Clueless gal wants to sell antique furniture

[gamecock43]

Hey guys,
I have several large, antique furniture pieces. (a couch, a long table, an armoire, and 2 side chairs) I inherited the pieces and they are not my style. I know they are antiques because they look very well made, some smell old, and some pieces have a sticker from the original store they were purchased from which was an antique store.
I would like to sell them, but do not want to be taken advantage of in the process.
I know I need to get them appraised..but thats all I know.
I dont know how to find an appraisor, or how to tell if this person really knows what they are talking about. I assume there are all kinds of antiques from different time periods, countries, ect. I would think that no one can specialize in all antique areas.
Nor do I know what an appraisor will charge me. I called one woman who handed me her card during a yard sale and she stated she will charge me "about 10% of the appraised value" So that seemed a bit shifty to me.

I do want to sell the pieces, but realize an appraisor might lowball the value in the hopes of buying the pieces himself...so once I determine a price I am willing to settle on...what next?

[maat55]

Figure out what you would pay for them and put them in an consignment store.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Not all antique furniture requires someone specialized to put a value on it for you. Many furniture pieces which are now antique were mass produced so there are many such pieces out there and many people who are familiar with them. Of course I have no idea if that is the sort of thing you have. Many antiques sell for no more than or even less than you might pay for new lower end furniture, so try not to assume you are being lied to if you get what seems like a low appraisal.

If you can put photos of them on the internet, here is an antiques forum I enjoy. Antiques and Collectibles Forum - GardenWeb There are amateurs and pros alike on that board. Some of them have areas of specialty, and many have broad knowledge. With some good photos you could get them to describe for you just what you've got. Some may be able to tell you what they have recently seen such pieces sell for in their area. Pricing is not a science though. Maybe your armoire might bring in $400 this week, but maybe next month a popular magazine might show such an armoire in an appealing arrangement and suddenly there are people looking for one and willing to pay $1000.

[disneysteve]

Look in the phone book for area auction houses. Call and find one that deals with the type of items you have and ask them how to go about getting them appraised and selling them. An auctioneer doesn't have the same conflict of interest that an individual dealer has. While he may want you to use his services for the sale, the selling price is determined by the bidders. He has no reason to lowball an appraisal to get you to sell him the item.

Charging a percentage of the value is actually a common way to pay an appraiser, though it never quite made sense to me. The more I tell you your item is worth, the more you have to pay me. Seems crooked, doesn't it?

There are online appraisal sites like this:
Antique Appraisals and Online Valuations Ranging From Furniture to Car Appraisals
I don't know much about them, but for only $9.95 it might be worth a shot.

The American Society of Appraisers and the International Society of Appraisers are the trade groups that you want to deal with. Make sure any appraiser belongs to one of those.

And yes, forget about any appraiser who, after giving you a value, then offers to buy the item from you.

[rob62521]

You might check out your local library and see if they have any books on antique furniture. Please understand that the book gives a ball park figure and wouldn't be realistic to actually get the full price, especially if you don't live in a big city or on either coast. Antique prices in the midwest, especially in Central Illinois, are far less than big cities and the cities on either ocean -- probably why many antique dealers come here and buy to sell in their shops...ok, I digress. Anyway, if you can find the pieces in a book, it can give you an idea. I would also ask around to see if anyone has dealt with any local antique dealers. If you find someone you can trust, they might give you a reasonable price if you realize they have to add some to make a profit, or might sell it for you with you paying them a commission.

[gamecock43]

All very good ideas...i went ahead and posted some pics on the garden web site and hope people can providesome insight. And I will organize my resources and see about selling them on commision or antique auctions. thanks you guys.

[jhoots3]

Lincoln, Illinois photos

Hi folks ... Very interesting. I have an old photo album that belonged to my Grandfater. It was proffesionally prepared by a photographer in 1899. There 50 photos. Approx 6x8 each. These photos are of Lincoln, Illinois and Logan County, Illinois. The man went around and took photos of people and the stores they worked in. Not just photos of old buildings. One photo is of the Lincoln tomb just prior to its remodel. All the curators are standing on the steps. The appraisers charged me 20% of total value they gave them. The appraisal amounted to a simple letter with a rediculous value. It did have a nice little cheap sticker on it. The appraisal said nothing about the photos other than they may be of Lincoln, Illinois. Each photo has documentation on the mount. The appraisal cannot be tied to the photos. They then offer to help me sell them. To a friend of thiers? I'm sure. This appraiser is supposedly top notch from Chicago. So I would suggest to people to only deal with people in person. Any thoughts on this subject would be helpful. Thanks Folks.

[EEinNJ]

I'm no expert, but I live in an area that is known for antique shops and auctions and I have a couple of friends in the business that have helped me value and/or dispose of some things.

I would suggest doing some homework to identify what style the pieces are and when/where they were made before you have them appraised. In the 20's and 30s furniture began to be manufactured and isn't as valued as antique. Look on the backs for a manufacturer's stamp. How drawers are built (jointed) and mounted are also tip-offs. Furniture that is "Art Deco" or "Mid-Century Modern", though factory made, can still be valuable because people like the style. Your best bet may be to take the pieces to an auction house.