Annual Salary
variable
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Design or Fashion & textiles or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Design or Fashion & textiles or go back to all job sectors
Antique dealers buy and sell old objects and collector items.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: freelance / self-employed; away from home
There will be
2.2% more Antique dealer jobs in 2027.
As part of your day-to-day work, you could:
You could work at antiques fairs, at a store or from home.
You can get into this job through:
You could study for a degree in fine arts or art history, although this is not always essential.
You'll usually need:
You may be able to start by taking part-time or short residential courses to build up your knowledge.
Courses include:
You could work in an antiques shop as an assistant to learn on the job.
You could also start in a salesroom or auction house as a porter, clerk, cataloguer, valuer or auctioneer.
You could collect and research antiques as a hobby and then:
Some of the larger auction houses, like Sotheby's Institute of Art and Christie's Education, run short courses in art history and the arts market. They also offer more in-depth postgraduate study aimed at graduates wanting to work in the commercial arts market.
You'll need a good knowledge of antiques and the market. Sales skills, the ability to spot items that will sell and having money to start up are likely more important than formal qualifications.
You can discover more about working in antiques through The British Antique Dealers' Association.
You can also find out more about working in creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.
You could progress to become a specialist dealer, valuer or auctioneer.
You'll need: