Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. - Booker T. Washington
China cabinets do not sell because young people don’t want them.
China cabinets don’t sell nor does all the stuff that grannies used to display in them. Tea cup Collections. Figurines. Salt and pepper shakers. The grannies’ Handpainted china that their great aunts made. Bell collections. and etc.
Remember how useful those collections were when we were casting about for a Christmas present for granny? you could always add to her collection
Re china cabinets, whether they sell well or not must depend on what area you're in. I found one on Craigslist yesterday, finally, after looking for more than two months without finding anything nice in my price range. Admittedly since this is to house part of my teapot collection the money was coming out of my "hobbies" budget, which is pretty small, but even those priced for a few hundred were selling fast. I was sort of surprised to see that they were going that quickly and for that much because I, too, had heard that there wasn't much of a market for them. I saw one for $950 that did say it was an antique and all, but still that seemed overpriced. . . I was surprised it sold in the first week. Most were in the two to three hundred range, and the nice ones with glass were all going fast. Maybe demand is picking back up in some areas?
Rob, when I used to live in Chicago, you would put things in the alley for anyone to take. They were usually gone very quickly. Here in my apartment complex, I've seen people put things next to the dumpster, and they're later gone, so people must be taking them.
I'm so thankful nobody in the family has ever invested in items from the Franklin Mint.
I've come to the conclusion that nothing actually labeled "collectible" has any collectible value.
Exceptions can be made for entire collections in mint condition, but I don't think that's how it works out for 99% of what people collect.
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. - Booker T. Washington
My thought over 45 years is once the uneducated (in terms of the market knowledge not schooling) speculators get into the "market" because of anticipated great value increases or perceived "rarity", you should run fast in the opposite direction. We survived markets in stamps, coins and some stock categories by following this rule. Collectibles were the "market" people of ordinary means could "invest" in. Those who played on this hope for making money sold the product and created the secondary markets which were often smoke and mirrors. Beanie Babies, Barbies in boxes, etc. were made by the millions.
Got out when the markets were invaded by the speculators interested only in what they thought they could make buying and selling. Even stayed away from overbuying and refinancing of real estate for the same reason. Bought low, stayed low, and survived the implosion.
Now some of the things we are talking about like fine china or silver or even dining room sets, were items highly prized by generations in the past. To have a dining room, furniture and the fancy things to have at dinner were what the rich owned and I remember thinking how nice it would be to be able to set a fine table. Our lives have changed dramatically to simplicity. Finally got rid of our wedding china over 10 years ago. Still have my cut rock crystal glasses but I got them at a garage sale.
Well, my kids are here this weekend and they have been SOOO helpful! They made a serious dent in the garage--we've sorted and grouped and trashed. They've gone through their boxes and ditched what they don't want and will take back to Vermont the things they do. Plus they're coming down again to take stuff back up in a U-Haul.
I found a box of sterling silver flatware.. darn it.
"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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