How to Sell an Antique
Here at iValuations we are often asked how to go about selling antiques or collectibles. As a rule we don’t get involved with any buying or selling as we believe it creates a conflict of interest. This allows us to give unbiased and transparent valuations with no hidden agendas.
However, over the years we have built up a comprehensive network of buyers, auction houses, collectors and methods of selling, and are happy to offer impartial advice should you wish to dispose of your item.
Selling an item comes down to many factors such as the local or international market, desirability, demand, fashion tastes, and so on. One of the first things to do before you offer an item for sale is to understand what you have.
Which is why getting a professional valuation can be so important. One doesn’t want to ask too little, or too much, or describe the item incorrectly. Speaking to somebody knowledgeable about the market and doing some of your own research is then vital.
Once you have decided you have something that you want to sell, and you have an idea of what it is and what you want for it, you can try the following methods:
Sell to a specialist antiques dealer
Almost every town and city have businesses that buy and sell antiques and collectibles. The people who run these are fountains of knowledge and will happily take a look at something you are wanting to sell.
Most dealers specialise in specific areas, such as horology or 18th century silver for example, so it is worth doing a bit of research beforehand who might be the best person to approach.
One of the best ways to do that is to see if you have an antiques business association in your country, such as the British Antique Dealer’s Association (BADA) or the Antiques Dealers’ Association of America, Inc. (ADA). On their websites they’ll list who their members are and what they specialise in.
Alternatively you can send them an email asking who would be the best person to approach for your item.
In this way you are getting in contact with established businesses who are reputable, and are held accountable according to a code of ethics set by their associations.
Bear in mind though, that a dealer is buying for profit. They have to factor in things such as restoration costs, transport (if relevant), and how much time they expect to have their money tied up in the piece before it sells on.
Many dealers also take items on consignment. That is where they won’t buy the item from you but put it on their shop floor and sell it on your behalf for a commission – normally somewhere between twenty to forty percent.
Because a dealer has to make a profit on what they buy, and hence a living, they will be very specific about what they are prepared to spend their hard earned money on. However if your item is not for them they will be more than happy to point you in the right direction who might be.
| Pros of selling to a dealer | Cons of selling to a dealer | ||
 | Highly specialised and knowledgable |  | Might not be the highest price possible |
 | Immediate sale and payment | | Selling on consignment means an indefinite time to conclusion of sale |
| Can often sell on consignment | | Dealers are very specific about what they buy |
Sell it at auction
This is probably the easiest route to go, and one of the best. Auction houses have in-house specialists who should be able to give you the exact advice you need. They will know the current vagaries of the market and what the buyers want, or don’t want.
If you just want to sell your item and are not wanting the best price possible then an auction house is a great way to go. If you have something interesting and are realistic about what you want to sell your item for, you will almost certainly find a buyer.
Auction houses make it easy for both seller and buyer to have positive outcomes. They often have their own transport so will be able to fetch your item (at a cost of course) should it be too large to transport it yourself. They will advertise it and present it in the best way possible because the more it sells for the more they make on commission.
The downside of auctions are several in that you can’t always be certain what you might get for item. Auctions will normally set a reserve price, which will be discussed with you, the client, beforehand. If you are unrealistic about what you want the auction house might decline to attempt to sell it.
On the other hand if the auction house sets the reserve too high it might chase off potential buyers. Sometimes one is lucky and there are the right people in the room who are prepared to duke it out over your item. It is fantastic to be pleasantly surprised and find out that your item went for many times over its estimate.
Just look at what had happened at this recent sale in Paris. An auction house is a great way to find a buyer, one just can’t always be certain what you might get for it beforehand. A good auction house should be able to tell you exactly what they expect, however. Often, the market itself will decide what the value is.
Auction houses by their nature are full of buyers looking for a bargain or want to flip an item for profit. That be said though, because of their frantic style of selling and the very fact that many believe that bargains can be found at auction can actually make items sell for more than what they can be found going for in shops.
You might have to wait awhile before you can sell your item though. Some auction houses have weekly sales but the better ones tend to be once a month or even further apart. This allows the auction house to gather the required stock for their sale and advertise it.
Once your item is sold it can take anywhere between several days to over a month to receive payment. The auction house must also deduct their commission as well as any agreed upon marketing costs.
Even if your item doesn’t sell you might be liable for some costs so check the fine print beforehand.
| Pros of selling at auction | Cons of selling at auction | ||
| Finding a buyer is likely | | Can’t be certain of exact price beforehand |
| Knowledgable in-house specialists | | Commission costs |
| Item might sell for more than expected | | Might not find a buyer |
| Easy and simple | | Might be costs even if the item fails to sell |
| Gets your item exposed to many potential buyers | | Might be some wait until payment received |
Sell it yourself
This method puts you in the most control of selling your item. Platforms like Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Craigslist have all made it very easy to put your item in front of the right buyer. Often at no cost to you at all.
However it doesn’t come without considerable risks and hard work on your part. The plus side is that you can set the price you want.
This is where it is essential to know exactly what you are selling beforehand. There is no point in trying to sell a Georgian chest-of-drawers for ten times its value when it’s actually an Edwardian reproduction. You’ll just be wasting everyone’s time, mostly your own.
So do some research beforehand. Find out exactly what you have, what the market is like for an item like yours and what is a reasonable asking price. This entails speaking to someone knowledgeable, visiting shops and viewing auctions or getting a professional valuation. Try and avoid wasting professionals time only for your gain though. That just isn’t fair.
Once you have researched your item it pays to do a further bit of work here, like making sure to take some really good presentation photographs that display your item in the best way possible. Like showing the item against an uncluttered background and in a good light. Don’t hide any blemishes or damage. Rather be completely upfront about anything and everything. There’s nothing worse than selling something and then having an unhappy buyer on one’s hands because a vital piece of information was omitted.
Read our blog article 14 Tips for taking the best photographs of your stuff with a smartphone for some ideas on how to take really good still life images for presentation.
It goes without saying that this method exposes one to the most risk. Public selling platforms are rife with scammers and con artists so take all of the precautions necessary, like not letting your item leave your possession until you have the money in your hands or bank account, being extra vigilant if the buyer needs to come to your home to view the item and so on.
With this method you might be able to get more for your item than you would from a dealer or at an auction house but it is much more work, has considerable more risks and might take some time before the item actually sells.
Another way of selling yourself is taking a table at an antiques market or getting a spot at the local car boot sale. This, of course, only works best if you have a number of items to sell. There will be overheads but it can be very profitable, and can be a fun and sociable way of disposing of your items.
| Pros of selling it yourself | Cons of selling it yourself | ||
| You are in control of the price | | Much more own time and work required |
| Might be able to get a better or best price | | Higher risk of being ripped-off or worse |
| Can be a fun way to dispose of items | | Can take much longer than other methods |
| No costs if using a free classifieds platform | | There can still be costs involved like commissions or rental of space |
As you can see selling an antique or collectible has many methods open to one, each with their own unique pros and cons.
Doing the research before you offer your item for sale, whether you do it yourself or have a professional do it, is essential. Normally the item that you have will often dictate what method you use to sell it.
If you have an incredibly rare antique clock for example, then it would be worth approaching a specialist in that field as they would have the right network of buyers. If your item is more generic or lower quality then selling it yourself might be the better method.
Here at iValuations you’ll find experts in over 50 categories of art, antiques and collectibles that are waiting to give impartial professional, affordable and in-depth valuation reports in a timeous and easy to use manner.
