Antique Dealer Please

[smurfchops]

Can someone recommend an antique dealer who would come to Surrey who can give me an appraisal for some old Victorian China and ornaments and possibly furniture? I need to downsize and have a good clear out. Or even an auction house that might take everything and sell it ? Which would be the best way of selling?

[Barmaid]

Not sure if Dreweatt Neate will do that area (or indeed if they are still going) but used to use them professionally. That's about as far south as I know.

[Barmaid]

And best go for an auctioneer/valuer rather than a dealer.

Have a look on thesaleroom.com for comparable pieces.

[smurfchops]

I am just thinking that at auction I will possibly have to pay around 15% commission plus 20% VAT.

[Hazlinny]

Google Surrey Antique Dealers - lots of info. there - you could always visit (if possible) and have a chat/arrange
a viewing of your items.

[smurfchops]

It’s getting the right person that “ won’t rip me off”. If you will excuse me saying that. Need some recommendations really, thanks all.,

[Buenchico]

I've been to many auctions and I've met many antique dealers. I know that they rarely, if ever pay, more than a third of the price that they'll later sell an item for but they usually start by offering only around 10% of their saleroom price. So my way of looking at your situation is this:

Let's say that you've got an item of furniture that will sell for £500 in an antique dealer's shop. If you invite him around to your home, he'll probably offer you £50 for it but, if you push him a bit, he might go up to perhaps £80.

If you put the same item up for sale at auction though, the same dealer will, once again, start off with a £50 bid. However other dealers will then push the bidding up to £150 (because that's close to the one third cut-off point that they tend to work to). You might perhaps pay 15% commission + VAT = 18% in total, which comes to £27. That will still leave you with £123, which is a lot more than you'd have got if Dealer Number 1 hadn't faced any competition in the bidding.

So I'd recommend going down the auction route. (If you're lucky, there might be a private buyer at the auction, who would like your furniture for their own home. If so, they might be prepared to bid a bit more than any of the dealers will. If you're really lucky, there might be two private buyers at the auction, competing against each other, who end up bidding more than the showroom price!)

[davebro]

//I am just thinking that at auction I will possibly have to pay around 15% commission plus 20% VAT.//

Just to be clear - the VAT is paid on the commission charge only - not on the selling price of the item.

[johnk]

Auction sounds good to me.

[ladybirder]

I sold a clock in Brighton through Gorringe's auction.
https://www.gorringes.co.uk

[roopower]

I dont know if this is any help but there is a programme on tv called The Yorkshire Auction House. Angus Ashworth is an auctioneer and in the programme he goes to help people clear homes or just declutter. His base is Kirbymoorside which is a long way from you but he might be able to help. Try googling him.

[smurfchops]

Thanks all.

[Khandro]

I know the English antique trade quite well - particularly furniture, & Chris's advice is sound advice.

At the end of the day though, remember everything is only worth what someone else is prepared to pay for it.

[Peter Pedant]

auction and take your luck

victorian furniture is NOT a growth area - see flog it or other progs - Dicko's deal - telly star who did time for fraud.... ( typical dealer)

( 1770 regency side table, with lead lined drawers still , for veeno - £200 - I cdnt believe it)

[Peter Pedant]

remember everything is only worth what someone else is prepared to pay for it.

plummy voiced Brian Sewell (Friend of Anthony Blunt both now dead) used to say: it is what the UNDER-bidder thinks it is worth
( coz he stops bidding see?)