I sold a piece on Etsy

[Mike Allen1010]

I have the supply and demand problem. I've been building furniture for 40 years; full complement of beds, dressers, desks, coffee tables, chest etc. for both our boys in their 20s and the Boss says we don't have any room/need for more furniture. Ergo a lack of demand for what I want to supply -furniture/would work:eek:. As a consequence most my projects over the last several years have been replacement for furniture we already have or small boxes etc. that I can occasionally sneak into the house or give as gifts.

I was whining to our Boys about my problem -" I've got nothing to build – what am I going to do to keep me off the streets and out of the bars?". Several months ago they created a listing for me on Etsy, which I understand is an online marketplace for makers. I don't know a thing about it but they had me provide pictures/descriptions/dimensions etc. for a couple things I built and posted them for sale on Etsy. Frankly I forgot all about it and don't think I could even find my Etsy "store" online.

One of the pieces they posted is this reproduction of a Walnut "Secretary", from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. A piece used to organize pens, papers, writing materials etc. Today I got email notification the piece was sold to "Artistry In Motion" in Pennsylvania. One of the proprietors Jeremiah gave me a call and it turns out they work with filmmakers and museums to provide historically accurate furnishings, weapons etc. My piece was approved by the curator and is going to a museum in Alabama that is creating a Thomas Jefferson exhibit. What the heck – you could knock me over with a feather!

I don't think this is really a viable solution to my supply and demand problem, but certainly a unique experience for me I thought worthy of sharing with my fellow Neander's.

Cheers, Mike

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[Jim Ritter]

Congratulations Mike! Well done. My sister in law set up an Etsy store for me but then tried to turn it over to me. It didn’t go well. I’m like you, not sure I could even find it.
Jim

[David Bassett]

Congrats! Most impressive first sale.

[Adam Herman]

amazing. well deserved for that piece.

[Jim Koepke]

Congratulations on finding a paying outlet for your desire to build. If you are real ambitious you might ask if they would like a reproduction of the Jefferson book stand. It is based on one Jefferson saw in Paris. It can hold a book on each of four sides and one on top. It is very handy when doing research.

Roy Underhill had an episode > https://www.pbs.org/video/woodwrights-shop-thomas-jeffersons-bookstand/ < on building one.

jtk

[Bill Carey]

Good for you Mike. It's well deserved, and you got a couple of great kids there. Next thing you know you'll be selling franchises.

Way to go.

[Frederick Skelly]

I love seeing your work and I'm glad to hear this good news! You should ask the guy who bought it what other stuff he suggests that might sell - to him or others. That might be good to know.

[Andrew Hughes]

Congratulations mike that’s excellent.
I used to sell on Etsy I like it because I didn’t have to meet the customer.
When I sell local people always want to meet me. I don’t like meeting with customers my wife say I could get more work if i did.
Good Luck

[Tim Best]

Congrats, Mike! That is a gallery quality piece and it will be a great addition to the museum exhibit.

[Joe A Faulkner]

That is outstanding. I sometimes shudder to think that some day some of the pieces I’ve made are going to be placed on the curb or tossed on the burn pile. It is pretty cool to have a piece placed in a museum. I hope you signed it.

[Bruce King]

Congratulations!

[Oskar Sedell]

way to go! congratulations and thanks for sharing your first sale. Have been thinking about etsy myself, just to see if something I made would sell.

[Phil Mueller]

Congrats Mike! Wonderful, well deserved recognition of your work.

[Jim Matthews]

Nicely done. You got paid, too?

Kudos

[Patrick Whitehorn]

Congratulations! What a wonderful way to have your skill recognized!

[Mike Allen1010]

T
Congratulations on finding a paying outlet for your desire to build. If you are real ambitious you might ask if they would like a reproduction of the Jefferson book stand. It is based on one Jefferson saw in Paris. It can hold a book on each of four sides and one on top. It is very handy when doing research.

Roy Underhill had an episode > https://www.pbs.org/video/woodwrights-shop-thomas-jeffersons-bookstand/ < on building one.

jtk

Thanks Jim great suggestion. What an innovative idea - a book stand where you can have five books open simultaneously and be able to easily look through all of them – precursor to Windows operating system?

[Mike Allen1010]

Congratulations mike that’s excellent.
I used to sell on Etsy I like it because I didn’t have to meet the customer.
When I sell local people always want to meet me. I don’t like meeting with customers my wife say I could get more work if i did.
Good Luck

I feel you Andrew - somehow wives always have a suggestion for how you can do it better! I’m always amazed about how Sherrie feels no compunction at all about offering suggestions on my woodworking projects – the girl wouldn’t know which end of a hammer to hang onto, but that doesn’t stop her in the least. Maybe that’s what I love about her.

Cheers, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

Nicely done. You got paid, too?

Kudos

Thanks a lot Jim, I always enjoy reading your posts. I guess I got paid. I got an email that said I did, but frankly I have no idea where that money is. I think it’s inside Etsy somewhere. For an oldster like me that’s not a digital native the “frictionless“ nature of online commerce is total mystery. Luckily I’m sure I can rely on Sherrie to track it down.

Cheers, Mike

[michael langman]

If anybody deserves this to happen to them it is You Mike. I have admired your work ethic and all of your posts here. This post has brought some cheer to alot of us her, I think.

[Mike Allen1010]

If anybody deserves this to happen to them it is You Mike. I have admired your work ethic and all of your posts here. This post has brought some cheer to alot of us her, I think.

Thanks Mike – that might be the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me! You made my day.

Cheers, Mike

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Mike, congratulations and what an honor to have a piece going to a museum!

Well done Sir! Very well done!

[Christopher Charles]

Very well done! I hope the funds pay for a new toy or two and some IPA!

Best,
Chris

[Curt Putnam]

Why do I feel like the grinch? Please check with your insurance company. Most will require commercial plans for your tools ($$$$) if they get a hint that you've sold a piece.

[Matt Riegerix]

Congratulations! Its great to have a marketing team like that.

[Mark Gibney]

Good story! Enjoy your next trip to that museum when you can go with your family, it's going to be a whole different feeling.

[Mike Allen1010]

Why do I feel like the grinch? Please check with your insurance company. Most will require commercial plans for your tools ($$$$) if they get a hint that you've sold a piece.

No need to feel like a Grinch Curt – I appreciate the heads up. Never thought about insurance, always just assumed my tools were covered under homeowners policy. Sounds like something I need to check out.

[Jim Koepke]

No need to feel like a Grinch Curt – I appreciate the heads up. Never thought about insurance, always just assumed my tools were covered under homeowners policy. Sounds like something I need to check out.

You should check with your agent to make sure your tools are properly taken care of in your policy. Many policies only allow a small amount for clothing, furniture, appliances and other items that may be lost in a fire or burglary.

jtk

[Ron Selzer]

a spreadsheet will need to be made if turning a claim in to insurance company, they want to know tool brand name, model number when bought, cost then and now, condition, etc.
Even with a policy that stated replacement cost, had to provide that, did not provide receipts, stated I did not have any. Pictures help a lot. Agent would not get involved to fight with adjuster and it was dragging out. Then when it held up closing on new house and that agent got involved, it went smoother. Got roughly 4k tools shipped to me by insurance company, then all the rest were prorated in a check to me. I then had a year to replace each tool and get reimbursed for each tool after I sent receipts in. Had to call and argue over every set of receipts sent in. Finally got thru it and would think of more tools that were missing years later and it was too late to file on those. Haven't kept the list up need to find it and add lots more to it along with lots of pictures. This was over a burglary of 13k+ of hand tools, welder was only stationary tool stolen. All personal tools, professional working for pay tools were not covered under homeowners policy.
Ron

[Steven Mikes]

Congratulations Mike! Etsy is a neat site actually, there are a lot of handmade objects of all sorts available there. I'm wearing a leather belt I purchased there; also got a set of spoon-carving knives+gouge which turned out to be lovely to use.

[Mike Allen1010]

Congratulations Mike! Etsy is a neat site actually, there are a lot of handmade objects of all sorts available there. I'm wearing a leather belt I purchased there; also got a set of spoon-carving knives+gouge which turned out to be lovely to use.

Thanks Stephen I appreciate you educating me about Etsy. I confess I am not a frequent Internet shopper (not much of a shopper anywhere really – I guess except for tools), and I don’t know much about Etsy. I love the idea of a cumulative of “makers“ creating products and selling them to a broader audience beyond their local geography!

I find the economics of the business model fascinating; classic “disintermediation“ - eliminating middleman/distribution channel and connecting makers directly to end users. I really hope it works to provide economic support to craft people Who otherwise would have difficulty achieving broad market exposure. I sincerely admire anyone making a living as a maker. From my perspective, seems extremely difficult, even though it appears to be increasing interest among consumers in handmade goods.

I’m looking to support the “maker economy“, by putting the proceeds from my sale into buying stuff from individual craft people. Any suggestions for boutique bourbon makers?

Cheers, Mike

[Tim Best]

Mike,

Not sure of your definition of "boutique" but Oola Distillery in Seattle is high on my list. A bottle (or 2) of their Waitsburg Bourbon always comes home with me when I find myself in the PNW. I have also been known to have a bottle or 2 shipped to me as well.