In the last decade, the internet has fundamentally changed the way that antiques and collectibles are bought and sold. The tried and true method of hunting for bargains and rare pieces at antique malls, auctions and yard sales has given way to a fourth method for buying and selling - online auctions and classified listings. The convenience of searching for rare items using keywords, as well as the ability to view photographs of items for sale whether they are next door or across the country, has altered the landscape of the antiques market. And it has also made it possible for buyers and sellers to exchange items for their collection directly rather than buy and sell through an antique dealer who makes money on the difference between where they can buy from the seller and sell to the buyer.

I was at a yard sale a few weeks back and wondered whether the item I was interested in was a good deal or not. I grabbed my pda phone, launched the mobile web browser, landed on eBay's mobile website, and after a few well chosen keywords knew exactly what it would cost me to buy the item online rather than in person. Later, I used my personal handheld camera and mobile computer (that's my phone also!) to take a picture of an item to see whether a friend was interested in buying it when I couldn't adequately describe it to them. Only a decade ago, these two events wouldn't have been possible.

Today, I discovered that Worthpoint, an online appraisal service and aggregator of transaction prices from online and offline auction sites, is offering a new mobile application to aid its subscribers in determining the value of an antique when they are on the go. Check it out here.

As our phones get more powerful, I expect that there will be many more ways to use them in the acquisition of vintage items - ways that I could not even now imagine. I'm also sure that it will change the world of antiques and collectibles in a way that I have not even thought possible. Until then, you will just have to enjoy the conveniences made possible by modern technology!