Deciding whether to sell a treasured possession is rarely simple. But sometimes the decision is easier than you think. Unwanted items, duplicate pieces, things gathering dust in a drawer … these are what Katrina calls “nonperforming assets.” That diamond ring from an ex, Grandma’s watch you never wear, gold jewelry sitting idle in a box, Grandpa’s pocketwatch or watch collection … all of these can be converted into cash for a vacation, a stock investment, or simply peace of mind. Downsizing, relocating, settling an estate … these are all perfectly good reasons to sell.
But here’s when you should not sell: when you’re desperate. Desperation is visible, and some dealers will exploit it. More importantly, never sell something that will leave, as Katrina says, “a hole in your psyche or a loneliness in your heart.” An heirloom gone is often gone forever.
Before you come see us at Hess Fine Art, do your homework. Check values online, remembering that condition is everything, and that every dealer including us … pays wholesale, not retail. Then come in and let us prove how good we are. (Oh, and we will almost always … 99% of the time … beat other dealers, even big online buyers in California and New York (we even buy from many of them!)
And if you need a quick non-written “value” of something you want to keep, bring it in with the things you are selling … we will be happy to give a free spoken valuation.
We paid almost $100,000 for this Gerald Cassidy, New Mexico painting.
