Family hand-me downs and antiques...what to do....

[drummerboy]

  So I've run into a problem I believe is fairly common amongst 1st world westerners, and that is too much stuff.  I've gone through most my possessions fairly rigorously and most of it is stuff I use on a regular or seasonal basis, or related to hobbies or interests.  Not too many nic-nacs, apart from a few sentimental ones.  The same cannot be said of "old stuff" my parents keep giving me.  Old family antiques, old books, and old sporting gear (lots of antique fishing rods for example, and old Eagle bait casting reels - I don't bait cast).  I live in a fairly small ranch style house, and foresee the day when my parents pass on - may it be many, many years - but their house is in some ways a museum.  Loads of heirlooms, including china dinnerware brought from England.  Obviously it will be divvied between my siblings, but I'm already close to bursting with stuff.  For example, there is literally nowhere in my house to put a large china cabinet with porcelain I will never use, I'm lucky to have space for book shelves as it is. Anyone else run into this problem, and how did you deal with it?

[TerrorDæmonum]

Find new owners for things that one does not use or want. Do not form overly emotional attachments to items.

You are receiving these things because of this very issue: they found new owners. The fact you accept it means that you are likely to be offered more. You are their solution. Be more selective on what you accept. For speed, dealers generally know the value, the market, and will give you cash for whatever is valuable to them. The difference is generally around 50% and this is fair, because the time and effort it takes to get the highest priest with the right buyer for any given item can be worth a significant amount. So bringing things to dealers can generally be most expedient and the best deal if you are not interested in dealing with individual buyers and the risks associated with them.

[Acolyte]

  So I've run into a problem I believe is fairly common amongst 1st world westerners, and that is too much stuff.  I've gone through most my possessions fairly rigorously and most of it is stuff I use on a regular or seasonal basis, or related to hobbies or interests.  Not too many nic-nacs, apart from a few sentimental ones.  The same cannot be said of "old stuff" my parents keep giving me.  Old family antiques, old books, and old sporting gear (lots of antique fishing rods for example, and old Eagle bait casting reels - I don't bait cast).  I live in a fairly small ranch style house, and foresee the day when my parents pass on - may it be many, many years - but their house is in some ways a museum.  Loads of heirlooms, including china dinnerware brought from England.  Obviously it will be divvied between my siblings, but I'm already close to bursting with stuff.  For example, there is literally nowhere in my house to put a large china cabinet with porcelain I will never use, I'm lucky to have space for book shelves as it is. Anyone else run into this problem, and how did you deal with it?

That old fishing gear is desirable.

I inherited a house and a garage full of antiques in 2001. Quit my job and sold stuff on eBay. I knew the general worth and all because I grew up watching them collect it.

My wife, who knew nothing about antiques, sure knew how to pick what items to keep. Mostly glassware. By the time she passed away, the bottom dropped out of it. Collectors of elegant glassware are dying off and will of the sudden all of these rare/desirable pieces were flooding the market. Their heirs have no interest in them.

A big part of the heyday of the antique buisness was people buying stuff for reasons such as "wow, my great grandma had one of those ". Sentimental driven interest. Today, as time has moved on all of those old things aren't part of most people's memories.

Those items my wife wanted to keep. We had two candy jars made by Heisey Glass Co. The 5 lb size that stood over 15" tall. Book value in 2000 was 2000.00 each. In 2016, I contacted the Heisey Collectors club asking if they could help me find a buyer, and told them I'd donate 20% to the club or a charity of their choice. The person I talked to declined the offer but gave me the number of a club member near where I live. That member wasn't interested and was selling her collection but gave me the number of the only person she knew of that was still buying. He was a reseller and asked me to give him time to find a buyer.

2 weeks later he called and said he found a buyer. He offered me 500 dollars for the pair. 25% of book value, and told me I was welcome to list them on eBay if I thought I could get more. I thought be was just trying to make a killing on them so I took a day to take them to 6 or 7 antique dealers in town. They all knew how rare they were but all of them told me the same thing. Too late, the bottom dropped out of the glassware craze. None would even make an offer.

About a month later I called the guy back and sold them to him.

Anyhow some things still sell well. Certain pocket knives, guns, tobacco advertising items, etc. You just have to find what category on eBay an item like or similar to yours is selling for. You have to search the completed listings for the true selling price. You can't go by "buy it now" prices.

Good luck with it all. Inheriting antiques can be a curse if you don't want to keep them these days.