auctions online

JeffMason

Hi All,

I'm moving into a new house (hopefully) in January and am starting to want to gather a few vintage hosehold bits to put in it; lamps, tables, chairs, chest of drawers etc). I use ebay but am also wondering about auction houses... and of there are good places to look at for doing this sort of thing online? Does anyone have experience with them and any recommendations?

Thanks!

theoretica

Shipping charges are usually very high, so start by looking for the local auction houses near your area and see where they put their catalogues online.  www.the-saleroom.com  has many catalogues, but not all.  Also if you are new to auction buying remember to look up the buyers premium that you are charged on top of the bid you put in.

BananaRepublic

JeffMason said:

Hi All,

I'm moving into a new house (hopefully) in January and am starting to want to gather a few vintage hosehold bits to put in it; lamps, tables, chairs, chest of drawers etc). I use ebay but am also wondering about auction houses... and of there are good places to look at for doing this sort of thing online? Does anyone have experience with them and any recommendations?

Thanks!

I’ve bought items at auction houses and yes you can get bargains. I have a beautiful Ercol elm and beech coffee table, cost £51, looks like new after restoration. Used examples cost £200+ on ebay. You must view the item in person before bidding as photos are deceptive. Ebay sold prices are a guide to value. Bear in mind auction fees can add 30% or more to the sold price. Also prices vary by area, lots of dealers or trendy types nearby will increase prices. As said earlier, go local. 

Ebay is usually not a good place to buy, though I did get two Ercol 427 chairs for £130, they normally go for at least £100 each, usually much more. The seller took poor photos, and didn’t describe them well, but I was able to visit. 

You do sometimes get bargains elsewhere. I paid £60 for an almost pristine Ercol Jubilee armchair in a local market place! They go for £200 or more on ebay. Antiques shops are not so good as the dealers know what they are selling. 

It pays to research furniture. Good quality items can be restored to like new condition. Ercol is my favourite as they used very good quality solid wood and sometimes plywood. Solid metal such as cast iron can be stripped and repainted easily enough. New cushions can be made or purchased. I have some Ercol armchairs with new cushions made from Bute tweed, woven on the isle of Bute from wool. They were made locally by someone who sells on ebay. Very nicely done. They’d cost a bomb on the high street. Do your homework and you can end up with some high end furnishings.  

JeffMason

Thanks so much both! I'll check out those links and look into and be careful of fees... and try to view items when possible!

Annoyingly, local to me is London.. so I assume not great prices...

ka7e

Facebook Marketplace is also a good place to look -  people selling off house contents use it, as no fees are charged.

MovingForwards

I'm using eBay, gumtree, FB, charity shops, architectural reclaimers and local antique shops to get what I want for my home.

I also do a browser search if there's a specific thing I want (eg art deco lamp for sale, art deco floor lamp for sale, Georgian door fittings for sale) and that throws up loads of places for me to consider then when I spot what I'm after I know how much money I need 😉

Currently waiting for two deliveries of lampshades, 90+ years old and glass, only another three to find.

There's a good choice of places in England, so you won't have much of an issue finding what you want.