P4A for Antiques Research

For those of you out there who have family heirlooms or have had your Great Aunt Wilhelmina leave you a collection of her favorite things, the Ridgefield Library has a database to help you find out what these things are worth.  

It’s called P4A Antiques Reference and can be found on our web page on the Home & Garden section of the Research & Reference pages.  P4A is a searchable database of past auction prices from 1999 to present for antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Auction sales history information includes data from coast-to-coast auction sales on a regular basis of more than thirty major auction houses and on an opportunity basis for several dozen other reputable auction venues. Every record has full color images.  Keyword, origin, classification or date searching is available.  There are reference notes with biographical and historical information. The site contains a Resource Center listing other useful web sites, books, newsletters and appraiser resources as well a list of the recent and forthcoming auctions.

So if you have antique furniture, autographs, books, banks, toys, glass, etc., and you’re feeling a spring tag sale coming on, give P4A Antiques Reference a try.  Hey, you never know… 

Contributed by Head of Reference Services Victoria Carlquist