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Valuing Antiques

auction hammer

Valuing Antiques

Many people often have old antiques that have been passed down from previous generations, or unusual finds from car boot sales but they have no idea of their value. Below are a few ideas to help you discover if you are sat on a fortune or just bit of old tat.

First, We recommend clicking the link below to value my stuff, as its company led by Patrick Van der Vorst and his team of 68 former Sotheby’s and Christie’s experts who specialize in over 48 collecting categories including all different types of furniture. Once you upload photographs and details of your item, Value My Stuff experts will email you a PDF report and online certificate detailing your item’s history and value within 48 hours or less. With the aim of extending expertise to everyone, Value My Stuff has been called “The Antiques Roadshow online”. Whether you wish to identify the period which your antique was made in or the type of wood or material used in addition to the commission.

value my stuff

secondly, start by looking online, as there are some amazing sites out there selling and displaying antiques and this can be the easiest way to find a value, especially if it is a named object or you have a slight idea of age and what the object is. Have a look around on websites like antiques world where there are vast selections of antique items for sale and so you might see your mystery item on there.

The next step I would suggest would be reference books, like millers guides. They are very informative with a price guide, photos and short descriptions. They do offer a large selection of antique furniture values so this can be useful for the larger items. You can also find more specialist books on certain ceramics, glass ware, pottery and designers, such as Gillows of Lancaster. Be careful not to buy old second hand price guides as they can be a wonderful read but the price structures may have changed and not be up to date with current market values.

valuing antiques 1

A really good place to go to is antique auctions, as they have specialist valuers and if you take the item to them or send photos, they will usually give you a free valuation in the hope that you will sell your goods through them.  There are two types of auctions you can try.  General salerooms are perfect for most items, but if you think you have a real treasure then go to more specialist auction. Quite often they can have specialist valuation days and you will find out the full details including approximate age and value. If you do decide to sell through them just remember you will be charged a commission to sell, sometimes as much as 30 % and also lotting fees, insurance and photography fees. Also don’t forget to place a reserve or you might end up selling your prised possession for nothing.

auction hammer

Finally you can try expert antique dealers. They can usually give you a more one to one service but will be looking to buy the item off you and sell for a profit, so ensure you seek a reputable dealer.

Dont forget that many different things can affect the value of your antiques, like condition, restoration, age, authenticity, provenance and quality. Sometimes you can see similar looking items for thousands of pounds only to find yours is worth hundreds as it is the wrong model or has lots of alterations. For example you can see good quality antique bureaus for sale for around £2000 on antiques world but others for £500, they may look the same on the photograph but there can be a significant difference in quality and condition.

Why not have a look around antiques world to see many different collectable antiques and see if you can spot a similar piece, it may bring some light to a piece you have been wondering about for many years.

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