selling fur coats,collectibles

[wdwaholic]

Hi all-
my mom is currently in a nursing home and a while ago she gave me her 3 fur coats-they are custom made and were quite pricey.They don't fit me and I could always use extra $ for Disney so can anyone tell me how to go about selling them/who will buy them? I know that they are prob. worth a fraction of what she paid but I can't use them.
Also the same scenario applies to her collection of Hummels,Lladro and Capodimonte figurines-really don't want to ebay,craigslist due to shady practices
Thanks,Trish

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Hi all-
my mom is currently in a nursing home and a while ago she gave me her 3 fur coats-they are custom made and were quite pricey.They don't fit me and I could always use extra $ for Disney so can anyone tell me how to go about selling them/who will buy them? I know that they are prob. worth a fraction of what she paid but I can't use them.
Also the same scenario applies to her collection of Hummels,Lladro and Capodimonte figurines-really don't want to ebay,craigslist due to shady practices
Thanks,Trish

You have to worry about shady practices on eBay and Craigslist if you are a buyer, not a seller! Meet in a neutral location and accept cash only. No problems.

 

[bettymae1121]

Be careful if you have siblings or other relatives that think they are entitled to your mother's things. They may accuse you of helping yourself to her stuff instead of her giving them to you. I've heard horror stories!

 

[wdwaholic]

@lost-I have been both buyer and seller and been burned-will not do ebay

@bettymae-thanks for your concern-everything is written in her will as going to me and I was just getting my ducks in a row -the fur is already starting to fly for other reasons
Trish

 

[Lucille1963]

If your not willing to deal with a DIY site like ebay or craigslist (where as you say you'll get a small fraction of what she paid), you could try to hunt down clothing and collectibles dealers in your area who will pay an even smaller fraction. Inquire at local antique malls, flea markets etc. for dealers who sell this type of item.

 

[Gigi22]

My comments are based on my experience with dealing with my late mother's fur coats. Unless you have furs that are from a designer, and recently purchased, you will find that very few people want them. A lot of people have moral issues with wearing fur. It cost a lot of money to have a fur restyled and brought up to date. If the furs haven't been kept in a fur storage vault, the pelts are very likely dried out, and won't be worth restyling. The best I can suggest is that you keep the furs in storage at a furrier, and try to sell them in Aug./Sept.--there's not a lot of demand for fur at this time of year. If you try to sell the coats to a furrier, they will likely turn you down--they are in a position to get really good deals on newer coats.

 

[Deesknee]

Although, I have no advice, I would like to send my regards to the difficult of needing the assistance of a nursing home for a loved one.
Also, not to hijack this thread, but on a related note. How does one get a fur coat appraised? My Mom left one to myself/my daughter. I would like to add it to my homeowners policy.

 

[Gigi22]

Although, I have no advice, I would like to send my regards to the difficult of needing the assistance of a nursing home for a loved one.
Also, not to hijack this thread, but on a related note. How does one get a fur coat appraised? My Mom left one to myself/my daughter. I would like to add it to my homeowners policy.

If it was kept in a in a furrier's storage vault, your mother may have had separate insurance on it. If you can't find her insurance policy, call the furrier who made/stored it, they may be able to tell you.

 

[cats mom]

Even if you find somewhere other than e-bay to sell the collectibles, I'd keep an eye on what the items you have tend to sell for there. It can actually be a decent research tool.

Kovels Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide is another resource worth checking.

I don't know anything about Capodimonte; but I think you might be surprised at current prices for many Lladro and Hummel figurines, and since you're on the selling side... not in a good way.


Good Luck

 

[wdwaholic]

Even if you find somewhere other than e-bay to sell the collectibles, I'd keep an eye on what the items you have tend to sell for there. It can actually be a decent research tool.

Kovels Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide is another resource worth checking.

I don't know anything about Capodimonte; but I think you might be surprised at current prices for many Lladro and Hummel figurines, and since you're on the selling side... not in a good way.


Good Luck

yes you are quite right about the value of collectibles nowdays-prob. pennies on the dollar-I don't have any room to display them and was thinking of giving the proceeds to mom's personal needs acct @nursing home-oh well-prob. get more for them at a garage/estate sale

 

[sunshinehighway]

i see fur coats and shawls all the time in thrift and consignment stores. If they are really good quality and well taken care of, perhaps you could try a consignment store that deals with vintage or higher end stuff? You probably won't get much for them though.
If they have sentimental value, maybe you could have them made into something else. There are places that will make teddy bears out of old furs. I actually made a throw blanket from some old furs. It was much easier than I thought it would be and my sewing skills are minimal.

 

[debbiedana]

There is an auction house by me, I am taking some of my grandma's estate collectibles there this week. I attended an auction there recently to scope it out, and was impressed, so I'm bringing much of her estate stuff there. Maybe you can find one close to you. Good luck!

 

[JennyWren]

For the furs, first I would take them to get appraised, most of your better fur shops can do this (and they may even buy, I know that some shops that sell new as well as vintage furs), then I would try to sell them outright on my own.

For the collectibles, I would put them in a reputable consignment auction. I find that quite a few collectors are skipping the middle man and buying directly at auction.

 

[MichiganKris]

When I lost my engineering job in the down turn I bought and sold collectibles/antiques to try and earn some money. If you don't want to do E-Bay/Craigs List, then I would suggest finding an auction house that sells that type of item. They usually charge you about a 20 to 25% commission on the items. Make sure you visit several of their consignment auctions before consigning your merchandise. Also, make sure that you understand how they will advertise your items ahead of time. That is what will bring the collectors in and bump up the price. You don't want just a bunch of dealers there, they will only pay a fraction of what it is worth because they need to sell it and make money.

Some of the old Capodiamonte pieces are worth a lot of money, as long as there are no spots that are broken on them. This is very hard to find though. You think that you have a good piece, then notice that there is part of a petal or leaf missing.