What is really valuable in an estate

When clearing a household, you may find furniture, crockery, jewellery, books and collections. Whether any of these can be sold can rarely be determined from their age or original purchase price alone.

Identify the item first

A description such as “old cutlery” is not enough to assess its value. With silver cutlery, it is important first to distinguish between solid silver and silver plate. For watches, the exact reference number helps. For model trains, it is the item number.

Gather any purchase receipts, packaging and documents. Photograph identifying marks and the item’s condition. Have unclear or potentially unusual items assessed by a specialist before making any changes to them.

Consider ordinary household goods individually too

For a cupboard, suitable dimensions and a practical collection route matter. For porcelain, the maker’s mark on the base, the number of pieces and details of any damage are useful. A book collection cannot be valued solely by the number of volumes.

It is not helpful to dismiss an entire category as having no value. Equally, an unusually high selling price cannot be used to establish a general value for similar items.

Asking price and actual proceeds

A listing initially shows an asking price. Documented sales of items in the same version and similar condition are more informative. Consider which market and period you are looking at, and whether delivery or fees are included.

If you sell items yourself, you need to describe and photograph them, answer questions and arrange handover. Auctions are also subject to the conditions of the particular auction house. Clarify the work involved, possible costs and payment date in advance.

When an entire household needs to be cleared

You can sell individual items yourself and have the rest of the household cleared. Agree beforehand what should remain and by when the rooms must be empty.

During our inspection, we assess the household goods. For items we can buy, we offer a total price. The credit for valuables and the agreed clearance services are set out in the quotation.