Do I Sell or Keep It?

The auction is over and that excitement is transferred to the items I bought, which can lead to a tough decision. Sell or keep?

Do I keep the special item I’ve been looking for, for years, or sell it? Or do I keep the unique cool piece and start a new colleciton!

So I start to unpack my auction wins with anticipation of what I should do. I will carefully unwrap the items and place them on a shelf.

As I do this I think about what would look good in my collection, how can I fit it in. What should I sell to replace with the new treasure. I think about how to make room for it, do I move a piece this way or that way. Decisions, decisions.

I will first take pictures of the what I bought. Pictures from every angle, pictures of the bottom of makers mark and flaws. I will write down measurements and any flaws. Next ,I will upload the photos and the fun part begins for me - the research.

I will start with my reference books for maker and pattern name. If it can’t be found, I will search the many online reference sites. If I can pin down a maker and pattern, then it's off to research what it is being sold for.

I will become excited when I start figuring out that I have a gem that I didn’t pay much fo and didn‘t know anything about, it was a guess. Or I try to fight the feeling of disappointment when I find out a piece is common and doesn’t sell well.

With so many wonderful pieces, I know I can’t keep them all, so this is the tough part for me, deciding what to keep, and what to sell and for how much.
 
Kim Lenz
Max's Three Rivers Finds
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/maxsthreeriversfinds