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Where are all the antique collectors?
I've inherited my parent's estate and am in the process of attempting to liquidate their house contents. They owned a lovely Victorian style home filled with antiques and other highly collectible items. I tried to hire a professional estate liquidator figuring they would know the value and not ask so much it wouldn't sell or so little I would be short-changed. However, nobody was interested (e.g. I have too many other estates right now, you don't live in a 'prime' area, you don't have high enough quality items, etc.). It's like the dealers only want the highest quality items right now like Chippendale, Duncan Phyfe or Louis XIV furniture (who has that laying around?). Then I tried to sell on my own by advertising in the local papers and Craig's List for what I though were reasonable prices (would you pay $75 for a lovely upholstered mahogany rocking chair?). You'd think with all the things I've tried to sell, they would be at least someone that would be interested - but absolutely no one. Am I stuck with a house full of stuff nobody wants? It may not be Sotheby's quality, but it's not junk either and it's too good to give away to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Any suggestions?
3 Answers
If you have anything BUT Chippendale, Duncan Phyfe or Louis XIV, it IS junk, to an antique dealer or estate seller. You are seeing these things through your own rose-colored glasses. You have a sentimental attachment that artificially raises their value in your eyes. Dealers only see cloth and wood. With the soft market right now, dealers aren't making as much either, so they can't afford to shell out high prices for their inventory. Remember, they still have to make a profit. They won't buy something at a cost of equal or more than they could sell it for. You may have to drastically reduce your prices if you want to sell. If you got $5 - $10 for that rocking chair, I'd say you did good, even not seeing it.
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