posted on September 28, 2003 07:32:48 PM new
Hi again,
I have boxes & boxes of items from my mom's estate. I would like to put some up on ebay, but don't know the value. Lots of china, silver, decorative items, and tons of music boxes. Oh, also tons of cups and saucers she collected. Lots of these items I know have been in her home for nearly 50 years, and some items I know belonged to my grandmother before that. I hate researching, and have a son with brain cancer, so time is not my best option right now. Would like to get some of these items up though to help pay for some of my sons care. Anyone know of a free, and somewhat easy place on the internet to look, and yes I am also researching ebay.
Thanks
posted on September 28, 2003 07:39:54 PM new
If I were you, I'd find a trading assistant near you and let them do the work. Right now, your family should get most of your time - not the Internet. But you know that.
Other than that, researching is part of the work that needs to get done so that you don't get taken when listing items. If there were an easier way, we'd all be doing it - or at least most of us...
posted on September 28, 2003 07:44:21 PM new
In your case, I would start looking for a professional Estate sales person. Who will catalog, price & run the sale. it wil cost you 25 to 35 per cent. But it takes all of the burden off your shoulders. I don't know your area, so can't recommend anyone. Check around you should be able to find a reputables person.
posted on September 28, 2003 07:52:03 PM new
And do not let the Estate sale person, or anybody connected with them, buy a single item from you. Put it in the contract.
posted on September 28, 2003 08:52:11 PM new
It really depends on the value of the estate items. If there's a lot of valuable stuff then an estate sale professional may be in order but if it's the average stuff that people collect maybe you should just chip away at at in your spare time and list on ebay.
Almost everything under the sun can be researched on either present and closed ebay auctions and the internet in general.
Fun-to-Browse Database:We now have more than 10 books online. You can now search and browse through appraiser-approved actual PRICES for more than 340,000 antiques and collectibles! Establish values for your Federzeichnung vase or look at seven-year market trends for mass-produced items, like an Adam Depression glass plate or a Roseville Magnolia vase.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on September 28, 2003 09:03:09 PM new
Hi all,
I agree with the others who have suggested you might do best with someone to sell these things for you, unless you have the storage space to hold onto them until you can get them listed.
If you wait a bit, you may find there are some things you want to keep, so don't just jump into it.
posted on September 28, 2003 09:21:08 PM new
Your right TheFamilyBiz, my family needs me. Right now it is critical to get some money coming in though. My husband is disabled, and watches t.v. most of the time, so I concentrate on my son who loves ebay as much as I do. He's 37, and loves the computer, so this is what we do together. It helps to keep busy....Please don't think for a minute, I would put anything before him. I'm sure you don't think that....
So anyway, this is our line to keeping busy, (I was going to say sane, but ebay of course can make you insane!!) and I do what he likes to do.
So sorry to get side tracked, anyway I am sure I will look into an estate person, but knowing my mom, she loved "junk", I could do better just hacking away on ebay, other than an occasional piece here and there.
We have wondered if just putting a price up, and seeing what happens would be good, or is it better to research more and start it higher. Some items we think could be of more value, if we start too high, and get no bids, then we worry about the posting fee, unless of course it would sell on relist. I know ebay is not at all like it used to be, not a lot of bids as years ago, so been leary of not knowing more about an item.
I have looked over Kovels, but hard to find what I'm looking for there. Any more places on the net?
Thanks for the input, love you guys here. Been reading the posts for a long, long time, and think it's cool for information, and such....
Sorry for the long post, I am known for making a short story long...oh, well, I'll try to keep it shorter....
posted on September 28, 2003 09:24:04 PM new
Sorry...one more quick question..
I am having trouble searching music boxes on ebay...come up with boxes of all sorts...jewelry music boxes...same thing...suggestions on what I could put in the search that could narrow it down?
posted on September 28, 2003 09:57:13 PM new
When you search on ebay it takes a certain feel for the search criteria needed. Something as common as a musicbox would need a bit more than the word musicbox or you will get too many items. Try to narrow the search with some info about the music box such as - Japan - wood - ceramic or any pertinent data for your music box. Try both title search and description search and completed auctions search and put the same data in a search engine like Google if the results on ebay were not helpful enough.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on September 28, 2003 10:38:15 PM new
First of all, my sympathy and condolences to you and your family during this very difficult time.
I lost everyone in my family within 5 years. unless you NEED to sell it now, DONT. You and your family are all hurting now. Just box it up and put it away. Better yet, ask each person if they would like a momento of your mom. then let it sit for a bit. You have time to sell it. If you are in a hurry, it will do no good to you or your family. Take some time if you can. Do some research. Make some calls. I was lucky enough to have butterfields & butterfields (big well known auction house) actually come to my house and gave me an appraisal on most of the items I was conerned about. He was honest fast picked up every item, looked behind the clock, upside down etc, I ran behind him with pad of paper and pen. Wrote down what he said, ripped off the paper and threw it in the cup, vase, clock etc Then I let it sit and felt. I decided what I wanted to keep for me to remember my family member by and which I would never want again.
I even opened up a spot in an antique coop for awhile. Didnt know squat about collectibles or antiques but learned alot. One big thing I found out is that most of these sellers where always looking for that vase that belonged to their mother or aunt that sold 10 years ago and were always looking for it. That stuck in my mind. PLEASE let it stick in yours. I have never sold anything that I later regetted selling. Yes, I still have alot of stuff but the things that bring all of the memories back are still with me.
posted on September 28, 2003 11:18:23 PM new
Thank you paloma91, I appreciate your thoughts.
We have been dealing with a lot of losses in the last few years, first my Dad, then my Mom, we lost our home when my husband couldn't work, and our son's cancer is growing even after his operation. Some of the items have been split among the family already, and most of them became mine under mutual understanding as I was the ONLY one to care for Mom & Dad as they became ill with their cancer.
Our most prized memories are either now displayed and enjoyed, or boxed up for a later time when we have more room, and some is being saved for my two son's, our daughter, and granddaughters when they have room.
Only items that really have no memories will be sold. These are some of items that can bring us the only income that we have right now.
My sister did purchase nearly a full store ceramics store, just before my son got worse, and some of this will be worked on as time allows.
My son and I loved working on the ceramics, and he was really good at painting them before his eyesight got too bad from his tumor. We had hopes of opening our own store sometime, but for now we do what we can on them, and will put some up on ebay as we can. Someday we hope to be able to have our own website for the ceramics.
So we look through our boxes of stuff and see if we can part with it, or keep it to treasure our memories.
Plus,..we are a pack rat, and I know there is lots of "junk" to get rid of....but Not our 52" TV. My husband would kill me! He purchased that just before he became ill and couldn't work, and now that's his retreat.
Most anything else we can get rid of as time allows...pictures, cleaning, research, listing...wow! It's hard work, but so addicting......
posted on September 29, 2003 06:19:49 AM new
where are the music boxes made??
there are some priceless european music boxes and there are books written on music boxes.
good luck
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
posted on September 29, 2003 06:22:44 AM new
there are some serious collectors and dealers searching for rare items,it does not make any diff what your starting bid is,i have seen one dealer always starts his auction at one penny and ends up a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
if you said it is an old music box and take good pictures ,let them tell you what it is.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
posted on September 29, 2003 07:53:29 AM new
If it were mine.....$1 starting bid on each and every item with no reserve. You will be suprised how much money you will be wading in when it's all done. Ebay and Ebay alone is the only measuring stick I will ever use....books are outdated before they come off the press and I wouldn't let a dealer or estate apprasier within 100 miles of my house/estate items...
[ edited by micmic66 on Sep 29, 2003 07:54 AM ]
posted on September 29, 2003 10:18:14 AM new
Treasures, I'd just like to add, if you cant really afford the researching time and or an estate person, or any other resource, you can try going to the library and getting some books for free. Some have more current books -- but even if they are outdated, if you do choose to do the auctions yourself, at least you will be able to write a half-way decent description of what you have. And you can leaf through the books on your down time, before you fall asleep, etc.
posted on September 29, 2003 12:02:36 PM new
Thanks for the input...some very good thoughts here...AuctionAce..loved the beer one....wonder if they really knew what they had.
Think I will run over to the library and get a few things...my family says "no books" as I usually walk out with 50-100 books at a time...but just a few this time! At least could get some good descriptions and dates on the items, and go from there.
Been really wondering about starting them at $1.00 or so, but scared to.
What's your thoughts on the importance of catagories? One catagory or two, and such. When I look, I usually just put what I am looking for in the search(both title & description). I don't "browse" just in catagory type, know what I mean?
Oh ya, anyone have that link again to search this sight for specific subjects? Had it in my favorites I though, but can't find it.
posted on September 29, 2003 02:02:43 PM new
The beer seller knew exactly what he had ( plus he had a reserve on it ). He cited source after source of the beer can in his auction. The fact that he had only one photo was the only weakness in a perfectly presented auction. If the seller hadn't researched and presented all those links he may have received a much lower final price.
It's almost like a court case where a great lawyer can be worth his fees many times over.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on September 29, 2003 04:48:42 PM new
So sorry for your situation.
IF I had items I had no idea of value on, I'd check for such on the WWW, and watch eBay for similar items being sold.
Personally, I am totally opposed to "price guide," one they are outdated before they get off the press, and more than that, what something "thinks" the value of something is, and what the market will pay, can be greatly different.
For instance, when eBay first started back in the mid 90's you had to pay about $125 for a McCoy "Bobby Baker" cooker jar. Today, you find them on eBay for about $25....people, via the internet people connected with people, and realized that there were many, many of these items around.
Your music boxes may be very rare and valuable, so do some research on the internet, and eBay before you post any.
**********
Regarding price guide, I hold the same opinion of price guides, as Graham Forsdyke...... One of the most distinguished men in the antique sewing machine business, who has a fantastic/famous quote, which I adore, he says:
"I consider price guides in the same way as I do modern art. Produced by the
totally uninformed, marketed by the totally unscrupulous, for the
consumption of the totally gullible."
~Graham Forsdyke~
Best of wishes on your sale of the music boxes -
[ edited by jwpc on Sep 29, 2003 04:49 PM ]
posted on September 29, 2003 04:54:16 PM new
BTW - when you are researching the music boxes and want to weed out jewelry it's actually quite simple.... put a - sign directly infront of any word you want excluded from the search.
i.e. - music box -jewelry That will weed out any auctions that have the word jewelry in the title. Should help you narrow the search results more.
Also - the people here are a wealth of information and hints on where to find more info on specific items... besides, that way everyone gets to see new tuff rather than just vent about crazy bidders
All the best to you and your family!
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on September 29, 2003 09:41:00 PM new
JWPC finally had a decent idea. I also use ebay as my guide for value. The best thing to do is the check out the closed items in the advanced search to see what they sold for.
Then have your son run many of the auctions. It does two things. 1st is the obvious. It can generate income. 2nd and most important IMHO is it will give your son something to do and look forward to. It is amazing what goals and activities can do for your mental and physical health.
