Every summer Design Miami goes abroad and sets up at Art Basel, the international art fair in Basel, Switzerland. In a building next to one displaying million-dollar paintings, you can see the latest in contemporary and classic vintage design.

Design is a hot topic right now—all the proof you need is the record number of design dealers (51) here from all over the world, including the United States. An average-size booth at the show costs tens of thousands, so dealers bring only their best—and most expensive—items. There were two full-size historic portable houses, jewelry, ceramics and lots of furniture.

I got to tag along with the vetting committee, a group of experts who examined every vintage piece in the show to verify authenticity. They took their task seriously. They turned over objects to see marks and flipped furniture to examine construction. No guarantees are given, but at least visitors and shoppers know that an expert determined that the vintage pieces appear as represented. But many items were restored, and there was a lot of conversation about how much restoration is acceptable. Museum people prefer almost none. Some dealers and collectors don’t mind a little restoration but want age and damage to show, while others tolerate complete restoration—even to the point where pieces look brand new. There was no consensus about the best approach or the impact of restoration on value.

While we were there, both the Paul Evans and Jean Prouvé furniture shown here sold. Other items at the show included French ceramics, jewelry designed by artists, furniture by Gio Ponti, Gaetano Pesce and Ettore Sottsass, and lighting by Arredoluce, Fontana Arte and Yonel Lebovici. Maybe you will be lucky and unexpectedly come across one of these sought-after pieces. Still, if you’re buying to decorate your house or apartment, you can find pieces with a similar look for a fraction of the price.