posted on November 9, 2000 09:21:48 AM new
Went to an auction last night and couldn't believe how cheap things were going. I waited until now to put some of my nicer things in. Usually Nov. is great but I came home very disappointed and my check will be no where to what I expected.
For example: A huge beautiful Roseville bowl. Not a flaw on it. $150.00. Six perfect Heisley banana split dishs in a lot with six other very nice pressed glass pieces $25.00. I was going to put the dishs on eBay but because they were going for $20.00 EACH I thought I would get a good price and wouldn't have to package and mail them. My gorgeous Belleek sugar and creamer didn't even sell.
There's more but I just wanted to give an example to show it's not only that bids are down on eBay. The holiday sales this year seem to be even lower than last year.
posted on November 9, 2000 09:42:34 AM new
I recently consigned a wonderful wool oriental rug from the 1920s, made in England, size 9x12, very good condition, to a local auction house. Hammer price was $30. I got $19 after the auctioneer's commission. I'll never again consign anything there. But I might go and buy things there. I was particularly angry at the auctioneer because he has a monthly "antiques" auction and a weekly "modern" auction. Instead of putting the rug in the antiques auction, he put it in the modern auction. I think it would have brought a better price if it had been in the right auction.
posted on November 9, 2000 09:59:45 AM new
littlenell, I do very well at the auction house. Usually, get better prices than I would on eBay for the things that I do bring there. That's why I was so suprised and disappointed about last night.
Rugs are a very hard sell. They can hardly give them away. If you want to "buy" a high quality new or old rug, the auction house is the place to go.
posted on November 9, 2000 05:09:25 PM new
I've been going to a weekly auction here in Utah that has a combination of "stuff," good or not, and junk, and guns, and toys, etc. If it's any consolation, the prices the auctioneer is getting have almost totally tanked. I won't even tell you how low the prices have been. And the selection is poorer than ever before. I think people have stopped consigning the better stuff, especially if it would bring a better price on the internet. Rather than staying from 7 to 10 p.m., I've been going home by 8 p.m.
posted on November 10, 2000 06:07:15 AM new
I've found you have to pick and choose which auction to attend. Went to one the other day and stayed to the bitter end where they were selling 3-4 boxes full of glassware, knick-knacks for $1 a box. I bought as much as my car would hold and came home with some great deals. On the other side--attended another where each and every piece of unmarked glassware went for at least $20+. There seemed to be some sort of bidding frenzy in the air that day. Needless to say, went home empty-handed from that one. Tomorrow I'm traveling 250 miles to attend one offered by my favorite auction company. These auctions are just a joy to attend and the bidding goes all over the board. You never know what you'll end up bringing home!
