Are we still open during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic? The short answer is yes: we are still helping clients like you solve your estate liquidation/estate buyout challenges — and still buying your antiques, fine art, collectibles, jewelry, coins and more.
We’re still looking for all kinds of collectibles, especially vintage toys — but exercising great caution in the process.
We are, however, adjusting the ways that we operate and offering new methods of providing service. Please allow me to outline how we’re helping people during this frightening time.
It starts with transparency. Neither Won-ok Kim nor myself are experiencing any symptoms of the coronavirus. We’re practicing social distancing, washing our hands repeatedly and following all other recommendations. The moment our own health changes, we’ll close our doors and self quarantine until we’re cleared to return to duty. The same is true for our staff.
We’ll continue to be up-front with our clients and ask that you do the same with us.
Estate Liquidation Questions and Answers
A lot of people calling us say that they are facing urgent deadlines because they are moving or need to liquidate an estate they inherited. They don’t have the luxury of waiting until this crisis is over. Traditional estate sales are out as they’re just not safe at this time. The model we already rely on more than any other, though, is our “one call solves it all” solution: we take most sellable items to auction for you, transport all donations to charity and provide you with itemized tax receipts, and haul away your trash — recycling as much as possible and even donating food to a food pantry. We charge a fee for our labor. The auction proceeds and tax receipts are yours.
Most vintage advertising piece are always in demand.
While many auction houses are cancelling auctions for now, the auction houses we deal with most frequently are adding storage capacity so that they can store your treasures until this crisis has passed. This means you do not have to worry about your valuables selling for nothing because people aren’t attending auctions, or because they’re not willing to pick up items from online auctions. If our auction houses run out of storage space, we can always add storage capacity ourselves.
It’s obviously best for everyone involved if we work on your home after you have already vacated it, especially if you’re elderly or facing other health issues that make you more susceptible to COVID-19 dangers. If you’re still living in the home, we can discuss your project and determine if it makes sense for us to help — and what precautions we can take to limit risk.
What about our initial, free in-home consultations? We can avoid the in-person part by using videos and photos. You can walk us around your house using live video on your phone or laptop, or send us extensive photos of the contents in your house. (We can guide you through how to do both.)
Selling Individual Items and Collections
Our eBay sales haven’t yet slowed — and Marilyn Monroe and all things vintage Hollywood remain hot.
Would you like to sell individual items and collections instead of an entire estate, but prefer not to have anyone come into your home? We can make that work, too. Here’s how we’re handling estate liquidation during the coronavirus pandemic. You can show us your items via video and photos as above, then we discuss potential offers by phone. If you agree to sell us your items, you can simply set them outside your front door when we arrive. We can pay you electronically or place a check underneath your door. If placing them outside when we arrive is not an option because you’re not able to pack them or move them, we can discuss safety precautions we can take to quickly remove the items.
For fine jewelry and coins, we can connect you with a trusted dealer who can work with you by phone and mail — providing you with a free mailing label and full insurance to cover the cost of shipping your items.
Appraisals
We’re still providing appraisals of individual collections and entire estates. If you have no pressing deadline, it’s best to wait. If you have a pressing deadline and can provide detailed photos of the items in question, we can likely still provide appraisal services. In cases where it makes sense for you and for us, we can quickly perform an in-person photo inventory of your home and discuss any questions by phone.
America will get through the coronavirus pandemic, and Orion’s Attic will continue to find ways to help you solve your estate liquidation/estate buyout, downsizing and appraisal needs. Safety, though, must remain the top priority.
Do you have additional questions or would you like to talk to us about your needs? Contact us today.
Handling estate liquidation during the coronavirus pandemic can start with you providing video and photos to us.