If you have a large collection of antiques and you want to sell them, it is best to forgo the pawnshop and sell them via an auction. However, if you have your antiques sold through public auctions, you will need to share a percentage of the profits with the auctioneer. Why not run your own auction? Here are some tips on how to run an antique auction.
1. Have An Expert Assess Your Antiques
Before you start your auction, it is very important that you have an expert go through your antiques. You never know that the out of fashion ottoman or the strange figurine might be worth thousands of dollars.
When you hire experts, you should make sure that they are legit. Practically anyone could claim that he or she is an expert, however, it takes a true expert to identify whether an antique is worth something, or if it is just junk.
Hiring an antiques expert might be a bit pricey, however, it is better to invest in expert consultation, than to sell an antique for a low price because you got bad advice.
2. Get Legal Advice On Selling Your Antiques
Aside from having an expert look through your antiques, it is also a good idea to get legal advice on selling your antiques. Remember that you will be selling through an auction. While you could sell your antiques to an interested buyer, what’s to stop him or her from asking for a refund. By having a lawyer to give legal advice, you will be protected from complicated situations such as refunds or consumer complaints.
3. Store Your Antiques Properly
Remember that your antiques are usually very old, so you will need to make sure that you store them properly. As a rule, it is important that you keep them away from direct sunlight. Certain products such as wooden chairs or tables are particularly vulnerable to sunlight.
A few hours before the auction is supposed to occur, it is a good idea to store them somewhere safe first. Make sure that the people handling the antiques have gloves on. There are oils on our hands that could deteriorate the metal or wooden parts of the antiques.
It is also important that you wrap all your antiques with flexible plastic wrapping. This will ensure that your antiques are free from dust, and will look like new once you have it up for auction. If your antique items are fragile such as a vase or clay statue, it is a good idea to wrap them up in bubble wrap as well. These steps might seem a bit much, but remember that your antiques could potentially earn you a lot of money, so these precautions are warranted.
4. Spread Word Of The Auction
If you want to sell your antiques as effectively as possible, it is important that you spread the word about the auction. Even if your antiques are very valuable, but your marketing is subpar, then you will have a hard time selling your antique collection.
There are many ways you could spread the word about the auction. The most effective method in this day and age is to utilize social media marketing. This type of marketing is very popular, and quite affordable compared to more traditional marketing methods.
5. Hire A Skilled Host
When it comes to actually selling your collection, it is usually the auctioneer that does most of the work. He or she is in charge of the bidding process.
If you want to add a little bit of fanfare to your event, it is a good idea to hire a host to coordinate the event. Remember that this is more than just people purchasing items from a shop. There should be a sense of excitement when it comes to presenting your antiques to the public. By having a host at your auction, you will be able to make the auction a more lively affair.
6. Set Up Online Coverage Of the Bid
Aside from having physical bidders to your auction, it is also a good idea to set up an online coverage of the bid. This will enable you to have more potential buyers, even if these buyers are not exactly at the auction.
Just give interested parties the link to your auction, and have someone take a live feed of the auction. If the interested parties are willing to bid, then they could call the number you gave them. If you are going. To do this, you should be as careful as possible, because there is always a risk to online bidding.
7. Utilize Displays For Your Antiques
If you want to make your antiques more attractive to buyers, you should invest in displays. These displays should be able to attract more bidders.
If you are going to invest in displays, you should check www.aplusexpo.com. The Aplus company is known for selling and renting out some of the best displays and booths in the world.
8. Create A Catalogue Of Your Antiques
When it comes to having people interested in your auction, it is imperative that you create easy-to-use catalogues for your antiques. This will ensure that the potential buyers will know exactly what they are bidding for.
Make it a priority to set up a website that has all of your antiques. The antiques must be well represented with an attractive picture, the date the antique was bought or created, and if possible the manufacturer.
The catalogue should be well-made and easy to understand. It must hold all of the information about your antiques, and entice people to bid as high as possible.
Conclusion
When it comes to running an antiques auction, you should do it by yourself. Before you do though, you should make sure you know what you’re doing. With these tips,you’ll be able to effectively run your very own antiques auction.
