posted on February 12, 2004 07:31:16 AM new
I'd be very grateful for your good opinions: I have a partial set of a sought after sterling flatware pattern from 1910 - 8 forks, 5 knives (fair condition), 5 round soup spoons, 6 teaspoons. All but the knives are in very good condition, and they all have the same three-letter mongram. My question is: do I sell them all together? or, do I break them up and if so how? I can't wait to read what you think, and many thanks in advance.
posted on February 12, 2004 08:51:29 AM new
I would think if they have the same monogram, you'd might want to sell it together as a set. Although that may make the shipping higher than buyers would like, but wouldnt you think if they wanted that particular Monogramed silver, they'd want it all?
Some people break 'sets' up. Make more money that way. But I personally do not like it when they say: 'Have the matching widget on sale in another auction", except as stated above, or if its something that can be collected in pieces as you go. JMO
posted on February 12, 2004 08:55:42 AM new
Hi: A couple of years ago I had a LOT of experience selling some family sterling from turn of the century. After getting the entire huge set of 12 settings, 10 pieces each setting!, plus maybe 50 serving pieces, appraised by a silver-buying company, and after researching on Ebay for a month or more, here's what I concluded:
People who are looking for old silver are mostly looking to replace missing pieces and don't want to pay for lots more pieces than they truly want or can afford.
I'd break it up this way, bearing in mind that the round soup spoons are probably the most valuable pieces you have:
Try 2 soup spoons first, and think about selling the other three together after that. BUT, when the 2 spoons are sold, tell the buyer you have 3 more, does she want any or all of them at the same price?
The forks and teaspoons: 2 at a time (oh, and spread out your sales so as not to flood the market!) Keep asking buyers if they want more.
The knives--2 at first, then perhaps the three in worst condition after that, and donate them if they don't sell.
You can also offer second chance if you have multiple bids on one auction, and get rid of some of the pieces that way.
I made at least twice what the silver company would have given me--in some cases triple. The lesson is piece them out. Hope this helps.
(And if you choose to do it another way, more power to you!)
OOPS! Edited to add that I just noticed that these pieces are monogrammed. They'll be much harder to sell and I've never tried such pieces. It's too early out here in CA to think clearly, LOL.
___________________________________
"I have resolved to allow my friends their peculiarities." -- Samuel Johnson
[ edited by Roadsmith on Feb 12, 2004 08:57 AM ]
[ edited by Roadsmith on Feb 12, 2004 08:58 AM ]
posted on February 12, 2004 09:32:08 AM new
I sold antique sterling silver flatware for a couple of years. Still do, when I find some reasonably priced. Lots of dealers don't know how to price it. And I don't buy monogrammed sets unless they are *very* reasonably priced (read: cheap).
With a three letter mono you'd better hope the pattern is highly desirable (like one of the Art Nouveau floral styles) or by a top-rated maker (like Tiffany or Gorham).
Some people get by with putting a set together from eBay purchases and claim (facetiously or not) that it is family silver, so that's why the monograms are different. You could try that as a sales angle.
But what flatware collectors generally want are pieces in excellent condition. For spoons, that means the bowl tips shouldn't be worn down and the handles shouldn't be bent. Forks: tines straight and smooth with no knife marks. Knives: corrosion on silverplated and stainless steel blades is common, and older silver knives were assembled using pitch to hold the (hollow) handle to the blade. This weakens over time and eventually comes apart with use and exposure to hot water.
One last word about desirability:
If you are basing your "sought-after" evaluation on Tere Hagan's _Sterling Flatware_ book, you should get a second opinion. In my view as a sterling dealer, she classifies many patterns as rare or scarce or collectible that not many people want any more. Take a look at Osterberg's _Sterling Silver Flatware for Dining Elegance_ if you want to see what people are buying these days.
--
Fish are food, not friends.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Feb 12, 2004 09:34 AM ]
posted on February 13, 2004 04:50:58 AM new
I just turned down a 50 piece set of good sterling, because the guy wanted 12 dollars a piece for it. I don't see much sterling bringing over 10 dollars a piece on Ebay and a lot of pieces scrap for that. I think Ebay prices are flat on sterling.
