Abacus
Antique Dealers: Getting Antique Appraisals
Abacus
Antiques: Antiques Bought: Deceased House Clearance
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Abacus Antiques & House Clearance
When
it comes to getting your antiques appraised then without
a doubt you should always get more than one appraisal,
this ensures that an appraiser is not trying to rip
you off and get themselves a bargain while giving
you a true estimate of the items true value. In fact
if you get multiple appraisals you will be astounded
by the difference in quotes you can get, in some extreme
cases this can be as much as 7 times the original
quote.
While
collectors of antiques will have a rough guide to
how much a certain item should be valued at those
who are getting into antiques or those who have an
item which they believe could be worth something are
sometimes at a total loss as to how much a particular
item is worth. Examples of this are people who have
had items passed onto them down through the family
and have stored them and forgotten about them only
to retrieve them many years later. This is when a
valuation is worth while getting, in some extreme
cases items have been classed as antiques and what
was gathering dust in the attic is in fact worth hundreds
or in some cases thousands.
To
get a good idea of what items are worth then there
are several TV shows that are worth watching, while
you cannot get an actual appraisal on your item unless
you are lucky enough to be able to attend a show thats
being recorded in your area, you can get some excellent
guides as to how much similar items are worth. While
this can help there is no comparison to getting your
antiques appraised by a professional yourself and
there are many ways to find one, you can use the internet
or the yellow pages. However be advised that anyone
can call themselves an appraiser of antiques and choosing
one needs some care.
When
getting your antiques appraised you should never sell
your item to the one giving you an estimate, by all
means take their advice and that of several others
then choose to sell your item independently or through
auction. The appraiser should be seen as just that,
the ones who is valuing your item, not a buyer.
While
you can get antiques appraised online and there are
many that will offer their services that way, however
be cautious of any appraiser that will give you a
valuation only by looking at photos of your item.
A good appraiser will want to handle the item before
quoting you a price, they rely on their expertise
of touching and only this can give them a true estimate.
Finally
go to a reliable establishment to get some names of
antique appraisers, banks and solicitors can often
give recommendations for qualified appraisers and
of course these are the most ethical and reliable
sources. Once you have some names then go for the
ones that specialise in your particular field in order
to get the most accurate quote and price guide.