Libra63
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:01:41 PM new
I have a 1920's Victorian Filigree pin/pendant which is 14K white gold, Marked. with a small diamond. It is a pin and a pendant. My husband brought it to a jewelry store and the jeweler said it was worth between $250 and $300.00. What I want to know is what to start the auction and when to put a reserve on it. Now the apprasial isn't written just oral. Should I start at $50.00 with a $250.00 reserve? I have never had anything like this as all I do is sell costume jewelry so I am at a loss. Last week I had a 18K bracelet, the one I posted here on and I didn't have a reserve and I got $139.00 for it. I probably should have had a reserve on this but I thought it was a fair price for what I bought it for. Any help would be appreciated. I am going out for dinner and won't be back until later. Thanks
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tomwiii
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:03:44 PM new
Yeah? Well hows come ya didn't invite me-n-Ralphie??
Geeesh! Some people!
After all we been thru tagether...
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/vidrat/
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Libra63
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:11:34 PM new
If you can help I surly would appreciate it. I know Ralphie has good taste and after seeing that ART piece you do to.
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tomwiii
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:13:29 PM new
Wierd! There be a Ka-billion lookers on that auction, but NO bids
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/vidrat/
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stopwhining
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:18:17 PM new
i cant wait to hear what fluffy has to say.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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Libra63
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:20:46 PM new
Tom they are just waiting for the first person to jump in and start the bidding. Probably alot of sniping will be going on. How many hits has it had.....?
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tomwiii
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:29:44 PM new
The hits are only up to 38, but the WATCHERS are up to 12! That's more than the wonder-plates!
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/vidrat/
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neroter12
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:37:34 PM new
Tom, did baconbuttie get back in EBAY? Can you do the watchers thing? I didnt try it because I thought he was cut-out or something?
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tomwiii
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:41:36 PM new
Neo: BaconBoy has been suspended from feeBay for over a month now, but SO WHAT??
Doesn't affect us users of his scripts!
You just have to use the NEW SCRIPT that DOES NOT include a link to him!
The new script is very tiny & hides quite nicely in me terms.
FEEBAY will only shut down auctions that display BB links
>>>>>>>>http://tinyurl.com/fj2s<<<<<<<
http://tinyurl.com/pgcw
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/vidrat/
[ edited by tomwiii on Oct 31, 2003 04:44 PM ]
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pointy
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posted on October 31, 2003 04:57:24 PM new
Libra......the jeweler's opinion that it's "worth" $250 means absolutely nothing. If the jeweler had offered to pay you $250 this would mean something. In any case, the jeweler may be not competent in this area, or not honest. If you can post a picture then you'll get some good informed feedback from this board....at least from me. Without a picture, there's nothing more we can add, even fluffy can't help, and she knows everything.
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AuctionAce
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posted on October 31, 2003 05:47:56 PM new
You see tons of ebay jewelry auction with little white tags that say stuff like " Italian Sterling Silver ... Retail $60 " that end with a $1.50 bid. No one really believes the prices on those tags and some seller may create their own.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
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neroter12
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posted on October 31, 2003 06:46:39 PM new
Thanks, Tom. (was wondering what happened with him.) I will try the script still.
Ace: Yes, makes ya wonder how they can sell 160.00 piece of "gold" for 5.99....right? lol.....
add:
Not that yours isnt real, libra. I've thought about selling some of my jewelry too. But dont think I would get a good price for it considering I paid retail and there are so many fakes out there
[ edited by neroter12 on Oct 31, 2003 06:48 PM ]
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Libra63
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posted on October 31, 2003 09:24:27 PM new
Here are the pictures but my question doesn't have to do with the pin it has to do with starting out the auction at what price with a reserve of $250.00. The jeweler that looked at it has been in business many many years and is very reputable.
1 1/2 inches wide & 3/4 inches high with small diamond in the middle.
Notice the end where it turns into a pendant.
[ edited by Libra63 on Oct 31, 2003 09:26 PM ]
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Libra63
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posted on October 31, 2003 09:29:59 PM new
BTW I didn't ask the jeweler to buy the pin all I wanted was to find out if the stone in the middle was a diamond. Who knows I might even keep the pin but I would wear it as a pendant instead.
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kiara
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posted on October 31, 2003 09:32:24 PM new
This is the closest I can find to yours, Libra. My experience with a reserve is to have the starting bid lower as it seems to draw more bidders. Perhaps one will get attached to it and bid again higher.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2667256962&category=11009
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Libra63
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posted on October 31, 2003 09:40:46 PM new
Thanks Kiara. I was thinking about a $50.00 start and state my reserve in my auction. I just have to figure out the reserve. I have no idea the size of the diamond but the added feature is the way it turns into a pendant.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on October 31, 2003 09:49:39 PM new
Nowhere in describing either piece do you mention how much each weighs. I find that odd. Precious metal jewelry on some level is all about how much precious metal there is in the piece.
Yeah yeah yeah obviously with a period piece there is some style premium...but at the end of the day, a piece of gold jewelry is worth at least as much as the gold scrap content.
You're such an authority, pointy, I am astonished you failed to mention this. It's utterly basic.
Libra: Once you find out what the scrap value is, you have a suggested opening bid. Why sell it for less than you could get from a metals dealer?
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Making the world a more decorative place, one eBay bidder at a time.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Oct 31, 2003 09:55 PM ]
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Libra63
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posted on October 31, 2003 09:57:58 PM new
Only 1 piece is mine. The one up for auction is someone elses. Obviously the piece that is up for auction is more valuable as it has 3 diamonds in it. Mine only has 1. Mine weighs about 1/4 of an ounce. Most people who buy vintage jewelry don't buy it for scrap. I could sell it for that but it is the beauty of the piece that brings a little more money than scrap. Why destroy a good vintage piece of jewelry. We do that and there won't be any vintage pieces left.
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AuctionAce
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posted on October 31, 2003 10:31:09 PM new
I can see both Libra's and Fluffy's point of view.
The item is worth the value of the metal & stone plus a style premium.
But it seems sad and a tad heartless to only gage the value that way and scarcity and collectibilty have to figure into the value somewhat. I have people ask about the value of school classrings and they only care about the metal value and I care only about selling to someone who really wants the ring.
It reminds me of a guy that I worked with a few years ago. He had a small ranch and commuted in and I asked him what pets he had on the ranch and he said he only had animals that he could eat. He once told me a story about his younger days in the 1970's where a friend of his and he would go to horse auctions and buy a horse dirt cheap and then drive them in a horse trailer to a slaughter house and make a quick $50 profit. One night at the horse auction a beautiful young lady in city clothes brought her pet horse into the auction because she could no longer keep it. The auction didn't put her beautiful horse up until the auction was almost over and the guy and his friend were able to steal it at $50 ( the slaughter house paid $100 ). The lady had stayed and wanted to meet the new owners. That was a mistake as the guy and his friend lacked any concern for this lady that was obvoiusly selling her beloved pet horse and they flat out told her they were going to drive the horse down the road to the slaughterhouse. She burst in tears and begged for the horse back. They let her have it back at the slaughthouse price and told her that most of the horses at the aution were headed to the slaughthouse and that she should have researched things a bit first.
That guy was something else.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
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mauibabbe
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posted on October 31, 2003 10:43:37 PM new
Hi Libra,
Does the dime come with the auction too?
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rarriffle
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posted on November 1, 2003 03:41:39 AM new
fluffy is absolutely right here Libra. she is not telling you to sell it for scrap, she is telling you to start the bid at least at scrap value.
we who love jewelry all know how sad it would be to melt this down but that is what many people buy jewelry for. they look for a good bargain at less than scrap price and there you go.
one of my husbands good friends is a scrap metal dealer and I have purchased a few gorgeous pieces from him for scrap value.
you also need to know the size and characteristics of the diamond. all of these things need to weigh in on beginning price and any reserve. to just take what the jeweler told you and put that as a reserve would be foolish IMO.
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stopwhining
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posted on November 1, 2003 05:16:44 AM new
the one on ebay and the one you have-are they really authentic 1920's or in the style of 1920s??
the conditions of both pieces look very good.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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stopwhining
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posted on November 1, 2003 06:12:59 AM new
only on ebay you are advised to start the bid at scrap value.
if you are going to put a reserve on the piece,you may as well start the bid lower than 49.99 .
if it is truly 1920 victorian,it would get bidded up .
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on November 1, 2003 06:58:36 AM new
But it seems sad and a tad heartless to only gage the value that way
That's an emotional point of view that muddies the water when you're trying to establish the value of a piece for sale.
Look, guys, the retail jewelry business in America is incredibly profitable because most consumers don't understand how pieces are priced and it is usually very difficult to comparison-shop.
However, the weight of, say, a gold necklace gives you a basis for comparison. Style and design (unless crafted by a famous designer or something exceptional) takes a back seat.
Here's an example. I don't have the piece here (it's in my safe deposit box) but I bought a 14k yellow gold bracelet at the end of an estate sale. The design is...well...let's just say it was made during the era of avocado refrigerators and green shag rugs. Given the gold content, the price was a good deal, but the style deterred potential buyers. I could scrap the piece and make a profit. I'm keeping it though, since as we know, everything old becomes new again.
All: There is no such thing as "1920s Victorian". Edward VII reigned for pretty much the first 10 years of 1900. George V reigned during the 1920s. The style of the brooch in question is generally referred to as Edwardian.
--
Making the world a more decorative place, one eBay bidder at a time.
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AuctionAce
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posted on November 1, 2003 07:41:38 AM new
Excellent post there Fluffy. The emotional side is the tough part. Unless the owner wants to hang onto the item is worth basically the scrap value and whatever premium the style and scarcity may bring. I suppose we are lucky to have ebay to at least try to determine how great the style factor is instead of merely selling it to a scrap dealer first.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
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horsey88
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posted on November 1, 2003 08:59:11 AM new
If someone at the flea market says "this item is worth $250-$300 on Ebay,I use flea market denominator. $250-300/10=$25-30.
For antique stores & jewellers. $250-$300/3=$84-$100
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stopwhining
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posted on November 1, 2003 09:22:17 AM new
there is plenty of emotion or irrational exuberance on ebay,you never know until you try it.
if this is a repro,then you question is that real diamond??
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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Libra63
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posted on November 1, 2003 03:19:39 PM new
First I want to thank the posters tha gave intellengent answers. I appreciate the input. Since as I said earlier I do not deal in fine jewelry that is why I had a jeweler look at this piece. He dated it, he said the diamond is real and it is marked 14K white gold. This is all I know for sure. I am going to think about all the great answers and then decide what I am going to do. The pin when sold will be all profit as I paid very little for it but I don't want to give it away. As all of you know we sellers are in the business to make money.
Horsey88. What i want to know about this statement-For antique stores & jewellers. $250-$300/3=$84-$100. If you purchase a ring that sells for $2000.00 in a jewelry store does that mean you will give the jeweler only $200.00?
Thanks again all....
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pointy
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posted on November 1, 2003 04:58:57 PM new
First I want to thank the posters tha gave intellengent answers.
.
.I'd use spell check next time, it's ironically spelt intelligently.
.
.I somehow don't think that you include my post as an intelligent one, as you think I might have been demeaning your jeweler...I wasn't...anyone can call themselves a jeweler...if you had specified some credentials this would have helped.
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.In any case...for some closure, and my opinion on the piece and your question. The pictures helped a lot. Your piece is very nice and also quite common for the period. It was sold widely. If you find an old Sears Roebuck catalog you'll see a similar piece selling for $4 in 1919. It's not Tiffany quality, nor is it QVC quality. It's average quality for the time. The piece has a fair market value of $125-150. This is what dealer's buy/sell a piece like this for at antique jewelry shows. As stopwhining has pointed out, there are reproductions being made, which unfortunately has brought down the price that an original piece would bring in a venue like Ebay. Your's does look like an original. Your jeweler is 100% correct in placing a "worth" of $250 on the piece. $250 is a proper low retail value, and it's conceivable that it may even bring $250 on Ebay. I've auctioned over 100 similar pieces in Ebay's history. Don't use a reserve, it's not price effective in this case. Start the bidding at $150, even $99 or $1 if you feel like gambling. Stress in the title that this is a pendant/pin. In my experience the piece will bring $150-$300 depending on who finds it. If it winds up bringing only $150, don't feel like you gave something away. It will help if you have an exact gram weight. It's probably 4-5 grams. If it really is 1/4 oz, or 7-8 grams, this means it's a higher quality. The diamond appears to be about .05 carat. It will help if you have an idea of diamond size. Good luck to you.
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stopwhining
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posted on November 1, 2003 05:31:13 PM new
show and emphasize the condition of the clasp,bidders do pay more if the clasp is good.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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