# Help with Opera Records?



## slm (Jan 22, 2014)

Hello all!

I'm very new, so I hope it's okay just to ASK about how to sell records. I'm not trying to SELL them on here. Just want that clear. 

Anyway, I'm helping my friends father sell his huge collection of opera records. He has about 10,000 he wants to auction off, but we're unsure how to go about it. I was hoping someone might know of a store, person, or collector that might be interested. 

We've tried doing it one at a time on eBay, but it wasn't working out because they're not really rare, but they're all in really good condition. He originally bought them as a lot from a record store that was closing down in CA. 

Any tips or advice is very very very appreciated. 

Thanks!


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

We're talking LPs, yes? Firstly I'm in the UK, so I'm not a buyer for you. My comments might help you understand how the collector/your prospective buyer thinks.

I'm a collector, particularly of opera records, but not looking for rarities, but rather the major recordings. These days many larger collections come up for internet auction (10's or 100's of box sets in single lots). Generally they don't make very much, less than $1 per disk in job lots is about on target for seller and buyer alike.

Increasingly, as my collection grows more comprehensive, the larger job lots contain mostly duplications of what I already have. Sometimes I have to pass up an interesting lot because I just can't bear having any more duplicates that I have to shift. (Storage soon becomes a problem!)

In terms of Ebay, my advice would be:
1) Don't just offer collection. You're really limiting your market. Do some research and get the cheapest courier rate for a given weight, then bundle up the LPs according to the most economical weight of the package. i.e. 20 x box sets.
2) List them fully, and take several pictures, including one of all the spines together.
3) Others may disagree, but I'd say mix up the composers. Also, don't include anything outside of the genre. Collectors don't want Mantovani or James Last!

That means someone like me can choose whether a particular lot is worth bidding on - a good ratio of non-duplicates. Sometimes if a rare item is included you may get bidders for a lot even though they only want one of them.

Listen to any offers you get. For non-rarities it's a buyer's market. If someone is offering something for individual items or he wants a pick of a few, make the deal and get shifting.

Having a classical/opera LP collection and playing them is a great pleasure and an affordable hobby. Consider that you are buying (invariably immaculate) items at a fraction of what someone paid 30+ years ago.


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## slm (Jan 22, 2014)

Thank you so much, Alexander! 

Where do you usually shop for lots at auction? I'm mostly curious about where to actually list these items. 

I hadn't thought about putting them into 20+ groupings. That's a brilliant idea! I'll take a look into that.


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## Vinyl (Jan 22, 2014)

Good advice from Alexander. 
I recently took over, in full, a large collection, and there is a LOT of opera there, but with *almost* no exceptions, the price I might get on ebay or other markets is hardly worth the hassle. 

So I'm keeping mine. Other than that I can't help, because I have all the opera records I will ever need. If I can be used as an example of anything, it is that if the price is right (in my case zero), you could get lucky and find someone who is willing to take it all.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

I usually shop on Ebay, although I keep an eye on Gumtree etc, as well as two local general auction houses. But the rules still apply: The deal point is about $1 (UK £0.60) per disk in decent bulk collections, although there are undoubtedly operas/sets/recordings that tend to trade rather higher even when not rare, just because people tend to want them. e.g. Bach's Cello Suites, or Berg's Wozzeck and Lulu, so these tend to get a little more, although still only equivalent to a new CD issue!

Of course the collectible market is a whole different thing and if you're lucky enough to acquire a bunch of Columbia SAX labels, then you're in good shape because people pay crazy money for those. Personally as someone who buys vinyl to play and enjoy, I much prefer the later digital era labels such as CBS masterworks.


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## slm (Jan 22, 2014)

thank you both for your help. This has definitely given me something to think about. I will look into local auction houses and see if this collection is something they'd be interested in, otherwise I think I might have to go the $1/record route. 

Thanks!


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## Vinyl (Jan 22, 2014)

Don't miss out on the ones that might be more valuable, though. 
It's often a hassle to find out, but if someone is willing to pay $100 or more for your record and you sell it for $3 because you were too busy to google, that would be silly, too, wouldn't it?

The vast majority of your records will be worth peanuts (at best), but some might tickle a wealthy collector just so...

Here's a random ebay search for opera on vinyl, sorted by price (I hope): 
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Records-/17...kw=vinyl+opera&_dcat=176985&Style=Opera&rt=nc


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

To get the best price on EBay, you need to use a photograph that clearly shows what you are selling - I often buy collections that are obscurely photographed because they sell the cheapest (and I sometimes find really good things in there) whereas those that are clearly identifiable sell for higher prices. Identify in the selling bar the composer's surname, opera title, record label (and if space, surname of main singers) so that searchers find it easily. Avoid gimmicky labels, or high postage fees, and make sure you put the items into 'classical' and 'opera' (its amazing how much stuff is put in the wrong categories ... and therefore doesn't sell). Describe the item accurately

Also, do some research before you set the start price - common opera sells for low prices because there is loads of it about whereas unusual ones sell better - if you've got operas that you haven't heard of, they will probably fetch a higher price than you might expect.

finally, be patient - if it doesn't sell, re-list it and, if you can, build up a decent feedback score so that buyers trust you


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

There are some LPs from the beginning of stereo that are valuable. I got quite a bit for a few I had inherited. Would be worth seeking out a middle man from (eg) the Gramophone - they advertise in there.


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