Hi all, new to the forum, I've just had my son in-laws Astor Mickey Mouse BP fully restored to original working condition & would like some input as to best place for them to sell/auction it so they can put the proceeds towards a block of land, any input would be appreciated,
Thanks
Mark

Ebay is the usual place these days. Radios are generally not fetching the prices they once did but a model like a 1930s Mouse will do better than many others, especially if it's in good nick with no cabinet damage.

I recommend starting the bidding in the order of cents rather than dollars. One seller has been trying to shift a BP Mouse for almost a year and he's not getting a sale because his starting price is $6,700. He'll ultimately go to his maker with that radio under his left arm. Good radios that start with something like $0.50 will attract bids from the start and a frenzy in the last ten minutes. Such a radio should being in around the $1,000.00 mark but at times they've brought in a little more.

I recommend starting the bidding in the order of cents rather than dollars.

Seconded, and I would suggest starting the auction at around 8pm, so that it ends at that time, too, when bidders are usually at home.

Thanks for the input guys, I would expect(hope) it to bring a little more than $1k! it has been professionally restored to "As New" fully working original condition, the restoration has taken around 3months with the cabinet being sent to Sydney, costing more than the minimum wage for a week, I saw the one on Ebay, (tell him he's dreaming !) I am a realist but at same time I think they'd be better off sending it to an Auction House, there must be serious collectors out there all cashed up! I"ll get it appraised in the coming weeks to see its true worth,
cheers.

Auction houses are still a good option. I've been to two live auctions in the last six months and there is a lot of activity. However your best chance is when there are a lot of other radios on offer, from you or other parties. Even the really keen collectors won't turn out for one radio. The last auction I went to about a month ago had nearly 200 items (radios, memorabilia and test equipment) and that's when collectors will travel for hundreds of kms and bring bags of cash.

There is an antique fair in Brisbane in four weeks but that is a long way from you. I would imagine there is a similar event in Melbourne as some time through the year.

Thanks for the info Brad, I'll let you all know how it goes, I'll post some photos later in the week when I pick it up.
Cheers-Mark.

I would be very hesitant to sell such a nice item with the current market position. At the moment its well and truly a buyers market and will be for some time. I bought a 1936 Pilot in top order last year for half what its worth. This year I bought a extremely rare EMMCO Jewel for 54 bucks, it's worth even in this market is well over the 600 dollars. If you are saving for a block of land even 2000 dollars for your beautiful old radio is only 2 or 3 weeks wages. I also have two mint condition original army field phones (look in vintage telephones) which have been valued at over 500 bucks each and they have never been used at all except for when I tested them. So we are talking about one and a half weeks wages for both of them. Very quickly spent and never to see them again. I would be really careful but good luck.