With “Bares for Rares” not every object brings the sellers a lot of money. Because their designer chair is underestimated, two customers cancel their appearance.
Pulheim – It could be so nice: You find a dusty antique in the attic, bring it to the “Bares for Rares” sales halls and the dealers offer you an outstanding price. Unfortunately, however, not every object that finds its way into the ZDF junk show achieves record sums – which Sebastian and Oliver Kester are now feeling firsthand.
“Blows me”: Brothers ask “Bares for Rares” 8,000 euros for a chair
Despite all the expertise that the professionals at “Bares for Rares” can show, opinions on the value of a piece often differ. At best, the dealers’ estimates surpass the experts’, but in many cases it’s the other way around and the amount of money that a customer is quoted before the big show at the dealer’s table is a long way off. Sebastian and Oliver Kester, who want to make big money with a designer chair from their deceased mother, are also in for a nasty surprise.
“If we sell the chair, our hearts will cry,” explains Sebastian Kester – but the 8,000 euros that the brothers hope to get from the noble seat, which resembles a harp, should be a nice consolation. When meeting moderator Horst Lichter (61) and expert Detlev Kümmel (54), it turns out that they probably set the bar a little too high. “Whoa, that’s blowing my mind,” says the mustachioed moderator, clearly amazed, and art professional Detlev makes it clear: The prices for the piece of furniture can vary between 1,500 and 14,000 euros – but his estimate is only 2,000 to 3,000 euros.
The biggest “Bares for Rares” treasures
Ever since the very first episode of “Bares für Rares” premiered on ZDF on August 3, 2013, the bargain-loving dealers have acquired a few real treasures – at breathtaking prices. In 2019, Cosima Birk and her daughter Stephanie Huber received 42,000 euros for a piece of jewelery containing splinters of wood from the cross of Jesus Christ. In 2021, Marlies Fischer received 30,500 euros for a lithograph by the expressionist painter Otto Mueller, of which only 20 exist worldwide. In the same year, Sabine Riemer was delighted to receive 29,000 euros for a gold-plated drinking vessel from the court of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great. So you can tell: visits to the flea market and rummaging around in the attic pay off.
(Those: berliner-kurier.de)
Disappointing bids: “Bares for Rares” customers Sebastian and Oliver break off negotiations
They are miles away from the 8,000 euros, but Sebastian and Oliver Kester accept the dealer card and try their luck with Wolfgang Pauritsch (51) and his tough colleagues – where they have to put up with the next bitter disappointment. Because after several rounds of bidding, the maximum amount is only 1,550 euros – for the sibling duo, who live in Hildesheim and London, a sale is out of the question and they break off the negotiations immediately. “I think we would take him with us again,” explains Sebastian, visibly disappointed. “Oh yes, definitely,” agrees Oliver and has to laugh out loud.
It’s disappointing that their mother’s heirloom didn’t bring them the big windfall, but Sebastian and Oliver Kester are still forgiving after their failed sale. “But we learned a lot about it and saw that he might be in better hands with us,” says Sebastian. Meanwhile, “Bares for Rares” star Wolfgang Pauritsch reveals which priceless work of art is his personal dream object. Sources used: ZDFmediathek/Bares für Rares/Episode of February 27, 2023, berliner-kurier.de