Researching Glass to Sell on eBay

Yesterday I identified a wine goblet we had as Lenox Crystal’s Hanover. This is contemporary crystal with a cut paneled bowl and molded stem; it’s heavy and the glass is beautifully clear. We had a good photograph of this already so I listed it to start later this week.

We’ve boxes upon boxes of glass that needs a name – if we can name it we have a better chance of selling – so it’s a happy event when we get one more piece identified. Here’s how the identification worked:
This goblet was marked Lenox which made it easy. First step, check the crystal stemware guide by Page and Fredericksen, Crystal Stemware Identification Guide. The stem shape wasn’t there.
Next step, try the Replacements online catalog. They have tiny pictures of many patterns and it takes time to go through the list, click and open any that look possible, then rule out and go onto the next. There it is, Hanover.

Now for pricing, there are several sources, including eBay listings, Replacements, TIAS stores, Ruby Lane stores, other stores through Google and my own best guess. eBay completed prices are reasonable guides if the same item sells consistently but is chancy if it’s uncommon. The downside to using eBay completed is if two bidders happened to find the same item and got into a bidding war the price may be too high, and if a seller listed with a low opening bid but only one person felt like buying, then the price is low.

I tend to use my judgment plus other retail sites for items like this. For this goblet, I looked at when it was made, 1985 to 1989, figured that people ought to want to complete their sets and am listing for $29.99 with buy it now of $32.99. This is not a super popular pattern so it will likely do better in my store where it can wait for a few months, but we’ll try the auction path first.

We’ll look at how this goblet did on auction next week after it closes.

If you would like to watch too, here is my eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass and here is my store on TIAS online collectible mall: http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/