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Does anyone have an idea of what it cost to have an item appraised at an antique shop?

I have an item I believe is fairly old. I am wondering if it is worth anything. I was considering auctioning it off on ebay. I want to get an appraisal on it first. Does anyone have any idea what they may cost me? Is there any place online I can send photos and have it done free? This is my very first question...thanks to anyone that answers me!! But does anyone have any idea what it might cost me?

Public Comments

1. Yes, most places will charge for a appraisal. Doesn't matter if it's an an antique or a new car. If you take it to someone, take their time to consider it's value, it's a labor charge. Often, antiques are more expensive to get appraised, especially at a reputable appraiser. It's kind of like paying more for quality, in my limited experience. Be careful with online appraisals, cause it dont' cost the appraiser on cent to tell you what you may want to hear... from a few pictures.


2. it didnt cost me anything.---i took 3 pictures of an antique end table he told me what he could sell it for and how much he would pay me for it--it was a small town near a big city


3. Generally, a verbal appraisal is free and done face to face. Only used licensed and industry reputable antique dealers.

   Ask your local Art Gallery curator.

   ring around advertised antique dealers in your local yellow pages. Ask a librarian for a process to use if you don't have a clue how to proceed effectively.

   On the Tellie in Sydney, we have weekday shows like " Antiques Roadshow", "Bargain Hunt"

   and " Collectors".

   The former programs come from Great Britain.

   "Collectors" is an Australian production.

   If the show comes to town, you can take it there then.

   Put the item up for auction at your local auction house. That way you let the market determine the value (after setting a reserve price---the minimum price you are prepared to accepted).

   Ask a pawn broker/"cash converters" shop (low end range) to a firm like "Christies" (high end Auction House) or you local equivalents.



4. Hi! Do not be afraid of getting an evaluation of your item from an Internet source—you are not signing a contract with them. There are many reputable places that do this. Just be careful, as with any situation, to ask about charges and any other questions you have upfront.

   There are several sites for you to check out, and I always suggest that you ask these professionals for referrals if they are unable to help you:

   http://www.crawforddirect.com/worth.html

   http://www.mygrannysatticantiques.com/html/value_your_antiques.html

   http://www.kovels.com/

   http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow/

   http://auctionwally.blogspot.com/

   Books on various categories of antiques and their values are also available at your local library.

   Also, I have experienced that in smaller cities, antique shops are very helpful in giving information about items. They, of course, would like to have the opportunity to sell the item for you, and at a profit for them. Remember that they do have the exposure and advertising to be able to reach people, which is often advantageous to you.

   Get several opinions—online, antique shops, auction houses, consignment stores, etc. The more you know about your item, the better prepared you are to determine a value and be confident about a sale.

   There are forum sites on eBay where people very knowledgeable about antiques often give out information and valuations for free to other users. This does not mean that you have to sell your item on eBay. There is no obligation.

   Try to document the information you find about the item as best as you can. This will help when it comes time to sell it. You may post photos of your item on www.flicker.com, and then put a link to them in your Yahoo! Answers question. Then contributors will have more information about your item, enabling them to better help you.

   Thanks for asking this question. Best wishes!