I am an antiques dealer and have four premises in the UK (Devon). The thing I love more than anything, about my business is that you stand or fall on your own judgment. I purchase 90% of stock privately, direct from the estate and sometimes at markets or other dealers.
When you visit somebody who has a Fabricius chair and says he wants a $1000.00 you make a judgment. Get it wrong there is nobody to blame, get it right revel in your good fortune.
I sell mainly to the trade, London, Bath, Cotswolds, etc. Often they sell the things I sell them for 2 or 3 times the amount I have sold them for. I do not feel bad, jealous, or ripped off. Everyone has to know their place in the food chain. I do not have the client list or the retail location to command the prices they can. I am pleased when they sell well, because they buy more from me. Their rents rates and overheads are likely many times mine.
The market sets the price, if you ask to much in the environment and location your selling, you wont sell it. Get the right location and client list, you will. Only thing is it costs a lot to develop that client base, attending major fairs like Palm Beach, advertising in World of Interiors, Architectural Digest etc.
So do not begrudge the dealers their money on 1st dibs, be glad of a good resource, that promotes and helps keep our passion alive. You would not like their overheads either.
mark
agree
as an american, i believe i am fortunate to have been raised with values that includes both working hard and being smart. i'm not one who believes well-informed ethics are violated if someone happens to make a profit that is more--even much more--than what the majority of the buying public has established as the norm.
if i buy something for one dollar and offer to sell it for five dollars, i do so within the context of everything we understand about free trade--regardless if fair market value is two dollars or ten dollars. i hold no power over my potential buyers; they are free to buy from me, buy from someone else, negotiate for a different price, or not buy at all.
an advertiser's price that is considered significantly above market value does not constitute a rip-off. a rip-off occurs when someone is relieved of their possession against their will. asking for a higher price than what one's competitor is asking is not regarded as stealing.
i do think there are unscrupulous merchants whose business practices involve taking advantage of consumer weakness. most everyone with an informed conscience would believe this is ethically wrong. it is possible to be completely "legal" in business transactions while being unethical in one's treatment of the consumer.
the doctrines of both "caveat emptor" [let the buyer beware] and "caveat venditor" [let the seller beware] are time-honored guiding principles for economic justice. whenever deception, power and/or greed enter into the mix of a pending transaction, the potential for an undesirable outcome is high.
parties on both sides of a transaction must assume equal amounts of responsibility to ensure economic justice is served. if someone willingly pays a price higher than what is understood to be fair market value for a product or service--and such is done not under duress, deceit or coercion--that acquisition can be deemed fair and honest. it is up to the buyer to ensure the amount of value received is in proportion to the amount of payment rendered.
finally, it is obvious nobody wants to be ripped off, hustled, hoodwinked, scammed--however we care to phrase it. but simply being offered a product or service at a higher price--regardless of how high--is not even within the parameters of injustice. each individual is therefore rightly encouraged to be equipped with and skilled at using all of the resources needed to become a satisfied consumer.
It's legal
I graduated in law, now I am an antiques dealer. I like your comments and agree with the sentiment. Because a town house in Queens is more than the equivalent in Charlotte, doesn't mean its a rip off or expensive. It's where you are in the market that matters.
I deal with many people who begrudge others a profit. They know the price on ebay or in wal-mart and take that as the market price. Thats an attitude that will hold you back in the world and in commerce generally.
Yes the Hilton LA, charges more for a bottle of Becks than the bar down the road, but the Hilton is in step with its competitors, the bar doesn't the street has to keep in step not with the Hilton, but the bar next door. No point in saying I'm cheap at $5.00, the Hilton charges £7.00. It is where you are in the market that counts.
There is currently a major fine arts fair taking place in London at the moment. Many of the dealers attending purchase things from me. They will outlay $20-40,0000. for a stand for the week, of course they have to ask high prices for the item. These prices are many times what they have paid me. I wish them luck.
Some times I beleive my market value for a chair to be say $800.00, but I have not seen that model for two or three years. The person asks me $1200.00, if I like it knowing it to be hard to come by, I do not care about the market value. I buy it anyway and just ask more when selling.
What is market value anyway. To me it is guided more by what I think I can get for an item, than any perceived value.
Check out some of the European sponsors on the right
Many of those are getting damn top prices for their items. I don't see any bargains to be had. That is, of course, those dealers who actually will show the price and not hide behind "P.O.A.".
My primary comparison with 1st Dibs is the Rago and Wright live auctions going on on eBay. With their minimal information and high premimums at the close of auction, they certainly give 1st Dibs a run for their money.
Anyone ever look at rewire.com? They get some fabulously rare lightning and complete redo the wiring and charge an arm and a leg.
1st Dibs is not the only one.....
Barry, FYI
Rewire is a long-time 1stDibs vendor.
Go back to their website and click on any of their items, then click the "make offer" button. Takes you right to 1stDibs.
That is rewirela.com right?
rewire.com is an empty domain name.
http://www.rewirela.com/itemdetails.php?id=181024
Swish it around
The Internet has been a immensely powerful resource. Now anyone, anywhere can scour the world for just about anything. With that comes the discovery of major price differences. Once discovered, everyone thinks that's the true value, then dealers/auctioneers think they can pump it even more. It becomes a cycle of absurdity. A growing problem...to me at least. Largely because many mid century furnishings were mass produced...hardly handcrafted "rare" like Paul Evans or Phillip Lloyd Powell to name two. Sure demand is high, but a patient/resourceful person can find numerous dealers offering whatever item. Stuff even pops up on ebay on the regular. Don't forget reissues...
And what about the newer designs? $1500 for a brand new lamp by such and such...Why don't they produce more?
So how is "true" value calculated within the design community -vs- "adjusted" value?
Just a few questions I swirl around once in a while...cast a penny if you wish
Markets are what the traffic will bear
Prices are whatever you can get away with, perhaps not fair, but who said capitalism was fair. If one does not like the price of a particular offering don't buy it or shop around till you find a price that is agreeable. Your rights as a consumer are exercised by how little or how much one cares to open their wallets.
THANK YOU for taking the time to quell the jealous ones who keep
knocking 1st. dibs.
If the world is so that some one can afford the luxury of buying a piece at a price which to them is good then who are any of you to say that it is wrong or a rip off.
In my own word
YOU SHOULD NOT TRY AND STOP SOMEONE DOING WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO, JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT!!!
If the balance of price is directly linked to the convenience of shopping then consider the fact that it takes some one like me and my father 7 days a week and every week to collect together the items we offer at Danish homestore.
This is so that you may have the leasure of strolling in and seeing the furniture / items you so desire and make an addition to your collection in minutes.
Not having to spend hours and days trawling through shops adds auctions, jumble sales and so.
That is why you have paid us!
For your conveninence so you can go and have that 2 hour lunch, hour in the gym, taking your wife to a restaurant, playing with your children and genereally living a smoother life!
Simon Harrison
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