We’ve all heard the name Schwinn, thanks to their rich history of making quality bicycles.  Thanks to this history, bikes and parts with the Schwinn name have a great chance to sell well on eBay.

This great bike by Monark sold for $128.50 on eBay!

But Schwinn isn’t the only great classic bicycle out there!  Just check out this bike!

Made by Monark, this bike has a classic style and is in great shape.  The maker’s name on the chain guard, the rear reflector housing, and various other original parts made this a sought-after piece.  The fact that the frame was solid (no rust-through) made it a vintage bike collector’s dream, ideal for a restoration project.

What’s more, we can successfully offer long-distance shipping for a bicycle, allowing it to be bid upon by enthusiasts in California just as easily as those in Chicago.  Through a partnership with a local bike shop, we are able to safely and professionally dis-assemble and package both modern and vintage bicycles for shipping, which allows your old bike to get the greatest chance to sell high.

So if there’s an old bike taking up space in your garage, don’t hesitate to bring it in to Auction Bay and we’ll give it a try!

Artwork can be a tough sale on eBay, but if you have the right elements, it can bring in the bucks.  Take for example this original painting by Willi Bauer, which we recently sold on eBay.

This original Oil Painting by Willi Bauer sold for an impressive $1,100.00 on eBay!

This piece was an original work in great condition, with a visible (and legible) signature.  The artist is a known name, which means that collectors and enthusiasts are searching for that name on eBay, which gives a much greater chance for an item to sell.  Even though it was fairly large (which has an effect on shipping costs), the frame looked sharp and the value of the artwork was recognizable.  What further helped this was the letter included with it, which was from an established art gallery, and confirmed its origin and the identity of the artist.

While a ‘Certificate’ like this is not necessary for the sale of artwork, it certainly helps.  If you have a piece of original art that you’d like to sell, a little bit of research can go a long way.  A letter or two sent to a dealer can add credibility to your item in a market where anything can happen.  Often, a gallery or art dealer will charge a fee to identify or appraise your item.  As always, keep in mind that any appraisal or estimate of sale value is often 2-4 times higher than the potential sale of an item on eBay!  Appraisals are intended for replacement value or insurance costs, and are consistently not representative of an item’s sellability.

Musical Instruments are always in demand, as there’s always someone looking to learn how to play, or needing to replace their aging starter instrument.  We’ve been able to sell every instrument we’ve listed, including a few very special ones for some very impressive prices.

One way to help sell any instrument is to have a skilled musician play it for the camera, and then attach the video to the auction.  This allows potential bidders to see and hear the quality of the instrument, and its rich tones, and its moving parts (not to mention any defects, which help prevent returned items).  So if you happen to know (or if you happen to be) someone who can play the instrument you’d like to sell… it can fetch potentially more money if you’re willing to play it for us!

Recently, this trombone was consigned through Auction Bay.  We could find no Trombone Player, so Emil stepped up to the task.

A new consignor recently brought in some vintage Boy Scout items from his life-long career as a scout and scouter, and was pleased that we were enthusiastic to list his items.  The centerpiece of his collection was his old Explorer Uniform Shirt, which bore some distinctive patches like one from the National Jamboree at Valley Forge in 1957, as well as an old Gary, IN troop patch.

This great Explorer Scout shirt sold for $260.00 on eBay thanks to its rare patches and medals!

According to the collectors we spoke with, the Oposa Achomawi Lodge 189 patches (from an OA Lodge no longer in existence) and the Eagle Scout medal (which was Sterling Silver and had a distinctive metal knot) were the most compelling items on the uniform.  Still, the Eagle Scout on our staff was thoroughly tickled to learn the history of the patches and browse through half a century of Scouting history to help sell these items.  We will cater your auction to the patch collectors out there, to ensure a high sale!

There are plenty of Boy Scout and Scouting collectors out there, and they are willing to bid, so bring your old Scout stuff in to Auction Bay and we’ll research it for you and help you sell on eBay!

At Auction Bay, we often encounter cameras and photography equipment, and frequently these items can fetch a good price on eBay.

This XD11 Camera brought $255.00 on eBay!

Not all cameras are created equal, and a good camera, like this Minolta XD11, will always be sought-after.  This one sold for $255.00 on eBay, and yours might even bring more!  Sometimes it’s the lens that the bidders are after, or a replacement part for their favorite old SLR.  While the common 35mm camera that once cost $30 at the local department store will typically not sell, almost all enthusiast models and professional-grade cameras have a following.

We’ll research your old camera and help you sell it, so make sure to visit us at Auction bay!

One of our consignors is not only a treasure hunter, but is also an avid deer hunter.  He recently brought in his latest prize, and listed it on eBay with Auction Bay.

This impressive set of Antlers sold for $457.00 on eBay!

Now, we’ve had success with impressive pieces of taxidermy before, such as mounted deer heads and racks of antlers, and even with gag gifts like Buck, the singing animated deer.  But this set of antlers spread two feet wide and had 11 full points on it, making it a whopper of a rack!  The jawbone was included, allowing the bidder to accurately determine the age of the specimen.  Soon, the hunters, taxidermists, wildlife enthusiasts, scrimshaw artists, and knife-makers were all checking out this rack.  The bids came steadily, and then this impressive set sold for $457.00.

So if there are some more hunters out there, if you’ve got some mounted (or un-mounted) trophies that you can part with, bring them into Auction Bay, and we’ll see if we can beat that sale price!

Antique toys usually have a good chance to sell on eBay, especially if they are in great condition with their original box.  Tin lithograph toys are fairly common, but can still be highly sought-after, especially if their designs are still clear and bright.  This was particularly the case with this auction.

This tin litho toy robot sold BIG on eBay!

A new consignor brought some old toys from his childhood into Auction Bay, with no idea whether or not they had value.  One item in particular caught our eye, and sure enough, the Golden Gear Robot by Frankonia proved to be a real winner.  Dating back to the 1950s, this was not an uncommon toy, but the fact that this one survived the decades in almost pristine condition, with its original box intact made it a rarity today!

This robot had been bid up to an impressive $389, which is where it stayed for most of the week that it ran.  But it wasn’t until the last day that the bids jumped.  More specifically, the last 12 seconds.  During those crucial moments, this robot was bid upon 6 times, by enthusiastic bidders from 5 different countries!  It sold for a whopping $927.00 and now resides overseas in a collection in Germany.

In an economy where people are tightly holding on to their money, preparing for more tough times, we were elated to see this robot sell so well.  It goes to show you that there are still collectors out there with the money to spend, and a sought-after piece can bring a healthy price, especially since we cater to a world-wide bidding audience!