If you are in love of antiques as much as I am, Belgium is one of the countries that offer you lots of choices in this field. When talking about antiques I think most of the people are thinking to France, Italy, United Kingdom but hey did you know that Belgium is Europe’s best kept secret in the matter?

Located at the crossroad between France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium has collected along the centuries from its neighbors and do not be surprised to find some of the most incredible marvels in this country. Belgium is one of my favorite hunting places for wealthy European antiques shops, fairs and flea markets.

This country is full of treasures from chocolate to waffles and beers, from diamonds to antiques. Did you know that there are more antique dealers in Belgium than in any other country in Europe? This country is filled with most eclectic assembly of fine antiques and many antique shops offer different prices and different styles: Louis XV, Louis VXI, Napoleon III, Empire, Georgian, Regency, Henri II, Willem III, Louis Philippe, Baroque, Neo Baroque, Lodewijk and much more.

If you love the idea of having an antique, I’ve got news for you: antiques are rising in popularity.

Most of the people when they want to buy furniture for their home they look at something new. But did you know that antiques are better to buy? They are great investment, they are built to last the time, and they add a story to your home and character and give you something unique. Plus for me it brings the sustainability concept that resonates a lot with my values. These fabulous pieces have been produced centuries ago and they are still in use, they have a much smaller carbon footprint than brand-new furniture.

But what is the difference in between vintage and antique in case you want to acquire such pieces for your home? In the strict sense for an item to be considered vintage it must be in between 30 and 100 years old while an antique is has to be at least 100 years old have a certain quality that brings presence in your home. So how would you know what to look at is valuable?

Try to have as much information about the furniture owners and trace back any information about who own that piece.

Find out about the age of your furniture because even if you consider it to be old doesn’t mean it is vintage or antique. Some antiques dealers consider an object as an antique if it has at least 150 years old.

Ask how many objects are in the market in the same model. Rarity is one of the criteria to look at. The most valuable vintage or antique furniture is the one that is rare, has an unusual size or shape; a unique carving motif, less common accessories atypical design.

So before they ask you for the price make your research and always try to negotiate. Antiques market has huge margins.

Another aspect to take into consideration about your future vintage and antiques items is to try to figure it out if it’s really authentic or a reproduction of that style.

So, look at the type of the materials used, if its furniture at the type of the wood used to provide you some clues; check the back and drawer interiors and see how old is the wood, see the condition of the wood if it has a lack of patina or modern nails. Because wood pegs and nails are typically found in antique furniture. In general wood works in time, it shrinks so don’t expect the lines to be clearly straight or a table to be perfectly round. The drawers should show a sign that they have been used and opened many times, for some the lockers are completely broken. Don’t forget antique pieces are not perfectly symmetrical because in the pas these pieces were made by hand. So it’s normal to see imperfections. If you cannot find all these things, clearly it’s a reproduction!

And when hunting in Belgium for such rarities and beauties just keep in mind that once an antique has been restored it means is no longer is its original condition so its intrinsic value is different, lower in price than the original piece. So be careful, an antique is considered antique it the item retained its original character with only minimum restoration and only when absolutely necessary.

Last but not the least thought that I have is consider buying antiques and recondition old furniture (vintage) as this is a good way to help the environment. Belgium offers you plenty of choices and stores. I will give more details on where to find vintage and antiques in Belgium in another story.