Antiques Seem to Be in Short Supply!
Antiques Seem to Be in Short Supply!
Have you noticed how difficult it seems to be to find antiques these days?
Look at the adverts. Every other one seems to be a television roadshow inviting you to sell your gold, silver, jewellery or treasured possessions.
And then, of course, we have the Gold Arthurs of this world, all keen to buy your gold.
But let's be a little controversial here.
If you sell your gold to one of these operations, you might be surprised at just how little you actually receive. Some buyers may offer around 50% of the gold's market value. That's a very substantial margin for someone, isn't it?
Then we have the auctioneers. Put something into an auction and, between seller's commission, additional charges and other costs, you can find yourself surrendering a considerable proportion of the selling price. In some circumstances, the total can exceed 60% of the hammer price.
So where does that leave the ordinary person who has something to sell?
Perhaps it's hardly surprising that people are becoming more cautious about selling.
But here's another thought.
The easiest antiques to sell are often the cheapest ones. Not necessarily because they are the rarest, the finest or even the most desirable, but because they are priced attractively.
A good item at the right price will always find a buyer. An overpriced item, however interesting, can sit on a shelf for years.
And that's something we have always believed at Top Banana. Buy with the customer in mind, price realistically and give people a reason to buy.
Perhaps the problem isn't that there are no antiques around.
Perhaps it's that the business of buying and selling them has become increasingly expensive, while customers have become increasingly careful about what they spend.
One thing is certain: we would rather sell ten properly priced antiques than spend ten years admiring one overpriced one!
After all, antiques are meant to be bought and sold, not simply admired by the person who owns them.
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