Evolution of the Queen of Hearts

As most of you know, the Queen of Hearts has been in business for over 20 years. When the Alpharetta location opened with 12 dealer-merchants, Jim and I were so excited. We definitely didn’t know then what we know now – at the time, we thought we were rocking it!

Jim Anderson signing up a new dealer-merchant in 1998

By 2003 we had slowly grown to over 200 dealers in Alpharetta. We bought an established mall in East Cobb, and opened the Buford Queen within four days of each other. Can you say, risk takers?? At the time, we were also raising two boys that played travel hockey and tournament tennis. We eventually sold the East Cobb location, opened the Marietta Queen on Hwy. 5, and moved that store to its current location in 2012.

Selling space in the Marietta Queen location

Whew! What a whirlwind for the Queen of Hearts and our family. The boys ate many pizzas on the counters in the Alpharetta location and skated up and down the aisles where there was open space. They still reminisce about it and loved growing up at the “store.”

Keaton & Tyler helping set up for Grand Opening, 1998

Many customers stop me and ask, “Where is your booth?" It comes as a surprise to many that I do not have one and never have. They always ask me why. My response is that after much research before opening the Queen, Jim and I visited many malls across the country and found that the majority had owners competing with their dealers to make sales each day. In our book, that just wasn’t fair to the dealers. It was decided that we would work on a business model that serviced our dealer-merchants, making them successful. If they were successful, then the Queen would be successful.

Dealer-Merchant Training Class

Over the last 20 years, we continue to vet each and every dealer-merchant that wants to join our team. An application and photos are required, then it is determined if they'll be a great fit and have the right merchandise to be successful. We strive to provide our customers with a wide-range of merchandise in each of the stores—traditional, farmhouse, vintage, mid-century, French country and more.

Chili Cook-off in Alpharetta

The dealer-merchant relationships and friendships that have evolved over these last 20 years brings lots of joy to us. We love hearing the stories when we share in dealer events – Wine & Dines, Chili Cook-offs and Meet, Greet & Eats. We love the veteran dealer-merchant as much as the ones that are beginners. Each one brings to the table their decorating flair, their passion and their love for the Queen of Hearts. The Queen of Hearts salutes our 550 dealer-merchants - thank you for all you do!

Stacey "working" through dinner!

Stacey Anderson is the owner of all three Queen of Hearts locations in Alpharetta, Buford and Marietta. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to see more from our dealer-merchants!

Gift Guide & Holiday Decorating from the Queen

It’s that time of year again . . . when everyone gets in the decorating spirit first and then moves on to choosing gifts for their friends and family second. Can you say, busy?

You might be the one in the neighborhood that “decks the halls” to the hilt, or the one that puts out your favorite decorations and calls it a day or what I like to call “Christmas Lite.” Since our boys are living out of state, we have found it very cathartic to pick out the decorations that mean the most to us and not bring down all 40 boxes from the attic. Don’t get it wrong, we thoroughly enjoy the holidays and love seeing all the decorations in our friends and family’s homes, we just take the more relaxed approach!

Now when it comes to gift giving, we might be over the top. Are you one that puts a lot of thought into it, or do you buy what is popular? Do you give gifts that you would like to receive yourself?

As you get older and wiser, we tend to give practical gifts. Some that come to mind are dishtowels, candles, glassware, and holiday themed decorations. This time of year inspires all of us to be creative with a little bit of practicality thrown in. The Queen is a great place to shop for gifts for anyone on your list!

Some of the decorating trends this year are checked bows in black/white, black/red and tan/black, frosted holly stems. Vintage Christmas ornaments and decorations are very popular this year, including those wonderful silver tinsel trees. 

How many ceramic Christmas trees do you have? Our book club holiday dinner was last week, and the hostess, Alice had three ceramic trees – all different, but what a nice look having them sitting around the room giving off the light from the tiny lights, reminding all of us our childhood.

Nature seems to be popping up in holiday decorating this year. Pine trees cut into rustic leaning Christmas trees are flying out the door to adorn mantels and tables. These paired with the checked bows make for a very homey, warm look in any home. Burlap is still in the mix pairing well with mercury glass deer and candleholders, rocking the rustic meets modern look. 

Customers always share with us their love for our wide selection of holiday décor.One dealer-merchant will display all vintage Christmas ornaments and collectibles while another will go more modern with all teal colored glass ornaments and silver bows. It is always a fun time at the Queen of Hearts with all 500+ dealer-merchants decking their booths with their versions of the holiday season!

Stacey Anderson is the owner of all three Queen of Hearts locations in Alpharetta, Buford and Marietta. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to see more items for the holidays!

2018 Trend Alert: Mid-Century Modern

Flip through any furniture brochure or stroll through any home décor store and you’re bound to notice beautiful retro style Mid-Century Modern furniture and accessories. It may be 2018, but the nostalgic pull of the ingenious architectural designs of the 1950’s is taking modern-day homes back in time.

The enduring popularity of the Mid-Century Modern style is based on many factors. It's classic, beautiful and a little bit funky. Low-slung sofas, bold patterns and fabulous furniture pieces with simple, clean lines and tapered legs successfully combine to create rooms that are stylish, functional and comfortable. It’s no wonder people continue to be drawn to this iconic design style.

While there is some disagreement about when the period started, it roughly lasted from the mid-1930s to mid-1960s. Technological advances led to production and development of a range of new materials making it possible to explore new textures and effects, colors and even new form. The timeless quality of the style, however, continues to appeal to today's homeowners. 

   

Do you find yourself drawn to Mid-Century Modern décor? Dream of incorporating a little (or a lot) of this timeless style into your home, but not sure where to start? By understanding the distinguishing features of the style, you can pieces that echo that. Iconic pieces from this era have been adapted and copied endlessly, and chances are that you might be able to find pieces that fit your lifestyle needs and budget, if you don't want to spend a fortune on furniture. Here are some tips:

• Vintage Mid-Century Modern furniture pieces are the key to a fabulous Mid-Century Modern room. Start here by considering Boyhill, Lane, Kent Coffey, or Mt. Airy furniture. One large piece can set the tone for your room nicely.
• Build around it. It does not have to be a set, but avoid too many patterns and stay within a color range, especially for wood.
• Layer in pops of color with artwork or fabrics, just a bit of bold pattern and of course a little shine with metallic accents (star bust mirror anyone?)
• Try lighting fixtures like unique pendant lights and remember, mid-century modern is not a matchy,-matchy style, so no need to find lamp sets!
• Pull in a few plants and a chic terrarium & voila! You’ve got a timelessly beautiful Mid-Century Modern room.

True Mid-Century Modern furniture and accessories are highly sought after, and finding good pieces can be difficult, but we can help! We have over 500 dealers in 3 locations and during February, the Buford Queen will be featuring Mid-Century Modern furniture in their dealer consignment area. Chances are, we’ve got some fantastic items just waiting to become part of your fab new Mid-Century Modern room!

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to see more from our dealers, including this recent post featuring Mid-Century Modern pieces!

Queen Dealer Spotlight: Sue Corner of Perfect Inspiration LLC (SUE)

Each month we will be doing a blog about one of our dealer-merchants from each of our three stores that offers unique, one-of-a-kind antiques and merchandise for your home and garden. We have a lot of creative, savvy and talented dealers and we thought you would enjoy getting to know them!

Sue Corner (Dealer Code SUE) has been a dealer at the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta for the past 6 years. Her favorite part of being a dealer-merchant at the Queen is interacting with the customers and finding unique pieces to suit everyone's taste and pocket. 

Sue carries fine furniture from Europe and the USA, as well as oil paintings, art glass (especially Fenton), fine art and porcelain, bronze sculptures, tableware, silver, mirrors, rugs. Basically, anything they find "irresistible, hence their tag line "Gorgeous Things!"

Sue loves to tell the story of every piece she sells. As a history major, she researches her merchandise carefully and provides her customers with not just the actual object, but how it was used, where it came from, how old it is and what sort of life it may have led. Providing a "story" with each purchase gives her clients their own stories to tell and is educational as well as providing a richer buying experience.

Her favorite things in her home is a Stickley chest they had made to match the quilted maple top of his favorite guitar; a collection of 19th century sea and landscapes by Adolphus Knell, Robert Hope and others; and a Georgia sideboard which is otherwise unremarkable except that it bears the scratches of an optimistic kitten who tried and tried to jump on top of it and largely failed. Many finer pieces have passed through their hands but this particular piece has immense sentimental value.

Sue says she is delighted to see an upsurge of interest from younger people in "traditional" antiques. Sue has an eclectic style and is convinced that buying good pieces will happily co-exist with modern and traditional, and even mixed colors and styles, if they are united by a craftsmanship and pride of execution.

While collecting antiques for resale takes a large part of her time, she also loves to cook, mainly in the French style, which she picked up while living in Paris. Being a librarian at one time, she loves books and reading, and also volunteers at the North Fulton Community Charities, sorting and arranging books in their Roswell thrift shop. 

Sue and her husband, Chris, are English and have traveled extensively and spent three glorious years living in Paris and studying art history. She is a history major and has an extensive library which includes many reference works she uses to research her treasures. Sharing these stories with her clients is her greatest pleasure.

Follow her on Facebook at Perfect Inspiration Antiques and Collectibles.

Queen Dealer Spotlight - Terry Ledwell of Vines and Designs by Terry

Each month we will be doing a blog about one of our dealer-merchants from each of our three stores that offers unique, one-of-a-kind antiques and merchandise for your home and garden.  We have a lot of creative, savvy and talented dealers and we thought you would enjoy getting to know them!

Terry Ledwell (Dealer VINE) in our Buford store grew up in Lowell, North Carolina, which is a small town between Charlotte and Gastonia.  He loved growing up in the mountains and seeing the beauty in nature.  As he likes to say, the good Lord put it there for us to enjoy and gave him the talent to see the beauty in twigs, branches and greenery and put it together in ways that will amaze you.

Terry has a booth on Market Street in our Buford store and loves to incorporate his floral arrangements in his booth.

He has been married for 24 years to Caroline, has 5 children, 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren and currently lives in Atlanta.

Terry recently led a workshop in Buford in December on making wreaths, garlands and floral arrangements from greenery you can find in your backyard.  If you missed it, you missed a real treat.  Terry will be doing another workshop for us in March during our Spring Fling and you will want to mark your calendars for Sunday, March 22, from 2 to 4 pm to see what his wonderful demo in using greenery from nature to make beautiful arrangements!  You will not want to miss what he has to show.

He has a wealth of knowledge and experience and loves to share his techniques with everyone, which is unusual for a dealer in the trade.  What a treasure we have in our Buford store in Terry Ledwell, Dealer VINE.  Be sure to stop in and see him on Sunday, March 22, in our Buford store from 2 to 4!

Queen Dealer Spotlight: Fred Edwards of Golden Mortar Antiques (FE)

Each month we will be doing a blog about one of our dealer-merchants from each of our three stores that offers unique, one-of-a-kind antiques and merchandise for your home and garden. We have a lot of creative, savvy and talented dealers and we thought you would enjoy getting to know them!

Fred Edwards ( Dealer Code FE) has been a dealer for over 15 years in the Alpharetta Queen of Hearts. In fact, he was one of the original dealers when Jim and Stacey first opened the store.



He loves being at the Queen of Hearts because he enjoys the great job that the Queen does in promoting their stores, the great people that work at the Queen, and the good sales that he has had each year.



While most of the items in his booth are pharmacy related, he also carries old signs, framed advertising signs, primitives, coke items, and man cave items. He also has a display case up front with coins.





Fred says he enjoys selling coins because they usually bring back customers to purchase additional coins and many like to have their collections appraised.

Fred has been married to Carol for 54 years, has two daughters, and two granddaughters. He grew up in Indiana and went to Purdue University, graduating in the school of Pharmacy. He practiced Pharmacy for six years and then moved into management becoming President of a drug chain in Georgia called Reed Drugs. Later, he moved to Washington, DC to become Executive Vice President of Peoples Drugs. After retiring from Peoples, he has consulted to small independent drug stores who need help in competing with larger businesses.



Besides collecting and appraising coins and antiques, he enjoys fishing and going to garage sales and auctions.

Fred will be at the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta on Thursday, February 26, from 6 to 8 pm to answer your questions about coins and give tips on how to begin your own coin collection. Come and meet him and learn about the fascinating world of coins and collecting coins!

Queen Dealer Spotlight: Dari Brown of "I Need This, Antiques" (DBW)

Dari Brown, owner of I Need This, Antiques (Dealer Code: DBW) has been a dealer-merchant at the Queen of Hearts for 6 years, an appraiser for about 12 years, and has been in the “biz” buying and selling all over the United States for over 25 years. Dari has this to say about antiques, “They do not provide food or shelter that we may live. Why then do we "need this?" Because they make our lives worth living with the joy of the hunt, the successful acquisition, and most of all...the history, the beauty, and the energy these pieces bring from another time and place.” With two spaces on Church and Queen at the Buford Queen of Hearts, Dari says her most popular space is the Victorian booth located on Church St.

Customers and Queen staff have said "it is like walking into a Victorian parlor," and young people are especially fascinated by the authentic pieces that were the mainstay of life during the 19th century era. The Victorian booth carries almost 95% genuine antiques (items 100 years or older) and she finds these at various auctions, estate sales and thrift shops.

Her second space is located on Queen St and offers a general line of antiques, vintage items and upcycled furniture. This space offers a variety of antique transferware, American primitives, vintage prints and a display case packed with vintage jewelry, antique cut crystal, Civil War memorabilia, militaria, toys, and other interesting items.

Dari says that there are too many “favorites” about being a dealer-merchant at the Queen but shares that it is the excellent business model that provides a pro-active and attentive staff, lots of customers and the ability to sell a bit of history. Being an antiques dealer allows you to enrich ones life with beauty from another era. Additionally, the trend to upcycle or repurpose “found” items, especially antique furniture, that has seen rougher days, into renewed and unique purposes is exciting. It is so much fun to see utilitarian items transformed into lighting fixtures or coffee tables. Just about anything goes these days and the more interesting the greater demand for the item.

Dari started out as a collector, and in order to “feed the collecting habit” became a dealer. Dari collects antique clothing, laces and needlework, Native American basketry, rugs and pottery, Victorian jewelry, quadruple plate, American Brilliant cut crystal and Early American Pressed Glass (EAPG) compotes, to name a few. She also has three spinning wheels, two are genuine antiques, and adores spinning fiber from all three of them. It is a meditative process and brings her joy along with beautiful handspun to knit.

Dari was born and raised in New Jersey and then began traveling at the age of 12. She says she has gypsy feet and enjoys living in new locales. With 7 grandchildren scattered all over the U.S. and overseas, she has the opportunity to travel quite a bit. She presently works, full time, for a global communications company located in Lawrenceville, GA and (with 6 years left to go) is looking forward to when she can retire from corporate America permanently and meander through small communities in search of treasure, expand to another larger booth at the Queen, visit her grandchildren, and scuba dive the world’s seas in between the antique hunting.

Visit Dari's booth in the Queen of Hearts Buford on Church and Queen St., and visit her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/INeedThisAntiques to see all of her gorgeous finds. You can also read her blog, Musings of a Sea Witch.

Fascinating Finds & Tremendous Treasures - MARIETTA

This guest blog is by Cindy Rich, a third generation picker of antiques/appraiser and loves all things vintage. She has been interested in antiques for as long as she can remember, and feels that every piece she finds comes from somewhere and was loved by someone! She will be visiting each store once a month for an Appraisal Night With Cindy Rich from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Bring your treasures and meet Cindy Rich, a certified appraiser. Please limit your items to 3 items and a voluntary $5 charity donation is requested for each item!

Upcoming Dates are:

• Marietta: SECOND THURSDAY of each month - July 10 - August 14
• Alpharetta: THIRD THURSDAY of each month - June 19 - July 17 - August 21
• Buford: LAST THURSDAY of each month - July 31 - August 28

Thursday night at the Queen in Marietta was nothing short of a "take my breath away" visit. I was blessed with so many smiling faces, and beautiful things, I was in awe. My time began a bit early at 5:15 PM and stayed on 'til the last customer just before 7:45pm.

I saw some vintage rugs that were easily over 80 years old, and while one was a bit more "cherished" than the other, both were spread out on the floor, and everyone who saw them were amazed, and appreciated the fine quality, texture, and life that each of them brought to the room. You could just imagine the space it took up, those who walked upon it, and how many holiday gatherings it saw.

I also had a gentleman who brought in a Tiffany piece that was an old bowl from the 40's and it was well worth the $6 find he brought to me.. I had done a bit more research when i returned home, and found it right in the amount i shared with him - which was approximately $250 - 350. Given time, it could well command a prettier penny. Although, I think he will be holding on to that one with both hands.

I had some gorgeous paintings, some pencil charcoal drawings, and even a bit of ivory jewelry. I was pleased to see a piece of Gorham silver from early 40's - 50's... it was a child's yoyo. Yes, I said, yoyo. It held up its beauty and stood the test of time. That gentleman had a wonderful eye, and a heart of true gold - he is one who treasures the past, and stops his finds from finding their way to the scrap yard. He is truly a preservationist of History.

As my night ended, I listened as the folks left me, and i was taken aback in how much i love what i do, how much i enjoyed my first time in Marietta, and just how much i love seeing the people come out and share with me all their findings... It is my pleasure to be able to touch pieces of the past, learn from the people, listen to the stories, and treasure all they have for me. It is truly a precious gift.

I have always enjoyed my trips as a customer to the Queen, and have purchased many items lately from the various stores to add the beauty of the rejuvenation of my kid's rooms. Each piece we have hand-selected tells a story all it's own, and now, it will include its time in our home.

What does the Queen of Hearts provide it's customers Pleasant shopping, fabulous finds, and tremendous treasures.

What does the customer gain from those pieces? A new piece of history for their family and added warmth and charm for their home.

See you next month! - Cindyanna

Fabulous Finds, Tremendous Treasures

This guest blog is by Cindy Rich, a third generation picker of antiques/appraiser and loves all things vintage. She has been interested in antiques for as long as she can remember, and feels that every piece she finds comes from somewhere and was loved by someone!

I started my adventures earlier than expected with some wonderful ladies, who are also vendors there and saw a primitive step-back cabinet that was given "new life" and shown much respect with a new coat of paint and an old trunk that had beautiful finishings and pretty patina on it. I would use it in my daughter's room with some old vintage quilts and pillows pouring out the top.

Another lady showed me a beauty of a chest embellished in hand-stamped brass that can be used as a hope chest for a young couple, or to store vintage pieces that are precious to you.

I had the pleasure of talking with a lady that found a picture behind another picture in a frame that was from the 1920's and was a print that she was wanting to know the value - it was worth approximately $125. She went on to tell me it belonged to her aunt and she had always admired it from when she was a child and was blessed to have it given to her when her aunt passed. You could see the love in her eyes and the humble heart she had when talking about her. I was just in awe of the simple beauty of the piece.

Finally, I had the joy of meeting another vendor who had some pieces of lighting from the 1920's that were hand-crafted, hand-forged, and heard stories of her mom and how she loved these pieces and to her surprise - they were worth quite a bit, as they are no longer made. They hung in a nightclub for many years and were items she truly cherished. 

All in all, it was a night for me to remember, to take a walk through time with each and every customer, and receive donations of over $100 that goes to charity.

Thank you for another fantastic time at the Queen of Hearts. See you next month!

Family Ties & Butterscotch Pies: Guest Post from Appalachian Vintiques

As we approach the holidays, my mind wanders back to my grandparents' house in the holler of Western North Carolina in a town called Waynesville. At Thanksgiving especially, the house came alive with family, laughter, music, jokes, football, and the smell of turkey and homemade biscuits. And then there was my great grandmother’s delicious butterscotch pie that we ate on the "special occasion only" dishes on her mahogany table. I cherish these memories, but if I could change anything it would be to make those moments happen every day, not just once a year.

As I prepare for this year's Thanksgiving, I'm changing traditions. I'm investing in china, decor, and furniture that won’t be reserved for one day a year, but are timeless, quality pieces that I can enjoy every single day. I don’t want to lock up the "special occasion only" pieces because every day that I spend with my family is special.

At the Queen of Hearts in Buford, the ability to find quality pieces that remain timeless is an easy feat. Your most difficult task will be narrowing down the fantastic options. At my booth, Appalachian Vintiques, we specialize in high quality, primitive pieces found locally in Western North Carolina.

This fantastic buffet is made by Lexington and is made from a beautiful mahogany; it reminds me of one in my grandmother’s dining room and would make a beautiful accent for any of your family meals. The antique gilded mirror and the delicate stemware is traditional and classic.

Don’t let a small space prevent you from finding a timeless and functional piece that will be a great conversation starter. This fantastic dining table with four chairs, also found at Appalachian Vintiques, makes entertaining easy while practical.

Dealer SJ at the Buford location offers this exquisite dining room set with quality china pieces. Add a centerpiece like this and make your dining room festive year round.

Dealer SPCA in the Buford location offers this unique serving platter. Perfect for your Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham, but can be used year round - what about your next Superbowl party? This platter could hold enough wings to feed the team!

Dealer MNELW at the Buford location is offering this amazingly unique buffet. This classic French accent is sure to be a conversation starter at any gathering, and beautiful to admire when you are just eating dinner with your family.

I could post hundreds of photos from The Queen of Hearts in Buford. No matter what your style – traditional, modern, classic, romantic – there is something here for you. As you approach this holiday season, I hope that you will remember that people are what makes the moments special, not a date on the calendar. Whether it’s Sunday dinner after church with just your kids or entertaining your entire family for Christmas, choose pieces that you can create memories around that will last a lifetime. I will always remember my Nanny’s butterscotch pie...leave your family and friends with their own special memories.

Jennifer Turner is a dealer at the Buford Queen of Hearts and her booth is Appalachian Vintiques, dealer code LIVJC or VINTQ, located on Court St. Follow the link to like her on Facebook and see all her amazing finds!

Guest Post from Dealer Art History Story: Antique Dating

When I opened my first booth at the Queen almost exactly a year ago, I named it Art History Story. Here’s why: I love beautiful things, and I needed more of them in my life. I figured other people did too. That’s the art part. And I love to research. That’s the history part. I love finding an antique piece at an auction of merchandise shipped in from England or France or even Indiana and figuring out what city the piece came from, what time period it dates to and how it was first used. And I think almost every piece has a story to tell. I always try to find the story of who made it and why an item is unique. Today, I’m going to try to teach you how to do the same in a few steps:

Step 1 - Always trust your first impression

Malcom Gladwell, in his book "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking", says, “There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.” He tells the story of a Greek kouros statue brought to the Getty museum and claimed to be 2,500 years old. One expert, on first glance, knew that something wasn’t right, but he could not say what. Later, he would say, “Anyone who has ever seen a sculpture coming out of the ground could tell that that sculpture was never in the ground.” He just knew. After much money was spent on proving that the sculpture was a legitimate antiquity (and after the museum bought it), it was later discovered to be a forgery. The man who “just knew” was right, despite all the expert findings to the contrary. If you see a beautiful piece, and you “just know” it is old and beautiful and what you want, go for it. You may want to consider the price, but first impressions often stick.

         

Look at these two pieces. Both are in my booth. One is really old. One was distressed to look old. Without any training, you will be able to tell the difference. Sometimes it’s that easy.

Step 2 – Investigate

Though first impressions are good, there are other ways to find out about a piece. Turn a chair upside down. Look on the bottom of the seat for a label from the furniture company or a stamp or hand-written numbers. Generally, if it says “Made in Malaysia,” you’ll know it’s not an antique. (In 1930, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act required that imported products be labeled as such. Furniture makers got much more specific about labeling after 1930). But you may find other marks, and that is where the story part comes in.

Last weekend, I bought three chairs from a junk dealer. One had glitter glue spilled all over its seat, but it was beautiful. I loaded it up with furniture stripper to get the glue off and then turned it over to make sure I wasn’t stripping anything on the underside of the chair. I found a mark that said, “Grand Ledge Chair Co.” on it. So I looked it up. Grand Ledge, Michigan has a rich history of furniture making and entertaining tourists. And I was even able to approximate the date the chair was made by reading the history of the chair company’s production. I was amazed at how sturdy it was to last so long. The label on the bottom of the chair also told me that it was mahogany. I gained a lot of information, just from turning it upside down.

You can look on the bottom of silver items to make sure they are really silver or silver plate. Things that come from Italy might say they’re from Italy on a tiny gold ring around the piece or from some mark in Italian hidden sneakily on the piece. Furniture makers often burn or print labels on the inside of the top drawer or on the back of a dresser or cabinet. Examine what you’re buying very carefully, and look for any kind of marks you can find.

Step 3 – Smell it

Those of us who love antiques also (usually) love the smell. Antiques smell like antiques. They don’t usually smell like fresh wood (cedar chests excepted). If you have been buying antiques for long, strange as it may sound, you can smell the different between an Ikea piece hacked to look like an antique and an actual antique.

This can sometimes be a negative. Some antiques smell musty, or they may just smell old. Trust your senses. And if you love the piece but don’t like the smell, try filling a bowl with coffee beans (or dry grounds) or charcoal and putting the bowl inside the piece somewhere. Both coffee and charcoal soak up smells well. You may also choose to wash your piece with an oil soap or just let it sit out in the sun for a day or so.

Step 4 – Go With What You Know

If you want to find out the story of the piece, go with what you already know. Do you know it has a roseback or a braceback, or if it’s a Windsor chair. Does it have Queen Anne style legs or bun or claw feet? Does it have hidden drawers or unusual paint? Run a Google search with the most identifying features you do know about it and click on “images.” Look for pieces that look like the one you’re investigating. Read the story of items that have something in common with your piece, and follow their trail. (Pinterest can also be a good place to look for these.)

If you are old-school, you can also make a trip to the library and check out an antiques book. Kovel’s is the best and most current about value. (By the way, if you look at the value of antique pieces in books, you will find that the prices you get at the Queen are usually far below the piece’s actual value, even often less than you would pay for the same piece online!)

Step 5 – Visit an Expert

If you think you might have found something really valuable, take your piece to an expert. I bought an antique grandfather clock from an auction of French pieces. When I wanted to determine its value and learn its story, I researched and researched. I even tried to write a letter to a clock maker in the city where the clock was built. But my French is terrible, and I finally gave up my online investigation. So, I took it apart and took the pieces to a Swiss clock repairman in Roswell. He was able to tell me the value of the clock as well as what it would take to get it into perfect running order, and now he will be a resource to me any time I buy another one.

And getting an appraisal could be easier than you think. Steve White, an appraiser in Cumming does $10 appraisals once a month or so. There are also online appraisers who will appraise your piece by photos for a small fee.

Step 6 – Follow the Rabbit Trails

This is for the story piece. When you buy an antique, if you have the opportunity to talk to the former owner of the piece, ask as many questions as you can. Where did it come from? How much did they pay for it? Is it a family heirloom? Did it come from another state or country? Do they know of anything special about the piece, marks, etc.? All of this can help you to understand what you have, and you may win a friend in the process!

I once bought a set of bedroom furniture from a woman who had hoped to repair it and found she could not. She told me it had a lot of sentimental value. I saw it on Craigslist and chose it immediately because it had a kind of leg I had never seen. When I asked her about the piece, she told me it had been her grandmothers in the Dominican Republic, and that her grandmother told her it had been in the family for years before her. The pieces turned out to be from the early 1700s, and I might not ever have been able to discover this if I didn’t have the information from the girl who sold it to me.

Step 7 – Study Up

Learn about the periods antique dealers use to identify items. Go online and search “date antique by legs” or change the word “legs” to “feet” or “chair back,” etc. Knowing what William and Mary stretcher bases look like or when and where pieces with barley twist legs were made might help you when you are shopping for pieces in the future. 

You can read in a book (again – I would recommend Kovel’s), or you can just look to see what you can find online. If you like to learn, you will find a lot! If you are visually oriented, you might find pages like this one of great interest!

Step 8 - Visit the Queen!

You may decide to leave the study of Queen Anne behind and head over to the Queen of Hearts! It’s a great way to practice what you are learning as you study. Look around for some really old pieces and then get to work. Pick up the piece. Turn it upside down (you may need to ask permission if the piece is bigger or fragile) or look behind it or open the drawers or climb under the table top and have a peek. Smell the wood, check the finish, listen to your gut. The store is a perfect place to do this kind of detective work. You may find something you think is really old, or something you really love. Trust your gut. If you love it, you’re probably right!

Jill Turner is a dealer at the Alpharetta Queen of Hearts and her booth is Art History Story, dealer code AHS, located on Meeting St. She also has a booth, dealer code HOPE on E Bay St. Follow the link to like her on Facebook!

Guest Post from Queen Dealer Heidi Milton: Six Ways to 'Go Vintage'

Hello, Queen readers! My name is Heidi and I am dealer/consignor at the Marietta Queen of Hearts - ReMade Home Designs, dealer code HMM MAK on E Bay St. I also blog at Decor & More, where I share my various home projects, room makeovers, DIYs and whatever inspires me. Today I'm sharing six ways to "Go Vintage" with your home decor.

When I embarked on a guest room makeover a few weeks ago, I had a tight budget and a vision. I wanted to take a dark, previously teenage boy "cave" space to a bright fresh room that would welcome my guests. But it had to have character, too. And the best way to inject character is to incorporate vintage touches. And where else to find vintage touches but the Queen of Hearts Antiques & Interiors?

I started with this...

Dark taupe walls, a combination of pine and painted furniture, and mis-matched bedding. Ugh.

The first thing I wanted to do was to brighten up the space with lighter, fresher paint color. I also knew I wanted to stick to my budget by using things I already had -- whether it was refreshing existing pieces, or "shopping" other rooms in my home for artwork, bedding or accessories. And I knew the Queen could come to my rescue for reasonable vintage touches, too.

After several weeks of work, I'm now enjoying this light and bright guest space...

Can you believe it's the same space? And loaded with vintages touches like these... 

1. Find interesting vintage quilts and linens: Front and center there is one of my favorite vintage touches: a quilt from the 1950's. It had the fresh color palette I was looking for, is in excellent condition and I knew would be a great punch of color against a sea of white and creamy neutrals.

2. Odd pieces of china take on new life: These are easy to find at the Queen! Lots of dealers have interesting odd pieces and I've used them here in two ways...

I used some little dessert plates as wall decor above some beloved watercolors I pulled from another room. Plates are a great way to add three-dimensionality to your walls and the vintage pieces have beautiful colors and patterns.

I also love to have little dishes at the bedside, for jewelry or eye glasses. These little gold-edged pieces (I found two matching) will be perfect for my guests earrings and watches at bedtime!

3. Wooden boxes add texture and additional storage: I scored this sweet box a couple of years ago from a fellow Queen vendor. I love the tarnished metal and warm wood tones in contrast with the light and bright.

4. Vintage prints look fresh in modern frames: While I love vintage framed botanicals, I knew that I wanted a slightly different look in this room. These lilies and rose prints with the creams, greens, and pops of pink were perfect for this space, but because I collected them over time, the frames were uninspiring and mismatched. I needed to unify them with fresh frames. Learn to look beyond the frames you may see on some vintage prints -- you can give them a fresh look for very little!

5. Mixed vintage metals add character, too: I love mixing my metals, and now that brass is back and tarnished silver is in, I'm in hog heaven. Prowl the aisles of the Queen for interesting pieces -- there are loads of great pieces available, including in my space ReMade Home Designs on E Bay St.

I pulled the tarnished silver tray out of my booth (and happy I did!) and I've been hoarding those brass candlesticks for a few months. Going vintage means you can mix and match to your heart's content! I added a couple of family photos in mixed vintage finishes as well. Lots of places for my guests to corral their belongings on this dresser, too.

6. Re-envision vintage furniture with a new look: This is one of my favorite ways to go vintage! The Queen is host to many dealers (including me) that rescue and refurbish vintage and antique furniture. I am always amazed by the furniture rehabbing talents of the Queen dealers! I scored this desk at a thrift store ten years ago, loving it's shape and size. Now she has new life in my guest room, with a fresh coat of blue paint.

Many dealers will also do custom finishes if you have a beloved piece of furniture into which you'd like to breathe new life. In my case, this fresh hue was just the ticket.

I hope I've inspired you to inject some vintage into your spaces -- you might be surprised how fresh vintage can feel! Get more details of my guest room makeover and my other projects at Decor & More, follow my blog page Decor & More on Facebook and like my business page for my Queen of Hearts booth ReMade Home Designs, to see new arrivals and be the first to know about markdowns.

And now, it's your turn! What's your favorite vintage piece in your home? Inquiring minds want to know!