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This article was published in the January 1999 issue of AntiquePrime
Magazine & Journal.
For What It's Worth ...
Q. I have some antique furniture from the '50s. What's the best
way to sell it and how much should I ask for it?
A. Yikes! I'm from the '50s. Does that make me an antique?
To some, an antique is a work of art, piece of furniture, or a decorative
item made before the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s. Others
assume that items over 100 years old are antiques. This "100-year-old"
rule applies to items being imported into the US. If the objects
are older than 100 years, no tariffs are due. The Customs laws do
not actually mention or define "antique". Many, like you,
take a broader view of "antique" and define it as something
"belonging to an earlier period of time". An alternative
approach is to divide items into the following categories: appreciable
(growing in value) and depreciable (decreasing in value).
Your furniture could be appreciating in value. Was it designed by
a famous designer, such as Charles Eames or George Nelson? Made
by Herman Miller, Knoll International, or another classic manufacturer?
Was it owned by someone famous and can you prove it?
Or your things could just be good used furniture. What condition
is it in? Are there "Hoover bruises", dents and dings
from the vacuum cleaner? Did the cat claw the upholstery? Has the
finish been removed, reapplied, or painted over?
The value of your furniture depends on many factors. After collecting
a complete description from you, an appraiser might need to see
the furniture, or at the very least, photographs of the items, to
determine if a more comprehensive evaluation will be necessary.
The best way to sell your furniture? You have some options. You
can sell it yourself. Place an ad in the newspaper, post flyers
in the local supermarket, make an announcement at a church supper.
If you have Internet access, another option is listing it on the
Internet on sites such as ebay.com, antiquelandusa.com, ehammer.com
or a newsgroup such as dfw.forsale. Or let others sell it for you.
Place your furniture on consignment in a consignment shop. Send
it to an auction company. Call an estate sale agent. If your items
are appreciable, you just might decide to keep them, antique or
not.
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