Honestly you will earn more money dealing in antiques then talking about them
The Antiques Circus: Talking vs. Trading
Here’s the irony, plain and simple: you can earn far more dealing in antiques than by talking about them on TV. While presenters and so‑called experts might bask in the limelight, collecting their fees for quips and valuations, the real profits are made quietly in the market—by dealers who buy and sell, spot opportunities, and turn knowledge into cash.
TV shows love the drama: gasps over a cracked jug, exaggerated reverence for a piece of costume jewellery, a sprinkling of history to keep it respectable. But most of those valuations are more performance than substance. Meanwhile, the real business is happening off‑camera—someone spotting a sleeper in a provincial auction, recognising a misdescribed lot in a catalogue, or flipping an overlooked piece from a charity shop. That’s where the money is.
Still, to give the TV experts their due, they’ve played a part in widening the circle. Without them, antiques might have remained the preserve of a handful of dusty dealers and auction‑room regulars. The gloss and theatre of television pull in fresh eyes—casual viewers who end up at their first sale, or charity shop browsers who start spotting treasures.
So yes, dealing beats talking when it comes to making a living. But perhaps those TV antiques experts do serve a purpose after all: they turn curiosity into passion, and passion into participation. In the end, the more people drawn into antiques, the stronger the market becomes. And that’s good for everyone—from the traders in the trenches to the stars on the sofa.
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