Antique Dealer

An antique dealer sources, authenticates, values, and sells antique and collectible items through retail premises, markets, or online platforms. They manage inventory of historical artefacts, furniture, jewellery, and decorative objects, applying knowledge of provenance, condition, and market demand to establish business viability and customer relationships.

Source antiques from estate sales, auctions, private vendors, and wholesale suppliers across Australia. Authenticate items using reference materials, expert networks, and condition assessment techniques to verify age and origin. Research and document provenance and historical significance of pieces using archival resources and specialist databases. Price inventory based on comparative market analysis, condition assessment, rarity, and demand trends. Display and merchandise antiques in retail spaces or online platforms to maximise visual appeal and customer engagement. Negotiate purchase and sale agreements with collectors, interior designers, and private buyers. Manage inventory records including acquisition costs, condition notes, and storage locations using point-of-sale or specialist antiques software. Prepare detailed condition reports and valuations for insurance, probate, or sale purposes.

The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You're betting on your eye for value and trend prediction, which means slow cash flow and dead stock are real risks. Most dealers start as sole traders with their own capital locked into inventory that may sit for months. You're also competing against online marketplaces and algorithms that price-match instantly, and authentication knowledge takes years to build properly.

In reality, most retail shops cluster in established precincts: Paddington and Glebe, Fitzroy and South Yarra, West End, Northbridge. Many now work hybrid (markets, estate sales, online) rather than fixed retail, so location flexibility is increasing.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 1421, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Complaint Handlingcore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Invoicing and Billing Administrationcore
• Negotiationcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Digital Literacy
• MYOB Business Software
• Risk Identification
• Stock Counting and Stocktake
• Time Management and Prioritisation
• Upselling and Cross-Selling

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026