DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 761 — How to Tell If Something Should Be Repaired Before Selling

$29.00

Evaluating whether an item should be repaired before selling is one of the areas where collectors and sellers make costly mistakes. Without a structured process, it becomes far too easy to misinterpret damage, over-restore an item, remove original finishes, or assume that “fixing” something always increases value—when in many categories, it does the opposite.

Because repair decisions directly influence authenticity, integrity, and market desirability, understanding when to intervene and when to leave an item untouched is essential for protecting its value.

DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 761 gives you a complete, beginner-friendly, non-destructive workflow for determining whether an item should be repaired before selling. Using simple visual techniques—no specialized tools, no risky handling, and no prior experience required—you’ll learn the same observational methods used in professional appraisal and authentication work—structured, repeatable, and proven across antiques, collectibles, furniture, artwork, instruments, and decorative items.

Inside this guide, you’ll learn how to:

  • Identify the traits that make certain repairs beneficial—or harmful—to resale value

  • Spot hidden details, hidden defects, and structural concerns that signal when repairs are necessary

  • Recognize materials, finishes, and surfaces that should never be altered by nonprofessionals

  • Evaluate items using professional, non-destructive inspection techniques

  • Understand originality expectations across categories such as furniture, ceramics, artwork, and memorabilia

  • Assess reversibility, visibility, and potential long-term effects of any repair

  • Determine when professional conservation is worth pursuing

  • Avoid the common mistakes that cause collectors and sellers to destroy value unintentionally

  • Make informed decisions before repairing, restoring, or refinishing an item

  • Apply the full DJR step-by-step workflow to any object requiring repair consideration

Whether you're preparing estate items for sale, evaluating attic discoveries, reviewing inherited collections, or deciding how to present a piece on the marketplace, this guide gives you the expert structure needed to make confident, value-safe repair decisions. This is the framework professionals use—and now you can use the same process with confidence.

Digital Download — PDF • 7 Pages • Instant Access

Evaluating whether an item should be repaired before selling is one of the areas where collectors and sellers make costly mistakes. Without a structured process, it becomes far too easy to misinterpret damage, over-restore an item, remove original finishes, or assume that “fixing” something always increases value—when in many categories, it does the opposite.

Because repair decisions directly influence authenticity, integrity, and market desirability, understanding when to intervene and when to leave an item untouched is essential for protecting its value.

DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 761 gives you a complete, beginner-friendly, non-destructive workflow for determining whether an item should be repaired before selling. Using simple visual techniques—no specialized tools, no risky handling, and no prior experience required—you’ll learn the same observational methods used in professional appraisal and authentication work—structured, repeatable, and proven across antiques, collectibles, furniture, artwork, instruments, and decorative items.

Inside this guide, you’ll learn how to:

  • Identify the traits that make certain repairs beneficial—or harmful—to resale value

  • Spot hidden details, hidden defects, and structural concerns that signal when repairs are necessary

  • Recognize materials, finishes, and surfaces that should never be altered by nonprofessionals

  • Evaluate items using professional, non-destructive inspection techniques

  • Understand originality expectations across categories such as furniture, ceramics, artwork, and memorabilia

  • Assess reversibility, visibility, and potential long-term effects of any repair

  • Determine when professional conservation is worth pursuing

  • Avoid the common mistakes that cause collectors and sellers to destroy value unintentionally

  • Make informed decisions before repairing, restoring, or refinishing an item

  • Apply the full DJR step-by-step workflow to any object requiring repair consideration

Whether you're preparing estate items for sale, evaluating attic discoveries, reviewing inherited collections, or deciding how to present a piece on the marketplace, this guide gives you the expert structure needed to make confident, value-safe repair decisions. This is the framework professionals use—and now you can use the same process with confidence.

Digital Download — PDF • 7 Pages • Instant Access