General Chat

I had a feeling it was about £400 maybe a bit more. I know it was found in a box of jumble stuff and was sold in aid of the church.

pmsl Ann, I just googled Flog it camel pincushion as I couldn't recall the price of that item on a recent programme. You should have seen the content of one site that came up (I mean the part of the content that showed on the list - I didn't go on to the site to read the rest!)

I know the little camel made a very good price, but I can't remember exactly what now.

Lizx

The weight will be from the sawdust that the cushion is filled with,,,,,the early ones the cushion was filled with metal shards,it used to keep the pins sharpe.

You can put him on an auction site and have a hidden reserve just to see what interest it brings,,,,,if it gets a bid you cant withdraw it though,,,or use a Buy it Now price,that way its qucker.

he's a very solid little pig with no dents - quite heavy in fact - made in Birmingham - the actual cushion bit is a bit worn - I've looked on various websites and £300 seems to be the average price

Sell it privatley.


A collector will pay a little more if sold privatley and meets their condition needs and not a common one,pigs are plenty ........if it has any dents its lost money to start with as they cant be pulled out with the silver so thin..

the more unusal the animal the more someone will pay...

Lots of reproductions ones about the fairs,,925.

Oh! Does the poor thing squeak when you put the pins in? :-(

Did you see Flog it yesterday Ann? There was one on there but it was a sitting camel which they said was more rare than a standing camel and pigs etc. It had a replaced cushion but that didn't seem to matter was assayed in Birmingham in 1903. It went for a good price but I can't for the life of me remember what that was.

Oh and I often look at the Selling Antiques site, and to be honest I think a lot of the items on there are vastly overpriced. ;-)

One thing to remember is when selling at Auction are the fees.

So get a valuation from a dealer, then go to your local aution house (or look online) and see how much their fees are) then consider which is the best option.

Another thing is to check the hallmarks, especially the makers mark as some are far more collectable than others. One by an unknown maker could go for a reasonable amount, whereas one made by a well known silversmith could go for far more. I would recommend to do this before taking it anywhere, so you have a good idea what you are talking about. No matter how reputable any dealer is, if they think you do not know what you have, they will seize the opportunity to make a quick buck.

Personally, as it is a small item, I would rathe keep it. Hand it on to a family member. Or unless you really need the money, donate it to a favoured charity.

:-) <3

Ann, just checked, there is one on Ebay priced at the moment £295. **M**.

thank you all very much for your advice - much appreciated :-) :-)

Hi Ann,
In Newcastle we have Anderson Garland Auctioneers where people take their antiques for a valuation and I'm thinking there might be similar companies in Cardiff
so check your local directory.

GP

Here you are sweetie, this one might be more informative, if you aint seen it. :-)

http://www.antique-marks.com/selling-antiques.html

How about photographing it and sending copies be email to Antique shops in the city? Make sure you take one of the hallmark.

If they make you an offer, you could compare it to the valuation from the auction house.
How about ebay?

You do have to bear in mind that a dealer or shop does have to make a profit, so if you've been comparing prices from shop windows, you are unlikely to be able to sell at the same price.

Where l work in town we take anything valuable to the local antiques shop, they are very helpful. As you have a rough idea of its value you'll know if they are giving you a good estimate or not, then l would take it to an auction with a reserve on it :-) :-)
Also check on line to get comparisons :-)

jude

edit...missed a word out...doh

X posted there, silver piggies are popular :-)

If it's silver you might find a local jeweller can give you guidance, worth a try :-D

Depending on what it is I would have a look online at similar items for values, then ask a 'good' auction house for their valuation. Dealers will obviously pay as little as they can, so you would need to put on a fair reserve if you sold at auction to protect yourself if there is only low bidding on the day ( check how much commision you will have to pay also).

thanks Brian - have a fair idea of the value - it's a Victorian silver pin cushion in the shape of little pig - made in Birmingham

Have you had a dekko here? It might help in appraising the article.


http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/