Appraisal of antiques.

09.29.06 | Chickensoup

[Chickensoup]

I need to have a few items appraised. Old family pieces that will need to be sold. Has anyone done it and how has it worked?

[Republicus2001]

in what area of the country are you?

[pandoraou812]

I have used David Rago and been very happy with his auctions. It depends on what you have and what you think the value is. Sometimes great great grandmother's silver isn't as valuable as you were told. I would get at least 3 appraisals from reputable dealers. We used to have an antique store a few years back and my husband knows prices better then I do. You can sell out right to a dealer or you can put your items into a good auction. I would have a reserve price put on anything I was auctioning.

[Jaysun]

Republicus2001 has posed an important question. My wife and I are antique fanatics in a way. It's the only furniture, it seems, that increases in value. Please provide us with a bit more information.

Where are you?

What have you? Furniture? Pottery? Paintings?

Do you want to insure it or sell it?

There are some sites that will give you a rough appraisal via the net with pics. There should also be some local appraisers in your phone book.

[Republicus2001]

my suggestion would be to contact a local university with a Special Collections dept in the research library - they will no doubt have legit appraisers in their Rolodex...beware of appraiser-auctioneers for obvious reasons

[Jaysun]

my suggestion would be to contact a local university with a Special Collections dept in the research library - they will no doubt have legit appraisers in their Rolodex...beware of appraiser-auctioneers for obvious reasons

Indeed. I would also offer the following rule of thumb: Sell larger items by auction within in the city. If it's a bunch of smaller "take home today" stuff it tends to do better in rural areas. Why? I have no idea. We bought a mahogany dining room table that seats 12, a matching hutch and china cabinet for $800 in a rural auction. It's worth at least 5 times that. At the same time "trinkets" always went for absurd amounts.

[ladyinred]

I was an antique dealer until recently. The first thing I must tell you is, that you need a certified appraiser, look in the phone book, to get the best price. If you take the items to a dealer to sell them, you will not get top price. We will buy them, but have to make a profit, so the price will be lower than if you sell to a private party. But get an appraisal first if possible.

[pandoraou812]

So are we. We are into mission style furniture, all kinds of pottery. Indian rugs and pottery, have a huge collection of half dolls for our 6 yr old daughter which will increase as the years go by. We also are into anything primitive, furniture, baskets etc. It is so bad in our house from having a store that our house now looks like a antique store. Every closet and the garage and attic are filled with my husband's keepers. lol

[pandoraou812]

David Rago from Antique Roadshow does have a website which may help you. heres the link http://www.ragoarts.com/buying_appraisals.php

[Jaysun]

So are we. We are into mission style furniture, all kinds of pottery. Indian rugs and pottery, have a huge collection of half dolls for our 6 yr old daughter which will increase as the years go by. We also are into anything primitive, furniture, baskets etc. It is so bad in our house from having a store that our house now looks like a antique store. Every closet and the garage and attic are filled with my husband's keepers. lol

We ended up building another house, and then 4,000 sqft building - I'm not kidding.

[Cruising Speed]

you can try WIW2U.com, it is an online appraisal site that cost $10 a throw. I am one of their online appraisers. You can also try the International Society of Appraisers website for an appraiser in your area.

[Chickensoup]

Thank you.

[Chickensoup]

Thank you for the information

[pandoraou812]

My husband went to a local antique auction at the firehouse and bought a vase for $445. It turned out to be zsolany pecs art glass vase made in Hungry made about 1905. It was shaped like a flower and just beautiful . We put it in a Rago auction and got 10 grand for it.

[Jaysun]

My husband went to a local antique auction at the firehouse and bought a vase for $445. It turned out to be zsolany pecs art glass vase made in Hungry made about 1905. It was shaped like a flower and just beautiful . We put it in a Rago auction and got 10 grand for it.

Congrationaltions, and praise God for your unexpected windfall.

[pandoraou812]

Thank you and we did indeed praise God. We put our 67 pan shovelhead together and got a RV to go looking for more antiques. The best part was meeting David Rago, he is really very nice, He had a long talk with our then 5 yr old daughter about the different makers of pottery. He was amazed at all she knew. She had grown up in the store and she likes to go with us to auctions and flea markets. So far she has decided she will work at Rago's when she is old enough. If you want to see the vase use this link, its the art nouveau trumpe vase. Really pretty . Hope link works. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/s/search?q=zsolany+pecs+vase&pq=house%3Acraftsmanauctions&t=a&Submit.x=38&Submit.y=8

[Jaysun]

That's a real beauty to be sure.