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Step 1
There are two main auction houses in New York that are world famous for auctions, Sotheby's and Christie's. Begin by photographing your valuables so you have a record for yourself and something to submit to the experts for their professional evaluation.
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Step 2
Sotheby's experts can be contacted by going calling their General Inquiries representatives at (212) 606-7010 in New York or (020) 7293-5000 in London and explaining the type of item you'd like evaluated for their auctions. They will then direct you to the appropriate department so you can make an appointment for an evaluation.
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Step 3
If NYC or London is convenient for you, you can visit them directly. Ask to speak to a department specialist who will then meet with you, conduct an evaluation, and provide you with a preliminary auction estimate.
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Step 4
If visiting NYC or London is too far out of the way for you, you can visit Sotheby's online (see Resources below) for details on how you can mail off a request for an evaluation instead.
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Step 5
Christie's auction house has a good online program where you can submit photos of your valuables to the experts for their evaluation (see Resources below).
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Step 6
Visit eBay. This is a good avenue for people who have items of value that they want to sell, but are too low in value for a high-end auction house (see Resources below). The site will take newcomers through the step by step process of uploading the photos of their valuables for auction.
