Question and Advice, Opinions, Ideas

Rick · 20th April 2023, 08:52 PM

We all will face this someday, I think.

You want to liquidate your collection of all the interesting swords etc etc that you have collected over the years.

What would be the best way to accomplish this task with minimal loss to your investment?

fernando · 21st April 2023, 01:13 PM

Long time i have instructed my wife & daughter to get help from a local honest friend who is acquainted and respected by local auctioners.

Rick · 21st April 2023, 04:09 PM

That's probably the way to go, Fernando.
Still, the auction house will demand its pound of flesh.
It can't be avoided in such situations.

Lee · 21st April 2023, 05:34 PM

The "trick" is, of course, dispersing a collection with minimum "loss to ... investment."

If the retiring collector is still in a condition to and of a mind to manage the sale, then by doing a lot of the work in posting for and fulfilling on-line sales or renting a table at shows, a maximum low retail return can likely be achieved (though maybe not in inflation adjusted terms.) The problem with this approach is that it is a lot of work. Anyone who has done this realizes that the dealers very often earn their mark-ups.

Collectors are often shocked when they go to sell and receive a "wholesale" offer from dealers that they have dealt with over the years. Expect an offer for about 50% (or less) of retail! It takes a good while to disperse a collection and the dealer's working capital is tied up until the items have found a new home.

An auction will likely want 25% of hammer price from the seller, but they are going to collect another 20% or so from the buyer and all but the uninitiated will have factored the total price into their maximum bid.

Some specialist dealers may accept items to sell on consignment for a lesser percentage of the selling price - the retiring collector will then have to wait to get paid, but is spared the uncertainty of an item doing poorly on the day of an auction.

My personal attitude has been to tell potential heirs to take what they want when the day comes because they like or have memories of the thing and to find an honest auctioneer to clear out the bulk. Sudden horror - "What if I miss something that is really valuable and you have not left me a detailed inventory with prices?!" My reply: "That is not my problem - I'll be dead after all - and such is the life cycle of antiques and the chance of an eureka is what I'll have bestowed upon future owners."

Kmaddock · 21st April 2023, 11:14 PM

I have two children a boy and a girl
My daughter is getting my wife's jewellery and she gets to pick her first 2 choices my son gets his first choice after that and the remainder goes to my daughter.
Inverse is happening to my collection.

Who wins out financially probably my son but don't say that to my wife ;-) I have no inventory or prices paid on anything

If I decide to disperse while still alive I would sell at auction, I don't think i would like to watch the auction though as for some items I would probably want to kick myself for selling so cheap but some items would sell well so it would probably equalise out.

Thanks for the question though maybe i should catalogue but my number one item would not be the most valuable! and that's the way i think collecting should be.

Keep well

Ken

gp · 23rd April 2023, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

I have no inventory or prices paid on anything

.... but my number one item would not be the most valuable! and that's the way i think collecting should be.

Keep well

Ken

same here ( no inventory list ) although I am thinking of advising my family to contact a subject matter expert ( like my friend Detlef for Indonesian ones) to sell them. At least I trust his integrity based on past experiences.

The same for my Congolese ones; I know a very good lad from Belgium.

My main collection (Bosnian, Balkan and Ottoman ones), I would advise to go to a German and Austrian auction house ( as they are sold there quite often and against decent prices).
Might give a basic price indication (80% of the average purchase price).

As for valuable: my most precious one is rather cheap from a commercial perspective : a bayonet for a US carbine my late father used being a Dutch Storm Trooper Free Forces in 1944 joining the US 9th Army after the Battle of the Bulge and 1945 after a basic training in Enfield UK going to Malakka and Indonesia against the Japanese forces.
Its condition is from a collector's perspective poor to reasonable:it has quite some damage caused by "battle experience" but this personal part makes it my most valuable one and will remain in the family; either my daughter or her cousin.

But beforeI'll have to "go"... I shall try to sell them myself, not giving my family the burdon of the hustle selling them and perhaps losing too much money and nerves if they did well or not...

have a nice day! ☼

Gunar

kahnjar1 · 24th April 2023, 01:38 AM

Hi Rick,
I have just gone thru this with my collection as I am knocking on the 80 year birthday though my health is great for now. I do not have any children with interest to hand down to, and do not wish my good Lady to have to fend off those who will try and get stuff for nothing.
I was lucky enough to find a young collector with funds enough to take most of my items, and therefore avoiding auctions and dealers, both of whom will take their (often exhorbitant) cut.
As a matter of interest I have always kept a record of what I paid for each item which helps when selling or disposing of one's collection.
Disposal of a collection can often be a problem but in my opinion it is better to be dealing with yourself while you still have the ability to do so.
I should add, that disposal does not mean that one has lost interest in their hobby, which still goes on thru local gun shows and auctions, and also of course thru this Forum.
Stu

Sajen · 24th April 2023, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gp

same here ( no inventory list ) although I am thinking of advising my family to contact a subject matter expert ( like my friend Detlef for Indonesian ones) to sell them. At least I trust his integrity based on past experiences.

Your friend would do it in the case he lives longer!

fernando · 24th April 2023, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

That's probably the way to go, Fernando.
Still, the auction house will demand its pound of flesh.
It can't be avoided in such situations.

Well, by local auctioners i mean real local auctioners, three of them, 25 miles away from home. No public transports involved. Besides, their commission is not so high. In any case, since a while back, i am thinning out my little collection, by means of direct sale, so that there will be no fortune to rip apart in the end.

Kmaddock · 24th April 2023, 05:35 PM

I still have Lew's collection pinned in my favourites, I regret not having had the chance to purchase anything when it was being broken it up as I was not a member of this great forum back then.

It was a nice way to disperse his items all across the world giving something back to his family

I never corresponded with the man but he seemed to have been a great asset to the group.

Regards
Ken

Sajen · 24th April 2023, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

I never corresponded with the man but he seemed to have been a great asset to the group.

Indeed, Lew have had a great eye for nice blades and generous by sharing his knowledge, miss him!

Sajen · 24th April 2023, 06:54 PM

I have only partially cataloged my collection, my dream would be to show it online so the description is given for my items, to add a hidden price for my family would be easy, so when they want to sell the collection it would be simple to add a price by each item to sell it online.

Rick · 24th April 2023, 09:10 PM

I always wonder what happened to Vandoo's collection, it must have been quite large.

kahnjar1 · 24th April 2023, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

I always wonder what happened to Vandoo's collection, it must have been quite large.

I had the privilige of having met Barry a few years ago when he was here in New Zealand, and I seem to remember that he had a daughter, so maybe she is now the proud owner of his extensive collection.
Stu

JeffS · 25th April 2023, 02:06 PM

I'm surprised the Swap Forum is not more heavily used. For a new collector, it is an amazing way to ensure you are getting legit stuff filtered by the discerning eye of serious collectors. A lot of my favorite pieces came from there.

David R · 27th April 2023, 03:07 PM

I started keeping an inventory a few years ago, photo's of the pieces and prices paid. A lot of the pics I post here are the ones taken for the catalogue file on my laptop, which is also saved at intervals on a plug in.
Comes in handy when I sell something, which I do from time to time.

Tim Simmons · 1st May 2023, 05:10 PM

A few years back I liquidated the mayor part of my collection. There was no way I was going to sell piece by piece far too much work involved. I settled for a so called specialist auction house or should I just say a good one. Yes the auction take their cut but they can and do draw the right crowd. It is nerve racking but that goes with collecting . Not everybody sees what you see and fashions change {ivory}. I believe I got a good return on my investment bearing in mind early prices where not what they are these days. What I found interesting was that many of the pieces that were rather pricey when I bought them did not do as well as expected, I was once told by a dealer that you will get a better return on the more expense {quality} pieces when I was struggling to collect on a shoe string budget. I found most of the pieces had searched for at low prices did very well indeed. What I have left manly from the Amazon is on ice probably for the next decade.

20th April 2023, 08:52 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	Question and Advice, Opinions, Ideas We all will face this someday, I think. You want to liquidate your collection of all the interesting swords etc etc that you have collected over the years. What would be the best way to accomplish this task with minimal loss to your investment?

21st April 2023, 05:34 PM	#4
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 913	Probably not helpful The "trick" is, of course, dispersing a collection with minimum "loss to ... investment." If the retiring collector is still in a condition to and of a mind to manage the sale, then by doing a lot of the work in posting for and fulfilling on-line sales or renting a table at shows, a maximum low retail return can likely be achieved (though maybe not in inflation adjusted terms.) The problem with this approach is that it is a lot of work. Anyone who has done this realizes that the dealers very often earn their mark-ups. Collectors are often shocked when they go to sell and receive a "wholesale" offer from dealers that they have dealt with over the years. Expect an offer for about 50% (or less) of retail! It takes a good while to disperse a collection and the dealer's working capital is tied up until the items have found a new home. An auction will likely want 25% of hammer price from the seller, but they are going to collect another 20% or so from the buyer and all but the uninitiated will have factored the total price into their maximum bid. Some specialist dealers may accept items to sell on consignment for a lesser percentage of the selling price - the retiring collector will then have to wait to get paid, but is spared the uncertainty of an item doing poorly on the day of an auction. My personal attitude has been to tell potential heirs to take what they want when the day comes because they like or have memories of the thing and to find an honest auctioneer to clear out the bulk. Sudden horror - "What if I miss something that is really valuable and you have not left me a detailed inventory with prices?!" My reply: "That is not my problem - I'll be dead after all - and such is the life cycle of antiques and the chance of an eureka is what I'll have bestowed upon future owners."

27th April 2023, 03:07 PM	#16
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,079	I started keeping an inventory a few years ago, photo's of the pieces and prices paid. A lot of the pics I post here are the ones taken for the catalogue file on my laptop, which is also saved at intervals on a plug in. Comes in handy when I sell something, which I do from time to time. Attached Images

21st April 2023, 01:13 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Long time i have instructed my wife & daughter to get help from a local honest friend who is acquainted and respected by local auctioners.

21st April 2023, 04:09 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	That's probably the way to go, Fernando. Still, the auction house will demand its pound of flesh. It can't be avoided in such situations.

21st April 2023, 11:14 PM	#5
Kmaddock Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 543	I have two children a boy and a girl My daughter is getting my wife's jewellery and she gets to pick her first 2 choices my son gets his first choice after that and the remainder goes to my daughter. Inverse is happening to my collection. Who wins out financially probably my son but don't say that to my wife ;-) I have no inventory or prices paid on anything If I decide to disperse while still alive I would sell at auction, I don't think i would like to watch the auction though as for some items I would probably want to kick myself for selling so cheap but some items would sell well so it would probably equalise out. Thanks for the question though maybe i should catalogue but my number one item would not be the most valuable! and that's the way i think collecting should be. Keep well Ken

24th April 2023, 01:38 AM	#7
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,739	Hi Rick, I have just gone thru this with my collection as I am knocking on the 80 year birthday though my health is great for now. I do not have any children with interest to hand down to, and do not wish my good Lady to have to fend off those who will try and get stuff for nothing. I was lucky enough to find a young collector with funds enough to take most of my items, and therefore avoiding auctions and dealers, both of whom will take their (often exhorbitant) cut. As a matter of interest I have always kept a record of what I paid for each item which helps when selling or disposing of one's collection. Disposal of a collection can often be a problem but in my opinion it is better to be dealing with yourself while you still have the ability to do so. I should add, that disposal does not mean that one has lost interest in their hobby, which still goes on thru local gun shows and auctions, and also of course thru this Forum. Stu

24th April 2023, 05:35 PM	#10
Kmaddock Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 543	I still have Lew's collection pinned in my favourites, I regret not having had the chance to purchase anything when it was being broken it up as I was not a member of this great forum back then. It was a nice way to disperse his items all across the world giving something back to his family I never corresponded with the man but he seemed to have been a great asset to the group. Regards Ken

24th April 2023, 06:54 PM	#12
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,761	I have only partially cataloged my collection, my dream would be to show it online so the description is given for my items, to add a hidden price for my family would be easy, so when they want to sell the collection it would be simple to add a price by each item to sell it online.

24th April 2023, 09:10 PM	#13
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	I always wonder what happened to Vandoo's collection, it must have been quite large.

25th April 2023, 02:06 PM	#15
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 337	I'm surprised the Swap Forum is not more heavily used. For a new collector, it is an amazing way to ensure you are getting legit stuff filtered by the discerning eye of serious collectors. A lot of my favorite pieces came from there.

1st May 2023, 05:10 PM	#17
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	A few years back I liquidated the mayor part of my collection. There was no way I was going to sell piece by piece far too much work involved. I settled for a so called specialist auction house or should I just say a good one. Yes the auction take their cut but they can and do draw the right crowd. It is nerve racking but that goes with collecting . Not everybody sees what you see and fashions change {ivory}. I believe I got a good return on my investment bearing in mind early prices where not what they are these days. What I found interesting was that many of the pieces that were rather pricey when I bought them did not do as well as expected, I was once told by a dealer that you will get a better return on the more expense {quality} pieces when I was struggling to collect on a shoe string budget. I found most of the pieces had searched for at low prices did very well indeed. What I have left manly from the Amazon is on ice probably for the next decade.