Collectables

Last week we had a look at what was for sale under ‘Antiques’ on the UK eBay site. This week it’s the turn of eBay.com. A very different pattern emerges which obviously reflects the interests of collectors and sellers in the USA

Antiques listed this afternoon on eBay.com number, 162,799 (69,887 – I’ll leave the numbers alongside in brackets from last weeks UK eBay site for comparison). Within the overall listing for Antiques are the following.
Asian & Oriental – 29,141 (7,064)
Decorative Arts  – 26,880
Silver – 25,044 (11,564)
Antique furniture 11,621 (11,584)
Carpets & Rugs –  10,243 (2,119)
Fabric & Textiles – 8,630 (5,304)
Architectural Antiques – 8,348 (8,041)
Antiquities – 4,280 (3,956)
Antique clocks – 1,749 (2,650)

Type ‘Collectable’ into their search engine and up pop, 1,509,922  items on the US site compared to a paltry 23,247 on the UK eBay site. The item at the top of the listing, with a little while left on it, was a Batman comic’s lot of around 80 modern editions.  It had attracted 8 bids and was standing at almost $31. Under Antique at the top of the listings was a Koiwut Pottery Bowl from Papua New Guinea which sold for $255 as I was watching. It attracted 24 bids and interestingly was sitting at $162 with 20 bids with just thirty seconds to go. The utilization of late bid software remains an effective way of getting what you want – always providing you bid enough!

Probably beacuse I've been busy signing copies of the Antiques Price Guide 2009 I've been asked today when the new 2009 edition of the Collectables Price Guide is coming out. Well it won't be long; In fact it's out on 7 October and has been fully revised and updated - we think it's our best yet. It has 512 pages and for more information you can see it here at Amazon.

With the news full of reports of economic downturn it's interesting to hear this week that Stanley Gibbons the stamp and autograph dealer has seen their profits rise as people switch to what they describe as "recession-proof" collectables. According to their Chairman Martin Bralsford. "The benefits of investing in collectables as an alternative asset class have never been clearer. Not only do rare stamps and historical signatures provide a means of diversification and a safe haven in difficult economic conditions but also provide a hedge against inflation." Interestingly their online sales doubled to become around 25% of their sales of almost £10 M for the first six months of the year. Once again the power of the internet and its ability to drive both sales and prices is in evidence.

For autographs, or 'historical signatures' as they describe them some of their sales this year included papers with Henry VIII's signature that went for £50,000 each. Einstein's autograph now fetches £6,000, Audrey Hepburn's costs £1,750 and even Madonna's has doubled in the last ten years to £895.
 

Colleting railway related items is a hugely popular area of collectables - it's known as Railwayana. Collecting began in earnest once electric and diesel trains began to replace steam and as the old big railway companies were lost to the all embracing - British Rail. Collectables include everything from lamps to signage - especially from the old steam locos themselves - to station material and a whole mass of printed material. Particularly lovely are the old posters that were printed by the railway companies for display on stations to encourage us all to take their particular train company to our holiday destination. In the days when holidays were shorter and the majority of people could only dream of a holiday 'abroad', a week at the seaside was the highlight of most people's year. Spa holidays were also very popular before World War 2 and as this poster shows inspired some beautiful graphic design. Posters like this can sell for between £500 and £2,000, examples from the early twentieth century can reach £10,000.