Inexperienced antique furniture owner/seller seeking advice please.

Hello. Thank you for your website. I'm dealing with furniture that I am unfamiliar with of my late mother's estate. I'm wanting to sell but I have no idea of how much any of them might be worth (or even called for that matter to begin googling). None are damaged and all have been treated with care and 1 piece (glass sculpture display) is new in great condition. I have enquired with a antique store close by to buy everything for time and convenience next week but I won't know if I'm getting a fair price or maybe a bad idea to sell that way. Any expertise would greatly be appreciated to best represent my mother's memory and items. Thank you.

 

All antique, or nearly so. Value is really dependent on where you are. Keep in mind that a dealer will probably only pay 1/3 to 1/2 of what he/she expects to sell it for. Maybe a tad more for a desirable piece that will sell fast. Probably less for an unpopular piece.

I can give you what I would pay for your pieces in my semi-rural Midwest location. My market is pretty cheap so you may do better if in or near a large city. Either coast is also higher (except Florida). Formal brown furniture also seems to do better in the South.

Your chase lounge is probably a hard sell. I would probably not buy it at all but somewhere under $100 would be fair in my location.

Your circa 1850 late classical chest would be around $150. The gentleman's mirror on top, around $50

Beds are also a hard sell. Yours is circa 1875 and you would be very lucky to get $150 for it here. I would also probably pass on this but that is me.

Your circa 1930 Spanish revival couch would be around $100 (assuming upholstery in very good condition).

Your circa 1900 English server would be somewhere around $100.

Your circa 1930 English china cabinet and buffet. $75-100 each.

Circa 1890 walnut bookcase, up to $200 (assuming it has the shelves).

I may have been a little generous with my prices, as I tend to be when buying privately. I would not pay this much at auction or from another dealer.

 

What a great and informative response!

 

Around here when someone is selling Victorian furniture, I say "good luck". I don't buy furniture, but brown wood is a good deal if you're a buyer. If you're selling at auction in New England Greg's numbers might be high.

 

You have sone really nice pieces that appear in almost perfect condition. Sadly the market prices don’t reflect their value as beautiful antiques.

 

These are called Mahoghany Chiffonier and I have heard them referred to as Cottage sidecabinet. If you look up 19th Century Chiffonier you will find this item, they can sell for a couple of hundred but they are a patient sell.





This is a scotch chest, you can look up Scotch Chest and you will see imediately what they sell for, these are considerably more popular and can sell quite well. They would fecth almost as much as a Georgian chest of drawers if not more depending on quality.

 

Thank you for your replies. In regards to the last image, the glass display (with the rope on the door) that was used for statues and has a illuminated light inside. -What do I call that piece and how much would be a good price to ask considering it is new and in great condition? Regards.

 

Was it described as a bookcase.

 

Thank you all for your time and replies. Got rid of all today via 2 auctioneers for more than I expected. Ironically the glass display being the lowest return as it's not a real antique. Circa 2000. Go figure. Cheers.

 

Do you mean the tall bookcase with the glass door that has the rope ( tie back) hanging from the lock/handle. That was described as 1850 Walnut bookcase.

This one here, It certaily looks antique, are you sure they do not mean the glass display cabinet was modern.


This was described as Antique 1850 walnut. it looks antique, are you quite sure this is circa 2000. Well done on selling everything and I hope the scotch chest brought in some $$.