In this guide (6)
Quick answer. Sell antique jewellery, silver, watches, coins, boxes and objets to a specialist buyer; rare pieces at auction; furniture locally; lower-value items on general marketplaces.
- Most antiques marketplace websites accept dealers only, not private sellers.
- A specialist values from photographs and buys outright, with no seller's fees.
- Auction suits rare pieces if you can wait and accept commission.
- Do not clean or repair anything before it is valued.
The five ways to sell antiques in the UK
There are five main routes, and each suits different pieces and different sellers. The right one depends on what you have, how quickly you want to be paid, and how much of the work you want to do yourself.
| Route | How it works | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist buyer or dealer | Values your piece, often from photographs, and buys it outright | Jewellery, silver, watches, coins, boxes and objets; anyone who wants a quick, certain sale | An outright offer rather than a retail price; choose a specialist in your type of antique |
| Auction house | Catalogues your piece and offers it to bidders on a sale day | Rare and important pieces, single-owner collections, items with strong competition | Seller's commission and fees; weeks or months to the sale and payment; no sale if the reserve is not met |
| Antiques marketplace websites | Dealers list stock for buyers to browse | Trade dealers with stock to sell | Most accept dealers only, not private sellers, so private sellers usually reach them by selling to a dealer |
| General marketplaces (eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Etsy for vintage) | You list, sell and post the item yourself | Lower-value pieces and sellers happy to handle buyers | Listing work, fees, payment and postage risks, and meeting strangers |
| Antique centres and shops | Dealers rent space and sell to visitors; many also buy | Local sales of furniture and decorative pieces | You sell to a dealer there, who needs room to resell |
Which route suits your antique?
- Jewellery, silver, watches and coins: a specialist buyer who values hallmarks, makers, stones and movements, not only the metal.
- Boxes, objets, bronzes and porcelain: a dealer in fine antiques, or auction for exceptional pieces.
- Furniture and large items: a local dealer, antique centre or regional auction, because collection and transport matter.
- A whole house or collection: auction or several specialists, one for each type of item.
- Everyday and low-value pieces: general marketplaces or a local antique centre.
Rare pieces with strong collector interest can do well at auction if you can wait. For most jewellery, silver and small antiques, a specialist's outright offer is quicker and has no seller's fees. See also dealer or auction?
Sell to a specialist
Free valuation from your photographs. Paid the same day after inspection.
- Free insured FedEx collection
- Insured to £10,000
- No obligation
Selling antiques online
Selling online no longer means listing it yourself. With a specialist buyer you send photographs, receive a valuation, and post the piece insured only if you accept the offer.
- Photograph it. The whole piece from several sides, then any marks, signatures, labels or damage close up, in daylight on a plain background.
- Get a free valuation. Send the photos with anything you know about its history. A specialist replies, usually within one working day.
- Send it insured. Book a free insured FedEx collection or post it by Royal Mail Special Delivery.
- Be paid. The piece is inspected and you are paid the same day by bank transfer, or it is returned at no cost if you decline.
If you list on a general marketplace yourself, keep payment and posting safe: read how to sell jewellery safely.
Before you sell any antique
- Do not clean, polish or repair it. Cleaning can remove patina, damage gilding and lower value.
- Keep boxes, papers and provenance. Receipts, letters and family history help a buyer and the price.
- Get more than one opinion on anything you think may be valuable.
- Check legal restrictions. Most items containing elephant ivory cannot be sold in the UK without a registered exemption (GOV.UK).
We are dealers in fine antiques, so period pieces are bought as antiques, not melted. We buy antique jewellery and watches, silver and objets de vertu, jewellery boxes, gold seals, vesta cases and snuff boxes, bronzes, porcelain and desk accessories, by post from anywhere in the UK or by appointment in Mayfair and Braintree. See what we buy.