Where to Sell Antiques: Auction, Dealer, Online or Local — the Real Trade-offs

"What's it worth?" has a hidden second half: where? The same piece can net $60 from a dealer, $110 on eBay after fees and shipping panic, or $150 at the right regional auction — or the reverse. Channels, honestly:

The channels

• Auction houses (regional to specialist): consignment fees 10–30% + photography/lot charges; months to payment; but competitive bidding finds real prices for quality pieces — the right specialist sale is where better-tier objects belong. Weak for commodity goods (bulk lots at bulk money).
• Dealers: instant, zero-effort, wholesale — expect 30–50% of retail (they carry inventory risk and overhead; that's the trade, not a scam). Right for: quick liquidation, and pieces in their specialty where their retail is highest.
• eBay and online marketplaces: best price discovery for shippable, identifiable items — fees ~13–15%, your labor is real (photos, listings, packing, returns), and fragile/heavy things punish you at the post office.
• Local (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist): zero shipping — the only sane channel for furniture and heavy goods; price discovery weak, haggling constant, safety basics apply.
• Estate sale companies: whole-house solutions (30–50% commission) — the downsizing context where their speed beats channel-optimizing every item.
• Consignment shops: slow middle path, split varies; good for décor-tier pieces with local appeal.

The decision matrix

Identify and comp first (the app + sold results — never sell unidentified), then route: five-figure suspicions → appraisal, then specialist auction. Quality collectibles, small and shippable → eBay/specialist online. Furniture and heavy → local or regional auction. Commodity china/glass bulk → estate sale, auction box lots, or donation-with-receipt. Category cults (pottery, Pyrex, toys) → the category's own collector groups and shows, where buyers pre-exist.

Seller's protections

Get consignment terms written (reserves, fees, timing); photograph everything pre-consignment (your record); never let a buyer-of-everything cherry-pick the good pieces at bulk prices ("the most-valuable-hiding guide exists because pickers read it too"); and treat any dealer's unsolicited appraisal-plus-offer as the conflict of interest it is.

The bottom line

Auctions discover prices, dealers buy time, online maximizes shippables, local moves the heavy, estate sales move the house. Identify, comp, then match each object to the channel its buyers actually shop.

Values mentioned in this guide are indicative ranges from public auction and marketplace results; condition, provenance and market timing move them substantially. For insurance or estate purposes, get a written appraisal from a certified appraiser.