Updated 22 May 2015:
Occasionally people write to me for advice on selling a set of china, or ask me to buy a set from them. In general, Grandma's gorgeous set isn't worth as much as you'd hoped (except for relatively few patterns), and selling to a dealer will always raise (far) less money than selling to an end user or collector. I don't even buy from individuals because of this (I buy only at auction), and I sometimes advise people to just give it to a relative - far more satisfying than selling in many cases. Not what most people want to hear, but with that said, here's a start on determining value and trying to sell for an acceptable price:
- For the maximum price, look at Replacements.com: http://www.replacements.com/identify.htm. If you don't already know about these guys, they maintain an enormous inventory of china and silver, and they sell it at very high prices. If you know the pattern, you can look it up on their website. If you send them pictures of the object, particularly the backstamp and details of the rim/center, they'll try and identify it for you (no cost), and may be able to give you some idea of its value. (Note: their notion of value will be its current market value in general, not its value to a collector.) They also buy china, but at wholesale rates, and you have to pay the shipping.
- For the minimum price, go to the advanced search on eBay, put in your search terms, and make certain to check the box marked "Sold". People try and sell stuff on eBay for all kinds of exhorbitant prices, but what customers actually paid is the important number, so you want to see only the sold items.
- Also, try TIAS.com - they publish a newsletter and maintain a showcase area for various antiques and collectibles: http://www.tias.com/showcase/. Some of the vendors specialize in certain manufacturers or patterns and may be able to help you.
- After that, look for pottery museums, collector's groups, and appraisers/auctioneers who specialize in china. Is there an auctioneer in your area who could tell you what it might draw at auction? Be careful here (maybe put a reserve price on it, or make sure it goes up for auction when a number of collectors or dealers are in attendance) - I've gotten whole sets of dinnerware for under $50, but I've also seen a set go for over $1000. Depends (as with Replacements.com) whether the pattern is in demand.
- Antique Trader magazine is a good source for buyers, sellers, and the simply curious - they have an extensive classifieds section: http://www.antiquetrader.com/ and it's not particularly expensive to advertise something for sale.
- AuctionBytes was formerly a very active and detailed antiques/collectibles newsletter and blog: http://www.auctionbytes.com, but now does general ecommerce. For other antiques sites, Google it - you'll find hundreds.
- Find out if there are antique malls in your area. The business model of a mall is to have booths that many different vendors rent to display items for sale. The mall owners do the retail part (taking money from customers, paying sales tax to the state, etc). Some vendors - or the mall owners themselves - may put your set up for sale on consignment.
- For finding auctions in your area, try AuctionZip: http://www.auctionzip.com
- If you want to get rid of a set with the least hassle, donate it to a legitimate charity and take the tax break.
- If you are determined to sell the set yourself online, sell it by the piece rather than altogether. It's nearly impossible to sell whole sets of old, good china online these days unless the pattern happens to be in high demand. Ebay (despite the multiple fees, byzantine rules, and chaotic feedback system) is still the most likely place to make a sale.
--Gail
