Buying and Selling Skillfully in Today's Antique, Collectible & Art Markets

Cecil's Carnival Horse Medallion Bowl currently available on eBay. It previously had 23 bids but did not reach the reserve price.

Timing is everything, and right now the time is right to be buying at bargain prices. At times like these, when people are stricken with fear, we'll be able to make our best purchases. Barry Bond’s last home run ball just sold for under $400,000. What a bargain, considering the record setting ball brought over $1,000,000. The one who bought Bond’s ball in this cautious market will be smiling all the way to the bank in a very short period of time.

Our 31 Club Member, Cecil, listed a Carnival Glass Bowl and it did not meet its reserve although it was a rare pattern with horse heads. It should have found a buyer. He also has a Weller vase listed presently for $2,700 which might be worth $4,000 to $5,000. This is the time to make money by knowing what is worth the money and what isn’t.

When negotiating on price with a seller, you can back down on price now by saying the market is soft, knowing that the best is still the best and will bring top dollar regardless of the times. Yes, the market is fluctuating, but that is what we need to be successful. A constant market eventually works against us. If the market is stagnant, the seller will want too much and the buyers will want to wait for a better price.

Over the next few months, you should be able to complete several steps in your race to the millions, because out of fear, people will likely to be selling their better items. You’ll be able to buy at prices that can make you fat and sassy. Buy where there is little interest, and then sell in the right selling venue.

In my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, I spoke about taking time to consider where to sell each item. In our marketplace today, this will be a very important decision to make. Remember, where you sell your items can likely make the difference in the level of profit you’ll see. Sell at places that specialize in what you are offering. Rookwood might bring a huge price at the Cincinnati Art Galleries Auction, but you might find it priced reasonably during these times in Texas. California Art might be bringing record prices in California, but what kind of prices would it get in Kentucky? So, keep your eyes out for items that seem out of place. You might be able to cash in on this. The 31 Gang did this very thing when we spent $240 to purchase a Harvey Joiner painting that hadn’t sold at auction from an east coast auction house. We later sold it at an Indiana auction house close to the Kentucky border for about $3,700. Why there? Harvey Joiner is one of the most collected artists in Kentucky.

Ebay might not be the best place to sell at the present time. The problem with eBay is that it is very impersonal, while an auction house can have the feel of being a part of the family. In hard times, that is often what we search for. Early’s Auction is an auction house that doesn’t do online auctions. They had their spring art glass sale this past weekend, and I understand prices were very firm. Considering that almost all plane traffic to Cincinnati was cancelled, they still had excellent results. Now when you consider they don’t do online auctions, this makes their sales success even that much greater.

This is the time to know your markets, act on them, and carefully consider the selling platform that might get you the biggest bang. When you do that the big money will come your way. Remember, collectors are a special breed, and they often won't buy a piece from a shop at almost any price. But let them get involved in bidding at an auction who represents what they collect, and it often seems the sky’s the limit. In the Antique Trader, Antique Weekly and The Maine Antique Digest, you will find a list of specialty auctions. If you have items that fit theircategorizes, do yourself a favor and list them there.

Buy, Buy, Buy. This may be the chance that won't come along for the next ten years. In these markets is when the easy money is made. Jjust be sure you have the knowledge to take advantage of it.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members. Turbo charge your treasure hunting. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to build a bank account to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

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