Most local dealers will give free verbal appraisals. “It’s a tradition in Sarasota,” says Crissy, “and it’s how the selling process in this category should begin. At Crissy Galleries, appraisals are done for good will. We’ll see eight or 10 people for verbal appraisals on a Saturday; in many cases they’re astonished at what their art or antiques are worth.”

McClure says the most undervalued items people sell are paintings, art pottery and art glass. A trained eye will check your painting for signatures on front and back, evaluate the condition (tears and repairs affect resale price), determine if the painting is original to the frame and look for telltale tags affixed to the back of the frame that signify the painting has been in exhibitions.

“The price you get for artwork is subjective,” Crissy says. Both he and McClure have the resources and expertise to determine whether the best venue for your art or antique is an international or regional auction house, an estate sale or a local dealer.

“Certain things should go to auction,” Crissy explains. “If a piece is unique —a Ben Franklin tall clock, for example—you let people battle it out on the auction floor.” When dealing with auction houses, photography, insurance costs, selling commissions and buyers’ premiums come off the top, so know in advance what those charges are.

Douglas Carpenter, formerly of Apple & Carpenter Galleries, says that dealers who specialize in specific types of art will often pay more than auction houses. “When an auction house has advertised a painting on the Internet and everyone knows the auction selling price, the trade says that painting has been ‘burned,’” he explains. To avoid that exposure and the potential loss of revenue, he recommends starting with trusted local experts.

Carpenter says auction houses will negotiate commissions (generally 15 to 19 percent of the sale price) if they really want your piece. You should expect to pay $300 to $500 for photography and 2 percent for insurance and shipping. “If the item doesn’t sell, you have to pay return shipping as well,” he adds.

And McClure says Sotheby’s once offered so little for a piece that her client was able to sell it for a better price locally through Crissy Galleries. But don’t expect local dealers to want to earn less than a 15 to 20 percent mark-up on your stuff. Asked if he negotiates on his retail prices, Crissy answers, “Life’s negotiable.”

UPSCALE BOYS TOYS: cars and boats

Guys may not be emotionally tied to their clothes, but their vehicles are a different story. “Our donors become attached to their cars. They name them; they associate the cars with fond memories. Rather than sell them, they want to see their wheels go for something good,” says Goodwill Manasota’s French. “A lot of people are down on their luck, and can’t get any work without a car.” 

Since January 2005, any deduction over $500 requires a receipt proving the actual sale price, which Goodwill provides. The Goodwill lot sold over a thousand cars last year. “It’s a million-dollar-plus business,” French says. “We handle everything from picking up the vehicle to sending out the charity receipt letter after the sale.”

Goodwill discounts Kelly Blue Book prices by a half or a third—like the 40-foot Mainship motor yacht they’re offering for $62,000. The list on the 1993 model is $92,000. We found a 1994 Mainship motor yacht for sale on the Internet for $139,000.

If you’re interested in cold cash instead of a deduction, check Kelly online to get a handle on fair market value before hitting the used car lots or selling via classified ads (carbuyingtips.com is helpful for sellers, too). eBay has a motors division (cars, yachts, and planes), but if you haven’t wet your feet with low-ticket items, we suggest an eBay selling expeditor like Sellit4u in Sarasota.