Featured Sold Thread

I won a *Thomas Hart Benton limited edition, pencil-signed print at auction … for $10. Titled “After the Blow”. I watched people looking at all the prints lying on a table in front of the auctioneer’s stand, and no one gave it a second glance - I just knew it was mine. It was an*Associated American Artists print.

Unfortunately, after a few years, I had to sell it. Sold for $3500 and change. I know it’s hanging in a small bank somewhere in Kansas. I’ve won some amazing art for peanuts at auction - this was so exciting. I’ll share the others in the art forum, as I still have them.

 

A Benton for ten bucks? Happy dance material if ever there was.

 

It was exciting! Wish I didn't have to sell it, but I enjoyed it while I had it.

 

Lalique vase paid $400 and it was damaged, sold for $3000 to a dealer in France

Art Deco Noritake powder jar paid $135 sold for $1250 or so can't remember the exact price. I had a pretty good 2023

 

Wow-- well done on those! Those are healthy profit margins.

 

I imagine anyone here would take these profit margins every day of the week!!

Congrats for sure!!!

BTW just curious were these sold online or at auction?

 

The Lalique was sold privately
Noritake sold online

 

Nice! I had one of those Noritake Lusteware powder boxes (it was in a box with lots of other pieces I won at auction for $5) At the time, they were bringing really good prices. By the time I sold it, it made half of what I would have made if I'd sold it sooner. Yours is one of the more unusual/desirable examples that always do well. There are so many variations to those powder boxes.

 

Sold less than after 24 hours

Sterling Hans Hansen Danish pierced Earrings, bought for $10, sold for $85:


Sterling Hector Aguilar Mexican Bracelet, bought for $10, sold for $115:

 

Just finished a sale I participated in at my former selling venue. I partnered with another dealer and the store owner to fill about a 1/4 of the store (one very large room) with art, MCM furniture, and pottery. I provided art and pottery only. This was promoted as a month-long sale with some outside advertising and within the stores on-going social media presence. My cost to do this was 20% of sales.

Sales started off pretty strong and I did about $1500.00 the first weekend. Most sales were under $150.00. My best sale was a Japanese block print for $235.00 that weekend. Sales continued through the month, with new merchandise added weekly. I had a few high-ticket items but most did not sell. I was able to sell a Teco vase for $2300. I negotiated with the buyer down about 15% to $2400 and the store owner reduced his comission by $100 to close the deal. All-told, I did just over $5K for the month. I had very little investment in anything so profit margins were huge. I also purged a lot of inventory that was taking space. I was particularly happy to move several large prints and paintings that were difficult to store.

Having the sale within the store was both good and bad. The first weekend turn-out was quite good but there was no urgency to buy after that. Most of the regular customers did not see the sale as an event. Perhaps having it for an entire month was too long, despite adding new merchandise weekly. On the other had, regular store traffic undoubtedly resulted in some sales.

Here is the Japanese block print by Kaoru Kawano....

 

Congrats Brad. well done.

 

Good 4 u Brad !!!
now I understand why you've been on a tear , picking stuff lately !!

 

Congrats on the offload!

 

I am on a roll..... A friend of mine was having an estate sale in a local mall. He rented one of the vacant store-fronts for a month and loaded it up. Some of it was from an estate he purchased but much of it was his own merchandise, along with a bit from a couple others. I didn't know he was doing it but happened to see him one afternoon as he was loading merchandise in. He invited me to bring some items, so I brought in a very small selection due to the short notice. His take is 20%.

One thing I did bring in was the Herman Miller DAX chair I bought just over a year ago. I had listed it on fb marketplace for over 6 months with no bites at $385.00. I had even posted it in a Chicago MCM furniture group. It was off-market all Winter. I left the price the same, knowing that there would be a 25% discount the second day and a 50% discount today and tomorrow. It sold for full price the first day. I only had $10.00 in it so I am quite happy.



I also brought in the watercolor I had just picked up. By a local artist, I put $115.00 on it. It also sold first day at full price. I had $15.00 in it.



Besides this, I sold a couple parlor tables in the $40-50.00 range and a few smaller items. I still have a curved glass china cabinet there that I would really love to see sold. It is not an antique and I just really want it gone. If it sells at half price, I will just break even on it. The final day tomorrow, will open items to further negotiations below half off if I want. I may just let it go for whatever we can get on it.

 

I love that chair Brad. Congrats on the sales.

 

Nice sales! Groovy chair that..

 

rented one of the vacant store-fronts for a month and loaded it up.

how were his sales ?
could you do this sort of pop up sale as well??...or partner with him?

 

Sale is not over yet but my friend was satisfied so far. Furniture sales were definitely lagging as of yesterday but other sales were brisk. Will have to see how it goes overall after tomorrow.

Rent for the month was $2200, so pretty pricey. I would definitely consign again but not sure about taking on a portion of the rent. Would want better notice to get ready.

 

And to stock up. Nice sale on the chair!