The Dilemma of Specialty Majolica Auctions and Ebay

When I first joined eBay in June of 1998 it was a phenomenal place to buy and sell majolica. Not only did you have access to things you'd otherwise never see, but there was a whole audience out there for things that didn't sell well in your geographic area. The prices were often great because people hadn't yet learned how to snipe auctions at the last second and you would get great deals on things. eBay’s fees were quite reasonable too.

Those things started to change when eBay decided there were too many reserve auctions so they started to charge ridiculous prices for auctions with reserves. Their auction fees continued to rise to the point where it became no longer viable for many dealers to sell there, me among them. If you're only making a 10% markup on something, why would you allow eBay to take half of that, not to mention the expense of mailing and dealing with the mail carriers?

I stopped selling majolica on eBay regularly quite a few years ago. Every once in a while I'll test the waters and throw something on there to see how the market responds but it's rarely worthwhile anymore. The only regular selling I do on eBay is for my book, Etruscan Majolica: The Majolica of Griffen, Smith & Company. That's really just for promotional purposes anyway to let people know the book is out there. I make very little profit on those eBay sales.

Regular auctions are generally more profitable than eBay but it really depends where you consign. Michael Strawser has made a nice little business out of selling majolica with Majolica Auctions. His auctions are usually well attended and well advertised. If you have something special or unique to sell, his auctions are the usually the way to go. He gets very good prices for the seller, especially for European majolica.

If you're selling American majolica, like Etruscan, or more common pieces that may have their share of bumps and bruises, you're better off putting it into a well advertised local auction. So many Etruscan collectors have complained about Strawser's attitude towards American and unmarked majolica but you really can't blame the guy. He goes where the money is. He's just making a business decision by lumping the pieces into lots. His auctions for low end and middle of the road majolica are a great place to buy if you're looking for bargains, but an awful place to sell because the pieces often bring a fraction of what they'd bring at a general sale.

It helps to know where the audience is for your majolica as well. Phoenixville pieces will sell better in Pennsylvania. Morley pieces will sell better in Ohio, and Eureka Pieces will sell better in New Jersey. It's a pretty simple formula.

The prices have come down quite a bit since 1987 because of the stock market crash but these things are cyclical. This is a good time to buy at auction but not a particularly good time to sell. The prices are bound to go up again. You just need patience.

Regardless of where you buy or sell it, DO IT!

Every journey begins with a single step

In January I received a surprising phone call from one of the officers of the Majolica International Society. I was asked if I would be interested in speaking on American majolica at their convention in Dallas. I wasn't sure I wanted to do it at first -- I hadn't been on an airplane in almost 20 years -- but after speaking to friends and family I was persuaded to go.

Well, I just returned from that trip and I'm so glad I went! It was not only my first trip on an airplane in 19 years, it was also my first trip to the majolica convention since my years as an antiques dealer. As successful as those trips as a dealer were, this one as a guest was much more fun! The presentation I gave was greeted with such a wonderful response and the people were so warm and friendly. I was actually rather shocked.

The Majolica International Society has unfairly developed a rather bad reputation as a group of wealthy elitists. My experience this past week showed me that this is a passionate group of collectors who are eager to share their love of majolica with others of like mind regardless of income. Wealthy, yes, there's little doubt that the majority there are quite well off, but that doesn't make them elitists. If anything the general consensus of the members is that they are quite unhappy that collectors of more modest means have shunned their conventions of late. In fact, my invitation as a speaker was intended to attract more modestly fixed collectors who might not have the means to collect the more expensive European majolica that is usually the focus of these gatherings. I don't think they were successful in doing that but it was just as well as there was barely a piece of American majolica for sale at the entire Majolica Heaven show.

I'm hoping that this is about to change. Next year's convention is going to be held in Philadelphia. Philly is easily accessible by car to a large number of collectors from all over the East Coast. This should attract collectors of more modest means who are interested in majolica. It is just around the corner from Phoenixville, the home of Etruscan Majolica. There are many Etruscan collectors in these parts and the dealers setting up would be foolish to not capitalize on that. It is also near the Hatboro auction gallery that is the home of Michael Strawser's two annual majolica auctions.

I don't know if the convention is being planned to coincide with one of those majolica auctions but it seems to me that it would be a mistake not to. I know that the dealers who set up at Majolica Heaven are not in favor of doing so but failing to offer the auction as a convention activity is the equivalent of not passing a health care bill because it doesn't favor the bottom line of the insurance companies. What is more important, the hundreds of members of the Society or the bottom line of the half dozen dealers who set up at the show? I'm not saying that keeping the dealers happy isn't important. They are, after all, the suppliers of all the wonderful things we collect, but they wouldn't have a business if there were no collectors to buy these things and the audience for this pottery is getting older and older. Unless younger collectors are encouraged to join the group by making available less expensive pieces that they can afford, in a few years there will be no one left to sell to.

The truth is that these dealers are hardly going to be affected by the Strawser Auction. Strawser's auctions attract buyers from all levels of the income spectrum. Majolica Heaven currently attracts buyers from the wealthiest 10%. For the dealers to complain about having the auction the same weekend as the convention is really just greed on their part.

If the Majolica Society wants to attract a broader audience they're headed in the right direction. Let us just hope that the dollar sign doesn't affect the real bottom line, the future of the Majolica International Society.