Ten Mistakes to Avoid when Selling Antiques

Save Money by Not Making These Errors

auctionwally
auctionwally, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Feb 27, 2011 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Save money by avoiding these costly mistakes.
  1. Not knowing what you have. If you're not sure, consult an expert. Every day high ticket antiques are sold by someone who didn't have enough information, or had bad information.
  2. Understand the difference between an appraisal and an offer. Many times people mistakenly think an offer from an antiques dealer is the same as an appraisal. It is not, an honest appraisal should NEVER be followed by an offer.
  3. Placing the item for sale in the wrong venue. You may find a great auctioneer, but if he places your Chippendale original period highboy in his "general auction" you're going to lose money. A lot. To get top dollar, you MUST place your antique in the proper sales venue.
  4. Not correctly identifying your item when you sell it. Not to be confused with #1 on this list, this point is similar but different at the same time. You may know what you have, but not identifying it with it's common trade name can cost you a lot of $. Indeed my online appraisal service is often rendered by myself with ease, not because you cannot research the item and I can. Rather it's because through my experience, I know what the item is called by the professionals in the field and can thoroughly research it, while those who don't know the proper names AND the nick-names, will have a hard time doing so.
  5. Cleaning an item that should not be cleaned. If you're unsure, don't do it. Really. Experienced collectors and dealers don't mind dirt and dust.
  6. Re-finishing and item that should not be re-finished. This is the same idea as #5. If the buyer want's it re-finished let THEM do it.
  7. Selling too fast. This mistake is similar to #3 on the list, putting your item in the wrong marketplace. Selling at the wrong time, or too fast is just as bad. Try not to sell at the end of the month. Don't sell when seasonal market conditions are against you. IE: Selling antique lawn furniture in the middle of winter.
  8. Abandoning your antiques. So often, a seller will put thier items in the hands of a professional and wait until they get thier check. Try over-seeing the sale a bit. You don't want to be an intrusive obstacle to the process, but on the other hand, it's fine to check up on the items and make sure they're being handled in the manner that was promised to you. Attending the auction your items are to be placed in can go a long way toward making sure they get good "auction block" treatment.
  9. Improper strorage before selling. I can't tell you how many storage auctions reveal antiques that have been damaged simply by storing them in bad climate conditions. Even antiques that are undercover can warp and suffer in the cold, extreme heat, succumb to animal damage and more.
  10. Refusing a good offer. Often a good offer will come only once. Being too greedy can cost you a lot of money too. When an offer is fair, take it. A fair offer may not be on the table if you take too much time to "think about it". The reason for this, is the buyer who made this offer, may reconsider his/her idea of value if they knew you shopped it around and couldn't get a better deal. It's one thing if you aren't sure if you're getting a fair offer, but if you know you are: Take the money and run.
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Published by auctionwally

I'm a 46 Year old man, based in Central MA. I'm a professional auctioneer with 25 years in the auction business. I'm also a personal property broker and a musician.  View profile

  • Don't pay for an appraisal if you can use this free service.
  • Find out what you have BEFORE you sell your antiques.
  • Know the common trade name of your item.
Selling at the wrong time can lose you a lot of money.

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