posted on June 15, 2001 07:58:51 PM
An appraiser will never offer to buy anything he/she appraises--if they do, RUN. There are professional appraisers organizations and you may even be able to find some good certified ones in the yellow pages if you are in a larger metropolitan area.
However, an appraiser will charge a fair price and you need to think about that as you make your decision. An honorable dealer will show you how a price they offer is determined and will not want to sour you to future purchases.
It is really a tradeoff--if you find that something is worth $500 and you paid $250 to have it appraised, you probably would have been better off going with the respected, well-known dealer. The hardest thing for you to do after the appraisal will be to find the market where you will actually get the $500. You sure won't get it at ebay!
posted on June 16, 2001 02:58:38 AM
I'm kind of in the same boat as you, as I inherited all my aunt's possessions last year. They aren't as old as yours but still very collectible (1900-1940 mostly)
The attorney for the estate called in an appaiser and they did an appraisal by room which wasn't much help at all.
I'm in contact with 2 big auction houses now that are both up north as most prices down here in Florida are pretty low. Of course, I'll have to deliver and give them their percentage.
The small stuff is easy, it can go to ebay. But even ebay prices have dropped. A Moorcroft vase that sold for $300 a year or 2 ago is down to $100 now. The normal household stuff is easier since any bid is a profit. This woman saved everything!
If I don't hear back from the auction houses I may just go to bargainandhaggle.com with the furniture, put high prices on it and see what I'm offered. After all, you can always come down but you can't go up!
posted on June 17, 2001 05:25:04 AM
Austbounty -- I can see where my response about taking bids was a bit confusing. Appraising IS my only business. However, ocasionally a client (usually an attorny's office or the executor of an estate) will ask me to handle this chore in my office. I do the appraising on a per-piece basis, and the rest on a per-hour basis. My fee has nothing to to with the outcome of the sale.
The buyers that I ivite to bid depends on the mechandise. Usually it is no more that 3 dealers and they are always aware that it is a sealed bid process.
posted on June 17, 2001 09:32:18 PM
barrelracer, your choice of words in formulating a title for this thread is most unappealing and, frankly, belies your ignorance of the industry you've maligned with your question.
Contrary to what the media would have us all believe, there are many antique dealers who struggle to maintain an honest business, myself among them.
Customers naively entering my shop for an "appraisal," as you commented, are told quickly and firmly that I do not "give" free appraisals. Instead, they are given a free education -- that one gets what one pays for.
I won't rehash what others have already taught you (i.e. appraisals are paid for); suffice to say that I believe your best course of action in disposing of your family's unwanted heirlooms is that you take yourself to the nearest library and spend the next, oh, several months or more digesting and memorizing the volumes of information to be found there, after which you will be much better prepared to determine which dealer really is crooked ... and which ones are dealing with you in good faith.
Always pick an appraiser you pay by the hour. NEVER EVER EVER get one who is paid a percentage of what the item is appraised for! I've seen numerous estates appraised this way and every time, the item values were terribly inflated. I once saw a reproduction piece of Depression glass appraised at $700 when $5 was closer to the actual value.
I have done some appraisals, but only in my area of expertise. If you have a lot of a particular type of item (like books, glassware, etc.) you might consider asking someone is an expert in that field to give you a written appraisal. Tell them you have no intentions of selling the items and that you are willing to pay for the appraisal.
