Oh dear, my wife's Nan, now 92 and still mentally ok idols and independant( bloody amazing) wants to sell her Georg Jensen flatware set she purchased while on holiday overseas with her late hubby 20 something years ago, it's a set called Old Danish. In Showroom condition as it has spent its entire life in a safe in its display case. I have seen her receipt and they spent nearly 10,000 grand on this set, I know right, why would you, surely a heap of gold would have been better, but the poor old duck is now wanting to sell it, 6 place setting of 48 pieces, I checked new prices online and ebay sell this stuff same style still today for the same money she has purchased it for. They bought it as an investment, oh my god I think to myself, with the markup over bullion on the purchase price 20 something years ago at 10, grand she could have bought bullion at a mass of something like 1000 ounces. Trying to figure a way of breaking it to her that her investment is pumped out by a machine and is still being made in the same pattern today, and she paid 800% more than it was worth at the time. Any advice? Do I just say to her to keep it in the family will, she wants to sell it for a holiday, jeez 10 grand 20 something years ago was a shipload of silver bullion.
I'm selling item 181 this Tuesday night. Lovely people. I'll mention your situation if you want to post some pics. http://www.sothebysaustralia.com.au/catalogue/AU0807?rm=list&page=8
Just tell her. "Hey Nan, I've checked out the dinner set and it's going for 10k". If she's mentally ok I'm sure she'll be able to work out it may not have been a great investment. But sounds like a reasonable store of wealth. Imagine trying to sell a 20 year old lounge suite today, that you paid 10k for. What's the drama?
Don't get involved would be my advice Any dealer would only give you 50% If you put it into auction, it will cost you 20% in fees I wouldn't want to get involved
I get it. Your wife's 72 year old Nan purchased a Georg Jensen set in the hope it may appreciate in value over time. It may have. If you got it, I doubt eBay would have been your first point of reference.
That's been my feelings all along spanner, I hate being looked to for decisions but her son loves on Bali and is a pretty wet sock, I will have to manage a way to hand ball this one, I sure as hell ain't gonna be the one to give her a heart attack or stroke, bless her cotton socks.
I just spoke to an antique dealer who deals in this kind of stuff Unfortunately that's not a popular design You'll only get $3-$4 a gram Don't bother weight the knives as they are wax filled His advice is to NOT get involved If your in Melbourne try Putting into Jensen's on consignment ( if they'll take it ) Or put in into McAndrew Jewellery in little Collins St
Off topic but generally Jensen related.... I was lucky enough to find this Georg Jensen .925 Ag "150" Tie Bar for an almost unbelievably low price from my local Op-shop not too long ago. Anyone know roughly what these actually go for (as opposed to the BIN prices on eBay or Etsy etc)?
Well with jewellery it's difficult with used stuff, normal retail from my experience in the trade from a jeweller would be weight of material plus anywhere from 200% to 350% markup plus whatever the maker wants to attach for their name and branding, and if its antique then you have another plus schedule, if it's handmade then more again plus complexity of design. Most people will just tell you it's worth what someone will pay for it on the used market
