By Michele Day
Enquirer contributor

Experts on the craftsmanship of 18th- and 19th-century American, English and Continental furniture will be on hand next weekend for the annual Cincinnati Antiques Festival at the Sharonville Convention Center.

So will specialists in the nuances of the world's master painters and the details of European porcelain.

The festival is a good time for novice antiques collectors to ask questions of the experts, compare pieces of various quality and pick up valuable advice.

The average antiques enthusiast may be confused about the differences between an original Windsor chair and a fake. Novice art collectors probably need advice on whether to start a collection with one expensive work - or three or four paintings of lower price and lower quality.

For the sake of those antiques admirers who aren't experts, we asked four dealers participating in the festival to answer five questions on a variety of topics. Put them together and you have the start of an antiques collecting primer.

Old and trendy

Trends are hard to find in a highly individualized pursuit such as antiques collecting, say Margy and Bill Gale, owners of Grosvenor Brant Antiques at 3407 Monteith Ave. in Hyde Park. But, then again, maybe the freedom of shoppers to pursue their own interests and tastes is a trend in itself, they say.

What are the trends in fine antiques? The quick answer is that there aren't any. First, there is the practical consideration that should a fad develop for, say, Dutch Brass of the 18th century, available supplies would quickly be exhausted, as would the trend. Then there is the incongruity of applying the concept of "trendy" to 18th- and early 19th-century antiques that the buyer expects to enjoy for many, many years.

What are most antiques buyers looking for?

Some collectors unwaveringly pursue their specific interest, often over a lifetime, and decorate a room around that collection. Others buy antiques to furnish and decorate their homes.

If there is a trend among fine-antiques buyers, it is the freedom to be eclectic, to buy what pleases them. More and more people are moving away from sets of furniture and are looking for one or two pieces of period furniture to warm and add elegance to a room.

Is it OK to mix antiques with newer pieces?

Yes. It's OK to mix old and new, or to have furniture of different woods in the same room, or mix English and Continental furniture, brass and silver, Chinese Export and English porcelain and so on.

What are some good examples of eclectic uses of antiques?

Placing an 18th-century sideboard and a set of period chairs with a new table in a dining room, or mixing abstract paintings with early botanical prints. These not only work, but create a wonderful effect.

What single piece of advice would you give to someone who is beginning to acquire fine antiques?

Each year, decide your priority acquisition. Learn what you can about what to look for and what to avoid, ask lots of questions and buy the best quality you can. Not only do fine antiques tend to increase in value, but in many cases they become the cherished possessions of generations to come.

Good start for art

Randy Sandler, owner of Cincinnati Art Galleries at 225 E. Sixth St., downtown, offers his five favorite tips for novices starting a painting collection.

Collect what you like

It is important to have a passion for your collection, which will make the other collecting considerations enjoyable rather than laborious. Different types of collections could include focusing on Cincinnati artists, women artists, still life, landscape, floral or site-specific paintings.

Learn and study

Visit museums, galleries and artists' studios. Talk to other collectors and view their collections. Study the artists' specialties. Many artists are best known for a particular subject matter, such as Elizabeth Nourse's paintings of mothers and children.

Purchase a fine example

All artists have produced both better- and lesser-quality paintings. The collector needs to refine his eye to see the difference between the great and the merely average. If you look at the work of Charles Meurer (he painted for more than 70 years) his very early still lifes are much better than the later ones. The later paintings would be a lot looser, not as tight and not as detailed. He was 90 years old, and his eyesight had deteriorated.

Work with people you trust

Dealers have the advantage of seeing multitudes of paintings and exhibitions over many years. Dealers constantly critique the items presented to them, deciding which items to purchase based upon their years of expertise.

It is never too late to start collecting

Styles change, new artists develop and older artists are reconsidered, based upon their entire life's work. Collect what you like and it may end up becoming an integral part of your life.

Buyer beware

Want to make your antiques purchases good investments? Before you buy, Cecile Drackett Allyn, owner of Drackett Designs and Antiques at 9441 Main St. in Montgomery, says to ask:

Is the form of the piece consistent with its date?

Certain forms were created in different periods. For instance, you wouldn't find a Chippendale chair being made before 1780. If the date is inconsistent, you know you have a reproduction.

What is the condition of the piece?

Does it have any damage? Do you notice any veneer missing or broken feet, chips or cracks on a piece of china? All of these lessen the value.

Have there been repairs or refinishings?

That's a question you ask the dealer. If you turn a piece upside down or pull out drawers, you can see whether the drawer bottom is new. If it's a piece of plywood, you know it's not original. Once you determine what repairs or refinishing it has had, then you'll decide whether it's worth the price.

Is the hardware original, or consistent with the period of the piece?

Often when you open a drawer, you'll see extra holes on the back of it. This means there was some other type of hardware there originally. It's not unusual for the hardware to be replaced because it gets broken or lost. But it should be replaced by something of the right period. You wouldn't want to find glass knobs on a 17th-century piece because glass knobs are Victorian.

Is the piece pleasing to the eye?

Sometimes things look a little bit odd or off. That may be because someone has remade a two-piece chest into a hanging cupboard, for example. Sometimes people add new legs to a piece or add arms to chairs that never had arms. If you see something funny, ask the dealer, "What's happening here?"

Training the eye

Becoming a smart antiques shopper takes training. Ray and Kay Mongenas, owners of Mongenas Antiques at 600 Hanna Ave. in Loveland, list five good resources:

Museums

Museums provide the opportunity to view genuine objects that have been documented and are presented in settings that help the viewer learn. Good choices are the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Taft Museum, where you can study regional furniture, Rookwood pottery and paintings by renowned Cincinnati artists. European masters are represented as well.

Antiques forums

These are seminars given by historical societies and museums, such as Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, Del., and Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, Mass. Find them by checking Web sites or contacting the museums.

Libraries

Go to a library or book store to find specific information on your area of interest, whether it's Continental, English or American furniture or regional furniture. The Mongenas' personal library has more than 2,000 books on antiques.

Consult with dealers

An event such as the Cincinnati Antiques Festival is an opportunity to meet with America's foremost dealers. You can view and discuss specific goods they've brought and ask questions about material.

Network with other collectors

Often, this is at antiques shows, auctions and sales. If you're collecting coverlets and you go to an antiques show and find somebody buying a stack of woven coverlets, introduce yourself. You would be amazed how helpful collectors tend to be to one another.