how can i find out if some antique furniture i have is worth anything?
i have some pics of some antique furniture and my uncle says that they r possibly worth some money. r there any sites that u can send pics to and have the stuff appraised for free?
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Best bet is to hold onto them for several years, if you can. The economy being as bad as it is has housing foreclosures at an all-time high, and many of those are left with a full house that the bank needs to dispose of, usually dumped. Very sad.
So, while there is still a market for antiques, usually auctions where prices vary from very low to extraordinary, the number of eligible buyers has decreased dramatically leaving you with transportation and other fees and no guarantee of a sale.
Okay, so much for the reality check. Now for the business.
Appraisal via photograph is somewhat unreliable, given that even when an appraisal in person will result in such a value spectrum. When you factor into it on top of that, that the piece has many characteristics not seen in the photograph, such as hidden mold, wood rot, other damage or, on the other end, the perfection of a piece, a signature, history, age (was it an original or copy that only an appraiser could tell in person)…
(Keep in mind that professional appraisers do this to make a living. They have spent many years in the industry and have a knowledge base that makes what they do valuable. So, think about how you would feel if someone asked you to do your job for free.)
There are pre-avenues you can take to get a general feel for the value of your furniture:
1. Watch Antique Roadshow, on PBS, and check out some of their appraisers separately, on-line. (Some MAY be willing to give you an over-the-email photograph evaluations for free, in a broad range, hoping you will auction with them, which will entitle them to a commission up to, I think, 50%, if it sells. Given all they do with advertising, etc, may give you a better take home price than what you could get on your own.)
2. Go to some respected antique auctions locally.
3. Check out similar items on E-Bay (Tho remember that just because someone asks $1,000 for a bottle cap, doesn’t mean it is worth $1,000!)
Finally, value is subjective, or, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and “What is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. Seriously consider the value you hold for these items and what that value is to someone not so attached to it might be. You may have a priceless, thousand year old, genuine artifact, but if there is no one who is willing to pay it’s value, you may decide to keep it, donate it, or take a loss.
Hope this was of some help and you enjoy your exploration!