Featured Help needed in the Chicagoland area

(Pics added in gallery) Hello, my name is Dean Anderson and I'm a brand new forum member here. And I apologize in advance for the length of my first post here. I admit, I joined because my parents are moving out of their house and I have the task of selling their extensive collection of antiques, mainly kerosene and gas era lighting, over 60 years of collecting. As a kid, my parents dragged us around to countless antique stores wherever they found one. So, even though I've been antiquing all my life, I never really paid attention to it. Now that I'm interested, my dad's dementia prevents him from sharing his extensive knowledge about his lamps. My dad was a union electrician and a true craftsman. He started "Ron's Lamp Shop" as a side business and soon became the premiere electrician for some prestigious antique stores in the Chicagoland area. He restored, wired, re-wired laps and fixtures and if needed, he would install them too. Anyway, they have a house full of antique lighting, just about all of it is original and correct with very few reproductions. And the reproductions that they do have, are old and very nice reproductions. And there's also his shop full of parts for the lamps! The help I'm looking for is in the pricing for everything, if that's possible. My attempts to contact antique stores here are resulting in no replies, a sign of the times. I'm not going to price stuff through the roof, but don't want to give it away either. I really want to be very fair about it. I have a plethora of pictures to share, but in an email. So if there's interest, or advice, please PM me and I will reply. Thank you for your time and consideration, Dean.

 

You may want to consider an auctioneer or auction house for a large accumulation of items. Choosing the right one for your items is going to be the difficult part. If you think your items are higher end you may want to contact a higher end auction house and they can come view your items and begin the consignment process.

 

Welcome Dean, and good luck with your research.

 

Have you contacted stores in the Chicago area that specialize in antique lighting? I used to live in Chicago (and grew up in northwest Indiana) and know there are some. They may want to buy some or all of what you have. But I guess it's the appraisal that is the issue here because you would want to know what these things might bring on the market. You'll probably need to pay somebody to come and appraise, even if you don't go the auction route. Which I also think you should consider -- look for reviews of auction companies, though. There are so many.

And from your post it sounds like your parents do have lots of other antiques, but the lighting is the main part of it? So for appraisals you could go to a broader auction company, or look at a site like this: https://www.isa-appraisers.org/find-an-appraiser

There are 5 people on that site that include Lamps & Lighting Fixtures among their specialty areas. Two of them are located in Chicago.

https://www.isa-appraisers.org/find-an-appraiser/results/List?specialties=114

Best wishes, and Welcome!

 

Thanks for the info. Yes, I've contacted the antique stores my dad used to do stuff for. The people that had the stores back then are no longer around and I can't even get a reply from the new people, very frustrating! I remember one piece in particular that my dad restored and re-wired, a signed Tiffany chandelier. He hung it in the entry in a mansion in Evanston and I had to hold it up while he did the lock up and connections up top. I remember being very nervous! LOL!

 

Just posted 10 pics in the gallery under "my collection". Thanks, so far, for the info an advise. Truly appreciated. Dean

 

Welcome, Dean. For best discussion results, you should attach those pictures to post(s) in this thread. To do so, use the little camera icon in the reply toolbar. (Media Gallery Embed.)

 

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

more lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:59 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

Some lamps and fixtures by Dean Anderson posted Aug 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM

 

Took a quick look through and see some very nice lamps but nothing outrageously rare. For some, the value may be more in the shade than the fixture. Number 4 is a reproduction but I guess you probably know that. Unfortunately, the market is way down for this kind of thing. Once you have them identified, you might check ebay for prices sold for same or similar. Do not look at asking prices. Due to the quantity you have, you may want to go the auction route. Best of luck.

 

verybrad, number 4? Are you referring to the wall sconce with the reflector? If so, those are all original, nothing reproduction, and there's 2 of them on either side of their bed. The warming lamp, brass base and big red shade, is very uncommon. My folks have only seen a couple others in almost 70 years of collecting. But you're correct, nothing outrageously rare, just an above average collection. They would go on antiquing vacations to many, many shops in many different states. Anyway, I really don't have an emotional attachment to the lamps and fixtures, would just like to move them as fairly as possible to both parties. As I ID the repos I will go back and list them in the gallery pics.

 

They ARE lovely lamps ... Joy.

 

Welcome here. I can't help you with these, but I wish you all the best.

 

Welcome! I'm going to fourth or fifth the idea of sending the pile to auction. It's about the only way to handle a collection that size, and shipping fragile items then becomes someone else's problem. That alone is worth not making as much money by doing it yourself!

 

Welcome Dean.

 

Yes, welcome! Wondering if Brad meant the lamp with the woman on the swing. It is frequently copied:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Andrea-by-...p-Sculpture-Lady-on-Tree-Swing-/273400A784701

You might check to see if the plug on the swing lamp you have looks older or newer. Would think if newer, it is likely a repro. Full disclosure, I don't know the history of the Moreau signed lamps (maybe someone else here does...) The above link for your comparison, though.

This is a tricky problem with your parent's estate. Echoing sentiments that the market for this kind of thing, antique glass lamps, classic looking antiques in general, is WAY down. Of all the lamps, the one that caught my eye was that ceiling lamp which looks like of Italian, or modernist. (You might check for labels, etc. on that piece.)

Assuming you no longer have any Tiffany pieces. Those are still quite collectible, of course.

The lamps in the photos would probably realize the best price if you can ship them, but what a headache that would be. Shipping heavy glass is not for the faint of heart and takes a lot of patience and more packing materials than you can imagine. Pretty much the gold standard is to pack an item so it can be dropped from a height of 8 feet onto concrete and survive without damage. And shipping can be costly. Someone has to pay --whether buyer or seller, and cuts into the cost for the item itself.

Even an auction (which is probably the best) might require you to move everything to the auction house. Pieces that are hooked into the ceiling, etc won't be able to be displayed as working, it will be an effort. You might want to photo document everything and bring it around to places. Someone above suggested a lamp store that sells older pieces, I'd start there but don't let them cherry pick. Tell them you are interested in selling the lot. Could an auction actually happen at the house? Would limit the demographics of the audience, but save the difficulty in moving. I don't know if businesses are still doing that.

Three years ago I went through a similar process in the Chicago area, not far from Evanston. My parent's didn't have an antique collection, but had some great 1960's furniture from Marshall Fields, etc and we hired an estate company to run it, as I no longer live in Illinois. In general the company did a very good job, but there were a few "funny" things... so not sure I would give them a wholehearted approval rating but can send their name if you want. (Private message me, if yes.)

 

Sorry... meant #5 (Girl on swing lamp)

 

Yes, my mom told me the "girl on a swing" is a repo.

 

Well, Dean...I am a bit late to the party, but I wanted to second the auction suggestion. Your parts and pieces would be difficult to sell, even if you know what they are. As mentioned oil lamp prices are in the dumpster. There are likely some lamp collectors in your area, so you might make out ok.

For those of you in the Houston area, the Houston Glass Club show is in Rosenberg. I just got back from spending money I didn't have on stuff I did NOT need. But happiness is better than money. So much pretty and neat stuff and so little time (and money).

 

Brazos, if you are so inclined, post some photos of your haul in the Finds thread up in the Antique Discussion section!