Posted by ClearSkies on January 28, 2008, at 18:02:24
In reply to OMG! That is so freaking cool!, posted by TexasChic on January 28, 2008, at 17:41:14
> Sounds like a blast! I love watching the Antique Road Show. That may not correlate very well with what you do, but its the only exposure I have to antiques. Hey, I have a cedar chest made in the 1920's (it has the original label inside that says so), is that worth anything? :-)
>
> -TCan you see me shrugging?? I dunno. If it's in good shape, it probably is worth something - try checking on tias.com (ahem, where my store is, BTW) - search by the manufacturer name. Also check Rubylane.com, they carry a lot of the same stuff there. That will give you an idea of the chest's retail value, though not necessarily what you might realize if you choose to sell it.
You know what, though? - this experience IS a blast! I heard a lot of family stories, and people asked me a lot of questions, to which I would honestly answer, "I don't know much about that, but it sounds interesting." I did have a couple of people approach me about looking at their house contents as they were facing downsizing (as they moved from a house to an apartment or assisted living), and I was honest there too when I advised them to consult an appraiser rather than a dealer like myself to get the fairest idea of the contents' worth. Otherwise, their homes are likely to be picked over and they'll never realize the best prices for their beloved belonging, with all those memories.
Those moments were kinda sad, but it is how merchandise enters into the antique market.
This weekend I felt like a giant sponge, just soaking up oodles of factoids and snippets of information, hopefully to be recalled at a later date! I've been keeping a blog about my experiences, and I'll send you the link, TC, to it. And to anybody else who is interested.
Having fun,
CS
poster:ClearSkies
thread:809339
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20080104/msgs/809401.html