Meet Nell Trent of The Trent Collection

Do you dream of having a chic antique booth of your own? Are you a “picker” at heart who trolls antique malls, consignment shops and thrift stores in search of the find of a lifetime? Have you found a dealer you frequent again and again? Or, do you feel ripped off by a dealer’s high prices?

I have been in the antique business for 20 years, but am not yet 30. As I am still working for the family antique business, The Trent Collection, I must protect the privacy of my clients and the dealers about whom I write. Nell Trent is the young girl in Charles Dicken’s The Old Curiosity Shop. For the purposes of this blog, “Nell Trent” will be your behind the scenes peek into the best and worst parts of the antique business.

Incredible Meissen Porcelain Chandelier at the Meissen Factory. Photo by Nell

Growing up in the antique business in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area, I have seen all kinds of finds and all kinds of people.

My exposure to crafts and antiques began at birth. My family’s business has extended into every type of retail operation and the inventory has grown exponentially.

When I was younger, I envied every one of my classmates for their room décor. After all, my room (from nursery era to high school) had Italian gilt religious art, dark Victorian furniture and large framed original works of art. Any attempt to rearrange or bring in something from a lesser store (read: Ikea, Crate and Barrel and the like), was vetoed. The family’s preference for originals and quality (American or European) must be maintained at all levels. When our bathroom fan briefly stopped working, we had to remove every signed original from the bathroom walls (carefully selected for the theme) before taking a shower - only to carefully rehang them. Now, I find myself seeking out original art that meets my own criteria. My college apartment had its own art history section, despite the fact that I could never fit an art history course into my schedule.

As a twenty-something, I have seen the antique business respond to the creation of eBay (and the internet as a whole), the resurgence of mid-century modern and the appearance of countless reality shows dramatizing and showcasing the treasures in the attic – from Antiques Roadshow to American Pickers. My life has always encompassed snippets of all of these shows; yet watching them is always enhanced by Madame Trent's critiques of the "experts" on the screen.

Whether you have always wondered about starting your own antique business, getting an item appraised, finding the perfect mid-century piece at a bargain or just like to read the inside scoop about a new topic, I hope you check back in soon. Any specific questions you'd like to see in a blog post? Leave a comment!