First Time Buyer Q’s & A’s

For those of you making your first purchase of an historical document or artifact, we have provided answers to questions frequently asked by new customers. If your question does not appear below, please contact us at our email address, or give us a call.

Q. How can I be sure that what I buy is authentic?
A. We ask the same question when we buy items for inventory. That is why we buy from only the most reputable dealers with years of experience. Our credibility is extremely important to us; that is why we back every item with a guarantee of a full refund for as long as you own the item in the unlikely event it is ever determined to not be authentic.

Q. How do I know if I am paying a fair price?
A. The historical documents and artifacts we sell are actively sought after by a strong collector base that also includes museums, libraries, historical societies, and the like. As such, there are established value ranges that are widely accepted in the market; but, other than auction records, they are not part of any publication that we are aware of. We will gladly provide value references on request with any purchase to help our customers understand they are paying a fair price for something they will be able to enjoy both as a valuable collectable and artistic piece.

Q. What if I ever decided to sell my historical document? How would I go about doing it?
A. You would first want to make sure you had a good idea what it was worth; especially if you had owned it for some time, as the chances its value has increased is a reasonable assumption. You can contact us and we will be happy to assist you with that, as well as make you an offer.

Q. Why would I want to buy from you as opposed to another dealer?
A. Let us first say that there are a number of fine historical document dealers in the business, and we buy from them ourselves. We find that our customers are attracted to us because of the types of historical items that we sell. We constantly seek out pieces that are historically interesting and have strong eye appeal as well. We then frame all our documents before we sell them. We do this not only for preservation purposes, but also to enable our customers to display them alongside the other types of art and decorative pieces they have displayed in their home or office. Because of the volume of our business, we can offer our customers distinctive pieces, beautifully displayed and preserved, at very fair prices.

Q. Can the documents be taken out of their frames without harm?
A. Yes, the document can be removed, but with the exception of certain artifacts such as booklets or pamphlets, the frames would have to be professionally repaired to restore the original appearance. Documents are held in place in our frame in a custom sized Mylar sleeve, and are not adhered to the frame or matting in any way. Also, if the item was recently purchased, removing the frame would nullify the return guarantee.

Q. How do I know when you will have items I want?
A. We maintain customer want lists. Also, we feature new purchases in a separate icon on our Home page, making it easy for you to check regularly.

Q. If I am looking for a particular item, can you help?
A. Please ask. We have a number of excellent contacts in our industry, and we will be happy to work with you to find and prepare “Your Piece of History.”