posted on September 13, 2002 08:03:05 PM new
Thanks! Okay, here goes:
Hooray! Now, here are the details. The words on the side repeat all the way around. The bowl is 10" across and 4+" high, made by Vernon Kilns, so a dealer tells me, although there's nothing on the bottom of the bowl. It is actually more of a pea green but I couldn't get that color to come up for me.
He is going out of business and asked me to sell this for him; his price tag was $575.00 and he said "book value" (yes, I know how we feel about that!) was $750. Any ideas?
[ edited by Roadsmith on Sep 13, 2002 08:05 PM ]
posted on September 13, 2002 09:10:35 PM new
I sure hope you sell it and then take 50%. So much for the book price. Don't you just love book price. I just sold a Vernon Kilns 13 inch platter for $14.99, book price $39.00. I knew I wouldn't get that only the book buys them for that price.
posted on September 13, 2002 11:40:12 PM new
Hi Roadsmith,
My guess is that this is not Vernon Kilns. I have dealt quite a bit in Vernonware, and their unmarked pieces are few and far between and very well documented. Also, that glaze color is not typical of anything Vernon would have used. There are very few surprises with Vernon Kilns, and most of their work is well recorded and documented. If it is, on the other hand, a piece produced by Vernon on a one shot deal or a prototype that escaped the scrap pile, then you will want to quote shipping charges for Brinks and insurance rates from LLoyds of London.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on September 15, 2002 10:41:43 AM new
you should ask the dealer what price book he used? how does he know it is Vernon Kilns? get as much info as you can from him...it will be helpful in the description and you don't want to put anything in the description that you cannot verify.....
After all, it's your name it is going to be listed under.
posted on September 15, 2002 04:25:48 PM new
Your bowl is on page 272 of Petretti's (The Coke Bible.) for $425
If I got 50% of book value for the items I have sold I would be right up there next to Bill Gates on the Forbes List.
posted on September 15, 2002 04:53:20 PM new
horsey88 - Thank you SO MUCH! I really appreciate your help. Just curious, given what you and I know about this item, where would you start it, and reserve or not?
Did the listing say anything about who made the bowl?
posted on September 16, 2002 06:11:21 AM new
Wilsons' Coca-Cola Price Guide Third Edition lists it on page 109. It shows one in the pea soup green and one in pale yellow.
It says "1930s, ceramic snack bowl. $750."
It does not mention who made it for Coke.
Being right is nice, being obnoxiously right can cost one friends.
posted on September 16, 2002 07:08:32 AM new
Whatever you agree to, get it in writing.
Keep the bowl in your possession until shipped.
And pack it VERY well for shipping.
[ edited by capotasto on Sep 16, 2002 07:09 AM ]
posted on September 16, 2002 07:41:50 PM new
Thanks everyone! I have one more question - Given what the book value is, where would you all start this auction? Reserve? If you were listing it, what realistically would you expect to get for it? (I know it depends on the phases of the moon, etc. . . . .)
posted on September 29, 2002 12:38:35 PM new
In this weeks issue of Antique Week, one of these bowls sold for $601 at an auction in Roanoke Virginia. It shows a picture of the bowl. It was green in color and it says it was Vernonware.
posted on September 29, 2002 01:58:25 PM new
You should set the reserve at the minimum this guy is willing to take. He needs to be educated about eBay and "book". Take a good look at the other Coke stuff that's sold recently and see where it falls in the book value vs. eBay price spectrum. You can start it at any price.
Also, you should get a good cut of the net. Any fees and expenses should be reimbursed to you off the gross first.
posted on September 29, 2002 02:10:04 PM new
Okay, here's what I did. I launched it Thursday night for 10 days. Started it at $90 with a reserve of $150, and we both gulped. It hit the reserve the FIRST night with two bids. It's now at $212 (last I looked) with 7 days to go.
Got an email from a buyer asking if he could give me $275 right now and I could end the auction. We decided, after some thought, that it was worth the gamble and we would reject his offer. This friend needs money and said he'll take what he can get for it, so we're both comfortable with this.
I'm selling it for him as a favor, since, as a shop owner, he's done a lot of big favors for us as we cleared out an old cabin in the past 5 years. I'll charge him for the listing and FVF fees, of course, and I'll keep the shipping fees.
Sometimes I'm greedy, but whenever I decide to do a kindness, I feel good about it! Just not too often. . . .
