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someone who knows the value

English Tea Party... A house sale we visited had a teacup in an Oriental motif marked $225.00 for what the household sale company thought was a piece of Chinese porcelain. We knew it to be a piece of English porcelain produced in the 18th century in an Oriental design. We resold it for $1,500. The company running the sale had no idea what they were looking at, apparently thinking that any piece of porcelain with an Oriental motif must be made in the Far East.

Ten Smart Questions

We like to call this section “Ten smart questions to ask before hiring an appraiser or household sale company” or “A dummy’s guide to not getting ripped off on an appraisal or household sale.” If you’re concerned that you don’t know enough to make an informed decision in whom to hire, consider these questions to guide your decision making.

  1. What is the appraiser’s or household sale company’s experience in marketing my particular antiques and collectibles?
  2. Is the appraiser knowledgeable of, and connected to, local antiques and collectibles dealers?
  3. Will the appraiser take the time to determine which items would be best sold through international sales?
  4. Does the appraiser have established relationships with a network of international dealers and collectors?
  5. Does the appraiser have access to national publications and databases that track the value of collectibles?
  6. Does the appraiser have documentation to prove the value of items for sale?
  7. How many staff members will the appraiser bring in to assist with my sale?
  8. Does the appraiser have an opinion as to the best time of the year to schedule a particular sale?
  9. Does the company cover bounced checks from buyers at sales?
  10. Can the appraiser provide recent, reliable references?

Testimonial

When my uncle passed away, he left me the house contents with all the junk he had collected over the years. I was going to have a garage sale with everything. A friend advised me to have Jack Wanderman & Associates do an appraisal first. To my amazement, the value turned out to be $42,000. I had no idea the things were worth so much. They really know their stuff.

Richard, Rochester

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