Hi All, I have a friend of a friend that is selling his lifetime
collection (several hundreds of pounds) of Jade. It is
predominately black, with numerous collector pieces. Several items
in the collection are over 100 lbs in size.
I have no financial interest in this, just doing another friend a
favor. For a look at this collection, go to my Web site and click on
Jade. http://www.rocksmyth.com/jade I have no idea if the
prices he
is asking are a steal, about right, or over the top, but I’m sure he
is willing to negotiate.
Have fun browsing…
Love and God Bless
-randy
Randy, I looked at the web page and cannot agree nor disagree with
the prices. I would not try to market the pieces as individuals.
Lots of times I am called to purchase a collection and arrive to find
that the collection has been picked over by all the owners friends.
What is left are pieces that require a lot of labor to make them
saleable or pieces that have very little market appeal. I usually
will not purchase this kind of collection. If the collection was
whole I would make an offer on the whole collection. Your friend as
a seller must make up his mind how much money he wants for the
collection. He should know how much he paid for the collection.
Then he should price the collection at one price. I would go to some
of the more notable jade carvers and make them an offer to sell.
Selling this collection could take a quite a while. Taking this mans
age in consideration I would advise him to make a list of each piece
and what he paid for the piece so that his heirs will have something
to go on if he dies before the collection is sold. Otherwise the
"undertakers" in the gemstone business will swoop in and buy the
collection, normally at 10% of the value the undertaker assigns to
the collection. I have seen many collections liquidated by heirs who
had no idea of the value of the collection. Another word of advice.
This collection belongs to the individual, there is no quicker way I
know to lose a friend than to get involved in their financial deals.
Especially when it comes to a collection in which they have the
passion of collecting involved. I would back away and offer him
advice, but not try to sell his collection for him.
Gerry Galarneau
Gerry, Excellent advice. In the past, I too, have had people come to
me with collections for purchase. They have some smoke and mirror
value with nothing at all to back it up and when I do make an offer
they wail and knash their teeth. Now I try to make it simple and
tell them I will give them a fair price (fair to both) with the
understanding that while the offer may sound low, it will take my
time and experience to prepare the material (which they do not have)
and I will have to find the market for it (which they do not have
either). But I make only one offer and its take it or leave it. In
fact, these days I don’t buy much unless it is really special…have
too much stock as it is!
Cheers from Don at The Charles Belle Studio in SOFL where simple
elegance IS fine jewelry and it hasn’t rained in weeks and weeks!
@coralnut1
All, Anyone trying to sell a collection should also consider going
back to the dealer that sold them the items. Especially one of a
kind items. As a dealer I have sold many special items that can
never be replaced. If the person that purchased the items wanted to
offer them for sale again I would be very interested. Even if I can
not purchase them myself I know of other customers who might be
interested.
Gerry Galarneau