People have been placing gnomes in their yards and gardens for many years now and when this happens there will be a market for vintage an antique ones which are different to the more common or mainstream figures that people buy such as sports or zombie ones.

These antique ones will generally be older and more rare than most which gives them a sort of gravitas and makes them more appealing to people. There is a status element within the more dedicated gnome collectors that will mean that’s having a more rare item will provide them with.

Where can you find them?

These types of ornaments can be found in a variety of places with the internet being the most likely but this also means that they will be the most expensive here as it will be a seller’s market. Other places where you may be able to find them could be antiques fairs, collector’s markets and you may even find them at yard sales or boot fairs. At the latter you will need more luck than the others as they are so general in the things that they sell but if you do come across one it is much more likely that you will be able to get one for a great price.

When handling these items you will have to take great care as they will be fragile due to their age. It may even be a good idea to wear gloves so that you do not damage them. This is especially important if you do not own the item!

Where can you get them online?

The places on the internet where you are most likely to find them are those that you have already thought of. The best place is of course ebay which is the first auction site that people turn to. This means that it isn’t likely to be a seller’s market a strong everyone is going there to look for vintage and garden gnomes.

Another place that you may have considered is Amazon but the gnomes that you will generally find on there are the more mainstream and cheaper ones but not the rare ones that will have brought you to this article.

There are sometimes new online auction sites that’s spring up and try to carve a niche in th industry. It’s worth keeping an eye out for these as, in their early days, they will be more of buyer’a market as not as many people will be aware of them so you may be able to get hold of some vintage garden ornaments where otherwise you may have been outbid in a more competitive online auction environment.

Forums are another online arena in which you may be able to get yourself a rare garden gnome figure. You should search online for related forums such as garden ornament forums of maybe even garden gnome specific ones and within these there may be sections where people trade items with each other. You should of course be extremely careful in these environments as there may be no insurance or guarantee should the person selling the item be lying and the item in question not being in their possession.

How much do they cost?

These garden ornaments can range greatly in price depending how rare it is, the condition, where you find it and the demand that it has at that time. The general popularity of gnomes in general seems to change wildly over the years too so this will have an effect on the price that you will need to pay.

Depending on where you find the item, there may also be a chance to negotiate on the price. For example, if you find one at a yard sale the sellers may expect people to negotiate with them on the price of their items which is another reason why buying gnomes here may help you find a bargain. In contrast, finding that vintage ornament that you have desperately been seeking at an auction may mean that you have to pay a high price as it is likely that others will have done the same and may be as, if not more, desperate to purchase it and add it to their collection.

Will they be safe in my garden or yard?

As most gnomes will be stored in tournaments yard or garden, you have to remember that they will be out in the open which means that an intruder could simply pick them up. Vintage and garden gnomes are likely to be more expensive than the average ornament so you should consider this when you decide where to place them. If you put them outside then consider putting them in a discrete place where intruders may not see them. You should also put them in an environment is protected by a lock such as a greenhouse or shed. Whilst an intruder is unlikely to be able to spot an antique gnome ornament, they may just decide to take anything that is in the open in your outside space.

An alternative, of course, is to place them inside your property where they will Ben more secure. Another’s benefit to this is that you get to look at them up close more often especially during the darker, colder months when you will spend more time indoors. Guests will also get to enjoy them more often and these figures make for a lovely talking point.

How’s popular are they?

Gnomes, in general, have ups and downs when it comes to their overall popularity. This kind of thing is often affected by things going on in the mainstream media for example there are sometimes Hollywood movies made which feature gnomes prominently such as Gnomio and Juliet and Sherlock Gnomes. This will increase their popularity amongst the more casual fan base and, out of these, there will likely be some of this audience that will turn their attention to trying to buy vintage garden gnomes which will raise prices as the number of potential buyers will increase. Their popularity will also be affected by stories and events in the media for example a number of years ago Chelsea Flower banned gnomes which will have reduced their popularity and there are often news stories about them being kidnapped and photos of them in different places sent back to their owners.

Currently, the popularity of them is average with no major movies or events involving them although they are featured in what is possibly, at the time of writing, the most popular video game in the world, Fortnite.