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Virginia Galleries FAQ's
Fairfax Station, VA 22039
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Frequently Asked Questions Index
(We will update this list as questions of general interest are asked! Last Update: October 29, 2001)
How Do I delete my ad once it sells?
Retain the e-mail you receive confirming your post. It contains the ad number and password for the ad. When you are ready to delete, select Delete Ad and complete the form, submit and your ad will be deleted. Use the buttons and not the Enter key to make the submission, otherwise it will not "take!"Can you help me post my ad?
No, not currently, but the Ad Software is quite easy to use and very intuitive as to what it wants you to do. My wife and I have posted ads in the software and you can use them as a guide as to what an ad should look like. BE SURE OF YOUR CONTENT before you submit your ad; it cannot be edited once submitted. All you can do then is to delete it and complete a new ad. Proof Reading should be your rule - one we are not good at ourselves.Why are there pages in the site with detailed pictures and menu's?
These are our personal pages and because we also serve as the webmaster, we can do things for ourselves not available to you - selfish I know but then few one work for free and we are not a business selling our services. If this site becomes popular, we intend to install better software that would allow you to post a picture yourself as well as edit your ads. That will take a degree of popularity, and probably a user fee. For now, the software is free to the public and costs us nothing to operate. More functionality has a cost however and we cannot bear that on our own.How Do I Know How Much To Ask For My Items?
No one at Virginia Galleries is an appraiser and we cannot help you with that. We establish the worth of our personal items because we prowl the stores, shops and consignment businesses in metropolitan Washington, DC and in outlying areas. We have a good feel for the things we like in this locale. Consider checking the classifieds ads in your local newspapers for items similar to your own. Also, logon to Ebay and check current and completed auction results for items like yours, but remember, just because something went for one price in California, does not mean it would go for that in DC - maybe more and maybe less.In general, pricing will depend on location, condition and the type of main wood used in the piece. The prices you see on our web site are based on metropolitan Washington, DC location where 18th Century traditional pieces are more in favor that in other locales. Henkel Harris is more known here and fetches a better price than in other areas. In the end, style tastes are regional! Condition is often in the eye of the beholder and showroom condition is obviously the best condition to offer for resale. For the sake of comparison, we view condition this way:
Showroom Condition: No scratches, dents, gouges, rubs or any other kind of after manufacture damage
Excellent: Minor scratches from use and minor vacuum cleaner dings on the legs but not dents, gouges or chips in the wood.
Average: Scratches, dents, rubs from being lived on in a family room. It shows wear and tear on the finish with blemishes and spots but no drink rings or missing finish. A candidate for refinishing if it must fit with other pieces in better condition but otherwise usable when cleaned up.
Below Average: Scratches, dents, rubs, missing finish, drink rings but only minor chips and missing pieces of wood that can be easily repaired. A candidate for refinishing. A teenager's first experience using fingernail polish remover comes to mind as one way a finish will quickly move into this category.
Poor: A piece that must be repaired and refinished for use. All kinds of damage and most seriously pieces of wood are missing at are crucial for appearance, e.g., longs sections of edging are missing from the edge of tops, drop leafs, or legs.
The wood used in the body of the piece affects price. Mahogany is currently more in demand than Cherry; the two most readily available woods. In our opinion, Cherry is the prettier of the two as no one does Cherry better than Henkel Harris but Cherry, despite its hardwood classification, does not withstand the abuse of moving that mahogany will. American Black Walnut was available at extra charge in the 80's and is much more rare to find. Walnut has a very beautiful grain and is forgiving of children and the abuse of moving but be ready to pay for the privilege of owning it. Henkel Harris has used high quality standards of construction throughout its history but the finish they began applying in the 80's is softer and much more pleasing to the eye than the glossier finishes used before.
Finally, the hardest part of pricing a piece for sale is separating cash value from sentimental value. Aunt Martha's old table has a split leg because you ran your tricycle into in when you were a kid. To you, that adds to family lore and makes the piece special to you; to everyone else, that split is damage and reduces its value.
Can you tell me good places to buy, repair or restore fine furniture?
No we cannot! We have only our own local experience to go by. One gentleman, and I do not fault him for doing so, asked for information about Wilmington, Delaware. We have only been there once and then only to drive through. But, did you know that you can order Henkel Harris Stains through a dealer - cherry or mahogany! Reach deep into your wallet to do so (about $70 a quart) but it is good quality material. I suspect other manufacturers may do the same. Alas, I have never been able to reproduce the Henkel Harris finish. When searching for a good furniture repairer or refinisher, ask a reseller, they probably know who the best in your area are. Henkel Harris will refinish furniture IF is comes to them from a Henkel Harris dealer. It will be premium work but be prepared the the expense that quality work requires.What is the Henkel Harris 'CD' finish?
You learn from others! I recently received correspondence from someone who had a writing table with a distressed finish. We had never seen this finish but she owned one and had some conversation with Henkel Harris about it. It seems that in the 60's and for a period of about two years, Henkel produced a distressed finish. You've seen them, take a perfectly prepared piece of mahogany and then bang it with chains, press nails into it and chip/gouge it in a few places so it takes on a worn look. I remember it as popular in the 70's. Anyway, Henkel claims they marked this finish as 'CD' for "connoisseur distressed." Again, we have never seen one but if you do, it is apparently legitimately Henkel Harris, and by the way, I have seen pieces that I am convinced were legitimate Henkel Harris that had tags and no brand; brand and no tags, and neither. Learn to spot their style, finish and construction. Great bargains abound with these unmarked pieces.Can you provide current pricing for new Henkel Harris items?
No we cannot but it has been our experience that businesses selling Henkel at a discount are at about 60-70% of MSRP established by the Henkel Harris Furniture Company.How do I find out about brands no longer in manufacture?
This is a tough question to answer. We are private individuals and are influenced by what we have seen and do not have any extensive shelf of reference material. If there is a manufacturer's tag on the piece, try searching the Internet in the state for information. Be careful here to distinguish between a manufacturer's label and the label of the furniture store that sold the item. Many upscale stores add their own, often fancy, labels and plates to pieces they sell. You may also consider discussing it with an 'old line' furniture store in your area that has been in business for a long time. As a last resort, consider searching the US Patent/Trademark records. If the name line was trademarked, there should be a record of it somewhere. http://tess.uspto.gov should get you close to beginning your search there.Where can I get replacement hardware?
Again, not an easy one but here are some suggestions. If new is OK, check around for a hardware dealer that carries restoration hardware. Most styles have not changed very much and you may find just what you need but carry a sample with you. If the hardware attaches via a hole drilled in the piece, you need to match up with that to avoid drilling more holes in a nice piece. Check with antique dealers and furniture refinishers in you are looking for an aged hardware item. Most have boxes of hardware removed from destroyed or refinished pieces and they offer them for sale. Finally, if you just want to replace the piece exactly, check the yellow pages in your area for a business that 'casts' brass. We did this once and they duplicated a drawer pull back plate and bail exactly. An expensive alternative but maybe the only one you have.I moved and my Henkel Harris was damaged. What do I do?
We faced this problem and called Henkel Harris. It turns out that their Customer Service office can assist you in ordering new pieces that may or may not need professional installation. In our case, we needed a screw on part and some replacement keys. They filled both with no problem. This may not work in all cases but it did for us. Also, they will refinish furniture IF is comes to them from a Henkel Harris dealer. Be prepared to pay a premium for the service but if is the only way I know to duplicate the finish on Henkel Harris items - NO ONE does it better.What about consignment shops?
We love them! The thrill of searching for the prize is part of collecting but you should be aware of prices when you begin as it is easy to overpay. We do not sell on consignment for several reasons. First, every item has a value to you and if you set that value at market value and add the shops commission to create the selling price, your item will not appeal to anyone knowledgeable of its true value. Secondly, consignment shops necessarily move items about so they can display them with compatible pieces. If you priced too high, the item will move many times while in the shop and each move inflicts damage. If it is in the shop too long, it will be relegated to a "miscellaneous area" of items that have not sold. Visualize a great, but overpriced, Kittinger Library Table with a metal glided dining chair of top of it. Visualize the damage caused any time the table is bumped. When the table doesn't sell and comes back to you at the end of the consignment period, your damaged piece has less value than it did in the beginning. I've seen this exact circumstance and it is sad. Consignment shops are great hassle free ways of selling but there are some tradeoffs you will have to make.Estate Sales and Auctions?
We like these too but prefer Auctions to Estate Sales. Estate sales are great for both large and small items but have their own rules for access to the premises. Lining up for numbers at 6 am is not unheard of. Auctions generally occur during the work week and we just cannot get there and maintain our day jobs. We have been pleased with those items we have seen and bought at estate sales but prices will be set by those who are familiar with the market so bargains will not be usually be found but the prices will generally be fair. Auctions are easier for us to get too and offer very good prices to the consumer but you will be bidding against dealers and other 'antiquers'. Set an items value to you before you begin bidding and stick with it as it is easy to get caught up in the moment and overpay. Also know the house rules as most auctioneers add a 'buyers fee' of around 10 percent to the hammer price. When setting your auction budget, include that buyers fee in the total cost of the item.Do you buy and sell furniture pieces?
Yes, but - ! We are private individuals and what we buy is for our personal use and must fit within the decor of our home. What we sell has been in our house. What we have lived on will not be in as good condition as pieces that were rarely used - like in most families, that means an item placed in the living, dining rooms and guest rooms of our home. We do not buy and sell for the purpose of turning a profit. What we have to sell can be found in both the classified ads section and in our personal furniture pages. What we want to buy is also in the Want Ads section of the classifieds. We price based on the criteria explained above and we are honest about any pieces strong points as well as any weaknesses it may display.Will you return telephone calls?
Only if it pertains to items we have for sale. We have been asked to return long distance calls only to assist with insurance claims. We cannot do that as this is not a profit making enterprise.How Can I contact Henkel Harris for a catalog?
(UPDATE)http://www.henkelharris.com
Newly Opened, this site shows current styles but no contact e-mail addresses.
South Pleasant Valley Road
PO Box 2170
Winchester, VA 22604
(540) 667-4900 (telephone)
(540) 667-8261 (fax)