By TAYA FLORES • tflores@jconline.com

At a recent auction in Lafayette, Linda Mounts found a Victorian walnut shelf clock for $120 — a price she considers a steal.

But the antique lover didn’t go to the auction in search of a bargain — she was ready to bid on that special piece: an interesting find that would suit her taste for all things Victorian.

“I buy it for my own home so it’s just a matter of what it’s worth to me,” said the 59-year-old.

Antique dealers, collectors and aficionados say that auctions are a great place to find quality pieces for the home, especially in a day and age where solid, sturdy wood furniture is difficult to find.

Nancy Burns, interior designer with Design Nook Interiors, said solid wood pieces are scarce because manufacturers today import most of their furniture.

But older furniture, especially antiques, tends to be made out of solid wood, which is sturdier and more valuable.

Burns said consumers can find a wide variety of antiques at auctions including primitive, rustic pieces, traditional ornate pieces from the mid-1800s to early 1900s, and midcentury modern transitional pieces.

She said modern pieces from the 1950s are becoming popular now, even though they are not yet 100 years old.

“It’s kind of like Ebay in person,” said Cathy Lockwood, another Design Nook Interiors designer.

Burns said consumers can also find items that might be worth recovering and even antique linens that can add a subtle touch of vintage appeal to a room.

Typically, items sold at auctions are higher quality than items sold at garage sales and the shopper is only limited to his or her own creativity when in comes to ideas for home decorating or furnishing, Burns said.

She has even bought a collection of table legs, cut them and created candlesticks.

Doug Davies, auctioneer and owner of Lafayette-based firm Davies Auctions, said that the items at auctions are more upscale than at garage sales.

While you can find bargains, usually the items cost more because you are outbidding the competition, he added.

His advice to novice auction shoppers was to do research to help set a price on how much to spend. This will help the novice shopper avoid getting entangled in the bidding process and consequently paying too much.

He also added that antique hunters eventually become accustomed to the auction chant.

“Once you go to a lot of auctions, you pick up on it pretty quickly,” he said.

Source : http://www.jconline.com