring $3000 today.
    Learning about values is a art unto itself, and I can only suggest consulting several others in purchasing anything "high" end - $2500 and above.
    Hope this helps....

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    • #3
      I’m very interested in stone artifact, but I would like to think about the research methods of north American artifacts, because I am astonished at American folk activity, It's very Successful.
      How long  is the collection history of stone artifact in America? and how many people are there in join today?

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      • #4
        Chi Yuan,
        Stone artifacts have been collected in America for a long time, the first written record being in the late 1700's, with the picture of a Barnes Cumberland in a publication. It is estimated that 200-400,000 people have a collection of artifacts in one way or another. Many collect very privately. I would guess the active community is around 10,000 +. I base that on the number of members of the GIRS, the Ohio Arch and CSAS, and then double that for all those who don't subscribe but collect ( I know quite a few in that catagory ).
        Stone artifacts are easy to reproduce with modern machinery. One should be very cautious in assembling a collection of high grade things. I suggest acquiring cheap and broken artifacts at first to learn, and then go after the more exciting things.
        Steven R. Cooper

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        • #5
          Mr. Cooper
          I admire your rigor very much, I think it is very important,but ordinary people often overlooked it. Someone told me that there is authenticators often do the grading, they are several popular old timer, people charge money to authenticate. Although there are several different methods to authenticate, I guess anyone isn't official, the appraisal of old timer authenticators is affected by subjective factors too much, do you agree with me? If so, the appraisal is not generally accepted and stability, isn't? I have two questions.
          1.People belive the chipped stone artifacts are always ancient, it's wrong. Such as Maya, there are no smeltting industry, some porcelain stone artifacts of them have just about 1000 years old. As China, most ancient culture are not the main parts of history, their reliable records are limited. This is a big trouble for rigorous Art Assessment Study, because we can't assess alone information of stone artifacts own, although it more useful before clear archaeological conclusions. Is there some advanced experience or data(books) which they tight integration of archaeology in your country? For example, evaluation sequence table in particular. By the way, I always belive the books with collection prices are only marketing. do you agree with me?
          2.For chipped stone artifacts, a beginner often find it difficult to distinguish in end products and semi-finished products and by-products and wastes. But all of them have value, more or less. Is there some standards or books in your country?

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          • #6
            Chi Yuan,
            You have been told correct, there are authenicators for North American artifacts. However,none of them are versed in everything. It is difficult to know whom to turn to for most collectors. Some swear by one, some swear by another. What I can say is do a little research on some of them - and see what their real credentials are.
            As for grading, that is another area entirely. There is an area in the Overstreet Book on grading. It is an invaluable resource for this. One authenicator gives a lot of grade 10's - I think they help "sell" his certificates. Another will only go up to a 9.5 - saying there isn't a grade 10.
            What it comes down to is knowing your collecting area. If you coollect coins, you learn which are valuable, and then learn which grades are desirable.
            One way to start is to buy some choice pieces from other collectors. I know Rainbow Traders has auctions and so does Jim Bennett. They both try to handle reputable material. Auctions can be a good place to get some nice pieces at a good price...but you can also overpay if the interest is high in an item. I do know that you can inquire of Jim and/or Dennis at Rainbow and both will help with pieces in their auctions that you may have an interest in.
            Be careful - and you'll have lots of fun. I've been doing it for twenty years and the fun is still there!
            Steven R. Cooper

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