Antique furniture appraiser blowing smoke.

[Brian37]

Ok, looking for some extra cash to help pay for my new mobile home i intend on buying. Trying to sell off some furniture I damned well know is quality and not reproductions which were handed to my parents by theirs before they adopted me.

So today, I get an appraiser to look at them. One what I can only describe as a antique library or accounting desk solid wood, ornate with iron fixtures dovetailed woodwork, not machine, and a separating book shelf. With a matching coffee table and low boy. They are each worth grands each I am sure of it. The desk itself I couldn't see going for no less than 2 to 5k, if not more. 

What was absurd is he was trying to tell me I could only get 75 to 100 each. 

If anyone has any experience with selling antiques is it better to say put an add in the paper or let a consignment shop or auction house do it for you? I know the stuff is worth way more than he eyeballed.

[Athene]

Perhaps you should consider having it appraised professionally first.

[Brian37]

Perhaps you should consider having it appraised professionally first.

That is what I googled to get this guy.

[Athene]

That is what I googled to get this guy.

Oh, duh....yep. Sorry.

A second opinion, maybe? Could be that that's actually all they're worth. 
Ever watch Antiques Roadshow? That's brutal to watch sometimes. You wouldn't be the first person to think he/she was sitting on a goldmine when they weren't.

If that's the case you might have better luck putting them on E-bay, and crossing your fingers.

[chimp3]

Any pictures? Close ups of the detail?

[brewer]

Take pictures, google search images, research any manufacturer names. Pay for the appraisal and indicate for insurance purposes understanding that insurance value is less than retail value.  

Old =/= expensive.

[vorlon13]

It's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

Pros and cons of Craigslist and Ebay are well known.

Do you have enough stuff for an auction, or can you consign onto an already scheduled auction ??

I recently gave a (very) 60s style piece of furniture to an antiques dealer. We both agreed even 300 years into the future the thing would still only be worth $10 on Antiques Roadshow. He wanted it to hold items (curios and doodads) he feels he has a better shot at selling. Without my prompting he advised even 'good' antique furniture is hard to sell in this area, his customer base is 'graying' out and younger people don't want to buy antique furniture, they want to unload antique furniture they've inherited from their parents.

YMMV . . . .

[chimp3]

I had an end table that was a typical early '70's piece. Basically, the wooden pieces were typical and not valuable. The top piece was cut marble. Worth more separated from it's base than the piece intact.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Consign through a dealer if it's truly valuable. Sell on CL if not. EBay will be a waste of time and money considering shipping and fess they charge.

[Anomalocaris]

..... They are each worth grands each I am sure of it. .....

Based on what?

Quality and worksmenship does not equal market value. Typically a piece of antique needs to either have a particular feature that is in vogue in the market at the moment, or has a highly desired and demonstrable pedigree to command that kind of money.