No quite so. There's plenty of scarce things that aren't valuable - certain ancient pottery from the middle east, for example. Thousands and thousands of years old and you can't hardly give it away.

Why?

Because no-one wants it.

Have you checked eBay lately?

Seriously, though, I would be interested to know why you think/know this, Michael. I would think that there must be a market of people into pottery and/or archaeology of the region that would have an interest in the stuff. Although, I note that you say "certain" pottery. Is there a particular type that is excessively plain & boring?

Don would call it "The greater fool theory." Try and fool a bigger fool than you to pay more money for the item than you did.

How do I know? Because I've seen them fetch only $1 at an auction. I've seen the valuations - often based on what other pieces have fetched at auctions.

And the auction prices are low because no-one wants the item. (And maybe no-one wants the item because the price is low. Catch 22.)

Generally speaking, old items that don't have a "use value" don't get as high a price as an old item that does have a "use value."

Are the items I've seen which got only small amounts of money, dull and boring?

That's asking for an opinion. My opinion may differ to yours and to other people's.

To me, they were dull and boring. Then again, I find ALL ornamental items (knick-knacks, bits and bobs, whatever you call them) dull and boring. And I would NEVER buy one to decorate my place.

So even if you were giving those items away for free *I* would not take them.

The point is... if no-one wants something, for whatever reason, you can't hardly give them away. No matter how old it is.

If those items were suddenly "in fad" then their price would rise, if only because speculators were trying to make some money on them.

Personally, I was surprised to see these items get so low bids. To me, they are a part of history, from an area full of history. But if no-one wants them, the price stays low.

Maybe those with the items should weave a story around the item and make it sound more "romantic." Build up a fantasy history about the item's travels. Arabian knighs. Harems. That kind of thing.

Michael Ross