How To Sell Antique Jewelry ?

Dear Friends,

I would like to know how to best sell Estate Antique Jewelry. I have some
pieces from the late 1800's. Other pieces from the early 1900's. And some
from the mid-1900's. They are made from 9, 12, and 14K gold, and some
crudely-cut diamonds. I locked into Ebay, but I found nothing comparable
being sold on Ebay. I checked with the neighborhood jeweler, but I felt he
is not sincere. Auction houses came to mind. A friend told me that it
would be best if I take this stuff and sell it in New York. Please let me
know what you think.

Best Regards,
Talal

"Talal Itani" wrote in message
...
Dear Friends,

I would like to know how to best sell Estate Antique Jewelry. I have some
pieces from the late 1800's. Other pieces from the early 1900's. And
some
from the mid-1900's. They are made from 9, 12, and 14K gold, and some
crudely-cut diamonds. I locked into Ebay, but I found nothing comparable
being sold on Ebay. I checked with the neighborhood jeweler, but I felt
he
is not sincere. Auction houses came to mind. A friend told me that it
would be best if I take this stuff and sell it in New York. Please let me
know what you think.

If you were in the UK you could sell it in just about any of the larger
'fine art' type auction houses and get a fair price.

As you're in the US, and I gather that stuff like this doesn't sell that
often there, then you should send it to Sothebys or one of the other big
auction houses in New York.

If they send it back saying 'I'm afraid we don't handle items of this
nature' then it isn't worth a great deal.

On the other hand if you get a letter back saying 'We would be delighted to
act for you in this matter' it's almost certainly worth reasonable money.

You'll pay a major auction house about 20% of the winning bid. As dealers
work on a typical 100% margin you will usually do better with an auction
house if the item is worth a substantial amount.

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

Talal Itani wrote:
Dear Friends,

I would like to know how to best sell Estate Antique Jewelry. I have some
pieces from the late 1800's. Other pieces from the early 1900's. And some
from the mid-1900's. They are made from 9, 12, and 14K gold, and some
crudely-cut diamonds. I locked into Ebay, but I found nothing comparable
being sold on Ebay. I checked with the neighborhood jeweler, but I felt he
is not sincere. Auction houses came to mind. A friend told me that it
would be best if I take this stuff and sell it in New York. Please let me
know what you think.

Best Regards,
Talal

Take it to a jeweler in your area that sells estate jewelry and see if
they are interested in selling the pieces on a consignment basis,
perhaps? If your going to sell it yourself have a paid appraisal done
and try to get 1/3 of that. Estate jewelry is a niche market, with the
biggest demand being for 18 & 22k pieces, 14k sells as well, but most 9
& 12k sit unsold for years even at low prices. Jewelry is one of
those things that appraises far beyond the market value of the sum of
it's parts. For example: Last I bought an 18k setting I bought it by
weight 6.5 grams @ $12 gram. To that I added a 15ct. round amethyst,
pulled from an estate 12kt ring, the 12kt am. ring was $110. I sold
the setting for scrap got about $15 for it. So I have a $95 stone in a
$78 18kt setting, plus my jewelers labor of $80. My cost $253,
appraised value $1250.

Chances that it's worth the trip to New York, unless you are nearby or
going there anyway isn't great. Jeweler's I know go to NY to buy
estate jewelry, come back and turn a profit on it, typically they pay
about 1/3 of retail there buying at auction or in the diamond district.
Guesstimate you'd land about 1/6th of retail value taking it to New
York.

Jessica

Jessica V. schrieb:
Talal Itani wrote:
Dear Friends,

I would like to know how to best sell Estate Antique Jewelry. I have =
some
pieces from the late 1800's. Other pieces from the early 1900's. And=
some
from the mid-1900's. They are made from 9, 12, and 14K gold, and some=

crudely-cut diamonds. I locked into Ebay, but I found nothing compara=
ble
being sold on Ebay. I checked with the neighborhood jeweler, but I fe=
lt he
is not sincere. Auction houses came to mind. A friend told me that i=
t
would be best if I take this stuff and sell it in New York. Please le=
t me
know what you think.

Best Regards,
Talal
=20
Take it to a jeweler in your area that sells estate jewelry and see if
they are interested in selling the pieces on a consignment basis,
perhaps? If your going to sell it yourself have a paid appraisal done
and try to get 1/3 of that. Estate jewelry is a niche market, with the=

biggest demand being for 18 & 22k pieces, 14k sells as well, but most 9=

& 12k sit unsold for years even at low prices. Jewelry is one of
those things that appraises far beyond the market value of the sum of
it's parts. For example: Last I bought an 18k setting I bought it by
weight 6.5 grams @ $12 gram. To that I added a 15ct. round amethyst,
pulled from an estate 12kt ring, the 12kt am. ring was $110. I sold
the setting for scrap got about $15 for it. So I have a $95 stone in a=

$78 18kt setting, plus my jewelers labor of $80. My cost $253,
appraised value $1250.
=20
Chances that it's worth the trip to New York, unless you are nearby or
going there anyway isn't great. Jeweler's I know go to NY to buy
estate jewelry, come back and turn a profit on it, typically they pay
about 1/3 of retail there buying at auction or in the diamond district.=

Guesstimate you'd land about 1/6th of retail value taking it to New
York. =20
=20
Jessica

I don=B4t know the market in USA however in Germany/Europe estate jewelry=
is=20
easier to be sold via fixed price appraisal than in Auction houses. Somet=
imes=20
it takes one Year until a rare item is sold, some are sold within 3 mont=
hs.=20
That depends.
In an Auction it may happen that the item is sold within the first 5 minu=
tes=20
for a very low price. This is a big risk - i think.


With best regards,
Heinrich Butschal
--=20
Estate Jewelry http://www.schmuck-boerse.com
Famous antique Jewelry http://www.royal-magazin.de
Goldsmith signet rings http://www.meister-atelier.de
Firmengeschenke und Ehrennadeln http://www.schmuckfabrik.de

"Heinrich Butschal" wrote in message
...

In an Auction it may happen that the item is sold within the first 5 minu=
tes=20
for a very low price. This is a big risk - i think.

In UK auction houses the house will put a reserve on the item for you based
on their valuation.

This is usually about 60% to 70% of their evaluation of the retail value.

No penalty attaches if the item doesn't sell, it just comes back to you...

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

William Black schrieb:
"Heinrich Butschal" wrote in message
...

In an Auction it may happen that the item is sold within the first 5 minu=
tes=20
for a very low price. This is a big risk - i think.

In UK auction houses the house will put a reserve on the item for you based
on their valuation.

This is usually about 60% to 70% of their evaluation of the retail value.

No penalty attaches if the item doesn't sell, it just comes back to you...

Here in Germany and Austria the reserve of Jewelery items is mostly 25-40 % of
the retail value.

With best regards,
Heinrich Butschal
--
Estate Jewelry http://www.schmuck-boerse.com
Famous antique Jewelry http://www.royal-magazin.de
Goldsmith signet rings http://www.meister-atelier.de
Firmengeschenke und Ehrennadeln http://www.schmuckfabrik.de