Sort of a servery for you resellers & your opinions on how to list this piece

[inspectorgadget]

I want to do a servery on what other resellers would do with this piece... And some other thoughts you might have on it as well!

It's a Delaplane signed set of 4 clay owl sculptures on a wood stick. The only other piece I can find like it for sale or recently sold just ended on eBay but it was 1 single owl on a little piece of wood (2" wide x 4" tall). Mine is 4 owls & only about 3" tall but its tad over 9" wide. The one on eBay sold for $40.50 & the seller has only 21 stars & a 95.7% rating which IMO isn't one bit going to help him get top dollar but it might not hurt him on that type of piece either.

The only other 1 I found is on worthpoint that sold on eBay in 08 for because I don't pay for that site! That one had 3 owls is 8" tall but has no width or length listed, (prolly 5"ish wide).

Regardless I don't know what it sold for anyhow but both of the 2 I found are signed & dated 70 tho mine is just signed not dated & mine is signed in a nicer looking fashion than the one that was just on eBay (the one on worthpoint doesn't show the signature)

My questions are #1 do you think this is older or newer than the dated ones & why isn't it dated? I think earlier rather than later pieces might not get dated or am I thinking backwards?

#2 What would you start this out at? There is way to little info to go on & seeing that a single owl just sold for $40.50 from an unestablished seller does that make this one worth in the $160-$165 range? Or even more possibly a lot more because I can't find one with 4 owls anywhere.

I'd like to run a BIN at like $300 with best offers or should I just run an auction starting at like $150? The other one that just sold only got 2 bids so that worries me in starting it at a real low starting bid price as it obviously is kind of rare & the people interested in these things might be very limited too. BTW I NEVER EVER do reserve auctions & I never bid on them either as I feel if $200 is your reserve then just start it at $200 & quit playing games!

Opinions? Thoughts? Now here are the pix of what I'm talking about.

The $40.50 ebay one first http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1970-Clay-Owl-Sculpture-By-Artist-John-W-Delaplane-Signed-/231098950841?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=l7Dkz4kCoqAUaXnYiULYocV%252BVAA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc


The one on worthpoint from 08 http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-owl-sculpture-singed-john-delaplane


& the one I have to sell

 

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[clovis97]

Since you aren't hurting for money, I'd try a high BIN price with B/O. You can always drop the price later if it doesn't sell.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Since you aren't hurting for money, I'd try a high BIN price with B/O. You can always drop the price later if it doesn't sell.

Yup!


Start High!..Ive burned myself by not knowing the worth of something and listed it as a BIN only to see it sell in a matter of minutes

 

[diggummup]

I agree, you can always lower the price.

ps-I think you mean a survey not a servery.

serv·er·y
ˈsərvərē/
nounBRIT.

[COLOR=#878787 !important][/COLOR]

• 1.
  a counter, service hatch, or room from which meals are served.
  
  

 

[Nickleanddime]

Yes start high, on ebay there's more people willing to pay it then in person. Good luck

 

[gunsil]

Most items on ebay go for what they're worth even with a $.99 starting price if they are advertised in the proper category. Often things go for stupid money because two bidders get into a p***ing match and the next one goes for less because the two who went nuts on the item are now one since the other one got his. One can't be sure of getting the same amount as another person does, it's an auction after all. Diggin probably wouldn't have gotten burned or felt he'd gotten burned if he had put his items at auction instead of BIN. I buy a lot of things on ebay and usually filter out the BINs because they are usually more than the items are worth. If you've got the goods people will pay what they're worth in an auction format. I do use a reserve if I am selling a more valuable and/or esoteric item for which there might not be a lot of folks interested in, but I mostly sell good quality antiques and collectibles and have yet to have a reserve not met.

 

[diggummup]

Most items on ebay go for what they're worth even with a $.99 starting price if they are advertised in the proper category. Often things go for stupid money because two bidders get into a p***ing match and the next one goes for less because the two who went nuts on the item are now one since the other one got his. One can't be sure of getting the same amount as another person does, it's an auction after all. Diggin probably wouldn't have gotten burned or felt he'd gotten burned if he had put his items at auction instead of BIN. I buy a lot of things on ebay and usually filter out the BINs because they are usually more than the items are worth. If you've got the goods people will pay what they're worth in an auction format. I do use a reserve if I am selling a more valuable and/or esoteric item for which there might not be a lot of folks interested in, but I mostly sell good quality antiques and collectibles and have yet to have a reserve not met.

You put reserves on items? That's one of my biggest turn offs. I see a reserve on something, i'll usually keep on going. Won't give it a second look.

 

[trdhrdr007]

There is no doubt that most items sold at auction on ebay sell for their fair market value. However, there are some items that have high value & low demand. List an item like that & you will get burned on a regular basis.

I suspect the item in the OP is one of those. If listed with a low start price & no reserve there's a good chance it will sell at a low price to someone who knows how/where to market it to the specialist collector.

 

[gunsil]

There is no doubt that most items sold at auction on ebay sell for their fair market value. However, there are some items that have high value & low demand. List an item like that & you will get burned on a regular basis.

I suspect the item in the OP is one of those. If listed with a low start price & no reserve there's a good chance it will sell at a low price to someone who knows how/where to market it to the specialist collector.

Precisely the items I am talking about putting a reserve on. Most of the time I use no reserve. Of course "getting burned" is kind of a comparative idea. If one gets $200 for an item they paid five bucks for at a flea and another seller gets $300 for the same item that's not getting burned in my eyes since a huge profit was made. One cannot expect to get the same as others have due to who is watching at the time, who has money to spend at the time, etc. A BIN with best offer is essentially the same as an auction. Always make your auctions end on a weekend evening and try not to have them end on a family holiday such as today. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

 

[inspectorgadget]

Most items on ebay go for what they're worth even with a $.99 starting price if they are advertised in the proper category. Often things go for stupid money because two bidders get into a p***ing match and the next one goes for less because the two who went nuts on the item are now one since the other one got his. One can't be sure of getting the same amount as another person does, it's an auction after all. Diggin probably wouldn't have gotten burned or felt he'd gotten burned if he had put his items at auction instead of BIN. I buy a lot of things on ebay and usually filter out the BINs because they are usually more than the items are worth. If you've got the goods people will pay what they're worth in an auction format. I do use a reserve if I am selling a more valuable and/or esoteric item for which there might not be a lot of folks interested in, but I mostly sell good quality antiques and collectibles and have yet to have a reserve not met.

Agree MOST items sell on eBay for what their worth but there are those things that are strange "valuable but sort of a low demand item". I prefer to start all of my items that will sell for a guaranteed dollar amount as cheap as possible (or well at .99 cents). I want that bid war it CAN bring on! I find many many BIN deals that are almost to good to be true & I buy them! Just pulled off a super BIN purchase on eBay it was $19.99 free shipping & listed correctly it will sell for $80-$85+ shipping.

You put reserves on items? That's one of my biggest turn offs. I see a reserve on something, i'll usually keep on going. Won't give it a second look.

I agree it is my biggest turn off as well! I pass right by most listings with reserves that are not met (bids but just not high enough). I refuse to do a reserve auction! If $200 is by bottom dollar that $199 is my starting bid price!

There is no doubt that most items sold at auction on ebay sell for their fair market value. However, there are some items that have high value & low demand. List an item like that & you will get burned on a regular basis.

I suspect the item in the OP is one of those. If listed with a low start price & no reserve there's a good chance it will sell at a low price to someone who knows how/where to market it to the specialist collector.

I agree with you 100%, I have been burned in my early years (about 10 years ago now). The high potential value item but with a limited or even a very limited market. You can get burned EASY!

The last one anything like this one got sniped right at the end.. Only 2 bidders.