20+ Profitable Antique Small Business Ideas And Opportunities in Nigeria, Africa or Anywhere Around The World

20+ Profitable Antique Small Business Ideas And Opportunities In Nigeria And Africa | Image: Pixabay

The global antique industry was valued at approximately $5.9 billion in 2019 and has been on a steady rise as more relics continue to draw the attention of antique lovers across the globe. Similarly, its expansion continues to create more business opportunities for individuals and businesses in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world hoping to make a successful impact in the industry. As the sector expands, so does the competition, but this does not mean the antique industry has been overly saturated or lost its economic value.

On the contrary, the global value of relic materials is on a relatively steady rise, depending on the antique materials in question. If you’re hoping to get started in the antique business in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world, here are 20+ profitable antique small business ideas that you can choose from.

1). Original Antique Paintings:

Paintings have a high market value and could be good for business. There are varieties of paintings for collection but paintings of original art, famous people, breathtaking landscapes, etc. are worth thousands of dollars, especially if they are signed by the actual artist.

Collecting and auctioning such paintings will make a highly lucrative business in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world. If you’re a startup antique paintings collector and you’re not sure where to find the right market for auction, the internet is a great platform for you to reach across diverse geographical regions.

2). Sales of Artworks:

Antique artworks are priced higher than contemporary ones, and that is understandably so. Plus, that makes them extremely good for business. They tell different stories and portray diverse themes, and this also adds to their market value.

You could open a store dedicated to selling artworks of all varieties in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world. The good thing is you don’t necessarily have to be a collector to get started in this business. All you need is to network with a trusted team of collectors and buy directly from them.

3). Antique Display Shops:

A different twist to collecting and selling antique materials is that you don’t necessarily have to sell them. You could collect them and put them on display simply for viewers’ pleasure and still generate a lot of revenue from the business in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

There are lots of antique display shops in different cities of the world. You only have to situate your shop in a major town where the dwellers are known to be great admirers of antique materials.

4). Collection of Coins and Old Currencies:

All over the world, coins have been phased out and replaced with other materials such as paper and polymer. As a result, most coins are now antique materials and have various values in the relics market.

The constituent materials and rarity of coins make them valuable relic items. Besides coins, you could also collect currencies or specific money notes that are out of use in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

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5). Sales of Jewelry And Jewelry Boxes:

Boxes are common relic items with a high market value because they depict the civilization and exposures of different societies at each point in history, thanks to the design and art on them. They are highly prized items in the antique industry in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

Similarly, some people do not just collect antique jewellery but wear them. Antique jewellery is some of the most lucrative relic items out there. This is largely because they are made from expensive precious items such as gemstones, pearls, diamonds, etc.

6). Antique Appraisal Business:

Virtually every sector of the antique business and every antique collector needs a professional appraiser. Appraising antique items requires in-depth knowledge of the types, nature and source materials of the antique item, as well as the economic worth at the time of appraising it.

Beyond this, there are several other factors involved in appraising, but the appraisal business is a lucrative endeavour that anyone interested in antiques can delve into and thereafter learn more on the job in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

7). Antique Books:

Collecting antique books is not just a lucrative profitable antique business but a great way to salvage literature that might have otherwise been lost in time. Books from the classical periods and even beyond that, for example, that might have been lost to improper documentation can be collected and stored digitally.

This business contributes actively to scholarship, clarifies history and, of course, generates funds for the collectors in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

8). Upcycling Old Bottles:

Bottles make up an essential component of valuable antiques. Like other antique items, they are representations of different societies and cultures across time. The issue with antique bottles is that they require extreme care while handling them. So, in order to retain their value and extend their durability, you could start a business of upcycling old bottles.

In essence, such bottles are repurposed mainly as decorative items and basically to increase their value and visual appeal. People buy upcycled bottles and leave them around their apartment or on their shelves as part of their interior decoration.

9). Exhibition Shows:

Exhibition is one of the most common profitable antique business ideas in the industry. It involves setting up grand occasions where major high-value antiques are displayed for view and possible auction in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

Exhibitions are usually organized for major antiques and discoveries but smaller and common antiques can also be put on display on such special occasions.

10). Antique Hunting Decoys:

Antique hunting decoys are crafted items used as bait for game. Such decoys are signature items used in hunting societies but they were predominantly used many centuries ago. Collecting any of such items for sale or display could make a very profitable antique business idea for all interested parties.

Once you have a trusted team of a scout, starting an antique hunting decoy business is expressly easy and it can make you a lot of cash. All you need to do is network with antique lovers who might be willing to buy them or put them up as items for exhibition.

11). Antique Cameras and Images:

Before the introduction of digital cameras, film cameras were in vogue and were the mainstream devices for capturing images for many decades. Film cameras are now valuable antique items. The lenses, especially those made of brass, have a high market value in the antique industry.

Similarly, images captured using antique cameras, particularly those of significant events and places, are good antique items for business.

12). Collection of Antique Kitchenware:

Collecting ancient kitchen items is also one of the profitable antique business ideas anyone can delve into. Kitchenware such as cutleries, pans, trays and cooking devices from years ago have a high market value. They are mostly collected for their vintage appeal value and sometimes are recycled for more economic use.

Either way, you could start your antique business by collecting or dealing in kitchen items and still make a lot of profit in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

13). Antique Radios:

The mass communication industry has evolved significantly, but long before now, radios were the mainstream media tools. Back then, there were a lot of high-priced radio sets in the market. Such radios are now valuable antique items, thanks to the periods they represent and the quality materials they were made from.

Collecting vintage radios is a great antique business idea and it is not as difficult as collecting some other antique materials. There are many of them lying rusty in almost every granny’s apartment.

14). Antique Clocks:

If you do not fancy any of the profitable antique business ideas already mentioned, collecting antique clocks could be a great idea for making your mark in the antique collection industry. They were made from quality materials that make them hot antique items for collection.

More so, antique clocks represent different eras across history, including the classic period, the Elizabethan period, and so on. To date, clocks are major items in prominent cities such as New York, Paris and Rome. Antique clocks are great decorative items to date.

15). Antique Gift Shops:

Starting an antique gift shop could be a great business enterprise. There are lovers of antique materials who would rather give or receive antique materials as gifts. Such people make a large and steady market for this business in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

Retailing small antique materials such as books, jewellery, clocks, and more, rakes in a lot of profits. What you have to do is target the right market. You could also sell your items at popular exhibitions shows and trade fairs.

16). Antique Furniture:

Prior to the 1990s, several furniture styles were in use across different societies of the world. All countries had their signature furniture pieces ranging from Georgian furniture to the 1980 French styles. Common examples include sofas, rocking chairs, drawers, wardrobes, toolboxes, etc.

Although most of the furniture styles are no more in use, they have a high market value in the antique collection industry.

17). Vintage Clothing:

The fashion world is revolving in an interesting cycle and new fashion ideas now draw inspiration from the vintage clothing style of the ancient periods. Most modern styles are adaptions and improvements of the vintage clothing styles of different societies.

Besides, people also collect vintage dresses for research purposes, not to mention the most popular use, which is for interior decorations. With such a wide variety of market, any antique clothing business is bound to enjoy regular patronage.

18). Antique Glass Sales:

Glassware is another set of materials worth a fortune in the antique industry. Glass was predominantly used in the production of different materials centuries ago and they represented the style, cultures and beliefs of the society.

Antique glass bottles, windows, depression glass, and several other glassware are worth a lot of money especially when they are stained, coloured or patterned in a unique style.

19). Antique Musical Instruments:

Music is an essential component of all cultures and a lot of musical instruments were invented and used in history. The instruments varied across different cultures and societies. Although most musical instruments are still in use to date, having been passed down across generations, collecting the antique musical instruments could make a great business idea in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world.

20). Handmade Chinaware and Art Potteries:

Pottery was a common craft in many parts of the world across different times in history. The uniqueness of these antique items lie in the fact that they were handmade and they portray historical imprints.

They are also beautiful materials for interior decoration, a quality which makes them great collectibles for business.

21). Antique Work Tools:

Old tools are also great for the antique business. They are valued highly in the antique market, depending on the materials they were made from.

Collecting old work tools, including hammers, fishing tools, and tools for masonry, amongst many others, is one of the most profitable antique business ideas anyone can start anywhere in the world.

To Sum It Up

Although the antique business is not an everyday regular business, it can generate a lot of revenue for individual investors, antique collectors, appraisers, as well as countries that place value on antique materials.

Starting an antique business requires multiple skills as well as an in-depth understanding of the type of materials that have high market value. Notwithstanding, if you’re willing to make your mark in the antique collection business, you can start with any of the 20+ profitable antique business ideas in Nigeria, Africa or everywhere around the world discussed above.

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What are your thoughts on these 20+ profitable antique business ideas and opportunities you can start anywhere in Nigeria or anywhere else in Africa? Let me know by leaving a comment below.