Q: When selling antiques or vintage, is it generally best to repair items or sell as is? I have a doll-size cabinet that needs a new latch, chairs that need to be re-caned, and more.
A: Our reader asks a significant question. Hopefully, the answer will soothe anxiety and save money.
Watch enough sessions of PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow” and you become convinced that any retouch of an antique is taboo. A long-time expert in early American furniture, a regular on the show, once told me that advanced collectors “have fits if you remove even a flyspeck!”
He was joking, but not by much.
Whether to touch up or leave alone depends on importance and value. If what you have is the kind of thing collectors want in original condition, don’t risk tinkering. For example, a spot of new paint on an antique toy can be the kiss of death. In some categories, the patina of age is good, and wear where expected is acceptable, even desirable.
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The moral is to research your item. Because this reader wants to sell on eBay, I suggest looking at similar items on the site. Check completed sales for results. Also view the object on www.liveauctioneers.com. Pay for use of the database www.worthpoint.com because it covers years of eBay results.
Zero in on condition descriptions. In the case of the reader’s chairs, see if chairs with new caning sell better online than those with broken or missing seats. Do buyers accept as-is versions? You’ll see the answers in prices realized.
Is the missing latch on that cabinet a big deal? Note if other sale postings mention a similar flaw.
Some sellers mention minor flaws in their posting to see what happens. In this case, perhaps someone will fall in love with the reader’s cabinet and regard the latch issue as no big deal.
When an item is not high value but intrinsically good, buyers are less inclined to fuss over minor wear and tear — within limits.
The one non-negotiable about selling “as is” merchandise is that you must be honest about flaws. Closely examine the item and be upfront in the description. Itemize the flaws and photograph them close up.
Let buyers make the call on what they’ll tolerate regarding condition. Not being upfront about dings or damage makes you a dishonest seller. You risk negative feedback, and there goes your reputation as a seller.
Q: What can you tell me about my framed art? Is it an original pencil sketch, a lithograph, or a limited print? A gold seal on the back reads that framing is by the Broadway Store in Los Angeles. There’s also a penciled number on the back.
A: Based on an image and the info sent, the art is a print (not limited edition), originally sold in the home furnishings section of a department store.
The Broadway-Hale Stores started in California in 1880. Expanding to Los Angeles and Phoenix, the company also had several major stores in the San Francisco Bay area. Assets were sold off in a 1991 bankruptcy.
The stores were considered posh, and furnishings from their home goods departments were fine.
Featuring an area of San Francisco, the reader’s print sold by the store but framed by a supplier was not inexpensive when new. The number on the back is a model number or for inventory.
Danielle Arnet welcomes questions from readers. She cannot respond to each one individually, but will answer those of general interest in her column. Send e-mail to smartcollector@comcast.net
