Uncategorized | Fine Estate Sales, Antiques and Collectibles

The Estate Sales Circus

October 5, 2009

…or How to Drive an Estate Liquidator Crazy…

Cole Brothers Circus paper sign promoting The Great Florenzo

(Sold By Dan Morphy Auctions for $770.00)

I kind of think that most Estate Sales Professional start their day fairly sane – that they have a reasonable expectation that they will be civil and cordial to their customers while conducting their sale – that they will endeavor to try and sell their clients items to their estate sales customers in as easy of a fashion as they possibly can.

…but then something sometimes happens…

(Poster Sold by Swann Galleries for $65,000.00)

The Estate Sales Process Gets Weighted Down By “The Haggle.”

Estate Sales Professionals have to walk a very taunt and thin tight rope. They have to satisfy two kinds of people. Their clients who want the most income for their personal property and their estate sales customers who are looking for the best, or in their minds “A reasonable purchase price.”

This leads to all sorts of Estate Sales Acrobatics…Like Tumblers at a Circus…

Poster Sold By Cowan’s Auctions for $510.00

Part of the fun of going to estate sales is finding or negotiating for bargains. It’s intrinsic to the process. Negotiating the price helps me sell and my customers buy, about 90% of all the personal property contained in a home during a 3 day estate sale. So let’s negotiate. No problem there…

And let’s celebrate the conclusion of our negotiation as a Win for both of us….

(Sold by Cowan’s Auctions for $1,667.00)

Three Negotiating Suggestions

Stay Loose
Remember there are two sides to the process.
The other side is not the enemy.

Also, there are so many estate sales out there, and there is so much “Stuff.” If you don’t successfully conclude a deal at one estate sale you may find it at another just down the road.

If you want to learn more about Antiques and Collectibles Values, then read my post about how to get 10% off Prices 4 Antiques.com

Regards

Martin Codina

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3 Comments | How to Avoid Estate Sales Conflicts, Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Martin

Civil War Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolvers Found in New York

September 27, 2009

Or How Colonel William C. Browne’s Pair of 1851 Navy Colts Came Out Of Hiding…

It all started with an advertisement that Greg Martin Auctions placed calling for people to bring their vintage and antique firearms to an appraisal clinic. Kind of like an Antiques Roadshow, but only this appraisal clinic was for the valuation of firearms.

Sometimes magic happens at events like these, sometimes the incredible occurs, sometimes people find out they have a true treasure.

I spoke with Greg Martin by phone the other day, and he was genuinely excited to tell me this story. He said, and I will paraphrase here, that he recently conducted an appraisal clinic in New York, and that they had made a wonderful discovery of a cased pair of Civil War era US Navy Colt revolvers.

At this event it seems that an elderly lady, carrying a bag showed up. In the absolutely ordinary bag was a wooden case, and in the case were the pair of matched Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers.

Things like this don’t happen all the time…not even for Greg Martin…

…here is a picture of these Rare Firearms…

Did I forget to mention how much he estimated they would sell for at auction…

$150,000.00 to $250,000.00

It’s a simple fact that if she had taken these to any dealer, she would receive much less than what ever these revolvers eventually sell for at Greg Martins auction. Maybe even way, way, way less…

Here are some tips about selling your firearms:

Find out what the law says about the type of firearm you have.
Always seek the consul of someone who is an expert in Antique Firearms like Greg Martin, or someone like me who specializes in getting the highest value for your collectibles as a broker.