Luxury and Collectibles

Luxury goods and collections sit in closets, attics, and spare rooms: designer handbags in dust bags, silk scarves, furs, signed sports memorabilia, porcelain figurines, model trains, stamps, toys, and records. Each sells in a narrow market full of buyers who know the category cold and spot a fake or a flaw at a glance.

That is why a general estate sale undersells these pieces. The right buyer for a Kelly bag or a complete run of baseball cards is not walking through a house on a Saturday morning. We price these items for the market that wants them.

Designer goods

For handbags, small leather goods, and accessories we check stitching, hardware, heat stamps, date codes, and serials, then condition at the corners, handles, and lining. Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton lead the market. Keep the dust bag, box, receipt, authenticity card, lock, and clochette with the bag. They add to the price and back up the sale.

Collections

A collection is worth most when it is complete and documented.

• Sports memorabilia with certificates from the major authentication services
• Figurines from Lladró, Hummel, Royal Doulton, and similar makers, with their boxes
• Model trains, die-cast cars, and toys in original packaging
• Stamp albums, comic books, and vinyl record collections
• The collector’s own inventory, price lists, and receipts

Before we look

Do not split a collection among family members before it is counted, and do not open sealed boxes, including the ones in a storage unit. Keep signed items out of direct sun. Do not clean a handbag, condition the leather, or send it out for repair; the wrong product stains it for good. Gather the boxes and paperwork, even if they live in a different closet.

Outright or auction

Most figurines, everyday designer goods, and general collectibles we buy outright. Top handbags, important memorabilia, and complete collections built over a lifetime go to private auction, where collectors compete for them. Both numbers come to you first.