hi i-once-was-a-bump, no problems re going off topic...I do it all the time, I think a lot of us do on threads.
The crochet pattern is divine ! & definitely of value, that's a complete set.
re your Shelly trios, it is hard to answer without a few suggestions.
1. is there a lot of that pattern being offered on the Australian site at present. Search 'Shelley Crochet' or 'Shelley China Crochet' ... I have found now to REALLY find anything on ebay you have to be prepared to use a myriad of word combinations...as a lot of items DO NOT come up under one search & they will under another... [you've missed an E in your spelling, not being snide, just wanted you accidentally remember it].
2. if so are they getting bids...check Completed Listings also to see how they fared. Also check Worldwide Completed Listings to see how it is faring overseas. England tends to pay very little for some Shelley.
3. Generally complete sets [8 cups/saucers/plates & cakeplate etc] fare/sell better than singles for desirable china, but you would want to cover yourself & have an opening price you were prepared to part with them for as you may only end up with one bidder or one person interested in that pattern. So perhaps try the set ONCE at either a good starting price or BIN price & see how you go. Chic restaurants may buy a set as readily as Mrs Smith.
In saying that sometimes it is better to list say 2 trios only, hold the rest back until no one is offering this pattern & list 2 more [at least they can buy a pair then]. OR if listing 2 trios & if the price you realise is GOOD then offer more sets to the buyer, at the same price, tell them you will list me BIN for THEM only & just click LIST SIMILAR from the sold trios to automatically launch them for the buyer.
If you do decide to break the set up & offer individual sets make sure you space your listings with a few minutes between so all interested can get from one auction to another, buyers can get shirty & not bid at all if they think they can't cover all the items from a seller in the bidding time frame.
With beautiful items it is sometimes hard to know which way to go, & it is scary if you start them at a low price because I know our items aren't reaching ALL viewers [you can all jump at me for saying that, but try doing some assorted searches on your own items...when I search for - vintage murano glass - in all catergories my 'antique vintage murano art glass buttons' show up - then don't show up - then show up - so explain that one].
Hope that helps & hasn't taken you all night to read ! lol.
cheers
