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From Asheford Institute of Antiques: Can Million-Dollar

            Garage Sale Finds Still Be Had?

            NEW YORK CITY – With the current Internet frenzy regarding the   Mission chairs she once picked up after a seller offered her a nominal
            auction of a garage sale bowl that was bought for $35 in Connecticut, and   fee to just “haul them away.”
            sold at Sotheby’s for just over $720,000, Mark Davies, an online collector   For others in the market, garage “saleing” has become more about
            and dealer in porcelain for over thirty years, says he believes that finds of   strategy. Bruce Hodgson, an antique and vintage jewelry dealer from
            this caliber, while still quite rare, are more common than people might   South Florida, says that over the years, even though he’s developed a
            know. “I haven’t made six-figures, or anything like that,” says Davies, “but   multitude of different systems for acquiring inventory, he keeps coming
            over the years I’ve purchased multiple examples from yard sales that I went   back to garage sales. “There’s simply no replacing box-lots,” says Hodgson.
            on to resell for hundreds of times more than what I paid.” In some   “Everyone can see a beautiful walnut table that was passed on down from
            instances, Davies says that he’s earned thousands of dollars off of items he   Grandma, but what’s often not seen are the pieces of family jewelry that
            found discarded at the end of a sale. “They were literally throwing the stuff   just get dumped into the bottom of boxes.” Hodgson says he can’t recount
            out.” says Davies. While not every outing can bring in such rewards,   the number of times he’s come across rings and broaches thought to be
            Davies confesses that if he had to add-up his best inventory finds over the   worthless that ended up helping him set monthly sales records. “I’m very
            last thirty years, hands-down, it would still be his picks from Saturday   particular about what garage sales I go to,” says Hodgson, “I plan my route
            morning yard-sales that provided the most return on investment.    around neighborhoods with retirees—the older the folks—the older the
               Many dealers acknowledge that sourcing out good quality items can   stuff.” Hodgson also believes that having a lifetime worth of experience
            be tougher today than in the past, since it’s not only those holding the   in the jewelry business has helped him immensely when it comes to
            garage sale who are doing their research, but also the customers. Cheryl   competition from the Saturday morning price-checkers. “It’s not nearly as
            Oaks, an antique dealer from Irvine, California says that sales she   easy to identify a genuine piece of antique jewelry from a picture on a
            attends today are littered with armies of phone-holders conducting   phone, as it is in person,” says Hodgson. “You’re definitely going to be
            online price-checks and and bid comparisons. “It’s obviously not what   handicapped if you can’t bring some prior knowledge to the sale.”
            you want to see,” says Oaks, “but by the same token, I’ve found that    While most dealers would likely agree that garage sale competition
            a lot of people tend to get frustrated when they can’t get quick and   has been getting stiffer over the last ten years due to the public’s increased
            definitive answers, and will often leave an item behind because they’re   awareness of “value” items, many would also argue that there are simply
            unsure about its actual value or authenticity.” Oaks believes that a    more garage sales now than ever before due to the aging boomer popula-
            lot of this has to do with information overload. “They’re not really    tion. For Mike Horlock, who has been picking sales in the Atlanta region
            professionals, they’re just punters out looking for something to do,” she   for the last forty years, it’s become a delicate balance. “Prior to the
            says. “When they come across an item they can’t readily identify, they   boomers disposing of their goods and chattels, most of what I found was
            become inundated with a slew of online examples, which tends to    headed straight to flea markets for resale - today, it’s pretty much going
            create uncertainty.” Oaks says she’s lost out a few times to the Saturday   straight to antique and vintage shops.” Horlock says he would have been
            morning crowd, but in the long run, says that some of her best    lucky to come across high-value garage sale items back then, but today,
            inventory still comes from garage sales, including some original Stickley   it’s almost a common occurrence. Visit asheford.com for more articles.

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