My topic this month is not a new one for the antiques trade but rather something that has been out there for probably at least a decade. That is the challenge of dealing with clients who have unrealistic expectations on what their collections are worth. Whether a dealer, broker, auction house or even another collector, this is a constant problem. The narrative is as follows: We bought this left handed back scratcher at a gallery in New Hope, Pa., in 1995 for $35,000. Antiques never go down in value, and so I need to get at least $50,000 for it now because I watched a re-run of the Antiques Roadshow and saw one just like it on the episode valued at $55,000. I am not greedy so I will take a little less. The onus then falls on the potential buyer (or auctioneer) to inform them that a high retail purchase in an expensive gallery setting at the peak of the antiques market does not guarantee that it can be sold for that much today. Moreover, to top it off, because the market is trendy, left-handed back scratchers are not popular today. It is a painful conversation that needs to happen, but the results are varied. The Denier The person who when they find out the left handed back scratcher is only worth $1,000 will accuse you of being incompetent, stupid, and unaware of the market. To be honest, there is almost no way around the denier as you will not crack their faade of righteousness. The Tearful The person, usually the child of the original owner, who has just seen their inheritance reduced to ashes in front of their eyes. The Hoarder/Museum The person whose solution is to hold onto the left-handed back scratcher until the market returns, whether tomorrow or in a hundred years. Someone will pay their price. They just need to wait it out. Throws in the Towel The person who in their heart knows that what was told to them is true and so simply lets the left-handed back scratcher go to market, often without a reserve if sold in the auction. They access whatever will be. The Shopper A variant of the denier who goes from place to place to place hoping to find that smart person who will pay them their high retail, decades old, price for the item. These names were invented in jest, but sadly, I think many of us have run into this over the last decades. The antiques world has changed. Now, of course, the fickle finger of fate in all of this is that items do continue to set strong, even occasionally record prices at auction or in shows. So as much as I make fun of those who want the good old days, they are still out there and waiting for the brave of heart. Born to collect should be the motto of Peter Seiberts family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seiberts writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years worth of antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.