Pete,
Another great resource is liveauctioneers.com. You need to set up an account to see prices realized but there's no cost to do so.
You may find that there's a smaller house that specializes in the item(s) that you are looking to sell and most likely the fees will be lower. The internet has really balanced the playing field with the exception of ultra high-end items (7 figures and up).
I'm the managing partner of small auction house that specializes in art pottery and art glass. Two weeks ago we had a group of Russian items that did really well. Sotheby's in London had a sale of similar items 3 days later and our prices were right in line. The collectors will find the items as long as the auction house puts them online and does an appropriate job of cataloging and advertising.
Typically, you'll be looking at consignment fees in the 20 - 30% range but a smaller house may come down on that.
If you send me a pm and let me know what the item(s) is I may be able to send you in the right direction.
Jeff
|