How to Collect Imported Mushroom Antiques

Antique mushrooms became a collectible during the 1970's and remain a cherished fixture for many people. While they are no longer produced on a mass scale, they can be found if you look in the right places and know a little about the history behind these items.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Decide the mushrooms in which you are most interested. This can be based on a variety of things, including color, country of origin, time period of origin, size and value. Value, of course, is going to be largely based on condition. The better the condition, the higher the value.

2. Research imported mushroom collectibles to get a glimpse of what is out there and who the manufacturer's are. Many of them are considered folk art and, therefore, will not have a mark on them. These will be valued by age and condition alone.

3. Determining the age of a mushroom takes skill and research. After a while, you will learn to identify the marks. Most of them were made in Asia during the 1960's and 1970's, though can be found in the folk-art style all the way back to the 1920's.

4. Purchase wisely. Antique mushrooms are such a small sector of the antique marketplace that it is unlikely you will be over-charged for them. Make sure you look at the condition of the piece before you purchase it, then negotiate accordingly. A mushroom can easily be worth $20, but with one little chip, the value can decrease to $5.