https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-07-23 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/blog/top10antique monthly 0.5 2025-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/b22c4b47-1e96-4ec8-ac0f-4b9baf5c9653/TJH05087.jpg Blog - Welcome to My World: My Top 10 Antique-Hunting Secrets… - Hi there! Welcome to my very first blog post! I’m so excited you’re here. My name is Taylor, the antique-obsessed treasure hunter behind Hemphills Mercantile. For years, I’ve been scouring flea markets, estate sales, dusty barns, and hidden corners of antique malls, hunting for pieces with real history and soul — and helping my customers avoid the junk along the way. I started this blog because I believe antiques and vintage pieces shouldn’t feel intimidating or exclusive. Whether you’re just dipping your toe into collecting, or you’ve been scouring the markets for decades, there’s always something new to learn—and incredible finds waiting around the corner. So today, I’m kicking things off by sharing some of my favorite no-nonsense tricks for spotting the real gems, sizing up a piece’s worth, and cutting through the fluff… a.k.a. the JUNK. These are the same tips I use when curating pieces for my own shop, so whether you’re hunting for your next forever piece or just want to shop smarter, I’ve got you covered. Because let’s be real — whether you’re brand new to the antique game or have been collecting for decades, it’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to figure out what’s actually worth it. There’s a lot of pretty out there, but pretty doesn’t always mean valuable. Knowing how to spot the good stuff isn’t just about taste — it’s about quality, longevity, and investing in pieces that tell a story (not just take up space). And hey — did you know antique and vintage furniture are the only types of furniture that are potentially increasing assets? So buying new? It’s basically throwing money away. But that’s a blog post for another day… Ready to dive in? Here are my top tips to help you antique-shop like a pro: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/3b1b2c94-3933-4ba0-a4ad-db036d99aab0/8414AC11-50B1-40B6-BAAF-32998607ADD2.jpg Blog - Welcome to My World: My Top 10 Antique-Hunting Secrets… - Know What You’ve Got Tip #2: Use Google Lens to Identify Marks and Signatures If you spot a maker’s mark, label, signature, or even a unique pattern but don’t recognize it, use Google Lens — a powerful visual search tool available on most smartphones. Simply take a photo of the mark, and Google Lens will search the internet to help identify the manufacturer, artist, or style. This quick and easy technology can connect you to valuable information and similar items, making it an essential tool for antique hunters in the digital age. Tip #3: Don’t Rely on the First Listing Price You See This is a common mistake: getting excited by a high listing price you see online and assuming it reflects true value. Just because someone—let’s call her Grandma Suzie—lists an item for $3,000 doesn’t mean it’s actually worth that much. Instead, look for sold comps (completed sales) or multiple similar listings to get a realistic sense of what buyers are actually paying. This helps you determine if a price is fair or if it’s overpriced. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/8096fd5a-c063-41b0-b8b0-72f726601cb5/TJH07116.jpg Blog - Welcome to My World: My Top 10 Antique-Hunting Secrets… Tip #5: Quality = Value. Nicks and dents DO take away from the overall value of an item. That doesn’t mean the piece is a no go if its chipped but, it does mean you might not want to pay full price for a damaged piece. Some of my favorite pieces sport an awesome nick, chip or crack and it totally adds to the look but, that style is very personal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/95b17831-042c-458d-b16b-366f9c0a84c8/Screen+Shot+2025-07-13+at+8.24.59+PM.png Blog - Welcome to My World: My Top 10 Antique-Hunting Secrets… - Tip #8: Make a quick mood board before you go out. Deciding on the look you want to go for will help you notice the treasures youre looking for. This can also help you to stay up n trends and get ahead of what is going to be trending and snag a piece before the price racks up! I like to use the Pinterest collage feature on their latest iOS version of the app! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1752455580601-E0DP7PCBHZQ625PBZFP2/Screen+Shot+2025-07-13+at+9.12.27+PM.png Blog - Welcome to My World: My Top 10 Antique-Hunting Secrets… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1752455580603-A3Y3F7R9BBWQR7FY8EHZ/Screen+Shot+2025-07-13+at+9.12.37+PM.png Blog - Welcome to My World: My Top 10 Antique-Hunting Secrets… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1752455690040-UH8RT3KEB5N5GOQ3XA5Q/TJH05017.jpg Blog - Welcome to My World: My Top 10 Antique-Hunting Secrets… https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/home2 daily 0.75 2025-07-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1ec532ea-be72-4e6d-b41e-0ee8efe394ff/White+Pheasant.png https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/get-in-touch daily 0.75 2025-07-02 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/trade-discount daily 0.75 2025-07-28 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/faqs daily 0.75 2025-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/f4b2bda6-dd74-4098-9a3f-fc508f50d7e7/White+Pheasant.png https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/shipping-returns daily 0.75 2025-07-02 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/our-story daily 0.75 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1708831610740-VAPYN007XZ05PRUI3N3B/TJH05070.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/8c473f64-35a4-4c26-9786-813ce94f996e/TJH05087.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/5eae42f7-d3a1-4971-9cc3-00fa82084b04/39.JPG https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/u-ship daily 0.75 2025-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/b40cacb5-5b26-448d-8278-ca85617cd8c2/TJH05025.jpg https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/newsletter daily 0.75 2025-07-02 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/sold-items daily 0.75 2025-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/393206a6-3d31-4bd1-86e0-3e79c557433d/TJH06753.jpg Sold Items Antique Primitive Pine Possum Belly Bakers Table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/68936812-42d8-4fd5-82d6-9fd88e31d69c/TJH05025.jpg Sold Items 1800's Dutch Oil Painting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/3b4baf8a-34b8-4b24-9314-9b80d9ed48b8/TJH07388.jpg Sold Items 7.5 Ft. Long Antique Bench https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/a85b46bc-c58b-434a-8e05-cc59dd6359c2/TJH07100.jpg Sold Items Antique Oil Portrait of a Sweet Grandma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/6280f27e-219a-4881-8bd4-8d795c5b2f08/TJH06866.jpg Sold Items 6ft. Antique Display Case by Show Case Works https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/a145a0d0-7ba5-4f9b-8470-c3eabcf24ff6/TJH07498.jpg Sold Items '70s Mid-Century Upholstered Chairs with Caning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/6fc6dcd0-e101-456d-9121-28ac6474993d/TJH07531.jpg Sold Items Medium Turkish Rug https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/922f61ea-7d63-4b62-b0e4-041a16944714/TJH05844.jpg Sold Items Multi-Set Bar Utensils (Set of 9) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/8eed05b6-4d5f-4919-af21-b8b4fa9eed80/TJH07310.jpg Sold Items Early Vintage Flower Basket Mirror https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/44784f28-9d95-490d-8eb3-84cda229bfb3/TJH07064.jpg Sold Items Large Antique Moody Oil Painting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/76507bec-a24f-40ee-8694-520c519507ea/TJH05256.jpg Sold Items Poker Table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/20aefd09-1a2b-43c3-8e4f-05461d2112c9/TJH06626.jpg Sold Items Vintage Lowboy Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/0163db54-58d6-4c85-9e78-d5bb179edc02/TJH07358.jpg Sold Items Vintage Mailbox Bay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/57cedf05-e948-4879-b0fe-60f7abf2bd63/TJH07231.jpg Sold Items Sweet Little Vintage Table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/09511e3d-fff5-43e0-9a14-b0e5aa8a975e/TJH07272.jpg Sold Items Antique Eastlake Style Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/7583e428-b151-4127-beae-230e8bf8a789/TJH07116.jpg Sold Items 1920's Oil Painting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/2b4f1ab7-2adc-425c-b893-b2fc00b6aab3/TJH06827.jpg Sold Items Vintage Marble Top Table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/0c02e3a0-4b76-4565-af5d-8b0d90e05c18/TJH06476.jpg Sold Items 1930's Brass Coat Rack https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/6f75e0fe-b689-46f5-9bf8-47cb8dfa3a20/TJH06697.jpg Sold Items 19th Century Antique Walnut Dresser with a Marble Top https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/taking-a-break daily 1.0 2026-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/c36a76a9-e215-4e18-aefb-e8ff612ac32b/Badge+Logo+-+Light.png https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/home daily 0.75 2025-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/f3993fdf-16a5-467b-8250-c5d129299590/Screenshot+2024-02-03+at+10.10+1+%28Traced%29.png https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/design-services daily 0.75 2025-07-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/b4d49b26-9747-4c30-9e97-4fb0cc66c73b/TJH01313.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/ed94f4ee-2802-4b74-a71a-5339a870c7a9/TJH00742.jpg https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory daily 0.75 2025-07-17 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/decor monthly 0.5 2025-07-17 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/furniture monthly 0.5 2025-08-15 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/kitchen monthly 0.5 2025-07-17 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/new-arrivals monthly 0.5 2025-07-17 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/textiles monthly 0.5 2025-07-17 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/wall-decor monthly 0.5 2025-07-17 https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/large-temple-jars-three-friends monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/2c4aac6e-afe1-4aa5-9e52-3dd38117ea83/Screen+Shot+2025-04-17+at+12.47.08+PM.png Shop All - Large Temple Jars "Three Friends" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/d4f55f49-9b57-4c90-92f3-cb10b392fdf5/Screen+Shot+2025-04-17+at+12.47.28+PM.png Shop All - Large Temple Jars "Three Friends" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/c32f840b-f1b3-4f89-a3f3-a1f22b1f74f5/Screen+Shot+2025-04-17+at+12.47.18+PM.png Shop All - Large Temple Jars "Three Friends" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/94cf1d91-b34e-4120-88dc-8b77f0ad9f18/Screen+Shot+2025-04-17+at+12.47.38+PM.png Shop All - Large Temple Jars "Three Friends" https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/made-in-japan-ceramic-dog monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/af2958d4-cf01-4b44-bc06-0da5f93e6b15/TJH01049-2.jpg Shop All - Made in Japan ceramic dog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/09e6e290-0e78-4776-801f-7ef7348a3e9c/TJH01050-2.jpg Shop All - Made in Japan ceramic dog https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/antique-empire-style-slant-front-secretarydresser monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/3a878f23-5cd6-4635-9685-ac01eed7c221/TJH00711.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/13b2c939-069f-447f-8301-1dcdd4ae2400/TJH00746.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/cffd5f0c-3552-4718-9b43-1cfc94587f99/TJH00745.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/da03c263-a4c3-4b44-abe7-7f610201f7b7/TJH00744.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/3503babc-d3de-4659-9b36-74313d47e20d/TJH00738.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/c4bcc317-b1c3-4a06-8159-2bc7627f5e2e/TJH00726.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/531e2047-44ca-494c-9de5-ff9645ebb4b1/TJH00715.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/d2228be3-595d-4431-8b58-d9d944ed8ec6/TJH00747.jpg Shop All - Antique Empire Style Slant Front Secretary/Dresser https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/light-walnut-dresser monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/96d25993-8330-4eb7-a649-2916266b8138/TJH00789.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/e9376a76-f019-4f4a-a83b-681f659118a9/TJH00793.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/aa91c988-70f4-407b-be94-58cf292cb017/TJH00767.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1a1152f5-e4cb-49e6-a51f-3da1772e9db3/TJH00776.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/d90267a8-24ec-4fc7-9f96-15b1ded69a36/TJH00786.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1b4af0a1-83de-4ad8-8872-26354636ed2e/TJH00780.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/1f49b2ec-0524-4288-a4fb-9921c7ae0fad/TJH00781.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/3092ce52-f803-473c-9987-25f086fbe6c0/TJH00780-2.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/16c729e5-27b5-44f3-8b96-1e2fb3959f6f/TJH00799.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/f5f95e79-7c1a-4dd0-b135-99e34bd0a63d/TJH00772.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/d9791c85-2fda-437e-8ed8-3c495445a3fb/TJH00785.jpg Shop All - Antique Victorian Dresser (With Attached Mirror) https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/stoneware-jar monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/ca94e5d2-fb90-4726-a575-1a46541707cd/TJH00269.jpg Shop All - Stoneware Black Jar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/f29d9ce4-9151-483c-b1c2-b539f1f77eee/TJH00271.jpg Shop All - Stoneware Black Jar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/30323e73-934e-4dc3-bb69-4eee5e6a4143/TJH00272.jpg Shop All - Stoneware Black Jar https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/u1mpdgfuf2roffpdndud4siz3ylijc monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/6f7eb255-d313-4694-a5dd-147d469b2d79/TJH00580.jpg Shop All - Vintage Throw Rug https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/c4f9af41-8682-438b-9fa1-91a9706f8758/TJH00582.jpg Shop All - Vintage Throw Rug https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/6ad06cfe-88c5-456c-8dff-29b19bd0a34f/TJH00571.jpg Shop All - Vintage Throw Rug https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/wa3eojfs1jqj1xsnxyejmxhkw4jzbk monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/2eec3ab0-bc12-4323-9fd1-980ce1bc768f/TJH00332.jpg Shop All - Antique Sterling Silver Plated Box by the Meriden Company | Mid- Late 1800's https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/ce4d95ab-b708-4ef5-9b1a-85023136463c/TJH00330-2.jpg Shop All - Antique Sterling Silver Plated Box by the Meriden Company | Mid- Late 1800's https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/9a498cbe-16fd-4d08-95ca-b07516330da5/TJH00334.jpg Shop All - Antique Sterling Silver Plated Box by the Meriden Company | Mid- Late 1800's https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/xl-brass-candlesticks monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/c1600f93-5e40-4354-b4e9-f1655d60e6d7/TJH00248.jpg Shop All - Large Brass Candlesticks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/cd34385f-4d9b-4943-94d4-6dc5dc231068/TJH00249.jpg Shop All - Large Brass Candlesticks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/6845a8d1-617d-47c3-bbb6-4901dd218a05/TJH00250.jpg Shop All - Large Brass Candlesticks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/af6b22b1-04b3-46d0-a5ac-1d3989d337a2/TJH00253.jpg Shop All - Large Brass Candlesticks https://www.hemphillsmercantile.com/inventory/p/conures monthly 0.5 2026-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/9e42be32-cc55-4531-877e-33a3f9bcfacd/TJH00508.jpg Shop All - John Gould Lithograph of Australian Parrots https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c6a71eb378c24ae9f8fb8/b641ca60-133f-4a01-8851-bf3753f69ed4/TJH00509.jpg Shop All - John Gould Lithograph of Australian Parrots