See anything that stands out?

[up2no6ood]

My mother recently passed and left my sister and I her extensive antique collection. My sister refuses to have the items appraised before we split up the estate. Do you see anything in the pictures that are "must haves".
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dianecaudle]

I'm not an antique dealer, but your mom sure did have nice taste in curio cabinets!  I think it's odd that your sister doesn't want to have anything appraised before you split it up.  I'd suggest having an antique dealer come into the house anyway and look around, of course I don't know your sister but that sounds strange to me, what harm is there in getting things appraised?  She'll have to know their value at some point before they get sold or go up for auction.  Usually an estate lawyer will advise against selling anything in the estate until the will has been read, opening of the estate, etc.

Diane
http://www.artwanted.com/dianecaudle

[sapphire]

Welcome to the forum up2no6ood!  You'll have to excuse me while I wipe the drool off my chin.  I certainly wouldn't be one qualified to pick
out anything for you ......but there are others here who are very savy and will spot  some 'must have's'.

My one piece of advice for you would be to try and find a reputable dealer/auctioneer who would be willing to give you individual/grouping prices rather than a 'job lot'.  Having gone through the same thing with my mother's items I learned the hard way.......I did manage to find one person (unfortunately not the first one I had) who willingly offered me a list in this manner and told me to give her a call in a few days and she would come pick up whatever I wanted to let go off that list. I was guaranteed the prices she offered.  That way I was able to go through everything and pick out a few sentimental items, knowing that I would still realize the prices quoted for everything else.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm guessing the reason your sister would not want anything appraised is this- What would you do if there is one high-dollar item and everyone wants it? If you have old/antique items that you know are family heirlooms, perhaps a good course of action would be to work with your family to see that those pieces go to someone who will care for them and keep them in the family, rather than someone who will just sell them. That might be another reason not to know appraised values, thinking that the most important thing is to get special family pieces to someone who will cherish them, valuable or not. She might also be thinking that if the possessions are divided up before anyone knows the values, it is a way to be fair to each other and eliminate the problems of having one valuable item again. Just a thought.

[KC]

Nice collection of old lamps and cabinets.

I don't understand the appraisal thing either - unless she is wanting something that is worth more and doesn't want you to know.  However, I hope that isn't the case. 

We had the family members (of my better halfs family) pick out their favorite pieces - then did the appraisal for them and the rest.  That way it divided evenly.  It worked out very well  My folks are having me work on values of item while they are alive and we are placing them with the pieces to help them divide them (per their request!!!!).
They feel much better about that.  That is why I found out that their everyday furniture it worth a lot recently and posted it here!

[sapphire]

I'm terribly sorry up2, guess I didn't read your post quite right. You're saying you're going to divide up your mother's items between you?

[ironlord1963]

    I would have to go with the non Appraisal side, esp. I it is just split amonst the family.  Looks Like so many nice items that everyone will fair well.  If it is about money, let them find out about value on the items they now have.  Many Family senitments here on this forum, most would vote to keep memories instead of spend cash.  I see lots of really nice items there, love all the oil lamp collection.  Personnally If it were me I would say just let me keep the lamps, they are a family in amonst themselves.  Most of all I want to welcome you to the forum, and if you get some cool items, be sure and post them, would love to have a closer look at many of the items I see.

[up2no6ood]

Thanks for all the quick replies. The estate is being split 50/50. 10% of the items are family heirlooms that neither of us would ever sell. Like the side board in pic 4. The rest of it is just too much to handle. Those pictures only represent about 30% of what we have. She has boxes upon boxes of depression, carnival and heisey glass, 8-10 oil paintings, a gun safe full of rare coins, the list goes on and I have no room for it all.  I took the photos to all the local antique dealers and they all said they wouldn't be able to afford a complete estate purchase and that we could open our own store with the amount of antiques we have. lol. My sister will not give me a reason as to why she wont have it appraised as shes not concerned with the monetary value. Problem is I know nothing about antiques and she does. The paintings and coins is another major concern as 1 item could be worth $100,000 and we would never know it. I just want things to be fair and even. We begin the splitting tomorrow wish me luck. Stay tuned for more detailed pictures.

P.S I want the cabinet in pic 9 But It is one solid piece and I don't want to move it lol.

[ironlord1963]

    If you are in or near a big City Consider a Antique mall space, I sure with what you have there you both would fair very well, and it is much like having your own Store.

[sapphire]

up2, I wish you all the best. Myself, I'd have to go with sentimentality first, what attracted me next then work on the rest of the 50/50.
I can't even imagine having to tackle that task.......and that's just based on the pics you've shown. KC's parents are not only smart, they
are also very thoughtful to see that the allocating is done long before there comes a need.  My mother had done that with many of her
possessions, but unfortunately it all had to be sold upon her passing.

Please be sure to post pics of your treasures here. We'd love to see them and try to answer any questions you may have about them.

Poor ironlord.......I can just imagine his head hitting the keyboard at your mention of Depression glass.



P.S.  I'll help you move #9 in exchange for a #3 or #12 !!

[syl]

You have a real dilemma that many people face. My suggestion is to go through everything and each heir take what they want to keep and then contact at least 2 if not three estate sale(liquidator) companies in you area and try to find one you trust and have an estate sale. Hopefully you have time to organize this. Sometimes people don't and are forced to take what they can get. You obviously have many wonderful things that the peeps on this site would love to see and appreciate. But these things are a legacy that were left to you and you have to do what you have to do. God bless you and good luck.

[KC]

I can only say that I have seen families ripped apart from this already heart wrenching event that we have to go through.  As a parent the only thing I feel obligated to give my children is a loving upbringing and the tools/ability to make a meaningful life for themselves.  Everything else is a bonus. 

I admire my parents for making an already emotionally wrought event less dramatic/emotional -in the way that they feel they should.  They will decide who gets what.  I am the sappiest and sentiment wins over $$$$$ any day.

Now that sermon #273 is over..... When I hear that a parent says it is to be split 50/50....then after the family heirlooms are evenly distributed....the appraiser should be called in.  But...i guess that was from sermon 274!

My heart goes out to up2.  Think of your parent's wishes/desires and honor that.

[waywardangler]

I actually went through this about 2 yrs ago.  My only sister and I went through and decided what we wanted and let our kids and spouses also choose and then sold the rest (sale proceeds went into the estate).  We did not have such an extensive antique collection to deal with and if we did, I would assume we would have held an auction or a professional estate sale.  My personal opinion is to go with an auction if the estate is large enough to make it pay.  I do not know what an appraisal of all the items will net you except what the items should be worth.  What items should be worth and what they actually sell for are two totally different things.  I personally did not care what the monetary value of an item was that my sister chose or the value of what I chose was.  Of course there was not any item worth thousands (or more) compared to anything else in the estate.  I do not know what your situation is with your sister or if there is any really valuable item in the estate compared to all the rest.  I do know you will (hopefully) have some type of relationship with your sister long after this estate is settled and that whatever happens during this time will affect that relationship.  These are just material goods and when we pass, we leave with none of them.

[cogar]

up2no6ood, if you are going to split them up "50-50" without an apprasial then what I would suggest is that you purchase a big roll of adhesive backed "stickers" and then each of you "take turns" affixing a "sticker" with your name/ID on it onto one (1) item of your choice.

If she knows more about the value of antiques than you do and you fear she will choose the "high dollar items", then you are probably right. And given said, I fear there will be "trouble in River City" for ever n' ever afterwards as a result of said.

Thus, since you are going to end up being mad at each other anyway, you should force an appraisal of the estate. That way you can still be mad but know you got your 50%. 

 

[Chinese Antique Furniture]

Cogar, there is so much truth in what you just posted!!