I have a kitchen table made in 1950s, antique…?
Do antique dealers buy furniture from people or do they usually get them at auctions? I don't just want to give it away, and i know it's worth some money (even though it's an ugly table! haha) But it's in great condition and it would be something you would see at an antique store.
What is the approximate value of something like this? I'm just wondering what a good price would be.
Just because something is old, doesn't necessarily mean that it will fetch a high price. It has to be collectible, otherwise there is no market to sell it to.
Antique dealers purchase items through individual sales (an individual approaches the dealer), estate sales (liquidation of assets through death or bankruptcy), storage auctions (where people who haven't paid their storage fees and people can bid on a storage unit w/o knowing the contents), and a few other places. Sometimes, they may trade with others. Some of them will let you place your product in their store and let you name the price. The store owner will only take a commission once the item has sold. Mind you, all these folks are in business to make money. They will not buy & sell at their peril. They won't care about who gave it to you (unless it is someone famous that you can document) or how much you originally paid for it.
As for an antique that is made in the '50's, you most likely will not get oodles of money for it unless it is highly collectible. For example, a one-of-a-kind late 1800's sideboard in good condition will cost you about around $2k. There are a few brand names out there that were manufactured in the '50's for furniture that are really hot right now. Eames, Monterey, & Baker Brothers. Eames you can sell almost anywhere. Monterey & Baker are predominantly west coast and southwest.
You need to research your item to at least get your own guesstimate. I found a set of 4 Monterey chairs at a swap meet and e-mailed photos to an author who wrote a book on the furniture. He gave me a rough appraisal without seeing them in person. I was happy to know that my $100 purchase could net me $1,100 potentially.
To get the highest price for your item, you need to find out A) Who manufactured your table B) Is that manufacturer collectible C) What the going rate is for similar things by that manufacturer.
Once you have educated yourself, you should have a pretty good idea of how much your product is worth. This way, you won't get ripped off if someone tries to tell you your product isn't worth that much. Then at that point, it is up to you how you want to sell your product. A local store can pick up and sell for you. You can drop off and have a local store sell it for you. You can have it auctioned off. You can sell it to a local collector. You can E-Bay it. You can find yahoo groups or websites where people congregate over a specific style or period to sell it.
Good luck!
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Yes, dealers buy from individuals, but they tend to offer lower prices (as they want to be able to resell at a profit). You could take pictures and go to antique stores to see if there is any interest. Also, check craigslist.org to see if there is a local group. You would get more money selling to an individual. As a last resort, call your local auction house to see if they can auction it for you. However, their commission rates can be as high as 30% of the ending price.
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Antique dealer for 15 years
Call around and see which dealer has tables like yours, try any shop that has retro style stuff. It's more popular on the west coast now.
The other option is to E mail photos of it to dealers and ask for offers. If you posted a photo with this question, I could give you some idea.
References :
Just because something is old, doesn't necessarily mean that it will fetch a high price. It has to be collectible, otherwise there is no market to sell it to.
Antique dealers purchase items through individual sales (an individual approaches the dealer), estate sales (liquidation of assets through death or bankruptcy), storage auctions (where people who haven't paid their storage fees and people can bid on a storage unit w/o knowing the contents), and a few other places. Sometimes, they may trade with others. Some of them will let you place your product in their store and let you name the price. The store owner will only take a commission once the item has sold. Mind you, all these folks are in business to make money. They will not buy & sell at their peril. They won't care about who gave it to you (unless it is someone famous that you can document) or how much you originally paid for it.
As for an antique that is made in the '50's, you most likely will not get oodles of money for it unless it is highly collectible. For example, a one-of-a-kind late 1800's sideboard in good condition will cost you about around $2k. There are a few brand names out there that were manufactured in the '50's for furniture that are really hot right now. Eames, Monterey, & Baker Brothers. Eames you can sell almost anywhere. Monterey & Baker are predominantly west coast and southwest.
You need to research your item to at least get your own guesstimate. I found a set of 4 Monterey chairs at a swap meet and e-mailed photos to an author who wrote a book on the furniture. He gave me a rough appraisal without seeing them in person. I was happy to know that my $100 purchase could net me $1,100 potentially.
To get the highest price for your item, you need to find out A) Who manufactured your table B) Is that manufacturer collectible C) What the going rate is for similar things by that manufacturer.
Once you have educated yourself, you should have a pretty good idea of how much your product is worth. This way, you won't get ripped off if someone tries to tell you your product isn't worth that much. Then at that point, it is up to you how you want to sell your product. A local store can pick up and sell for you. You can drop off and have a local store sell it for you. You can have it auctioned off. You can sell it to a local collector. You can E-Bay it. You can find yahoo groups or websites where people congregate over a specific style or period to sell it.
Good luck!
References :