Abbeyantiques.ca

I had an antique Hand Carved Chinese Dragon Chair (throne) circa: 1840-1870 that I was interested in it's current value. I sent the store owner several pictures as requested and he said I would have to bring it down to his store and bring it inside so he could view it in person, this was moderately difficult as I live far away and it was quite hard to bring it into his store. He said he could verbally appraise it for $25.00 and if I wanted anything written down it would be $100.00. I said ok as he should have been very knowledgable claiming to be on Antiques Road Show for many years as an appraiser. When he had time to look at it he said, "There is nothing special about this chair there are lots of them around ( even though I have never seen one of this size for sale in person my entire life, I'm 55) I can give you $100.00 it's not worth appraising".
My Mother had this chair for over 60 years, she received it from her Father in Montreal in the early 60's. It's in unscratched unchipped condition, no one was allowed to sit in it.
$100.00 and he would be doing me a favor, claiming he wouldn't be able to get much more for it and I wouldn't have to lug it back home. I told him, "no thanks, that was not even worth me bringing it down".
And took it back home.
About a week later I decided to put it on kijiji after googling it and seeing similar chairs are several thousand dollars. I put it on for $3000. 00, the next day I had just over a dozen replies. A couple from Calgary offered me $3500. 00 ($500.00 more than I was asking) and etransfered me the $$$ within 10min. They had the chair picked up by a moving company the same day.
What The FFF? Did the Old fellow from Abbey Antiques have no idea what he was looking at, or was he trying to completely rip me off. I find it hard to believe he had no idea what he was looking at as he has been in the antique business for over 40 years.
CAUTION dealing with this place, if I had listened to the Store Owner I would have lost $3400. 00.