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March 3rd, 2008 by Just Glass Oline Staff

Just take a walk through the nearest fine gift or antique shop. You’ll quickly see that there is a huge variety of figurines from which to choose.

When starting a collection, quality is important but so is having a good grasp of what type of figurine on which to focus. Do you want sports pieces? Florals? Animals? Cookie Jars? Unglazed? Glazed? Etc.

And the choices don’t end there; if Animals, for example, do you want only a specific type of animal? Or perhaps you’ll collect only animal figurines made in a specific country or by a specific manufacturer (Hummel being an example).

There is absolutely no way for anyone to answer this question for you. Various experts can tell you what is currently highly collectible, but they cannot insure future value and trends. So, it’s a good idea to buy what you like and items you’ll enjoy no matter what the market value may be. Limited editions that are authenticated typically also retain or improve their value, but of course the initial investment is greater.

Also please consider your lifestyle in the initial collecting process. People with pets, small children, or those who move frequently might do well to consider a less fragile media. Of course, there is always the option of having specially designed storage boxes and display cases made that can protect your investment just in case.

No matter what your final decision, it’s important to KNOW china when shopping or minimally trust your seller.

Experts in this field tell us that good China figurines have specific qualities. The model is clean looking (you can’t see mold lines or other manufacturing marks). The paint on the piece should be likewise clean and meticulous to details.

The walls of good China figurines are thick, lending the piece more support and logos must be intact for any future value to be secured. By comparison, fakes are likely to look two-dimensional and have far less detail. The paint colors may seem faded, and the inside shows no sign of finger marks (this implies a cast piece instead of hand crafting).