Surprising Auction Market Trends - Spring 2024

With spring cleaning in full effect, and the housing market heating up, we are seeing inventory pick up here at EBTH! We are seeing a lot of vintage items come through our warehouse doors as basements and closets are cleared out across the state of Ohio and beyond.

Luckily for us, the collector's market is thirsty for retro finds. While 1950s/1960s Midcentury Modern has been in style for what seems like decades, we are now seeing a wider range of vintage styles gain in popularity and value. Check out a few examples below!

1970s-1980s Audio Equipment

While movie film projectors and reel-to-reels remain undesirable, we are seeing an uptick in demand for certain vintage audio technology.

This Sony model from the late 70s/early 80s sold for $325. This Marantz receiver sold for $821, and this Pioneer receiver and tape deck sold for $190.

Again, the market for vintage film equipment remains bleak. These projectors sold for $25, and even this model from the 1940s sold for only $40.

Vintage Magazines

After a years-long dip in demand for paper ephemera, we are seeing some decent numbers from vintage magazines and similar items. This lot of ephemera from midcentury wrestling clubs sold for $205. Even a small group of Harper's Bazaar and Vogue magazines from the 1960s sold for $122. In a lot I found personally entertaining, these 1970s Kings Island maps and other pamphlets sold for $120.

However, not every era or subject matter is a hit. Life magazines are still undesirable, as are most sports publications, science publications, or vintage comics that aren't superhero/Marvel/DC.

Highball Glasses

We all know alcohol never goes out of fashion, but the formal crystal market has taken a steep nosedive over the past 3-4 years. In its place, modern and post-modern style barware is rising in value. The highball glass is seeing the most dramatic and sweeping demand. This set of six featuring a female face design sold for $226, and this set of 7 gilded glasses sold for $305.

The bonus of a high-end brand name raises the value even higher. This Baccarat set sold for $436, and this Waterford (yes, Waterford) set of 7 sold for $425. Even brand names you may not think of when it comes to glassware are bringing in big prices, like these Ralph Lauren glasses that sold for $626, or these Charley Harper tumblers that sold for $400.

While it's true that not every barware lot is a hit, we are watching this trend, and are on the hunt for unique highball glasses!