Selling antique furniture is a little more difficult than selling other types of smaller antiques. There are a few things you need to consider that you would not have to with smaller items. Some of these things are:
- Shipping and transporting the item after the sell
- Packing the item for shipping
- Price of shipping and how much this changes depending on the location
There are also all the usual things you need to consider with any antique or collectible you are going to buy or sell.
- Condition
- Maker
- Age
- Rarity
- Value
- Real or reproduction
- History of the item
All of these things can affect the value of your antique or collectible. If you do not know about the antique furniture market then you will want to consult a specialist.
Note: Most auction houses have a furniture specialist on staff and will usually do a verbal assessment and valuation for free.
Places to Sell Your Antique Furniture
Online Places to Sell Your Antique Furniture
There are many places you can sell your antique furniture online. Below is a list of some of the more popular places to sell your items.
Ruby Lane – Ruby Lane is the go to place to sell antiques. With Ruby Lane you have targeted traffic that is looking for antiques and collectibles.
Etsy – This has become a popular place to sell many items from handcrafted to antiques.
eBay – eBay has been a popular place to sell items like antiques and collectibles for many years now.
Sell.com – Sell.com has been around for as long as other site such as craigslist. They however are more focused on selling items rather than listing for things such as jobs and so on.
Craigslist – Good old Craigslist is still a popular place to sell your items.
Selling Your Antique Furniture at Auction
Selling your antique furniture at auction is one of the most popular, safest and easiest ways to sell an item. However there is a time delay when you use an auction house. Sometimes it can take time for your item to be placed in an auction and might be held until they have their specialty auctions.
Most auctions houses will take furniture consignments and give you a verbal valuation. You can also always ask for a paid appraisal if you want a written one. When selling at auction there are somethings to consider like fees and time.
Here are some articles to explain more about auctions and how they work for a seller.
- Finding the right auction house to sell your antiques at.
- What you need to know about auction reserves
Other Selling Options for Your Antique Furniture
Private Sale: You can sell your items privately to a dealer, collector or antique shop. With this option make sure you do your research and know what you have. Make sure to fully research your items and consider getting an appraisal done.
Yard/Garage/Estate Sale: This is a popular way to sell your items however in many cases you will not get the value your item is worth. Most people coming to these types of sales want a bargain.
When selling any type of antique or collectible you want to make sure you know what you have before you sell it. This may mean getting an appraisal from an expert or researching it on the internet. Remember whichever option you choose to use to sell your items there will be pros and cons. You need to choose the option that best suits your circumstances but gets you the best value for your item.
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