Going Once, Twice, Sold?

Last week, we touched upon the ways in which the Internet has made it harder for private sellers to find viable markets for their collection. This week, we explore one possible answer to the question, how can I sell my dolls?

Try taking them to auction! Not eBay, but real auction houses, many of which have gone online as a welcome counter to the wasteland that can be do-it-yourself Internet marketplaces.

Depending on what you have, what condition it's in, and how valuable it is to those that might bid on it, you can find national or local auctions that might help liquidate your collection and find your dolls new homes. Of course, this is easiest if you have an antique doll that is in fair to excellent condition. In that case, for instance, you might try Theriault's, an international auction house dedicated to antique dolls, bears, and toys.

Theriault's: The Dollmasters - http://www.theriaults.com/default/index.cfm

There's also Bonhams, which deals in a broad spectrum of collectibles and holds a limited number of antique toy and doll auctions each year in London, but they have locations and sites based in the United States, as well as Australia, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, and of course, their homeland and headquarters, the United Kingdom. In the U.S., appointments for appraisals can be made in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Bonhams - http://www.bonhams.com/usa/toys/

If the Internet's private sales venues aren't reaching the target high-end buyers for your rare and well-maintained antique or vintage dolls, then these outlets may provide you with a good place to start, or at least knowledgeable experts to consult concerning actual worth and the right venue for selling. You can also try McMasters Harris Apple Tree Doll Auctions, which accepts a variety of valuable dolls including Barbies and antique bisques.

McMasters Harris Apple Tree Doll Auctions - http://www.mcmastersharris.com/

Since you collect dolls, odds are decent that your hobbies include other collectibles, or maybe someone you know has collectibles that aren't doll-related and needs to sell some of them. Where can you go to auction those? Try Heritage Auctions, which deals with a vast array of collectibles, including but not limited to coins, fine art, sports memorabilia, musical instruments... even wine!

Heritage Auctions - http://www.ha.com/

These sites generally have FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) sections or informational pages to demystify the auction process if you're wondering how the whole process works; what they're looking for, what you need to know and do before contacting them, what's involved if your doll is accepted for auction, etc.

We're sure that many places worldwide where dolls are popular collectibles have online auction houses based in those countries that are dedicated to the sale of uncommon dolls or group lots of them; Australia for example. Drowning in dolls Down Under? If Bonhams doesn't suit your needs or your collection isn't right for Bonhams, you can try Abbingdon Auctions, which is based in Victoria.

Abbingdon Auctions Australia - http://www.abbingdon.com.au/

But what about those of us who have large collections of more modern dolls, or ubiquitous dolls with little to no market value, or dolls that simply don't date back to the French Renaissance of doll making, for instance?

Options are certainly more limited in the cases of dolls with a current maximum worth of $9.99 according to a quick eBay search. Under those circumstances, your best option may be to sell them at a garage sale or better yet a flea market. You may get more than you would online after months of cumulative listing fees, and for the cost of a small space at the market. Everyone's looking for a bargain there, and while you might have to price a lot lower than your expectations, you might find yourself going home with a lot more money in your pocket and a lot less left over than if you try online auction sites like eBay.

Of course, if you prefer the Internet as your sales booth, you can always try one of eBay's many competitors. We've heard good things about Bonanza.com, and we know iOffer.com to be a decent marketplace where business can be done for the price of a final value fee and without any listing fees or expiration dates. Many sites like iOffer allow you to bargain below your asking price, which may help sell some of your dolls or doll lots without the sticker price scaring off potential buyers. Including the "Make an Offer" option also gives them a chance to tell you what the item is worth to them.

Last but not least, you can always turn to your local auction houses. These hometown auctions deal in all forms of assets, since they generally specialize in liquidations, consignments, and estate sales. Whether it's the contents of a home or business, a vehicle or farm equipment, or items inherited from departed loved ones, or just the stuff that's lying around that you really don't need or want anymore, there are auctioneers that will usually accept what you need to sell, dolls included.

Collections consisting completely of dolls with a low market value are probably best suited to smaller local outlets such as the flea market or auction house. A prime example: we receive an inordinate number of calls from people wondering what to do with the doll collection of a loved one who has passed on when no one else in the family wants the dolls but they do not want to throw them away, especially if one or two might be worth something. When you're talking about collections that large, we often suggest exhibiting at metropolitan area doll shows or taking the lot to an auction house in your area.

These days, many local auction houses have websites with contact information as well as online or absentee bidding (just like some of the national auction houses listed above) which can bring local bids to a slightly larger audience, and your neighborhood auctioneers might locally publicize auctions they expect to command decent prices. If you live near our retail store location, here's one in San Antonio:

My Auction House - http://www.myauctionhouse.us/

So how can you sell your dolls? We can't promise you auctions are the answer to this question. We haven't used any of the auctioneers or services listed here with the sole exception of iOffer, but we want you to know that there are options for selling your dolls, no matter how difficult the market may be or how overwhelming the task may seem, and this is a possibility you may be glad to consider.

We welcome feedback on this article! Feel free to email us at monarch@dollsdolls.com, or call to speak with our in-store doll blogger Mary at 1-800-648-3655.