I always love to chat with dealers about the future of the market. In many cases, they know who is buying from them and what is hot and what is not. Ive had two really interesting conversations in the last month that give me great hope, both for the future of antiques and the entrepreneurial spirit of the trade. The first was with a dealer in Adamstown who sets up booths in several malls, selling a wide range of ceramics and glass at a set flat price. When I first discovered the booths, I was impressed that it was not all late-20th-century florist vases but rather there was a smattering of early 19th-century ceramics along with some highly collectible items. When my oldest daughter was outfitting her first apartment, that same booth helped her get the tea cups for her morning tea. Items were priced to sell, we bought a lot, and I witnessed others buying as well. Recently I ran into the dealer and commented to him that I was impressed by the quality of the items that he was selling at reasonable prices. He told me that he does household cleanouts and was tired of selling things to others or via auction in lots at pennies on the dollar so he opted to set up booths with flat pricing and really move things along. His approach was brilliant, and his booth is one that I always hit, not only because I am looking to fill out some mismatched sets of my own in cups and saucers but because I love to give old china plates with cookies at the holidays. So, bravo for some entrepreneurial thinking. The second individual ran a co-op with her business partner in southern New Jersey. When we first went in, I was impressed with both the high quality of items for sale and the pricing that reflected the modern realities of the trade. We got to talking about how the business has changed, and she was telling me some fascinating news. She had been selling items to millennials. When I asked what they were buying, she said they were pushing their pocketbooks and buying quality furniture. You could have picked my jaw up off the floor in sheer pleasure. Up until that point, I have been reeling from the wave of anti-antique venom that seems to be coming from the popular press. Recent articles in national newspapers loudly proclaim the death of antiques collecting. Millennials only want experiences, and Gen Z doesnt care about things. This has been the gist of essays and articles in the popular press. Of course, when you read the articles, what you find they are talking about are low-end, mass-produced, limited-edition collectible items, but the moniker that antiques are dead seems to stick. I hate such reports in-so-far as they seem to drive people out of the market rather than accurately reporting the realities of it all. So I was thrilled when this co-op owner talked about expensive farm tables being sold. This seems to correlate with my experience, which has been that the so-called demise of the trade is really about a shift in collecting priorities rather than the end of it all. In talking with the owner, she noted that more and more 30-somethings were coming in and buying. No, they were not buying truckloads of furniture, but rather they were being judicious and smart in their purchases. So, kudos to a quality co-op where they know their audience and are ensuring that present and future collectors have a place to find great stuff. 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 antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.