Turning “junk” into clearing debts through online valuation service Junk hidden in attics throughout Britain and US could ease record levels of household debt after Christmas -
thanks to a new specialist valuation website, www.valuemystuffnow.com
News-Antique.com - Dec 14,2009 - Junk hidden in attics throughout Britain and US could ease record levels of household debt after Christmas -
thanks to a new specialist valuation website that offers the services of experts from Britain’s leading
auction houses.
Average household debt in the UK is currently above £9,000, without taking mortgages into account
and New Year is traditionally even more debt-laden with credit card bills inflated by Christmas spending
expected to average £1,695* for a family of four. Cardholders who cannot pay their balances in full are
forced to pay worryingly high interest rates.
In the past, many households tried to raise extra cash by sorting out the contents of their lofts, cellars
and storage cupboards to sell unwanted ‘junk’ at January car boot sales. Many have manned stalls in
the bitter cold in the hope of realising the value of their bric-a-brac, often with little knowledge of the true
worth of each item. In many cases, their most precious items have gone for a song because they had
no idea of their true worth.
Now, for the first time, a website makes it possible to get professional valuations before you sell.
ValueMyStuffNow.Com, (VMSN) is a specialist service offering online valuations for antiques,
collectables, paintings, jewellery and other valuables at £.3.99 a time. Customers upload photographs
and descriptions of their unwanted items and receive a valuation within two days.
The website is the brainchild of Patrick van der Vorst, a former director of Sotheby’s, who has
assembled a team of valuation specialists from Christie’s, Sotheby’s and other leading auction houses.
The service guarantees to provide an expert valuation within 48 hours.
“We have found that in current economic conditions people are selling pieces to pay pressing bills,
particularly school fees, which come round three times a year at the start of term,” said Patrick. “We
have been able to give quite a few people good news that antiques are worth a lot more than they
thought.
“One client had 18 items valued and learned that they were collectively worth more than £2000. It was
very welcome news and there are many more people, who can clear big bills by selling possessions
fore-armed with expert valuations,” said Patrick.
Recent valuations have included:
• Doulton porcelain with many plates valued between £50-£80 and some identified as being
worth £2,000 (Case study involving eight plates valued at £1,000 available).
• Clarice Cliff pottery which fetches £100’s
• Silverware and cutlery worth £80 to £120 and a knife and fork set estimated at £5,000 (Case
study available).
• Jewellery is proving the most popular category to be valued
Interesting items valued include;
• Pair of candle sticks bought for £80 at a local auction valued at £500-600
• Most valuable was a Picasso painting at £400,000-£600,000
• Sotheby’s is selling a painting this week (W/c 7th December) an item valued for £60,000-
£80,000
Gift packages are available that enable friends and family to find out what their possessions are worth.
Three credits (valuation) cost £10 (i.e.
