IS IT FAIR TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'VE GOT?
WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO COLLECTORS AND DEALERS HAVE TO CONFESS THAT A PIECE IS WORTH WAY MORE?
TIMES HAVE CHANGED. IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, THRIFT AND CHARITY SHOPS, HAVE INSTITUTED SEVERAL RIGID PRO-ACTIVE POLICIES TO GUARD AGAINST SELLING OFF THEIR DONATED WARES TOO CHEAPLY. MANY OF THE SHOPS HAVE CREATED SILENT AUCTIONS TO RUN, FOR A MONTH'S DURATION, AND HAVE MADE USE OF THE INTERNET TO RESEARCH PIECES THEY DEEM SIGNIFICANT. SOME OF THESE CHARITY SHOPS HAVE BECOME PRETTY SAVVY MARKETING BETTER PIECES, ACTUALLY TURNING TO ON-LINE AUCTION SITES. THIS IS A TAD LABOR INTENSIVE BUT I SUPPOSE IT'S WORTH DOING, IF THE PROFITS WARRANT. AS I HAVE IN THE PAST, MANY DEALERS I KNOW, ARE WILLING TO GIVE FREE ADVICE TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS, BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. I HAD TO QUIT MY VOLUNTEER SERVICES, BECAUSE IT WAS STARTING TO PARALLEL MY OWN BUSINESS. IT SOON BECAME, LIKE ALL OTHER FREE ENTERPRISE, "ALL ABOUT THE MONEY." THEY WANTED MORE! I FELT IT WAS MORE OF A JOB THAN A VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY, AND I JUST COULDN'T GO ALONG WITH THEIR OVER-ZEALOUS AMBITIONS, TO MAKE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE SALES EVEN MORE PROFITABLE. I DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR CAPITALIST AMBITIONS. GOOD FOR THEM. I STARTED OUT AS A VOLUNTEER, WHEN THEY WERE HAVING A TOUGH TIME WITH A BACKLOG OF INVENTORY TO PROCESS; BUT WHAT I WAS REALLY DOING, IN ESSENCE, WAS CREATING AN ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE BUSINESS, WITHIN THE CHARITY SHOP OPERATION.
MY POINT? NOW THAT MANY OF THESE THRIFT AND CHARITY SHOPS ARE HOT TO TROT, IN THE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE FIELD, THEY HAVE IN FACT, BECOME CHALLENGERS AND COMPETITORS IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE. FUNDAMENTALLY, THEY ARE WORKING PARALLEL TO ANTIQUE SHOP OPERATORS, WHO BY THE WAY, DON'T GET THEIR INVENTORY FOR FREE. I RESPECT THE FACT THEY ARE DOING GOOD WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND TRYING TO GET THE MOST FOR THEIR DONATED WARES, TO BOLSTER THEIR CAUSE; YET AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE COMPETING WITH THOSE WHO HAVE TO MAKE A PROFIT SO THEY CAN RE-INVEST….AND EAT. THEN COME THE HIGH COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS AND PAYING TAXES ON TIME. THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE IT THIS WAY, OR EVEN TALK ABOUT IT, EITHER BECAUSE THEY'RE A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION, AND IT MIGHT BE FROWNED UPON BY THE PUBLIC, OR THEY DON'T WANT THE TRUTH OUT THERE, AGAIN DUE TO THE POSSIBLE DISTORTION OF PUBLIC PERCEPTION. THEY MIGHT APPEAR TO BE LOW-KEY AS AN ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE VENUE, BUT THEY HAVE ALL THE HALLMARKS OF DEALERS.
ANTIQUE DEALERS, WHETHER THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SHOPS, OR ARE PART OF A MALL CO-OPERATIVE, HAVE TO WORK HARD TO MAKE A BUCK. IT TAKES YEARS OF LEARNING, BY BOOKS AND THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS, TO GET TO A POINT IN THE PROFESSION, WHEN MORE THAN TEN PERCENT OF THE ITEMS YOU BUY, CAN BE SOLD-OFF FOR A PROFIT. THERE ARE A LOT FEWER ANTIQUE SHOPS TODAY THAN THERE WERE WHEN I WAS APPRENTICING, BACK IN THE 1970'S. THE MOM AND POP ANTIQUE SHOPS ARE RARE TODAY. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ANTIQUE MALL, HAS ALLOWED DEALERS TO JOIN A LARGE AND DIVERSIFIED GROUP OF VENDORS, WITH MODERATE RENTAL COSTS AND CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION. THE COSTS OF OPERATING SMALL SHOPS TODAY, IS AN EXPENSIVE UNDERTAKING. NOW ALONG COME THE CHARITY AND THRIFT SHOPS, AND THEIR ANTIQUE COMPONENT (NOT ALL OF THE SHOPS HAVE AUCTIONS), AND LOW AND BEHOLD, THEY BOLDLY COMPETE WITH THE REST OF US IN THE INDUSTRY. IS IT FAIR? DO I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD CEASE AND DESIST EXPLOITING ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, AND THE KINDNESSES OF THOSE WHO DONATE MATERIALS?
IMAGINE THE SURPRISE OF THE INDIVIDUAL, WHO FOR EXAMPLE, DONATES A PAINTING, THINKING IT MIGHT HELP THE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION MAKE TWENTY BUCKS, TO THEN FIND OUT THAT IN AN ON-LINE AUCTION, WHERE MANAGEMENT DIVERTED IT, TO BE OFFERED INSTEAD (OF THE SHOP), IT SOLD FOR $5,000? NOW WHAT IF THAT PERSON, WHO DONATED THE ITEM, WAS A LITTLE DOWN ON HIS OR HER LUCK TO BEGIN WITH, BUT DECIDED, FOR A RESIDENTIAL MOVE, TO UNLOAD SOME POSSESSIONS. IF THE PERSON KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED, WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD GET, GOING BACK TO THE STORE IN QUESTION, AND ASKING FOR A PIECE OF THE PIE IN RETURN? "IT'S AGAINST STORE POLICY," AND "ANYWAY, HOW WOULD WE DETERMINE THAT IT WAS YOU, WHO DONATED THE PAINTING?" GOOD QUESTION. SO THE ANSWER IS A SIMPLE AND BLUNT, "TOUGH LUCK. YOU SHOULD HAVE CHECKED IT OUT BEFORE MAKING THE DONATION." I COULDN'T CARE LESS IF THESE SHOPS EXPLOIT ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, AND GET GOOD PRICES FOR THEIR EFFORT. BUT HERE'S THE THING. THEY SHOULDN'T EXPECT THAT ANTIQUE DEALERS WILL GIVE UP TRYING TO EXPLOIT THEIR SHORTFALLS. IT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DO…..EVEN THOUGH THEY HATE THE THOUGHT, WE CAN PICK THEIR PRICING AND EVALUATIONS APART…..SO THAT WE CAN PAY OUR RENT AS WELL.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DONORS WHO WOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT DONATING ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, IF THEY SUSPECTED, THEY WERE HANDING OVER SOMETHING OF CONSIDERABLE VALUE. IT'S ONE THING TO DONATE A NICE PAINTING. QUITE ANOTHER TO BE DONATING AN ORIGINAL TOM THOMSON SKETCH, OR AN A.Y. JACKSON ART PANEL. WILL THE STAFF OF THESE STORES GO RUNNING AFTER THE ELDERLY PERSON, WHO GAVE UP ONE OF THESE PAINTINGS…..TRYING TO GIVE IT BACK? WELL, THE ARGUMENT IS, THAT BY TIME THE PAINTING IS OBSERVED, DUSTED OFF AND APPRAISED, THE DONOR WOULD BE LONG GONE. WHILE ONE CHARITY WINS, THE PERSON WHO MAY HAVE REALLY BENEFITED FROM SUCH A WINDFALL, IS NONE THE WISER. UNLESS THEY SEE IT ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS, OR PUBLISHED INTHE DAILY PRESS. THEN IT REALLY SUCKS, TO BE QUITE SO GENEROUS. WHY DO I WRITE SUCH THINGS? HOW DARE I CHALLENGE THE GOOD WORK OF CHARITIES IN THIS REGARD? HERE'S WHY!
THEY HAVE EQUIPPED THEMSELVES TO HANDLE BIG FINDS, AND ARE WILLING TO COMPETE WITH ANTIQUE DEALERS - SO HERE'S OUR GUT REACTION
So you want to play ball eh? Slide us a curve at the plate? Feed us the old knuckle ball! Okay, so here's where we're at! There was a time when we did have a conundrum, and even a legal one, making purchases at these shops, especially if we knew by experience in the profession, that it was worth many, many times the asking price. Most of us who hang out a shingle for our antique businesses, have spent a great portion of our daily lives, being interested and even immersed in or around the profession. Having this experience does give us the advantage….just as it should. The price of success is hard work. I think Punch Imlach of the Toronto Maple Leafs used this one liner in the sixties, to motivate the lads. So having a wealth of experience, in the old days, did give us a lot of advantage over these shops, and yes indeed, major art works and valuable antiques were acquired by dealers, who may have been able to count several thousand percent mark-ups, when they got back to their shops; feeling good about their prowess, while penning-out respective price tags.There have been court cases about this knowledge advantage on our part, disadvantage to others, and the incumbent necessity of those who know, confessing values to shop clerical staff. This came to light, during a case, in which a family had mistakenly donated a valuable painting, along with other estate items set aside for a thrift shop run. When the error was discovered, and the family attended the shop that had received the donation, the painting had already been sold to a dealer, earlier that day. The court case, and I don't know the verdict, was to decide if the art dealer, knowing the painting was worth many times the asking price at the shop, had an obligation to let staff know of the shortfall, before making the acquisition. The dealer, on the other hand, was arguing that it was largely a case of "buyer beware….seller beware as well." It was basically suggesting that knowledge could be a serious disadvantage in similar circumstances. If an average customer had made the same purchase, that would have been fine. It was different for the dealer. Knowledge made the difference, in this case, and the challenge rattled dealers…..who sensed this as being an outrageous discrimination, of being experienced and educated properly in our profession. Like a batter purposely striking out, rather than upsetting the feelings of the opposition pitcher, and potentially threatening his job, by following through with potential, and hitting a dinger over the right field fence. We come by our experience honestly. Why shouldn't we be able to use it to our full advantage? Well, because some people wish to challenge these kinds of things.
Today, as many of these thrift and charity shops have opted for professional consultation, and prefer to put their more significant donations, in silent auctions, most dealers feel this new reality of dispersal, makes it ever more the case of "finders keepers." I agree. I should footnote here, that like many dealers, our family makes many donations to these shops every year, and that includes some nice art work. In the case of the "hunt and gather" work we do, as antique dealers, trying to survive in a tough economy, in a really demanding industry, we expect now that inventory is tightly monitored and vetted, to determine antique value, that we can come and go as we please, buy what we like, without feeling guilty about occasionally making a find that is worth more than the asking price. If they can turn pro in the antique and collectible field, and they don't mind at all competing with us, then they've got to give up some of the hard feeling they show, and react to, when occasionally, they slip up, and the collectors and dealers swoop in to make the catch of the day. It's fair. They've changed their policies, and we've adjusted accordingly.
Funny thing though. I haven't been into one of these shops, which I usually enjoy visiting, where I haven't seen examples of outrageously high pricing, well beyond the value of the subject piece….and market value largely established by the antique trade in the first place. Now who looks foolish? In the antique trade, we train to get it right. Some of us get carried away too. And we get told about it. Here's one small example. I went into a charity shop, and they had a Singer "Featherweight," sewing machine, for $350.00 I started laughing out loud, and I didn't care who heard me. An employee looked at me, and said, "They're valuable you know. We looked them up online. That's what they're selling for." I answered as considerately as I could, to the staffer, who wasn't trying to be a smart ass….just supportive of store policy. I informed her that there is a big difference, when looking at online auctions, of what a "buy it now" price is, or a vendor's "starting price," versus what the piece actually sells for, when all is said than done. This becomes the traded value. Then you make comparisons of what the same items sold for in the past week or month, to develop a better than "ball park" average. A market value, by any other name.
I had gone south that day to buy a featherweight for Suzanne, who needs it for some of her quilt repair work. So I drove two city blocks, from the charity shop, and went into a nice little antique shop, scooped up the Singer they had, which was exactly the same, and in "tested…..working order," for a price of $175. And as dealers help dealers, I got a ten percent discount to boot. Now for the person who eventually bought that featherweight, maybe it was perceived as a bargain. On that day, it wasn't a bargain at all. I save a lot of money driving two blocks, to of all places….an ANTIQUE SHOP!" This happens a lot. On books especially. I'm an old book dealer, and the ridiculous price increases these shops have attached to them, is not only laughable, but ridiculous…..as much as it is self-defeating. They just don't recognize the business they've scared-off, in their bid to become old book dealers as well. I have been buying books from these shops as long as I've been in the antique business. Up to now, I could buy and sell with a little bit of profit to show for the investment. Now, I just browse through the books. So by doing this, they've lost me as a buyer of books. I might spend two to four thousand dollars on books each year. Generally now, I'm simply not buying books, unless they're offered affordably at yard sales, or when I can buy boxes at auctions. These charity shops, have not only become antique shop competition, they have peed on their longtime, loyal customers, who have spent a lot of cash in their stores. This is a big mistake because antique dealers like to spend their profits, buying more and more and more.
I can not feel guilty, thusly, finding something in a thrift or charity shop, that is worth a lot more than the asking price. They have decided to play our game on our field, and why would we feel we have to give them a handicap, especially when they compete with us for customers, on inventory they have been given for free? Well sir, they want their cake to and eat it too. It doesn't work that way. And truth be known, antique dealers are much better at their jobs than half-bum, sort-of dealer-kind, who think they know it all, because they've got a few price guides behind the counter, and access to the internet…..which is the false sense of security, we in the trade, know how to counter-point and evaluate, based on condition and regional market conditions.
I still attend these shops with the same vigor as always. Our family still spend lots of cash helping these organization, help those in financial distress. But we certainly know the difference between the old days, and the new normal, where collectible prices have pretty much guaranteed, our carts are much less full, at check-out time. But do they sell these wares to others? They probably do. Which is the point of this blog. They are directly competing with those of us who are fully engaged in the antique profession. Which is fine, as long as they play nice…..and cease complaining about antique dealers who take advantage of them. This just isn't so.
Thanks very much for visiting today. I might sound like a frustrated old antique dealer, but I'm just old. I love my profession, and it has served me well over my working life. But I've seen a lot of stuff, and some of it isn't pretty. I have known many incredibly talented and knowledgable antique dealers, who have shared with me their amazing stories…..of treasure hunting, and the big finds that didn't get away. No matter what obstacles are thrown in our path, experience and acquired knowledge, through reading and networking with others, always gives us an advantage over our competitors. It's how we stay in business, or at times, to the contrary, why we have to haul in the shingle for the last time. Please visit again, and we'll share some more insider stories, about the curious folks who haunt the antique trade. Like me!
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