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e-ValueIt Teams with WorthPoint to present British Silver Webinar

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e-ValueIt Partner WorthPoint asked our Silver Specialist Corey Cripe Kuchel to present a webinar about British silver hallmarks. This British Silver 101 webinar is great for anyone interested in learning the basics of British silver hallmarks. The webinar goes through the steps to deciphering British silver hallmarks, and covers topics including:

– What do British silver hallmarks mean?

– Where should I look for British silver hallmarks?

– Things to look for that might trick you!

Click here to watch the webinar on YouTube, or just down below. The transcripts for the webinar are found here.

How to Value Antique Furniture

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Chesterfield Sofa

Are you wondering where to start when trying to determine the value of your antique furniture? Maybe you are interested in selling that old antique chair you inherited and buying a chair you really want! Here are few tips when trying to uncover the value of your antique furniture.

Age

How do you know if your furniture is actually an antique? There are a few indicators of the age of a piece. First, look at the style and shape. Does it look, well, old? An appraiser can help you determine what stylistic period the piece is likely from (for example, William and Mary and Regency are both periods).
 
How are the drawers joined or the legs attached? Are there screws or nails? The construction of a chair or dresser can reveal if it is indeed an antique rather quickly. Dovetail joints on drawers are usually an indication of higher quality modern or antique furniture. 
Savonarola Chair

Has Your Antique Furniture Been Refinished?

If so, I’m sorry to say whoever painted it might have done a number on the overall value. Collectors want furniture in as original condition as possible. Pieces with period repairs or well-executed modern repairs are still valuable, but completely repainted and refinished tables, chairs, dressers, etc., are usually worth a lot less than if they had not been altered. Just how much less? That depends on factors that a qualified appraiser can help you answer. Bottom line, don’t mess with antique furniture unless you are a professional furniture restorer!

Beware of furniture that has been artificially distressed or purposely rusticated. French furniture, gilded or whitewashed pieces are reproduced quite convincingly, so rely on the construction of the furniture to help determine if it is indeed antique. 

Consider Functionality

Special pieces will always hold some sort of decorative value, but many people are looking for older, but functional pieces to furnish their homes. A Savonarola chair might be beautiful, but how functional is it in a modern home? A mid-century modern chair could be worth more than a 500 year old chair, based largely on functionality.

How Do I Get an Expert Opinion?

Lugging a solid wood sideboard or china hutch to an auction house for an appraisal isn’t very practical. Luckily, e-ValueIt has online appraisal services and a seasoned antique furniture expert to provide you with a valuation!

How to Value Jewelry

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Pair of diamond and sapphire earrings

Determining the value of your jewelry can feel like a daunting task. Do you have an engagement ring that you want to part with? Have you inherited your mother’s jewelry and want to know the value for your home insurance? Our jewelry expert has shared her tips for determining the value of your jewelry. 

Material

This is the most important factor to determining the value – what is it made of? Is your ring sterling silver, white gold or platinum? The answer to this question can be the difference of thousands of dollars. Most fine metals are marked with a purity stamp. For example, a sterling silver ring might be marked with a .925 stamp. Platinum often is marked “PLAT”. Gold can be marked “18K”, but depending on the country of origin, these marks might simply be symbols.

After determining the base metal, turn your attention to the stones. A diamond tester, which can be ordered online, is a good way for newbies to determine if they have a diamond on their hands, or a cubic zirconia. After determining if the stone is a diamond or not, there are many variable that contribute to the overall value of the stone. The four C’s of diamonds – cut, clarity, color and carat – make up the bulk of a diamond’s value. A professional appraiser can ascertain the four C’s of your diamond. 

Diamond Ring

Size Does Matter!

Well, maybe we should say “weight” does matter. The overall weight of precious metals (think: gold, platinum, silver) is a significant indicator of the monetary value of jewelry. Grab a kitchen scale and weigh your sterling silver charm bracelet or your 14K gold wedding band. This is important information if you are seeking an appraisal. The appraiser will certainly want to know the overall weight of a primarily metal piece of jewelry.

Maker

Luxury makers command higher prices – this isn’t news, but it’s true for the resale market as well. Tiffany & Co., Cartier, DeBeers, and Harry Winston are but a few of the famous makers sought after by collectors. Most well-known jewelry designers mark their jewelry. Original velvety pouches and boxes are always an added bonus to collector’s, and might result in more money for your item.

How Do I get a Valuation for my Jewelry?

There are a few ways to have your jewelry appraised. The first thing to remember though, is that the values you receive can differ, based on what type of appraisal you are receiving. Simply put, there are two main types of valuations – insurance or replacement value and auction estimate.
 
Insurance appraisals will be close to retail value, meaning, what a jeweler or shop owner would charge for your item if they were to sell it. Auction estimates are basically what the appraiser would expect someone to pay at auction. 
 
With all of these variables, it can seem overwhelming to get a jewelry appraisal, but not to worry, e-ValueIt can help! We have expert jewelry appraisers ready to value your items, for the cost of a fast food meal. Easy!

How to Value Vintage and Luxury Bags

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burberry floral purse

The market for vintage or used luxury goods has become big business in the past decade. Do you want to cash in on your pre-loved Louis Vuitton or Gucci bag? We are here to tell you what to look for and how to find out the value of your handbag. 

There are many factors in determining the value of vintage and luxury handbags.

Here are a few things to consider when valuing a vintage bag:

Brand/Designer & Style

The most important first step is to determine the brand or maker of your bag. Also, find out what model or style name. These two pieces of information are key when determining value of vintage and new bags. Some of the most sought after brands include Louis Vuitton, Hermés, Chanel, Gucci, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, and Prada, to name but a few. 

Some brands retain over half of their original purchase price, with a few even selling for more than original price! 

A handbag will certainly be more valuable if it has retained original accessories, such as leather name tags, dust bags (or original packaging), padlock and keys, and pochettes. Try and keep everything that comes with your bag when you take it home from the shop. Use it to store your bag when you’re not using it!

Condition

The overall condition of a bag plays a significant role in the value of an item, sometimes decreasing its value by over 50%. Buyers want to purchase a bag in nearest-to-new condition as possible, without paying retail price, of course. Buyers look for tears and wearing in the leather, with damage to the exterior of the bag hurting the value the most. 

Buyers understand that some usual wear and tear happens when using a bag, but beware, signs of hard wear and damage will decrease the bottom line. Any repairs undertaken should be done by a professional restorer or by the original retailer or maker. 

Should I Get an Appraisal?

Yes! The most important step in determining the value of your bag is, to seek the eye of a luxury handbag expert, by obtaining a professional appraisal. This is the only way to attain a truly accurate estimation for the worth of your item. A trained professional knows what to look for and can determine the authenticity and value of your handbag.

There are luxury bag and accessory experts here at e-ValueIt that are ready to help you determine an accurate value for your vintage bag!

How Do I Sell My Antiques?

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It’s a daunting task to look around and see all of the things in your home that aren’t loved/wanted/needed and wonder “How do I get rid of it?”. It’s easy to trash something, but I’m here to tell you, there is a better way – for you and the planet. Keep your antiques, collectibles and curios out of a landfill and turn them into cash! But, where to start? 

There are many factors in deciding where and how to sell your item – what you decide will ultimately affect how much money is in your pocket!

Here are a few ways to cash in on your unwanted things:

1. Sell on eBay, Poshmark or another online platform.

These platforms exist for a reason – people use them! Almost anything can be sold on eBay, but determining if your item will have the greatest success on eBay, is a little trickier. As a general rule, items that can reach the largest targeted audience will have the best result. For example, are buyers of a 4-carat diamond ring usually on eBay or at auction? Do buyers of vintage stamps shop more on eBay or at auction? And, how do you know what to price your item? Remember, you have to price your own item if you use an online platform for selling. 

e-ValueIt can take the guesswork out of selling online. We can help you determine where to sell your item and for how much.  

2. Sell through an auction house.  

There are many advantages to selling at auction, one of which is that a lot of the guesswork is taken out. Experts identify, estimate and advertise your item. You do pay for these services though. Auction houses charge the seller up to 25% of the sale price for their services, in addition to photography and advertising fees. You also sell on their timeline. The auction house determines when the item will be sold, and after the sale, you have to wait for the check. From the beginning of the selling process with an auction house, until the money is in your account, can take 8 weeks, at a minimum. 

e-ValueIt has appraisers on staff who have worked for major auction houses in the U.K., Europe and America. We give you access to these professionals, without any obligation to sell with us. 

3. Sell on consignment.

Consignment shops and pawn brokers can sell your furniture, jewelry, clothes, and other items. They price the item, but they also take a considerable portion of the sale price, sometimes, up to 40%! Selling on consignment is not recommended if you need money fast. Consignment shops typically do not give you any money until your item sells, which could be a year or more. Pawn brokers operate differently and will buy your item outright, but remember, they are looking to make a profit. What they pay for your item isn’t exactly what it’s worth.

 

Whatever avenue you take to sell your item, we recommend you START with an appraisal. Knowing the fair market and replacement values of your antique, collectible or jewelry will help you make the best possible choice when it comes to selling.

Are There Really Free Appraisals?

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Antique and Vintage Radios

Are There Really Free Appraisals?

The short answer is, yes, you can get a free appraisal. The question to ask yourself is, “Why is someone giving me a free appraisal?”

Auction houses provide free appraisals because they are trying to get your business. That is simply how they make money. Someone sends a photo of an item, the specialist provides an estimate (usually only if it’s something the auction house wants to sell) and then the auction house tries to get you to sell that item through them. 

There is nothing wrong with this practice and it’s one that many of our appraisers, including our founder, has participated in (see photo), but there are some inherent issues with free appraisals. 

The wait for an appraisal can be as much as six weeks with some auction houses. EVI Founder, Corey Cripe Kuchel recalled, “I have worked at auction houses that receive more than 200 appraisal requests per day. Sometimes it’s up to one person to handle all of this volume, so things inevitably get stuck in the pipeline.”

At e-ValueIt, we guarantee that you will receive an appraisal from us in 48 hours or less, or your money back. No more waiting around to hear back from an auction house!

There is an unspoken rule, “Don’t trust an appraisal from someone who wants to buy your item.” One might also be cautious in trusting an appraisal from someone who wants to sell or otherwise financially benefit from your item. 

e-ValueIt does not benefit from the value of your item in any way. Our appraisals and valuations are completely unbiased. We want to help our clients monetize what they have, in part, so it doesn’t end up in a landfill – not because we are trying to make money off of it!

The takeaway is, while there are indeed free appraisals, is it worth it? For the same amount of effort (and less than the cost of a fast food meal), you can get an unbiased, honest appraisal in under 48 hours with e-ValueIt.

Start your appraisal now!

Photo of e-ValueIt Founder, Corey Cripe Kuchel, providing an appraisal of a chair at a free appraisal fair.
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