Name something you like to collect. Anything. 

Records? CDs?  Magazines? You can find all of these and more at an antique store. I used to think antique stores were boring and the items were useless, but then I realized I never really took the time to carefully look at the items. Not everything appeals to everyone, trust me, I get that. But you will find something if you look hard enough like I did. 

On a typical trip to the Almeda Antique Mall in Southwest Houston, I can find anything from working typewriters to vintage glassware.  The last thing I purchased was a Chanel Perfume that was encompassed in a clear bottle with the Chanel name located in the center and the logo stamped on the bottle cap. On another visit, I found three polaroid cameras from the late 1960s to the early 70s. I also found this beautiful Marilyn Monroe picture that lit up with bright, enchanting hues; rhinestones lay gently around her jewelry and hair as an extra detail. These antiques are items that I can use several times. I do not have to just leave them on my shelves to waste away.

I learned about antiques from my dad. The houses I grew up in were always full of antiques. My dad had so many items, we had to have a separate room to store all of them. He always took me to garage sales, flea markets, antique shows and anything else antique related. He would blabber on and on about antiques, but to this day, I still can not remember everything he told me. 

Though, I think I know enough. Knowing enough about antiques helps me by knowing the time periods that antiques came from and realizing if it is real or a reproduction. I know an antique can be determined if it is real by the quality of the item, like when the material has better workmanship and finer details. The aesthetic quality can also determine if an antique is real or not. Reproductions will look newer while authentics will look older. If it is an older antique the color will be faded, there might be a little wear and the details will prove whether it is handmade or not. 

Antiques are important because they are one of the ways we can keep track of history. There is a reality show named Storage Wars that exhibits a group of collectors who own pawn shops and buy antiques. They have remarkable amounts of antiques, and every antique has history behind it. Scriptures, paintings, Samurai armor, the Annabelle doll and any other object from history all count as antiques. Without antiques, most of history would be lost. 

Antiques’ values also increase over time. According to wisebread.com, collectible sneakers, comics, records, stamps, video games and other objects have risen in value over the years. Reporter Paul Michael gives an example of the original 1985 Nike Jordan 1 OG Bred, which was worth around $65 when released but is now valued at $2,715. 

I have found incredible items in antique stores, and I want to share this experience with the world. Anyone can find the types of antiques that I have found or even better ones. In the future, the items we have now might be considered antiques. I have always loved collecting antiques, and I can not wait until other people start to fall in love too.