Selling antique furniture

[Elvis 3371]

I realize it's only worth whatever someone will pay, but I have a verbal appraisal on a chair at $10,000.00.

It has the original manufacturer certificate inside that dates it around 1880.

It's a big chaise lounge chair in great condition.  I had it fully restored about 15 years ago, and that's when I found out about it's history and age.

 

Where do I start getting this thing sold for some decent money?  

 

[Kennythetiger 9376]

@Neikea

[Brisketexan 105069]

4 hours ago, Elvis said:

I realize it's only worth whatever someone will pay, but I have a verbal appraisal on a chair at $10,000.00.

It has the original manufacturer certificate inside that dates it around 1880.

It's a big chaise lounge chair in great condition.  I had it fully restored about 15 years ago, and that's when I found out about it's history and age.

 

Where do I start getting this thing sold for some decent money?  

 

The bolded is all that matters.  And here's an important thing to think about: how many of your peers (you know, people in their solid purchasing years, with money to spend) are buying expensive gaudy antiques?  That's right....very few.

The market for this shit was boomers.  Who already bought it all.  And now, they're dying and a shitload of it is hitting the market....with few buyers.

Sighed, a dude whose parents have a metric shitton of fancy antiques that will likely go for pennies on the dollar when my dad dies and we clean out the house.  That's just how it be.

However, if you find a place where you can get anything close to appraised value....help a brother out and send me the name, because I've got a fucking truckload coming my way.

[Gil Bang 25920]

my next door neighbor has had an antique store for decades. 

She tells me that the business is dogshit, because nobody wants old shit anymore. 

[Elvis 3371]

I like the chair, that’s why I bought it and fixed it up. 
 

wife wants all new living room that is probably going to cost my kids a year of college. 

[Elvis 3371]

Does this help the value?  It’s real bouncy  

 

 

[dcbc 14465]

12 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

However, if you find a place where you can get anything close to appraised value....help a brother out and send me the name, because I've got a fucking truckload coming my way.

For you and Elvis.  We went through this with my parents' house full of Hollywood Regency furniture when my mom sold her house.  Personally, I love the stuff and bought a few of the cooler pieces, but limits were placed on me by my better half (probably for the best).  It was all pretty unique, in great shape, and there still are people out there with money to spend surprisingly enough.  

 

There's a website called chairish.com, which has all sorts of expensive furniture on it from private sellers all over the country.  I'm not sure what is involved in setting up an account, but it would be the right forum.

 

In Houston, we worked with Lyn Huck Estate sales.  She's a bit flaky in communications at times, but they came in, moved all the stuff off site, and sell it off over time after conducting the main sale over the weekend.  What they couldn't sell, we donated to charity.  She takes a good chunk, but my mom netted a pretty good chunk over what we could sell the stuff for privately.  I'm sure there are similar setups in Dallas or Austin.  You might message her on Facebook and see if she can recommend someone in Dallas or Austin.  A realtor worth his/her salt in those large markets probably knows of someone as well doing something similarly.

 

It's a pain in the ass.  Good luck.

Edited September 12, 2023 by dcbc

[BottleRocket 644]

I'm in the same boat.  My folks will probably be making the move to assisted living in the next year or so.  They lived in England in the 1970's and later opened an antique store in the 1980's.  They have downsized a couple of times but their current house is full to the brim with their best antiques and artwork.  Even if it was our style, which it is not, my wife and I don't have room for anything else in our house.  For any new thing we take, something existing will have to go.  My mom will walk around her house telling us the history and value on everything and I just roll my eyes knowing I can probably sell it for 1/10th of what she thinks it's worth.  I hope I'm wrong.  I want the voodoo doll carving that my dad picked up in the Congo doing covert ops for the CIA in the 1960's, not the humongous 1800's antique armoire full of blue Wedgewood china that mom says is worth $30k but I couldn't sell for $1,500.

[Brisketexan 105069]

12 hours ago, Elvis said:

Does this help the value?  It’s real bouncy  

 

 

I'm sure it is, but how's the chair?

[Bevo 13567]

14 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

The bolded is all that matters.  And here's an important thing to think about: how many of your peers (you know, people in their solid purchasing years, with money to spend) are buying expensive gaudy antiques?  That's right....very few.

The market for this shit was boomers.  Who already bought it all.  And now, they're dying and a shitload of it is hitting the market....with few buyers.

Sighed, a dude whose parents have a metric shitton of fancy antiques that will likely go for pennies on the dollar when my dad dies and we clean out the house.  That's just how it be.

However, if you find a place where you can get anything close to appraised value....help a brother out and send me the name, because I've got a fucking truckload coming my way.

This is true (the spread between sale price and ask price is high) and many antique stores have problems selling their stuff. My mom has told me where to sell or consign specific pieces of her collections. If it is native american folk art the location may be in Santa Fe while the black folk art would sell in Atlanta. Contemporary art and impressionist paintings would probably do best in New York. Asian Art would probably do best in San Francisco. It takes a decent amount of legwork to figure this out and determine how to sell items. Probably the best option for you would be to attend the Roundtop Antique Festival and see who has similar furniture and ask the owner of that booth.

[TexPx 2322]

For you and Elvis.  We went through this with my parents' house full of Hollywood Regency furniture when my mom sold her house.  Personally, I love the stuff and bought a few of the cooler pieces, but limits were placed on me by my better half (probably for the best).  It was all pretty unique, in great shape, and there still are people out there with money to spend surprisingly enough.  
 
There's a website called chairish.com, which has all sorts of expensive furniture on it from private sellers all over the country.  I'm not sure what is involved in setting up an account, but it would be the right forum.
 
In Houston, we worked with Lyn Huck Estate sales.  She's a bit flaky in communications at times, but they came in, moved all the stuff off site, and sell it off over time after conducting the main sale over the weekend.  What they couldn't sell, we donated to charity.  She takes a good chunk, but my mom netted a pretty good chunk over what we could sell the stuff for privately.  I'm sure there are similar setups in Dallas or Austin.  You might message her on Facebook and see if she can recommend someone in Dallas or Austin.  A realtor worth his/her salt in those large markets probably knows of someone as well doing something similarly.
 
It's a pain in the ass.  Good luck.

I have moved some high end MCM stuff. Usually from buy/sell FB pages that are specific to the style.

1st dibs is the other high end antique furniture website. The asking prices are at the very high end of the spectrum.

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/style/hollywood-regency/?loc=texas-usa

[Gil Bang 25920]

somebody needs a motherfucking 40 yard dumpster.

[ScottS 1061]

The 2023 tour has ended.  No info on the 2024 tour yet.  I'm sure holding onto the furniture then dragging it to some convention center in the hope of getting on public television is your best option.  Good luck, we are all counting on you.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/

 

[Texzilla58 4731]

My late mother went from restoring antiques in the 60’s to being a avid collector to overcrazy collector to hoarder to complete full-on addicted out of control hoarding maniac. Think beautiful antique pieces, expensive sets of china, hundreds of creepy china dolls, buried in mountains of trash and cheap bullshit.

Took me weeks to toss the dumpsters of trash and worthless dreck to put the good stub in storage to get the house cleared and sold. About down to the “good” stuff that is costing me $200 a month in storage. I would have been better to donate every bit instead of storage for almost three years.

The kids want nothing. I want very little. No one wants fine china, or fancy figurines, or other clutter bought by a Depression survivor that was picking cotton at 5 years old living in a dirt floor shack. So many dealt with their bad memories the same way.

I’ll look into some of these options.

[Bevo 13567]

21 minutes ago, Texzilla58 said:

No one wants fine china, or fancy figurines, or other clutter bought by a Depression survivor that was picking cotton at 5 years old living in a dirt floor shack. So many dealt with their bad memories the same way.

That is what attics are for. I have nice china that we got as a wedding present. Simple pattern, white. We use it on occasion. Somehow I ended up with fine Christmas and Thanksgiving China. I will never use it so it sits in boxes in the attic.

[Texzilla58 4731]

We got rid of our china after repacking it and moving a dozen times, and then we had a thanksgiving dinner and used it. Not dishwasher safe so I’m washing the shit during the cowboy game. Fuck that shit. Got rid of it. Wife never wanted anything but fiestaware do that’s what we use.

[Gene Parmesan 4002]

I'd pay someone to stage a break-in and take our china sets.  

[Texzilla58 4731]

Even the dumbed criminal knows China is worthless.

[dcbc 14465]

If you have a local "vintage" store, call them.  They'll come over, pick through it, makes some offers, and haul stuff away.  Some antique stuff is cool.  Some of it is just "brown box" furniture.

[Bevo&Pevo 5120]

If you are not in a rush, you might try taking some pictures and showing some of the vendors out at RoundTop when it comes around again.  Don't exactly remember the name of the big ass white tents on the right-hand side of the road headed to Warrenton from Round Top.  They have the more high end items.  Just remember, my shit is stuff and your stuff is shit. 

[destroya 374]

Locally, you may also want to check out Austin auction gallery. They’ll be able to give you a range and will take a chunk of the sales price, but it would probably be the best way to move it quick and not get a shit deal. 

[Armybrat 40822]

On 9/11/2023 at 9:31 PM, Gil Bang said:

my next door neighbor has had an antique store for decades. 

She tells me that the business is dogshit, because nobody wants old shit anymore. 

None of our kids except for the hippie son want much of our old family furniture. He appreciates real wood stuff and is partial to the beautiful solid teak mid century modern tables my Mom designed and had hand made in Taiwan 65 years ago. 
The 110 year old elaborate quarter-sawn oak dining room set & cut glass lamp that belonged to Mrs. Brat’s grandparents, not so much. 
None of our kids & grandkids are interested in her extensive sterling silverware set, nor her fancy China. 
Of course they are all interested in my gun & coin collections and Mrs. Brat’s jewelry (granddaughter will get most of that).

 

[Armybrat 40822]

3 hours ago, Texzilla58 said:

Even the dumbed criminal knows China is worthless.

Yep,I thought so when we were first married 56 years ago, but she & her mom insisted it was a must have. 
I preferred Melmac plastic plates.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

6 hours ago, Gene Parmesan said:

I'd pay someone to stage a break-in and take our china sets.  

Tell your wife to do some research about lead content in old china and how you’re not supposed to use it. Maybe then you can get rid of it.  

[Texzilla58 4731]

Back in the 60’s we had moved from ft worth to ft smith Arkansas. Mom would load me in her 54 Olds and head into the depths of the Ozarks seeking treasure. So far back I remember the old folks still had Scottish brogues. Mom would pull up at a hillbilly shack and ask to look around. “Would you sell this brass bed?” Lady I’d hate to charge you for that. It must be a hunerd years old! “Can I pay you $10 to put it in my trunk?” And off she’d drive. I loved the stuff she bought back then and restored but 50 years later she was just buying junk.

[davidg 4036]

Mom passed away in 2017 and dad stayed in the house until we moved him to a memry care faculty at the first of this years.  They lived in the house for 45 years and dad, being born in the depression and growing up in the war, never threw anything away.

We’ve been going through the house cleaning out and organizing since the spring.  Mom loved entertaining and decorating different holidays and had all kinds of stuff.  Most are not expensive antiques, but there’s enough stuff that we’re going to have an estate auction later this year or early next year.

Mom had five different buffet/china cabinet type pieces in the house and everyone of them are like this.   If you look closely, there are 13 cake stands in this one cabinet alone.  13!   We always said my dad was the pack rat, but looking again, mom may just have been better at hiding it.  My sisters (no pics) have found at least 8 more cake stands in other cabinets and several more packed away in the attic.

 

 

I need to do a ‘Shit I found in my Parent’s Attic’ thread with the pictures I took while we where cleaning it out.

As a teaser,  here’s the Super Pong game we had in the mid 70s, complete with box and instruction manual

 

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by davidg

[fattyflattie 4639]

On 9/11/2023 at 8:57 PM, Brisketexan said:

However, if you find a place where you can get anything close to appraised value....help a brother out and send me the name, because I've got a fucking truckload coming my way.

Co-signed. 

[Brisketexan 105069]

9 minutes ago, davidg said:

Mom passed away in 2017 and dad stayed in the house until we moved him to a memry care faculty at the first of this years.  They lived in the house for 45 years and dad, being born in the depression and growing up in the war, never threw anything away.

We’ve been going through the house cleaning out and organizing since the spring.  Mom loved entertaining and decorating different holidays and had all kinds of stuff.  Most are not expensive antiques, but there’s enough stuff that we’re going to have an estate auction later this year or early next year.

Mom had five different buffet/china cabinet type pieces in the house and everyone of them are like this.   If you look closely, there are 13 cake stands in this one cabinet alone.  13!   We always said my dad was the pack rat, but looking again, mom may just have been better at hiding it.  My sisters (no pics) have found at least 8 more cake stands in other cabinets and several more packed away in the attic.

 

 

I need to do a ‘Shit I found in my Parent’s Attic’ thread with the pictures I took while we where cleaning it out.

As a teaser,  here’s the Super Pong game we had in the mid 70s, complete with box and instruction manual

 

 

1) We had a similar experience clearing out my in-laws' place when the old man was moving out.  She had a decorative wreath for EVERY.  FUCKING.  HOLIDAY.  I mean, probably including Arbor day.  There were black plastic trash bags in the attic, stuffed with plastic grocery bags....which had been up there, in the Houston heat, for a decade plus.  The plastic trash bags had disintegrated, so they were just giant bags of plastic snow.  Every padded envelope she had ever received was saved and tucked into a cabinet "for when she might need it later."  She was a child of a child of the Depression, and it clearly made a impression.

2) I'll give ya $20 for the Super Pong console.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21874]

 

16 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

2) I'll give ya $20 for the Super Pong console.

There's probably a museum that would love to have that

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3868]

40 minutes ago, davidg said:

Mom passed away in 2017 and dad stayed in the house until we moved him to a memry care faculty at the first of this years.  They lived in the house for 45 years and dad, being born in the depression and growing up in the war, never threw anything away.

We’ve been going through the house cleaning out and organizing since the spring.  Mom loved entertaining and decorating different holidays and had all kinds of stuff.  Most are not expensive antiques, but there’s enough stuff that we’re going to have an estate auction later this year or early next year.

Mom had five different buffet/china cabinet type pieces in the house and everyone of them are like this.   If you look closely, there are 13 cake stands in this one cabinet alone.  13!   We always said my dad was the pack rat, but looking again, mom may just have been better at hiding it.  My sisters (no pics) have found at least 8 more cake stands in other cabinets and several more packed away in the attic.

 

 

I need to do a ‘Shit I found in my Parent’s Attic’ thread with the pictures I took while we where cleaning it out.

As a teaser,  here’s the Super Pong game we had in the mid 70s, complete with box and instruction manual

 

 

That pong may be the most valuable thing in the estate.

[davidg 4036]

20 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

1) We had a similar experience clearing out my in-laws' place when the old man was moving out.  She had a decorative wreath for EVERY.  FUCKING.  HOLIDAY.  I mean, probably including Arbor day.  There were black plastic trash bags in the attic, stuffed with plastic grocery bags....which had been up there, in the Houston heat, for a decade plus.  The plastic trash bags had disintegrated, so they were just giant bags of plastic snow.  Every padded envelope she had ever received was saved and tucked into a cabinet "for when she might need it later."  She was a child of a child of the Depression, and it clearly made a impression.

2) I'll give ya $20 for the Super Pong console.

Yep all of this.  Had to move the shop vac into the attic to suck up the pieces of plastic it got so bad. Probably 20+ wreaths up there.  And 25+ old Tonka trucks, and boxes of Nat Geo, Reader Digest, Boys Life etc from the 60s on.  

 

Dibs has already been called on Pong so it’s not for sale.  Plenary of other treasures though.

[davidg 4036]

10 minutes ago, ShaggyBevo RIP said:

That pong may be the most valuable thing in the estate.

Nope,  gotta be this …

 

[dcbc 14465]

Nobody should store anything in an attic in Houston.  I was given attic duty when we were cleaning out my mom's house.  I went from Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation nostalgia to throwing boxes down the attic stairs frustration, and back again.  Aside from the plastic garbage bag disintegration, it should be noted that no kind of tape will adhere to a cardboard box long term in a Houston attic.

 

The other tough thing was that my parents came from a generation where there were lots of portrait type pictures of the large, framed variety hanging in the house.  I kept a couple of the smaller ones, particularly ones of my dad from the 60s, a couple of which I hung in my office, but most of them were simply digitized with my phone and, then, thrown away.  I'm sure the frames had some value, but ain't nobody got time for all that.

 

When it came to furniture and other antique accessories, the smaller stuff generally has more value because it's easier to transport and sell.  Apart from vintage barware and a bunch of cool glass ashtrays I kept, the only two big items I bought from my mom were a 9.5'-long hifi console I've posted pictures of elsewhere on the site and a really cool Chinoiserie-style breakfast table and chairs.  I would have loved to have kept the Kittinger Lotus Flower table,  Moroccan swag lantern, and "Ancestor" painting, but it was enough already.

Edited September 15, 2023 by dcbc

[Kennythetiger 9376]

37 minutes ago, davidg said:

Nope,  gotta be this …

 

Neika and Mrs. Cumsteen can fight over this one. 

[Armybrat 40822]

None of this family cra…stuff is wanted by any of our kids or grandkids except for the silver plate cruet set (my grandpa’s 1909 wedding gift to Grandma) and the two solid teak tables in my Longhorn room - those were designed by my Mom and were handcrafted  by a little Chinese carpenter in his Taipei shop 65 years ago.

 

[Brisketexan 105069]

So....who all was surprised so see that AB's couch is gray leather, and not this one?

 

[Sandman 3403]

On 9/13/2023 at 2:07 PM, Texzilla58 said:

Fuck that shit

The motto of every man at some point in his marriage.