I need help selling my stove

[jamiecotton]

I have a 1941 Model "B" Chambers stove in excellent working and cosmetic condition that I regretably need to sell. We are moving and updating kitchen for resell. I have it posted on craigslist for $2800 which I thought was a really resonable price but have not had any responces (except on person who said I could get a lot more for it) I need to move it fairly quickly. Can anyone suggest other places I can post it (will try to figure out e-bay today. Also wonder if $2800 is a good price or am I asking too much? Any help would be appreciated. Jamie

[lowracer]

When you say excellent condition, are you saying that all black porcelain pieces have been recently reporcelained, all chrome has been replated, no nicks in the side or front panels, etc? Thermostat professionaly rebuilt and recalibrated? Has it recently been restored, in other words? If it has recently been restored it may be worth $2800 or it may be worth more. If it has not been restored and there are chunks of porcelain missing from the rusted burners, rust and grease inside, knobs missing, dings in the side and front panels, it may be worth $280 or it may be worth less.

It's hard to say without seeing it. The color is also very important to the pricing equation. A plain jane white range is worth less than a yellow, blue, red, or black one, for example.

Can you post some photos?

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ April 07, 2006 04:27 PM: Message edited by: lowracer ]</font>

[Joe Pieweed]

Although there are no absolutes, I would back up Mark's comments. From my experience selling a few, buying more, and constantly watching the prices of Chambers, the price of an unrestored stove in excellent condition depends on the market within a half a day's drive - the furthest most folks seem to want to drive to pick up their stove. Further than a couple of hundred miles, and you have to factor in shipping.

That said, I would say if your stove is not restored, your asking price will be very difficult to get. Consider that a mid-grade restoration could cost around 1500.00.

Unrestored chambers do go for big bucks sometimes on ebay: $2000 to 5000 for very desireable (and rarer) red stoves, sometimes even white stoves. I think these blokes are nuts paying that much, but that's just me.

If you are in the "right" market at the "right" time (it all depends on luck), you might get the price you want.

As a part time restorer, I have a bottom line that there is no escaping: people will pay only so much for a restored Chambers, so I can only pay so much for an UN-restored chambers. So, if someone were buying your stove and asked me how much it was worth, I would tell them: it depends. If it meets the description you are providing (EXCELLENT shape --VERY clean and working perfectly, with a deepwell pot and tri-pots and a thermobaker), maybe $1500.

So, luck, market, condition, how perfectly your stove will fit into your buyer's kitchen, how much YOU want, how patient you are, take it all into consideration, place the ad, and see what happens.

Good luck,

Joe

[jamiecotton]

Thanks so much for your replies - it gives me a much better idea of what to ask. It has no chips in the porcelain at all and no rust and everything works. which made me think that it was in excellent condition. But I realize this is a far cry from fully restored. Also, Denver just does not seem to be the market place for these. Well, someone is coming to look at it today. He said he would be willing to pay $1000 - $1500. After reading your responces this sound like a fair price.
Thanks Again
Jamie

[lowracer]

All that being said, I am a big fan of eBay to attract outrageous prices for stuff. Put it out there with a buy-it-now price of $8500 and see who bites. You just never know...

Let us know how it turns out. And post a few photos if you can.