posted on September 4, 2000 09:08:42 AM
Hi kids - me again. I am considering selling my mom's wedding dress on eBay. It is from 1948 and was never stored properly, so it is in very fragile condition, it appears. It needs cleaning and I do have some advice from "outoftheblue" on how to clean it. Do you think I should try to clean it and risk ruining it, or sell it "as is" in its delicate yet dirty and musty condition? I'm just thinking that a buyer might know more about cleaning it than I do.
posted on September 4, 2000 09:44:07 AM
I think I would just leave it alone. I just got a beautiful wedding dress from a storage locker from the same period. It's in excellant condition and very pretty. So I went to eBay to check prices of what they go for and was really disappointed. Seems they are plentiful even older then from the era we have. I'm not sure if I'm even going to bother listing it.
posted on September 4, 2000 10:28:38 AM
Ha, maybe that would help! Is yours satin? I guess that fabric was popular then. I also have the wedding album and even the bridesmaids dresses were satin but they were really ugly.
Actually what I'm trying to do is find out what relationship the owner of the storage locker had to the bride. I think someone in this family would these things kept in the family.
There are many family pictures some going back to 1908. Some part of the family was into horses. They owned and participated in horseshows. Beautiful pictures of jumpers and others.
I always try to get these things back to the owner of the lockers but this guy has disappeard. There seems to be one or two owners of the contents of the locker and it's hard to track them down. Just because they didn't want their family pictures doesn't mean another family member doesn't want them. Sometimes it really makes me mad.
posted on September 4, 2000 10:49:26 AM
I was in a thrift store recently and they had a very nice vintage satin Wedding Gown. Asking price $250.00!!!!!!!! On eBay they sell for around $50.00. Here's a case where I wish they had checked on eBay first. If they had they would not be asking that much. How do they come up with these prices?
By the way some people use old satin wedding gowns to make pillows out of.
posted on September 4, 2000 01:13:16 PM
I am curious as to why you would sell your mother's wedding dress? Does it have no sentimental value to you? Heather
[ edited by hcross on Sep 4, 2000 01:13 PM ]
posted on September 4, 2000 01:17:55 PM
Heather, my mom was recently admitted to a nursing home. We had to empty her two story home of 47 years. We are so overwhelmed with things of "sentimental value" that we don't know which end is up. We HAVE to start getting non-sentimental, or we're going to be living among piles and piles of memorabilia. This dress has been in a box since 1948 and it's old, and musty. We just can't keep everything that belonged to my mom because of sentimental value. We're trying to be practical, and pay her medical expenses. So yes, it has sentimental value, but we need to be practical at this point.
posted on September 4, 2000 06:29:32 PM
Muriel, Sorry to hear about your mom going into a nursing home. It must be very stressful for you. I know the time for me to do the same thing isn't too far in the future.
I'm sure you are keeping things that really matter and hope you make money with the things you have to part with. We have to do what we have to do.
posted on September 4, 2000 06:42:35 PM
I am very sorry to hear that. My brother died when he was 15 ten years ago. My mother has saved everything he ever touched, and I do not blame her a bit. I am sure that when she is gone, I will do the same thing. Would never ever part with all of that no matter what the price. Hope your mother improves. Heather
posted on September 4, 2000 06:46:59 PM
Muriel--sorry to hear about your mom. But I agree with those up above--sell the gown as is. AND---don't give a second thought to it. This is hard to do, I know, but you have probably found more memorable items to save. HCROSS---you can be so harsh sometimes. Things is things. Period. Our memories are so much more special--and that is the heartbreak--when we forget our memories.
I know this might be insane and everyone will say so, since you are new to ebay you might concider this since you have no idea what to do with this dress and they seem to have limited bids on ebay.
put in your listings this frist buyer to order three or more Items from me in my frist week or this weeks sales on ebay totaling X amount wins a satin wedding gown
50 year old needs some cleaning and TLC .
Or something to that nature .
in fact if you have other items of this nature try it with them who knows what kind of sales this could lead too
work on how to run this promotional offer its self might be fun. you would have to track buyer bids regularly frist buyer to meet your requirement wins the dress .
posted on September 4, 2000 07:03:43 PM
jeanyu: I was not directing that at Muriel. Everyone has their own way of dealing with things, no one's is right or wrong. I was just commenting on how I felt about that kind of thing. Plus, yesterday he would have been 25, next month is the anniversary of his death, so this is not a good week for me. Did not mean to be offensive to Muriel. Heather
posted on September 4, 2000 07:07:58 PM
Adding: My grandfather died a few years ago, and my grandmother sold everything he ever owned within a month of his death. Hell, I would have been more than happy to buy some of those family things that could never be replaced, but she did not give us the chance. Such is life. Heather
I have, unfortunately, had far too much experience in my life with how people react and simply act in their lives when death is involved. As my feverish posts from the past month on one thread proved, I wished my mother had taken it upon herself to save memories rather than rid herself of them when my Dad died when I was ten. She did what she had to do for her. People do what they have to do. It's easy for those of separated from degrees to say what is best... but until you wear those moccasins, be happy you have the memories.
I, too, wish I had more tangible proof of my grandmother's life. I also realize my grandfather couldn't breathe with such things around. It was a constant reminder of how he should grieve. And, ultimately it was his choice to do with as he pleased.
Wendy
posted on September 4, 2000 07:44:48 PMdman - nice idea but I think it could get one into hot water with ebay re "bonuses" and "prizes". What would happen if TWO people bought 3 items each during the specified week? A drawing would have to be held. Sweepstakes (which this would be, albeit on a microscopic scale) are severely regulated, and if I recall correctly virtually every state prohibits the holder of the sweepstakes from requiring a purchase to be eligible for the drawing. So...nice idea, but I'd stay away from it.
Muriel, if the gown's fabric is indeed "fragile" (e.g. when you pull at it, it tears or shreds), obviously it's going to be exceptionally risky for anyone to wear, and of course you'd note the fabric's condition in your listing. What you might do, however, is consider listing it under Vintage Patterns. I can't be the only one out there who uses vintage garments as patterns (although much of the time they're still in good-enough condition that I daren't disassemble them). brightid, what do you think?
BTW, my grandmother was the sort of magpie your mother sounds like, and saved everything from the payment booklet for her first refrigerator to the dog's baby teeth (!). My father was in charge of liquidating her household and threw out a ton of stuff - I mean GOOD stuff, valuable antiques, and it just made me sick. So we had opposite ends of the personality spectrum at work, and it was a nightmare. I think there is indeed a middle ground, and I commend you for being able to strike a balance between turning every doodad into a holy relic, and throwing everything into the dumpster. I bet it's a real headache, and I'll also bet none of your relatives can possibly appreicate how much care and work you're putting into the ordeal. Good luck.
