I grew up loving old china and glass. In particular, there was just something very special about meeting little old ladies who had corner cupboards filled with unique china pieces. It was like a treasure hunt. And then there was my grandmother who loved cups and saucers, a generational collectible among Edwardian women for sure. Most of them could not be used as they were so fancy that the contents would run up your nose, but they were still lovely. Fast forward, and I remember attending the Robacher Auctions that Horst Auction Center had in 1989. It was my first introduction to the crazy prices that ceramics were bringing in the superheated market of that era. Who would have thought five figures for a cup and saucer! The other week, my daughter was in a large co-op near Harrisburg and found a collection of early 19th-century ceramics. The items were amazing in quality and clearly had come from a well-curated old collection. Many had labels on the bottom showing where the pieces originated (something that an older generation of collector loved to do). The condition was impeccable, and the prices, well, were about $20 per item. It was enough to make a china collector drool. Such bargains! Until you recognize that they had been sitting out for some time and no one had purchased them. The market was dead. Back in the 1980s, I recall the magazine Art and Antiques did a really good article on the hot and not hot items in the marketplace. They noted that English 17th-century oak and American Empire furniture had peaked in the 1920s in terms of value and had not really moved since then. The author positioned that this was a heck of an opportunity for an astute collector. Being in my 20s at that time, I agreed and began collecting both, much to the chagrin of my friends who thought both eras were dreadful. The point of the article was that stagnant pricing was an opportunity for things to come back into fashion and thus it was a great collecting opportunity. Well, as we all know, American Empire and 17th-century English oak have not made the comeback that was once hoped for by magazine authors. One can go to Adamstown on any given Sunday and probably find an abundance of Empire furniture in the under $150 per item category. Early English oak has fared better since it is that much scarcer. It has been years since I saw a cheap joint stool or table. So what should a collector do about antique china? Let me come clean and admit that I buy it every chance I get. Sorry, but I cant let a $10 Salopian cup pass by. My daughters will probably give it all to Goodwill when I die, but these early 19th-century ceramics are just too wonderful to go wanting. But are they a good investment? Readers know I am loathe to discuss antiques as an investment. However, it is an obvious question that needs to be answered. In the short run, I have to believe the answer is no. Prices will remain flat until the next generation of collectors realizes what these items are, how affordable they are, and that they can be used in modern living. I continue to hold out hope that a younger generation will see old china as a wonderful thing. Zero modern carbon footprint, unique and distinctive, a bargain to thrift for. And when that happens, look out! Born to collect should be the motto of Peter Seiberts family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seiberts writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years worth of antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.