Ten mistakes to avoid picking furniture this Spring

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                             Spring is here, so in the North East we’ll be seeing  a lot more furniture soon.

Here are ten mistakes to avoid when picking for the stick:

1. Mistaking the period: This is first on the list, because it can easily be a costly mistake. Perhaps the piece in question IS an antique of 150 years old, but it’s original period and style were 200 years earlier. Can you imagine the difference in value? Collectors almost always want the original version and will pay much more.
2. Overlooking damage - Beware of shed and barn items that are on earth floors. The feet and legs get punky and rot, but look fine until you move them. Pull out drawers, turn it upside down etc.
3. Under estimating/or over estimating damage. Either way if you’re off by a lot, you could lose $.  Look at things like HOW something is broken. For example there’s a huge difference between a board that’s cracked in a jagged half on a table, and the same table having the undamaged top separated from the base. The most important thing about is is that it allows the piece to keep all it’s original parts, and would likely be a much easier fix.
4. Not seeing the parts: Sometimes we see the whole piece as it, and it may be severely flawed. But don’t overlook the parts. Does that spent Walnut cabinet have a set of 8 more original matching, rare pulls? Does that clock w/ the destroyed face and works being sold for $3 have a a $50 finial? These should usually be lower $ investments for a higher % return.
5. Not planning for size: Oh No! You bought the industrial sized, commercial antique roll top desk. Those are nowhere near as valuable as the the S-Roll Top Desks
6. Improper handling. Don’t lift that marble top chest by the edge of the marble etc. A large percentage of antique furniture when damaged, acquired the damage in transit.  Know how and when to disassemble properly and do so.
7. Improper re-assembly. Another big area of antiques damage. Causing severe damage could be as easy as inserting the wrong size screw which splits an untouched original top. It’s painful in the purse.
8. Re-finishing train wreck. There are times when an antique should be re-finished, know when it’ worth it. A bad re-finish can easily eat 60% of the value or more!
9. Improper display. The Heywood Wakefield Dining room set won’t get as lit up with let’s say a Native American feathered head dress, as it would with a huge bulbous porcelain arts and crafts vase.
10. Incorrect market entry: It’s the old pearls before swine meme. If you try to sell something to those that don’t appreciate what you have, you’re up against a brick wall. Have you done the research to make sure your original Shaker cupboard is in the right auction?

I have a live discovery auction starting March 19th in Salem MA.

The back story and other details of this auction will be here. http://AuctionWally.com/discovery

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No listing fees, only a 6% final value fee, that’s how Boocoo.com rolls.

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                               Don’t Pay For an Appraisal if You Can Avoid Doing So.

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                                             Prices Realized is now a feed!

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Site of the Week

 

 It appears, at least at first glance, that everything I’ve been saying about bookmarks and favs has been concentrated into one website called Tribepro.com

I’m there and already have gotten some results on my efforts with the free version. That’s fast!

There are Free, Plus and Pro versions.

 

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ep94 of The AuctionWally Show was posted last week.

(The show notes are up)

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Last weeks question was answered by several people, thanks to all. Bill D was the first, with the answer Sterneau co., the question was, what company does this mark represent. I’m pretty proud of my readers,  there was a high % of correct answers on this!

This week’s question:  Tell me what the function of this is.

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The first person to email me with the correct answer to the question above, will be the winner. Now of course, I’ll need a way to get that package to the winner, so send your snail mail address along with your contest answers.The prize is a neat collectibles surprise envelope which includes things found in a recent estate purchase I made. Things likely to be in said envelope are vintage postcards, ephemera, books, old photos and who knows what?
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