Sotheby’s is a company that has stood the test of time. Since the mid-1700s, this London auction house has amassed an empire of 100 offices worldwide. It is not uncommon for sales from various auction items to total more than $2 billion in a year’s time. High-end auction items, like baseball memorabilia, are perfectly suited for the discriminating customer at Sotheby’s. Here’s sell baseball autographs at a Sotheby’s auction.
Instructions
1. Find a Sotheby’s location. Sotheby's representatives are located throughout the world, from North America to Europe and the Middle East. Actual locations are much rarer. In most cases, contacting a Sotheby’s associate will be the most feasible means to start the selling process. A list of offices and representatives are available at Sothebys.com.
2. Determine the potential costs of autographed baseballs by reviewing the history of sales in the Sotheby’s database. Current catalogs and sold-lot archives are an excellent place to research memorabilia pricing. Sotheby’s has also partnered with SCP Auctions for high-end sports memorabilia. Similar information will also be available at scpauctions.com.
3. Complete the seller’s process for registering an item with Sotheby’s. An associate will guide this process which includes evaluating the baseball autograph for authenticity, shipping procedures in the event the seller is not present during the auction, contracts and payments to Sotheby’s for the auction service.
4. Decide whether to sell online in addition to actual auctions. Sotheby’s has partnered with eBay for online auctioning services for its high-end products. Sellers must decide individually, however, if an online auction suits their particular sell. In the case of an autographed baseball, potential buyers exist around the world with the means to pay top-dollar for this type of item. A savvy seller would be wise to make sure his or her autographed baseball is adequately promoted throughout the Internet.
