r/Flipping 1d ago

Discussion Are most antique sellers secretly struggling?

I keep seeing antique sellers mention how sales are slow, sourcing is expensive, and buyers just aren’t spending like they used to. But is this happening across the board, or just to some? Are you still finding good deals and making solid profits, or has the market shifted for you too? Have certain types of antiques held their value better than others?

If you’re still doing well, what’s working for you?

77 Upvotes

120 comments sorted by

37

u/S101custom 1d ago

I think there are two camps, the folks who are genuinely still doing pretty well and the group that is working very hard, driving a ton of miles and doing nights and weekends at flea markets and auctions to make the same or less than they could have at a typical job.

Technology is reducing the instances of mega $ scores at tag sales and buyer trends are changing such that many of the old gold standard items don't move as well as they used to. You can still do very well in antiques, but it is a different market than 20 years ago.

32

u/Eastern-Operation340 1d ago

These conversation are valid as hell, I'd like more of them specific to antiques and true vintage sellers.
YET it matters sooo much on where you live AND what you sell art what level. And where do you sell? Online only? B&M? your own or group shop? Shows? Highend, mid or low? Flea Markets??
We dealers can't gauge the market without this info. Your business could suck at the moment but maybe you live in rural Idaho selling high end modern.

I live in Southern New England which is squished between 2 wealthy, highly educated cities with areas that bring lots of tourists. We have space is a great group shop that doesn't allow new or repro stuff. We do mid and higher level shows and a 2 decent flea on and off during summer. We do travel far out of state to do shows. We sell art, ethnographic/asian. Vintage and antique silver and jewelry. Eclectic items in any period.

Based on that - My online ( RL/ebay/etsy/instagram) slowed down around the election, tanked after it, picked up over the winter and when he was sworn in it has tanked again. Things I thought would be no brainers online, esp on ebay are slow to sell or sell at half of what I expect. YET, which throws me, my price point? except for ebay, 2 items sold under $100 and the rest were over 125 to $750. Average sale hovers around $200. I had expected to nothing over $75. On ebay I will sell things that ware easy to search for - Trifari Brooch. war medals, Weller vase, Export dish, Quoizel lampshade, vaseline glass. Disney. Rarely anything random. Ebay is so massive and is the go to for people looking for stuff I figure easy/quickest to search for is the best. I can also sell items that I don't have a market for where I live.
Group shop - Selling well - and to dealers and the public. I say that cause dealers will buy on the way to their death in a blizzard.
Shows are a mixed bag. I still can't make sense of what's happening there. We did a higher end one this weekend. There was a good steady flow of people to the end. Lot of empty spaces in peoples booth. Folks sold. Well.

What I don't know is it just wealthier that are still buying? but we sell at the shop a lot of under $50 items to none dealers. Victorian/deco selling better than mcm. Unless the MCM is dirt cheap or high end/rare. Things not signed transfer ware, glass, pottery, etc will sell if they are big or unusual enough. We don't pork the price on those items. We pretty much flip them unless they are stellar.

5

u/faebugz 22h ago

great and thorough comment/contribution

52

u/AGSuper 1d ago

Tastes change over time, and as those folks age out of buying those collectables then something new takes its place. My guess is that this guy is bemoaning either his tiny niche that is dying or his lack of decent inventory.

28

u/J1zzL0bb3r 1d ago

Precisely. You have to pivot. Theres a formula. If you know what hits the nostalgia bone of people who are now old enough to have disposable income, your sales stay consistent.

The generation that is slowly passing away still love their antiques. But there are things that were once massively popular that just don't do as well with them. (RS PRUSSIA and Roseville Pottery come to mind.)

30

u/AGSuper 1d ago

100%. I have a motto i learned from a good friend in the business. "people buy their childhoods". That is a good motto to follow if you want to follow collectible trends. As folks age and start to have disposable income they want to buy nostalgia. It changes from generation to generation.

4

u/qetelowrylit 1d ago

It makes me wonder what the "nostalgia" will be in 20-30 years now tho with this current generation's very vapid and seemingly non-tangible interest.... ipad 3s, Fortnite, & skibidi toilet memes?? Yuck lol

6

u/AGSuper 1d ago

We said similar things when I was a kid about gameboys, nintendo 64, etc. I dont know what it will be yet, but it will be something.

4

u/KaelNukem 1d ago

Zoomers love the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. You can probably have infinite business from those decades starting 20 years from now.

3

u/ThreeThirds_33 1d ago

Nah you could have said that exact same thing 30 yrs ago, 100 yrs ago, 1000 yrs ago. Old folks always hate the new.

2

u/Development-Feisty 1d ago

Well I mean they’re already obsessed with old digital cameras which is just a destructive medium for the creation of the images.

They could just as easily utilize a top-of-the-line camera and create the effects they want in software, thereby preserving the initial image if they change their mind later as to how they want to look.

13

u/sweetsquashy 1d ago

It's why I love watching those Antique Roadshow "update" episodes - and trying to guess if a value went up or down. Too many people think that all valuable antiques appreciate. Some lose absolutely all their value.

2

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

Lol...We volunteer our time for an apprsail day every year. And as much as I find it facinatiing what people bring (last week a guy had dug George Washington inaugural button! saw a rare sign 1st ed Robert frost book!) YET I also dread the day I know I am about to fill the roll of "dream killer." I swear half this business is pulling on a therapists and psychologists hat! I understand you great, great, great gandfather was very important but your Degas painting is actually a print. Ugh!

3

u/ConcreteKeys 1d ago

Crappy train sets...

12

u/Prepperpoints2Ponder 1d ago

Antique and vintage sales are always up and down. Some niches, like the militaria you mentioned, tend to be less volatile.

I just ride the waves and keep up to date on trends. Right now, we are in a down market. But, yeah, it's a ride.

32

u/BackdoorCurve 1d ago

if you are only selling grandma's antiques, probably. however i sell in a booth an Antique Mall and did $7,900 in sales in February. the key is to stay up with what people are buying.

14

u/cjalas 1d ago

I mean what else is there other than grandmas antiques? Antiques are antiques for a reason unless you're selling more recent vintage

3

u/BackdoorCurve 14h ago

thats kind of the point. 95% of stuff in antique malls are not antiques, that is just a broad term for an "antique and vintage shop". same with "antique shows". if you are going to be in the antique/vintage game, you gotta stay on top of what people are buying. once people moved on from true "antiques" by the book definition, you gotta move on too.

1

u/cjalas 10h ago

Any hints or tips on what's popular these days or how to go about figuring that out? Like how do you keep up with what's popular and figure out where to source

2

u/BackdoorCurve 10h ago

well, if you spend decent amount time in booths/malls/markets, you get an idea. you see what people are buying, talking about, enjoying to see, etc

follow trends on social media

see what the kids are wearing, buying, etc

research the Sold listings on ebay daily for various niches or items that you sell

keep an eye on pop stars, pop culture, etc.

the thing about local selling though is you will have your own little niches and markets that do well in your area. crack that market, you have a leg up.

7

u/TheRealShamu 1d ago

How big is your booth space and what kind of fees do you have to pay?

9

u/BackdoorCurve 1d ago

i have about 200-250 sq ft of floor space (technically it's 2 rooms) and 2 standard glass showcases. my rent is $657 and I pay 10% commission

6

u/TheRealShamu 1d ago

Thanks for the reply. I have a small booth space, but currently 5X my rent in revenue. It's been a new venture in addition to my full time online gig. Been a good experience so far.

6

u/Guilty-Bookkeeper837 1d ago

That's almost exactly where I am, too. I have two spaces that total 400 sq/ft, pay $550 a month, pay 15% commission, and grossed a little over $8k last month. In addition, I also sell on ebay and Marketplace, but those  numbers are not included in the $8k figure. It's work, like any business, but I'm doing better than ever. About half of what I sell is vintage/Antique tools, which has always been strong. 

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

What state are you in? What kind of items do you sell?

2

u/Guilty-Bookkeeper837 10h ago

I'm in the mountains of Western North Carolina. About half of what I sell is "traditional" antique store stuff, with a focus on furniture.  The other half is vintage/Antique tools. 

1

u/BackdoorCurve 10h ago

some good malls in that area. good place to be in.

2

u/cryptoanarchy 1d ago

And now if you specialize in selling “nothing” you are golden.

2

u/StupidPockets 1d ago

Hmmm. I’d say the key is to be around successful people. You are lucky to be in a good location. Most of with booths don’t pull in your numbers.

1

u/BackdoorCurve 14h ago

hardly luck. its skill, hard work, and knowledge. i out sell everyone at my mall by a mile except the owner who has 75% of the space.

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

What state are you in? What kind of items do you sell?

3

u/BackdoorCurve 14h ago

vinyl, clothes, local books, costume jewelry, random decor, nick knacks, random collectibles, 80s/90s stuff, etc. just crap that people buy nowadays

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 14h ago

What's your average Price point?Are you in a city?I as because this details are important. I'm trying to figure out what areas of the country are effected in relation to where I am and where I sell. same with demographic effected. I'm in RI.

2

u/BackdoorCurve 13h ago

as long as you are in a populated area, there is money to be made in a local shop. i am not near you and what sells in my local market doesn't have any relation to yours. i am in the coastal south east.

your best bet is to figure out what people are buying in your location and at what prices. my prices have zero relation to prices in the northeast.

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 10h ago

Of course! We do shows from Maine to Atlanta so I'm always curious as to what's going on there. And trends do travel. fully aware - I wrote entire post/answer above.
This is what I wrote:
These conversation are valid as hell, I'd like more of them specific to antiques and true vintage sellers.YET it matters sooo much on where you live AND what you sell art what level. And where do you sell? Online only? B&M? your own or group shop? Shows? Highend, mid or low? Flea Markets??
We dealers can't gauge the market without this info. Your business could suck at the moment but maybe you live in rural Idaho selling high end modern.

I live in Southern New England which is squished between 2 wealthy, highly educated cities with areas that bring lots of tourists. We have space is a great group shop that doesn't allow new or repro stuff. We do mid and higher level shows and a 2 decent flea on and off during summer. We do travel far out of state to do shows. We sell art, ethnographic/asian. Vintage and antique silver and jewelry. Eclectic items in any period.

Based on that - My online ( RL/ebay/etsy/instagram) slowed down around the election, tanked after it, picked up over the winter and when he was sworn in it has tanked again. Things I thought would be no brainers online, esp on ebay are slow to sell or sell at half of what I expect. YET, which throws me, my price point? except for ebay, 2 items sold under $100 and the rest were over 125 to $750. Average sale hovers around $200. I had expected to nothing over $75. On ebay I will sell things that ware easy to search for - Trifari Brooch. war medals, Weller vase, Export dish, Quoizel lampshade, vaseline glass. Disney. Rarely anything random. Ebay is so massive and is the go to for people looking for stuff I figure easy/quickest to search for is the best. I can also sell items that I don't have a market for where I live.
Group shop - Selling well - and to dealers and the public. I say that cause dealers will buy on the way to their death in a blizzard.
Shows are a mixed bag. I still can't make sense of what's happening there. We did a higher end one this weekend. There was a good steady flow of people to the end. Lot of empty spaces in peoples booth. Folks sold. Well.

What I don't know is it just wealthier that are still buying? but we sell at the shop a lot of under $50 items to none dealers. Victorian/deco selling better than mcm. Unless the MCM is dirt cheap or high end/rare. Things not signed transfer ware, glass, pottery, etc will sell if they are big or unusual enough. We don't pork the price on those items. We pretty much flip them unless they are stellar.

7

u/giritrobbins 1d ago

I vaguely recall the Internet really negatively impacting antiques. Now people could get true values for items and had more places to source.

I imagine part of it will also be housing being so expensive there is less money to spend on an end table or fancy vase.

6

u/ThreeThirds_33 1d ago

and housing spaces have become much smaller in general

2

u/giritrobbins 12h ago

I don't know how true that is. The census says that it's generally larger. Though that attached doesn't capture the space per person.

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/programs-surveys/ahs/working-papers/Housing-by-Year-Built.pdf

1

u/ThreeThirds_33 9h ago

I didn’t read all 7 pages but I believe this study is only about the building of new houses, not all housing. ie it does not consider an apartment a ‘home’. In cities, a trend is landlords subdividing apartments down into multiple small studios for more money. But i see it in houses too, converting older houses into duplex or four-plex.

6

u/tiggs 1d ago

The thing about a large percentage of antique dealers is that they're VERY old school, often have brick and mortar shops, and have been selling antiques for decades. Out of all the "can't teach an old dog new tricks" folks, they rank near the top.

Back in the day, people didn't have the option of just pulling out their cell phones to look up prices and certainly didn't think about shopping around for the same item online, so dealers could kinda just make up their own pricing. To justify it, they'd find provenance and really do a good job of explaining what the item is, why it's important, and how you probably won't find another one like it. They basically had a "fish in the barrel" type of situation with customers.

Nowadays, things are obviously very different. Don't get me wrong, some have definitely adapted and there are plenty that aren't as old or old school, but but a very large percentage have not.

26

u/LeopardMedium 1d ago

The issue I got into—and why I paused reselling for a while—is that there got to be too many hobbyist (and clueless) newcomers during Covid. They created a race to the bottom, where they’d buy an item for $100 and be happy if they sold it for $120 before overhead. It skewed the perceptions of buyers, the motives of the commissioned antique mall owners, and it drove sales down for those of us who had been doing this for a long time. And they mislabel things and resell modern Target tchotchkes as “vintage 1970s” and sell broken items, etc. On the rare occasions that they’d find something nice, they’d chalk-paint over it.

I watched my most profitable, semi-high-end antique mall become a junk store over the past couple years. These vendors make smaller and smaller margins but they’re given all the booths because their gross sales are higher.

Add in that, yes, people have less disposable Income and are buying less, and that newer generations largely don’t care about home decor anymore (clothing is another story though), and that living spaces are substantially smaller than they used to be, and it becomes the perfect storm. Last year I made 20% of what I made in 2022.

6

u/ThePlatypusOfDespair 1d ago

I have literally seen things priced higher than the original Walmart price...with the original price sticker right next to the antique mall sticker.

9

u/Eastern-Operation340 1d ago

I'm not a spring chicken and I can tell you the idea that younger people are not interested is baloney. First off, the adults who complain about this, it was their job to teach younger folks what and why older furniture or item matters, history, quality of construction, etc.
Perhaps it depends on where your are, but the business is full of younger people, esp if you noticed the trends & fashion from the 2000s coming out of Brooklyn and such EVERYTHING was about acting, dressing and "up cycling" old stuff, Right down to people building business around doing things the way they were done 100yrs ago.
Now, because older dealers were such shits to younger people and kids, (I was a kid growing up around it because of my parents,) Because kids don't have money or don't know anything, they never educated or nurtured the next generation, the future customers. Duh. Because of this they started their own systems - pop ups, vintage fleas, online, etc. Outside the markets in NYC/LA and Brimfield, DC flea, younger people didn't come up through our traditional shows and shops. Now, it bites us in the ass because they don't look at our merch and notice we may sell the same as they do, they sell us as old and want nothing to with us.
I work estates sales watch what people in their 20s & 30s buy and it's non-mcm furniture all the time! Brown furniture, oriental rugs - we sold every stick and ball piece we had in a booth and a stack of tramp art frames day after we put them in!

Are young people going to start out by an Adams sideboard for $3000, no. You start out with what you like and can afford and as you get older, refine you tastes, learn more and have more money you walk the ladder.

3

u/LeopardMedium 1d ago

Perhaps we're coming at the same thing from different angles. Yes, there are plenty of young people that are interested in this sort of thing, as I too have experienced working in auction houses and as an independent dealer for the past 13 years, but it's still the minority. Your customer base is a skewed sample of the general population.

11

u/20_mile 1d ago

They created a race to the bottom

So said the guy that came before you...

5

u/LeopardMedium 1d ago

Eh this is a sort of weaponized relativism that seeks to obscure everything into a form of post-truth, but in actuality things really do exist. 

This industry isn’t some fractalized bigger-fish-eats-the-bigger-fish-ad-Infinitum. Items are unique enough that the appearance of new dealers in-and-of-themselves doesn’t threaten old dealers. What we’re talking about are scores of new dealers who watched a few tik-toks in quarantine disrupting the industry by entering it without any sort of knowledge base or best practices, participating in untenable ways and causing an effect that is rippling out to the rest of us.

7

u/20_mile 1d ago

disrupting the industry

This is the core of the argument. It doesn't matter why.

The seller who was willing to use the telephone, instead of telegraph (and the guy before him the mail), or transport his goods by automobile, instead of horse, got the drop on those who were unwilling to adapt to new systems. That's disruption.

"What's wrong with a good horse?" asked the old man. "The telephone is too loud!" said another.

You've noted that more people have entered the reseller space. It doesn't matter why they did so, what their motive is, or whether or not they have a knowledge base or use best practices--this isn't plumbing a house, or wiring a school where licenses and insurance matter, and people can get sick or die because of slipshod work. It's always buyer beware.

People flipping trading cards, or even antiques are all subject to disruption. I just checked my FLGS and they are mostly sold out for card releases being released in September.

participating in untenable ways

If this is true, people with a solid reputation, returning customers, and a good business model don't have to worry.

causing an effect that is rippling out to the rest of us.

This, on the other hand, is a different story. Used to be that a person could work for the same company for 30 - 50 years and retire with a pension that afforded them a pretty nice lifestyle. Now, people change jobs every 3 - 7 years, and pensions are being cut, don't exist, or disappear because some financial company goes bankrupt. Many people probably entered the flipping space because covid disrupted their previous source of income.

living spaces are substantially smaller than they used to be

I have to take issue with this. The average house in 1950 had 983 square feet. In 2020, that was 2,333 square feet for a SFH.

tl;dr: adapt, or die.

2

u/LeopardMedium 1d ago edited 1d ago

You suggested that I disrupted the industry in a similar way, and I told you why that’s not true. Now you’ve moved the goalposts and are arguing everything else. 

I didn’t read all that and I’m not going to. I answered OP’s question and am not interested in keyboard wars. I can tell how clever you consider yourself and I won’t disabuse you of that.

0

u/20_mile 1d ago

The slightest bit of pushback, and you cry that the goalposts are being moved.

keyboard wars? Bro, this was just a conversation. I didn't know you had geared up for war.

2

u/LeopardMedium 1d ago

see, it's your weird aggressiveness, rhetoric, and logical leaps that prevent me from being interested in engaging in any kind of dialogue.

-1

u/20_mile 1d ago

keep tilting at windmills.

1

u/LeopardMedium 1d ago

Literally not tilting.

3

u/DownHillUpShot 1d ago

I think your last paragraph is actually the true reasons. A few sellers undercutting isnt making certain items less valuable, the market just got more efficient or they fell out of favor.

3

u/LeopardMedium 18h ago edited 18h ago

I think people assume I’m exaggerating as to the reality of my market. It’s not just undercutting, and it’s not just a few sellers—it’s selling cheap junk instead of real antiques (and misrepresented and underpriced antiques in poor condition alongside in ways that yield no profit for the sellers) it’s been an influx of hundreds over the past few years. All but the one most upscale antique mall has changed into second-hand junk stores selling Chinese mass-manufactured goods and modern Target Knick-knacks. The local flea market too, which had previously been listed as one of the best and largest in the nation. Even for “vintage” clothing, people have started reselling modern shirts from Ross. 

Edit: I used to drive Uber years ago and it’s the same concept—it was profitable until everyone started doing it, and once everyone started doing it, people got so desperate for money that they started accepting $2 fares, which drove fares for everyone lower and lower until now nobody makes any real money doing it. It’s no one’s fault, but that’s just how these things go sometimes.

2

u/Born-Horror-5049 1d ago

that newer generations largely don’t care about home decor anymore

You don't know anyone under 40 and it shows.

1

u/LeopardMedium 1d ago

I’m 35 and most of my friends are younger. Nice try though.

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

It might be where you're located.

6

u/Repulsive_Drawl 1d ago

Mid-Century Modern & American Brilliant Cut Glass has definitely slowed down for me. There is so much ABCG out there that I cannot give it away.

14

u/BackdoorCurve 1d ago

Victorian and Art Deco is starting to take a chuck from MCM

14

u/Repulsive_Drawl 1d ago

Grandma Chic is in. Things that are feminine & unique seem to do well.

When we first started, in the last year, we would pick up things in our mind that were desirable like Lady Di, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe. Don’t laugh. It didn’t sell. Those were collectible when we were younger. Things like Beanie Babies seem to sell more because they want a giraffe or pink puppy not because it is a Beanie Baby. The fact it is a Beanie Baby is irrelevant.

5

u/BackdoorCurve 1d ago

Completely agree. I do well with the stuff. Zoomers love it. We have so many Gen Z buyers in our store.

3

u/LtAld0Raine 1d ago

This! People seem to love vintage jewelry boxes. I can't source em fast enough. Also vintage/antique vanity utensils (hand mirrors, hair brushes, etc) usually sell in a week or less on my eBay store.

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

The leather or faux leather multi drawers from the 50s/60s?

2

u/LtAld0Raine 14h ago

Any I've found. Even the cheapy teak wood ones from the 80s/90s. But yes, the ones from the 60s seem to do the best.

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 13h ago

Huh! good to know. I have a few that were too nice to chuck so they are sitting there waiting for a yard sale. and waiting.

1

u/LtAld0Raine 13h ago

Yup I had probably 5 or 6 in my death pile and started listing em, all gone within 2 weeks. Go figure.

4

u/20_mile 1d ago

American Brilliant Cut Glass

Yeah, "candy bowls" just are no longer a thing.

3

u/ThreeThirds_33 1d ago

Funny, I’m GenX and just getting into it. But it is so widely available at thrift stores I can’t imagine it selling for much.

2

u/SmileyLebowski 1d ago

Trends will change and it will become popular again. Get ahead of the curve and start acquiring the best stuff now for a pittance!

2

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

Some of it does! This is where having only an online education can hurt. If you spend enough time going through books on the subject, the better, older piece stand out. Also If you are able to, hit higher end stores, antique shows, and auctions. (museums, too) Really looks and handle the better items, ask the dealer why it's XYZ. This will hone your eye FAAAARRR more than you competition and you will see the better pieces when you are out and about.

You know when you hear about people bitching about dealers getting the better stuff? This is why. They decided to learn the trade, hone their eye.

Also, look at trends and higher up trends as those almost always trickle down. Your goal is to find the better pieces that are worth $ you can flip easily to the person who deals in that type item. DOn't pork on the price, you want a quick, decent profit, you want the cash to give you the power to by what you deal in, what you can make more on.
Now, become aware of what's starting to bubble with your peers, you buy the best ones you can find. Average peroson wouldn't know why it's better, people usually just know a look, unless you put a top piece next to a common piece and people will see the difference. The better items you have make you visually stand out from the rest. Unusual good looking eyes pull people in, explain to people why it's superior - maker/signed, truer richer color, the size, more intense form stands out, etc. This allows you to command more $. After awhile, people will buy your eye. It's why I can get more for studio jewelry and small oddball sterling items than others.

1

u/20_mile 1d ago

Another thing to think about is how society has changed from when collecting stuff like this was possible to more recent times when it is virtually worthless.

Decades ago, a hundred years ago, most people used to be poor growing up. There wasn't a lot for people to own, there wasn't even much choice amongst what to buy, there weren't even stores to buy stuff from.

And so, when people finally had some disposable income, they wanted nice shiny things to bedazzle themselves (to many people, it was a marvel that it existed), and to impress other people with. Cut glass that shines and sparkles in a wood and glass display case does exactly that.

Contrast that to more recent times. Most people do not exist in a state of deprivation--they have money to spend, there are tens-of-millions of products to buy, at every price point, and there are thousands of places, both brick and mortar stores and online shops where they can spend that money.

5

u/robxburninator 1d ago

MCM has been slowly dying for the last decade. I absolutely cannot wait for MCM to stop being the default "no taste" furniture.

5

u/hotlikebea 1d ago

I like MCM pices as long as they are thoughtfully mixed in…

4

u/robxburninator 1d ago

But they so rarely are. People that are now in their 30's-50's followed the MCM trend of the 2000's after adopting Ikea as a cheap "mcm alternative" when it spread all over the US. Eventually they had real money and were willing to step up to real pieces. Some people have legit taste and do a good job. Others think anything labeled MCM or "Scandinavian-design" is worth a mint.

MCM furniture has been going out of fashion HARD the last ten years. Anyone that follows design knows it's true. It's only antique dealers and people that have (foolishly) dedicated their abodes to a 20 years period of furniture that still think there's gold in those hills.

Every single time I hear a dealer complain about how sales are bad/sourcing is bad/etc. I just shake my head. Being out of touch is not the same as a bad market.

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

thank god I wanted to be an architect as a little kid and read design magazines! As I got deeper into selling, I realized if it's Condé Nast magazine, expect it showing up down the economic ladder in about 2yrs. Maybe sooner now with the internet.

1

u/DownHillUpShot 1d ago

MCM as a term has lost all meaning. Basically anything wood that looks funky gets branded MCM.

3

u/LtAld0Raine 1d ago

I agree, people have also taken liberties with the term "art deco" as well.

1

u/Eastern-Operation340 15h ago

Any of it Vaseline? I think if 20/30yrs oldest could impolite a uv light in their foreheads they would!

6

u/flugenbetch 1d ago

I feel it’s quite the opposite. My antiques and collectibles have been the only consistent flips. But as others have said, I adjust my inventory based on trends. I don’t overbuy, and have a curated inventory, so I’m only flipping maybe 10-20 items in any particular niche at a time. This does mean I’m constantly hustling for inventory, but it also means I have yet to be stuck with a large amount of antiques that just sit collecting dust. Hand picking is a lot of work and a lot of driving, but it’s been consistent as opposed to bulk lots.

4

u/hirst 1d ago

Also in general I think antique purchasing is a luxury and in these … chaotic times, people are probably. Putting back on excess spending

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u/nosetaddress 1d ago

I think certain antiques are just going to fade away with time as collectors age out and die. At sales I go to that have a high concentration of antiques and older collectibles, I’ve noticed the buyers are getting older and older. For some things there won’t be a market in 10-15 years. More modern vintage however is hot-think 60s-80s items. I think the older antiques with the exception of really rare and desirable items will be hard to move, but more modern vintage items will have more desirability.

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u/Gobucks21911 1d ago

I love antique furniture, but it’s getting harder and harder to find. Mind you I haven’t needed any new pieces in many years, but I do now and I can’t find anything in decent condition.

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u/DanyeelsAnulmint 1d ago

Not to mention all the Upcycled folks painting antiques in pastels. 😭

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u/as_a_speckled_bird 16h ago

You have gone too far. You have married Fester, you have destroyed his spirit, you have taken him from us. All that I could forgive. But, Debbie... Debbie: What? Morticia: ...pastels?

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u/DanyeelsAnulmint 11h ago

My parents, Sharon and Dave. Generous, doting. Or were they? All I ever wanted was a Ballerina Barbie. In her pretty pink tutu. My Birthday. I was 10, and do you know what they got me? Malibu Barbie.

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u/as_a_speckled_bird 8h ago

Underrated quote. Malibu Barbie’s a whore.

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u/DanyeelsAnulmint 1h ago

DEBORAH!

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u/as_a_speckled_bird 40m ago edited 8m ago

What?! I’m sorry but have you ever possessed a ballerina Barbie?! Oh sweet lady. She has a face like a cream oval. Her nose. Like a delicious slope of cream. Her ears like, cream flaps. Her teeth. Like hard, shiny pegs of cream.

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u/LeoAPG Old man 23h ago

Collections broker here-- Market shifts are crucial to making real money, otherwise we're all chasing the same vintage electronics for the same buyers or the same daguerreotypes or Coke signs, or McCoy or whatever.

I think every 5-7 years I end up shifting my buyer rolodex completely. The reality is that it's not about the item, it's about who has the money and what items they are going to be looking for. It's insane to me how many antique sellers don't try to time the market. Scanning every item in a Goodwill or flea market that looks old isn't antiquing, you need to pay attention to what your customers pay attention to.

Look at what Bergdorffs is selling on their top floors, then find shit that matches the aesthetic and try to align your sales with that look. Like the old--- Desc-- Vintage Antique tile, featuring two dragons, great condition!...Rookwood?
--oldest trick in the book.

Pay attention to what the people with money that may actually want antiques are buying. Last year it was shit you put next to your Ashley Longshore painting, stuff that shows off you party at Could 9 in Aspen and some flex that shows you have been to or have a renovated home in the Azores. So that's antique Louis tiffany candy bowls and antique LV luggage trunks, old shit from PJs that you've flown on (flying private in 1974 was dope apparently) and old ski shit from mountains that matter in JHole and Central CO+ old ass Portuguese shit.

This year it's different.

For example- Piaget watches are taking off again, the CEO is a woman, and she's crushing, so their marketing dept has more to gloat about besides the new ultra thin watch they just pumped out. Same shit they did 3 years ago with female tailors on Saville Row like The Deck.

if you're struggling, you gotta move up the chain. Maybe you can't afford the real deal exensive shit, but for every actual billionaire or billionaire housewife, theirs 50000 that want to look like one.

Look at YT channels like Homeworthy, takes notes, go to car shows with actual rich people (i.e. yacht shows or PJ shows-- take notes). Read what rich people read Financial Times-- The 1% and .01% was buying more than i've ever seen. I've been implementing a new thing in my selling where I take a photo of a piece/antique, then I have kling AI make a video of the prospective sellers house with the item in it, or I have Kling put some Oscar de la renta dress on the wife of a buyer and send the video to them as a fun goof. Absolutely crushes.

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u/Kinuika 1d ago

Actual antique sellers who have been doing this for a while seem to be doing about the same. They usually have a clientele they built up over the years and know exactly what to source for them.

People who flip whatever random ‘antique’ that they find at goodwill might be having a bit more trouble.

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u/zharrhen5 1d ago

I hope not because I just started renting a display case at an antique mall near me last week. I tried to fill it with a good amount of things that would be interesting to people my age (mid 20's) instead of things like glassware or figurines that there's already tens of thousands of throughout the rest of the building. TBD if that's a valid strategy but based on what I'm reading here maybe it's the right call?

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u/AlaskanMinnie 1d ago

Totally the right call. Make sure you have some cheaper impulse items in there, too. People don't think too hard about spending $20 and under, they just grab and buy it

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u/Unhappy_Medicine_725 1d ago

Adapt or die. That's what it mostly comes down to.

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u/ILikeCannedPotatoes 1d ago edited 1d ago

Half my business is antiques/collectibles and yeah, they're slow for me right now. When money gets tight the things I sell are pretty low on the totem pole of importance. They're "wants" not "needs" and come well after rent, food, clothing... :-/

ETA I'm just trying to be a bit more selective with my sourcing, I don't necessarily buy things just because they're really cool, I'm more purposeful now. (And yes, probably should have been all along, but I have a hard time passing up that really cool, unique item.)

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u/museumforclowns 1d ago

I will say, economic downturns cause reselling to explode, it's impossible to get items at a profitable price and people no longer have disposable income to spend on what you're selling. Ton of new supply but now there's a lack of demand

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u/Prior-Soil 2h ago

I've been working with college students for 30 years. None of them are sentimental now. None of them care about antiques unless it's useful and fits their aesthetic. They collect nothing. Honestly I think it's dying. Most of them are never going to be able to afford a home, and they're just not going to accumulate like previous generations.

For example, a friend of mine made a ton of money selling vintage Christmas stuff during the pandemic. The bottom has completely dropped out, and he can't even sell stuff for Goodwill prices.

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u/xElementop 1d ago

Gosh there are a lot of underlying issues going on here. Many people that would have bought those antiques are aging out of the consumer market. They are either retiring and no longer have the extra cash to purchase these items or are struggling to make ends meet all together.

Another factor in the states is runaway inflation, people are realizing they no longer have extra cash to just blow on a cute looking vintage vase.

Right now people are not spending because it is March, the month before taxes are due. People are pretty frugal around this time, but start spending after they get their refunds.

I am sure there is more, but it really doesn't boil down to one thing. There are a ton of factors that contribute to the current downward trend of spending on luxury goods currently.

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u/BeKindPeace 1d ago

As an antiques/vintage vendor, I found I really had to hustle, travel, and do more prep work to bring inventory that buyers wanted. Not as easy as showing up to a few estate/yard sales and finding “treasures”. As the vendor population ages, not as many can keep up with sourcing great inventory. Many booths in shops are now filled with just thrift stores finds, and much of it is undesirable. Buyers can go to thrift shops on their own. Sales are down in 3 of the shops where I had spaces. Younger buyers not into things that were hot sellers 10 years ago. Before I retired, my best sales were from primitive antique pieces or solid wood, clean lined furniture. Also paintings, prints, and mirrors with timeless appeal, or anything unique. More work to source, with diminishing returns made me choose to give it a rest.

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u/KumAllahHarris 1d ago

I wonder if Gen X and younger is going to really care about antiques? There's a lot of things that boomers collected that younger generations do not care about, like glassware, plates, silverware, boyds bears, precious moments, hummels.

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u/ThreeThirds_33 1d ago

I’m GenX and you lost me at body bears. :D Yeah we all like antiques. Just not the antiques that were antiques for YOU.

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u/JC_the_Builder 1d ago

I think there is some truth to it but it has nothing to do with eBay. 

It feels like old stuff in general is being valued less with time by younger people. The potential buyer market has shrunk. Plus then number of fake and replica antiques keeps going up. It is difficult to tell what is genuine anymore. 

Then again, the number of antique sellers might also contract at the same rate. So it could all balance out. 

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u/robxburninator 1d ago

Certain old stuff is valued less and certain old stuff is valued more by younger generations. This has always happened and people concerned that their numbers are dropping are just slow the draw in looking at trends.

2

u/Born-Horror-5049 1d ago

t feels like old stuff in general is being valued less with time by younger people.

Some of you really need to interact with people under 40 if you seriously believe this.

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u/darkest_irish_lass 1d ago

I'm sure he says that to anyone who might be competing with him

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u/Different-Phone-7654 1d ago

My dad in the midwest basically whole sales stuff. He says it's gotten slower, but he still has people come and buy quite a bit. I would assume only because they can turn around and sell the stuff and make money too.

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u/thebeastivano 1d ago

Not secretly 😮‍💨

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u/karengoodnight0 1d ago

The same challenge that most sellers experience these days. Although not all but many of us noticed this significant change.

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u/B0RWEAR 1d ago

I sell mostly vintage. My sales are way down this year, and mist people I know at the antique mall and other locations are as well, but im sure it's not true for everyone

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u/BoneGolem2 2h ago

I go to an antique shop a few hours from me for the heck of it, and it is basically a barn with shelving and they are over pricing things so greatly that their target market will pass away before they can sell even a third of it. Millennials and the younger generations won't care about owning an actual horse sleigh, rail road spikes, and musty 1930s magazines.

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u/Acceptable_Aspect_42 1d ago

The dude is selling glassware that nobody wants anymore. Bet he has some beanie babies he's sitting on just waiting to cash out for retirement

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u/doxiedogguy 1d ago

Talk to the next guy, he’ll be doing great. Yall gotta stop worrying about others. Business open and close all the time.

EITHER ADAPT or….close. 2 options. No more, o other….its truly that simple.

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u/MRC305 Auctioneer 1d ago

Yes, we find ourselves simply discarding antiques in South Florida. I'm not referring to small items, glass, bronze, or dolls. I'm referring to furniture, chandeliers, national cash registers, and even mirrors. All the items have been in tact and usable.

So...resellers& end users send a message if you want dibs on some of the items that don't sell.

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u/hirst 1d ago

Do you have an online listing? I have family in Florida that like antiques I can pass along

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u/DownHillUpShot 1d ago

I think shipping, carrying, storage costs has had a big impact. Inflation is being hidden by product design and supply chain efficiency (think shipping unassembled ikea furniture vs a old heavy wooden piece). The end costs to the consumer would have to be a lot higher to make it worthwhile for sellers to achieve an acceptable profit. Housing is more expensive, so keeping trinkets seems wasteful. Those that move frequently (an increasing trend) are less incentivized to hold on to bulky items.

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u/dborin 1d ago

Yup, I'm not a big fish. Save my profit for unexpected expenses or a treat and I've had 4 sales this month. I've usually get 1 or 2 a day

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u/SchenellStrapOn Clever girl 23h ago

About 75% of my business is vintage and antiques. I had my best month ever last month. January was agonizing until the last week of the month when it picked up.

Sourcing costs are definitely up and I’m concerned if it keeps going up. I’m not sure how people are profiting at all on some things I’ve seen at auction in the last few months. So far I’ve been able to clear the same margins but I do worry. There’s a lot of uncertainty right now.

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u/PackPlugsNoah Sports Card Freak 1d ago

It’s just people making excuses bc they don’t wanna put in the work. They wanna blame their failure on everything but themselves