Belt Auction

Is it worth it to hire an auctioneer?

I have a couple thousand $ of vintage japanese kimonos/obis, as well as several antiques and collectibles. I can't have a garage sale (I live in an apartment), and ebay is so flooded with kimonos...they sell for a fraction of what they are worth. Is it worth it to deal with an auction house? What have your experiences been? Thank you.

Public Comments

1. Should we buy Kimonos on ebay?
2. If you want to get "what they are worth" then you need to get your items appraised by someone with a background in the type of items you have. Until you do that it's only your opinion as to what they are worth and that may not align with the current market value, which may differ by region of the country/world. Using an auction company that is familiar with the type of items you have will definitely improve your chances of getting what their market value is. The auction company should target an audience that is more likely to buy the types of things you want to sell better than a random buyer coming onto your garage sale. I have not sold anything through an auction house, but have been to auctions that were good and bad experiences for the sellers. You need to call several auction companies in your area and interview them to learn about their experience with goods like yours and determine what fees and commission they charge. In some areas you might do well to talk to a consignment clothing boutique about selling the kimonos and a consignment antique dealer about your furniture. It may take a bit longer than holding an auction, but you may get a better return. Again it depends on the experience of the auction company and your area. The consignment shop will probably take 30-50% while the auctioneer may only take 5%, but if the auctioneer doesn't sell it or has to let it go real cheap then you may not do as well as through the consignment shop.