Marc Allum

Collecting Antiques

  • Recommended

    $130

    Includes personal feedback and tuition. More

  • $75

    Learn in an online classroom with no more than 20 classmates. More

Course Description

Antiques specialist and regular presenter on BBC Antiques Roadshow, Marc Allum teaches you how to collect and invest in antiques.

On this antiques course Marc will share his secrets on how to evaluate collectables, art and antiques and work out what you think is ‘the next big thing’.

Whether you're an amateur collector or professional antiques investor, this course will teach you what criteria to look for for an antiques and art investment portfolio, and inspire you to buy wisely.

Marc will look at how a diverse and interesting portfolio of art and antiques can behave rather like a well-balanced stock market portfolio. He'll show you how to plan around emerging markets, ‘getting in on the ground floor’ with new fields in collecting, following fashion and trends and how to avoid the pitfalls and invest long term.

You'll learn how to use supply and demand across markets including antique furniture and works of art, as well as understanding how to source art and antiques from markets and auction houses.

You'll learn

  • The philosophy of value and understanding art and antiques for investment
  • Practical market tips for buying in different situations.
  • Identifying the disparities between value and worth, who charges what and where best to spend your time searching for good investments.
  • Analysing the frailties and strengths of the market; the pros and cons of riding fashion and collecting fads, and profiting from economic peaks and troughs.
  • Anniversary investment planning.
  • How to spread your portfolio across a number of mediums to ensure safety in the long term and good overall returns - whatever the market conditions.
  • The psychology and nature of becoming a collector/investor rather than a dispassionate accumulator.
  • The analysis of art and antiques from an expert’s perspective and the concept of divining objects for their esoteric worth based on historical information, provenance, beauty and craftsmanship. (Not forgetting that some objects are not at all beautiful but are valuable too).

Time to complete collecting and investing in antiques course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 5 hours 45 mins to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 45 minutes
  • Assignments: at least 2 hours per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson

You'll need:

You don't need any special equipment, but you will be planning your own antiques and collectables portfolio and investment strategy.

The course is suitable for all levels - collectors to antiques professionals who want to learn from an antiques investment specialist.

The course includes:

  • 2 on-demand video lessons - presented by Marc Allum
  • lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical (optional) antiques portfolio project
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom chat online to students from around the world

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Marc on your collecting strategy and questions.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.

CPD Accreditation

Course activity has been accredited by the CPD Standards Office (CPDSO). The course equates to 5 hours, 45 minutes of CPD learning.
The CPD Standards Office. CPD Provider: 50276.

Course outline

  • Knowledge is Key

    Buying a new car can be stressful experience, so imagine that you are aiming to invest money for your future prosperity in an area in which you have little experience – such as art. It’s a daunting prospect.

    However, why not start from a position of greater security by making sure that the risks you take are significantly reduced.

    Humans have a propensity to prevaricate and their indecisiveness can be based on a number of factors. Lack of information and knowledge is perhaps foremost.

    The experience necessary to make good investment decisions is not easily attained – it can take a lifetime - but this lesson will help to provide you with an increased awareness of the variables at play, whilst bolstering your confidence and enabling you to make more intelligently informed, less hazardous decisions.

  • The Anatomy of Art and how to Understand Objects

    In this lesson we'll look at the idea of analysis and deconstruction - understanding what makes some objects more desirable and therefore more valuable than others.

    In the first lesson we dealt with the practicalities of finding sources for buying, and how to work and operate in those different areas.

    Here, we look at the sometimes difficult ideas of how taste, personal opinion, sensitivity and academic skill can significantly alter the perception and value of an object, plus the processes that you can employ to play other people at this fascinating and sometimes profitable game.

A very good range of courses and very easy site to use, even on my phone.

Phil

Choose how you want to learn

  • The Expert option

    Recommended

    Develop your learning further with marked assignments and personal tuition from Marc Allum

    • Start course whenever you like
    • 2 weeks tutor access for personalised assignment feedback & coaching
    • 2 assignments marked by Marc Allum
    • Certificate of completion and CPD hours
    • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
    • 2 lessons with expert videos & notes
    • Group chat & direct message with tutor & classmates
    • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
    Learn more
    $130
  • The Peer option

    Discover the benefits of group learning in an online interactive classroom of no more than 20 people. Get the most from shared knowledge and community study

    • Start course whenever you like
    • Practise what you learn with your peers
    • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
    • 2 lessons with expert videos & notes
    • 2 course assignments
    • Group chat & direct message classmates
    • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
    Learn more
    $75

New
Buy this course for a business or group

You can now buy this course through your business or organisation for individuals and groups up to 20

Antiques classroom - how it works

  • Start anytime

    Watch video tutorials led by expert tutors

    Watch video tutorials led by expert tutors
  • Test yourself

    Practice what you learn with inspiring assignments

    Practice what you learn with inspiring assignments
  • Personal tuition

    Get assignment feedback from expert tutors

    Get assignment feedback from expert tutors
  • Share ideas

    Collaborate and chat directly to classmates

    Collaborate and chat directly to classmates

Meet Marc Allum

Marc Allum - Antiques
Marc Allum is an expert, writer and broadcaster. As a child he just loved collecting ‘stuff’, digging up bottles or buying old postcards. Fast-forward a few decades and he has now written and contributed to over sixteen books on antiques, art and collectables and regularly writes for numerous mainstream magazines. Marc has been a specialist on the BBC Antiques Roadshow since 1998 as well as many other television and radio programmes. Having spent over 16 years as a director of a major London auction house, he is an expert valuer, auctioneer and consultant with a passion and reputation for divining the unusual.

Profile picture from James Bignell Photography.

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Awards & Accreditations

  • Royal Horticultural Society - Approved Centre 2023-2024
  • Royal Horticultural Society
  • CPD Accredited (provider 50276)
  • Digital Education Awards 2023 Winner for Digital Health and Wellbeing Learning Product of the Year
  • Digital Education Awards 2023 Winner for Adult Home Learning Product of the Year