One of the hardest aspects of reselling is research. Figuring out where to being your research can be a struggle. My first step is using google lens on my phone. It is a good place to start in identifying the item. Once I know what it is or who made it, allows for a deeper look into the item. Google has been my go to source for research. Sometimes I get lucky and I am able to obtain a general idea on when it was made, where it was made, what material it is made from. This information is helpful in creating a listing. When Google does not give me any additional information I look for the item on eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, or Mercari. When I spot listings I look through each one for details about the item, sometimes other sellers will list the maker, age, etc., you will find listing with no additional information too. When this happens I move on to Pinterest.
Pinterest has been somewhat successful for me in research an item, pins will show up in Google lens returns. Pinterest can also be hit or miss with information about vintage/antique items too. I have had success in unlocking information about items. One thing to note is on Pinterest the pins I have looked at are predominately listings from reselling sites like Etsy, eBay, Cherish, Ruby Lane to name a few. I still look at them, you never know when one listing will give you what your looking for. You may even find old catalog pages showing the item, for instance Fenton glass or Viking glass, there are old catalog images from the manufacturer and department stores on Pinterest. The Stretch Glass Society has Fenton catalogs, I linked the catalogs from 1970-1989 on their website. Which I found on Pinterest. I found Viking catalog pages being shared by Vintage Glass Identification Library on Pinterest, which has boards for the different glass companies. Pinterest is great for identifying vintage costume jewelry too. You can find old advertisements and catalog pages for Coro and others.
You can search Facebook for groups offering identification help with glass, jewelry, pottery, ceramics, and more. Most of the groups are private and will require you to join. Most have strict rules about posting and requirements for how to photograph the item, even the age of the item. These groups will have a limit to the number of post you can share each day. The post will go through an approval process before it will be added to the group. Be aware your item may not get any responses, I would say half the post go unanswered. I have only had two items be identified by a group for vintage and antique glass, pottery, and ceramics. I posted a photo of my Bauer Pottery strawberry pattern recipe box on a group. The piece was not marked, google lens return identified it as Bauer, the group confirmed it was Bauer. The other item was a pair of candle sticks, poured ceramics, with a matte finished. I could not tell if the design was leaves or shells. Turns out the candle sticks are Rumrill pottery, sea shell design, made sometime between 1933 and 1940, before Red Wing began making Rumrill pottery.
When your striking out on the internet and you know who made your item, your local library may be an option. Most library have books on antiques, collectibles, and more. I have looked through identification books on Roseville art pottery, Hull pottery, even a book on mid century glass identification. You will find books covering vintage and antique jewelry, porcelains, crystal, and even clothing. This resource books maybe limited depending upon the size of the library, it can't hurt to look.
Good luck in your detective work!
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