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July 8, 2011 11:36 a.m. Salanis SuperDork

My grandmother passed away a few weeks ago. My grandfather survives her, but it's hard for him (I believe this year would have been their 64th or 65th anniversary ). He's not sure where he's going to live now that he doesn't need to be in an assisted living community with her, but he is planning to get rid of a lot of old things of his. My family has asked me to handle selling a lot of the stuff from my grandmother's estate and things my grandfather has been storing. I'm looking for advice on how best to handle that.

A lot of the stuff I'm just going to list on E-bay, or donate if it's not worth that much.

There are a couple of things that I'm really wondering the best ways to sell. The two biggest so far are several furs that are currently being stored at Bloomingdales in NY. The value on those is around $4000. There's also a substantial amount of silver. I'm not sure what the value on it would be.

I'm thinking some sort of consignment would be the best way to handle high dollar items that most lay people won't know the value of.

Any experience or suggestions?
July 8, 2011 11:46 a.m. Woody SuperDork

It's not easy to sell fur these days. I'd ask Bloomie's if they'd make an offer on them or if they'd know anyone who would. Don't expect much.
July 8, 2011 11:57 a.m. Salanis SuperDork

Woody wrote:

It's not easy to sell fur these days. I'd ask Bloomie's if they'd make an offer on them or if they'd know anyone who would. Don't expect much.

I have considered that issue. It's kind of frustrating when we're talking animals killed 30, 40, 50 years ago.

One interesting thing we're sell are some old license plates my grandfather has accrued over the years. I'd say the most interesting ones are an old "US NB GTMO BAY CUBA" plate and 95th and 96th Congress plates. I can't decide if it's better to sell plates individually, or sell them all as one package.
July 8, 2011 12:04 p.m. Duke SuperDork

Unfortunately silver usually appraises by the weight of the silver itself (ie as if smelted) and doesn't leave value for age, condition, or desirability. It's very hard to determine what it will be worth. There are pattern finder website where you can figure out the name and manufacturer, then start searching for pieces of that pattern to see what they are going for.

Good luck!
July 8, 2011 12:18 p.m. Woody SuperDork

I have cases of old license plates, some NOS back to the teens. The only way to make money on them is to sell them individually and get lucky
July 8, 2011 12:30 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

Here are some of the more interesting things I've found so far while cataloging stuff in storage:

"Special Warfare Handbook for Cuba, June 1961"

License plate from corresponding time:

1902 book on Tokology (the science of Midwifery):
July 8, 2011 12:45 p.m. jrw1621 SuperDork

The handbook is copy 755 or 500 copies?
July 8, 2011 12:48 p.m. MitchellC Dork

For the firs, have you considered the overseas market? In the US, I can only imagine someone wearing a fir in one of the big cities. As a complete neophyte to firs, I think Moscow before I think New York.
July 8, 2011 12:52 p.m. Rusted_Busted_Spit Dork

Antiques Roadshow in your area?
July 8, 2011 1:09 p.m. nervousdog HalfDork

Salanis wrote:

Woody wrote:

It's not easy to sell fur these days. I'd ask Bloomie's if they'd make an offer on them or if they'd know anyone who would. Don't expect much.

I have considered that issue. It's kind of frustrating when we're talking animals killed 30, 40, 50 years ago.

If they are that old you might try contacting theatrical prop rental places. Most would be interested in period clothing. There should be a few around Hollywood.
July 8, 2011 1:54 p.m. dyintorace SuperDork

I'd probably spring for some old, cool license plates (like the pic you posted). I like those.
July 8, 2011 2:13 p.m. Cotton Dork

In reply to Salanis:

My cucv Blazer would be the perfect home for that license plate if you decide to sell it.
July 8, 2011 2:24 p.m. BARNCA HalfDork

i would be interested in the speial warfare for cuba book..
July 8, 2011 3:08 p.m. fasted58 HalfDork

If you have a lotta stuff to move might wanna consider an auction house that takes consignments.
July 8, 2011 4:07 p.m. spitfirebill SuperDork

Hire that chick from the TV show Cash and Cari. What she does to that pair of jeans is sweet.
July 8, 2011 4:34 p.m. wcelliot HalfDork

BARNCA wrote:

i would be interested in the speial warfare for cuba book..

I think this is the same book I read professionally a couple decades ago... though as I recall my copy was still marked classified... ;-)

And was proven by time to have been inaccurate...
July 8, 2011 4:50 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

I figured people around here might get a kick out of those plates.

I'm going to see about contacting university libraries to see if any of them might have interest in that book as a historical document. I need to peruse it more closely.

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