Tips to Sell your Antiques

Many people don’t know where to start when trying to sell their antiques and collectibles. Some will say that there is too much competition, or that the market is flooded for certain items, but these are simply just excuses. I have helped many clients with my appraisals in writing which include correct identifications of their items and a list of the place(s) where similar items have sold–to work toward selling their art, antique, or collectible. I even outline advice in three easy steps on how to sell your antiques. Plus, I am always providing my expert selling tips in my blog and at my antique appraisal events. If you are selling an antique, I can help you. Here are only three of many selling tips that you can use. Look for more tips in future blog posts.

1. Keep Collections Together

Russian Nesting Dolls

Sell collections intact. Buyers like to buy full, complete sets like a complete set of Russian Nesting Dolls. Do you want a set of 1979 baseball cards without the Pete Rose card? A set of Beatles dolls without Ringo? Of course not. There is more value in having the entire set available for sale. If your brother has the missing Ringo doll, ask him for it back.

2. Look at the Calendar

Collectible ornament

Sell according to the calendar or time of year. Are collectible holiday ornaments selling for top dollar in July? No. Selling particular collectibles in season (baseball cards in the summer, baby collectibles at Mother’s Day, snowy landscape paintings in the winter like those from Walter Baum, etc.) will bring you more value.

3. Know Values

Get an appraisal that reflects the value of your item on the retail, not the auction market. Make sure the appraisal is based on actual sales, you know where somebody has paid cash or swiped a credit card. This will tell you the top of the market for your item and remind you that you should sell your item close to that price. Somebody else sold it at that price and so can you. My appraisals are based on what people really are paying using real sales records. Read my blog post explaining the different between retail, auction, and insurance values so you know the differences. When people start throwing around terms, you’ll know what is what.

I hope this helps. Don’t forget to share these tips with others who are trying to sell their antiques by using the ‘Share this’ buttons below. I’ll share more tips in upcoming blog posts. Plus, you can read previous articles that offer selling tips.

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Negotiate when Antiques Shopping

I enjoy educating and appraising your stuff at my events using my Ph.D. to teach and entertain. People always comment that I have a fun job, and I’m lucky that I do. I appreciate the positive feedback, but what most don’t see is the angry emails I often get. One which sparked this blog post about negotiating when shopping for antiques.

Coca Cola bottle

In another blog post, I responded to a post from my Facebook page about antiques appraisers placing high values on pieces.

Recently I got an irate email from an antiques dealer telling me that I should stop advising people to negotiate on the price when shopping for antiques. She complained that she has to find the piece, buy the piece, clean the piece, display the piece in her shop and that the internet market place has hurt antiques shops. She wanted me to stop telling shoppers to negotiate.

Of course, I know many antiques dealers who are happy when their customers negotiate since many price their items accordingly and are trying to work with the buyer to make a sale. Many antiques dealers also use the internet like you should too to buy pieces low and sell them high for their business. Antiques dealers make a lot of money doing this, except the one from this angry email, I guess. For example, read this blog post where I recount a true story of an antiques reseller flipping a 60,000 dollar glass bottle bought on eBay.

If you are shopping for antiques, I’m going to disregard the angry email I received and suggest these three helpful tips to negotiate when shopping for antiques.

1. Ask For It

When shopping for art or antiques, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. Most of the time you will get it. The piece you like might have sat in the shop for months and the dealer is anxious to unload it.

2. Don’t get Emotional

Once you show that you are in love with an antique, your negotiating power is gone.

3. Cash and Carry

Always carry cash as offering the green stuff, instead of a credit card, may seal the deal. Cash does not incur additional transaction fees like credit cards do for the antiques seller.

I hope these tips help. Please share this post with your friends and fellow antique shop and flea market shoppers. Read more tips about negotiating when buying jewelry.

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