The New York Times vs 1st Dibs
September 12th, 2011 by admin
So much for the New York Times being an elitist paper, as Steven Kurutz writes of buying antiques on 1st Dib for an article in last Thursday’s Home section. The writer reveals his ignorance of values with the excuse of having a beer budget. Excuse me, but good luck finding a Picasso on Craig’s List. Understanding how a marketplace works would be a good start and having a site where dealers post prices is a lot better than auctions, where you have to be duped into finding where the price to buy starts.
I find that articles like Kurutz’s have a negative point of view about pricing for these objects. The fact that he must acknowledge 1st Dibs is an admission of his lack of resources to find these “expensive” items. The public in general feeds off this public humiliation of dealers and their pricing, but what are the alternative sources that he offers; eBay, Craig’s List, VandM? Sorry, but Mid-century is already cheap, available, and been recycled to death. He should be able to do better with a very predictable “in” period of decorating.
Let us see what Mr. Kurutz can do about finding good 17th, 18th, and 19th Century items cheaply, and where. Perhaps this assignment is a bit more difficult and the market more sophisticated for his amateur skills. Buying good fine and decorative arts is not a game for someone lacking knowledge and a passion. There are differences in every originally designed and created object that cannot be defined only by a price. The pleasure of ownership is measured by rarity and a perceived value that is affordable. Not everyone can buy a Mercedes, but a lot more appreciate its status and comforts. That 3 bedroom coop with a terrace on Park Avenue won’t come cheap.
With all these items, the sticker price is what someone posts as an offering selling price. You negotiate for a car or home, what is so different about fine and decorative arts? The public’s fear of pricing is exacerbated by articles like what Mr. Kurutz has written. Yet he fails to take aim at the other great resource for merchandise, the auctions. Maybe he should experience the thrill of trying to buy a good piece in that venue. Maybe he will experience a good buy, only to be saddled with a hefty buyer’s premium.
Finally the future for my industry won’t hinge on getting the best possible deal or buying cheaper than on 1st Dibs. The need for a public not to fear owning these items is the tendency I wish to see. Understanding and appreciation of the object is the paramount goal of any industry’s ability to succeed. Apple has done that brilliantly. Dumbing down to cheaper considerations is a formula for never attaining a higher goal. Perhaps Mr. Kurutz had it right when he said “If you don’t mind wiping out your 401(k), you might be able to furnish one room, maybe two.” I can think of no better place to put part of my retirement funds and enjoy the benefits, long term!
Mike wrote on 10/9/11 at 10:12 pm :
I spend a lot of time on eBay and Craigslist and consistently fine nice 19th century items for little money in comparison to their actual worth. I have bought two huge collections of antique toys (19th Century German mostly) off craigslist for practically nothing… and have even found an 18th century Portuguese portrait for only a few hundred that was valued at MUCH more. So yes, while the writer may be ignorant to true value and about actual antiques, I do believe you can find real gems on eBay and especially Craigslist… you just need patients to go through all the listings.
Mirna Minkoff wrote on 03/25/13 at 9:38 am :
This dealer is just angry, most dealers specializing in ornate, pre-1900 antiques are quite angry about all the attention mid century modern is getting for what, a decade now? I keep hearing them mutter it’s just a fad, or like this blogger “predictable.” of course every “antique” has its phase.
First it’s new and of the era,then it becomes passé, then it becomes tacky or just out dated enough to be a bit shabby, then a languishing period where everyone dismisses that terrible fad and it’s thrown away, bought cheaply, etc…to own it shows you can afford to update to the new decor of the era.. Then slowly it is rediscovered, renewed appreciation, and slowly becomes a valuable antique.
There will always be some people who want heavy, highly ornate, antiques but they are decreasing in number every year. The modern design movement continues to grow in popularity because it is good design with a modern aesthetic. If these old antique dealers think the computer babies are going to fill their houses with heavy, dark Victorian furniture or take a page from the decor of 17th century France – they are sadly mistaken. The majority will be drawn to a more modern look. The mid century period will attract them because the good stuff is incredibly well made and will last – just like the good antiques of previous generations. It is furniture you can both use and invest in. Unfortunately, with the shift to overseas cheap production of the last 20 years there won’t be many sought after antiques from the 1990-2012 period, too much poorly made stuff with inferior design. So the up and coming buyers (35 to 15) will either buy mid century modern and/or cheap new stuff.
As for buying from a dealer, I only do that if I want to overpay. The Internet and libraries have provided enough information that you can research anything if you have the desire and motivation. With that you can go on eBay or any place online and buy things at much cheaper prices. While antique roadshow was the boon of the early 90s for dealers, it was followed by eBay which has become the bane of their existence. eBay, and other online site brought the real market home – we could finally see just how much stuff was out there and get a good idea of true market value. I walked into an antique store run by an older man who probably priced the majority of his things in 1995. They were all still there because of eBay, which offers the same items at a fraction of the cost. He refuses to get online, hates mid century modern. I’m glad because I bought a “mid century modern” item from him for $100 that he had shoved in a dusty corner, things piled over it. this same item sold for $11,600 last year at auction.