Featured antique/Vintage Brown Furniture

Agrees with others about antique brown furniture, the middle market, which is about 80% of the antique market is in depression status and has been for years now. The very best still commands big numbers & of course the bottom always sells well but both of these categories together are only about 20% or so of the market.
I see period 19th century Federal era furniture (1st quarter 19th century) in solid walnut, cherry, mahogany sell for chump change at auction, cheaper than Ikea sawdust stuff. It's one of those is what it is kinda things, great time to buy but very bad for sellers.

 

Despite the painting of furniture being popular in Mass., sadly even quality Victorian pieces meet this fate, but there are still purist among us. . a large truck showed up at our local flea market recently, full of 1860-90 walnut furniture, some neat pieces which had been in long term storage. Like locusts, a crowd quickly gathered, and all was sold in less then an hour. Common words among buyers was 'no paint will come near this' ! It was quite a scene, some 30 people vying for 19th C. furniture. It was good.

 

i bought this chair today for $3 , 1/2 price day at the thrift store

 

And from what I've read, the Keno brothers are/were in hock up PAST their eyeballs!!!!!!! But I still don't like to paint old furniture!!!

 

Yeah, the Keno brothers were engaged in some very sketchy behaviour but they managed to pay all their creditors recently. Regaining trust however is another matter, credibility once lost is tough to get back.
https://www.maineantiquedigest.com/news/kenos-resolve-all-legal-matters

 

@James Conrad, that's good to read that!!! Leigh came to my Mother's place on the Cape when she was starting to sell a few pieces.....it turned out he was looking for REALLY unique, hard to find, pristine, one-of-a-kind, original finish antiques......Mom had nice stuff, but apparently NOT what Leigh was interested in.....Ah well!!! Glad they got out of their tough spot!!!

 

Yeah, something weird happened there, both brothers were bidding on the same object at the same auction, basically against each other. And, at like 4 different auction houses and didn't have the money to pay at the end of those sales. Totally weird deal and gave antique dealers in general a black eye in the process.

 

Although this is totally anecdotal, i notice on Twitter that whenever MAD (maine antiques digest) the bible for all things Americana, tweets about some object, there are no likes. Indeed, MAD has been on Twitter for 8 years, 2009, and only 337 likes in all that time (i'd guess half are mine) kinda tells you the state that antiques are in generally. The "Dark Ages" no doubt! question is, will there ever be a renaissance?
https://twitter.com/AntiqueDigest?lang=en

 

I *think* I'm seeing the browns starting to trend upwards.
Well, not so much Eastlake and Victorian and other more ornate pieces, but your country/primative pieces are gaining popularity, but maybe thats just with me.

I'm not seeing the painted furniture flying out of booths line they were a year or two ago, but maybe its the all over furniture market.
I hear from many people it's just dead right now.

I wonder if it's because tides are about to change?

 

Thought I would resurrect this thread and show some pieces currently languishing in the shop here. Most have been here at least 2 months and some as long as 6. All could probably be purchased for less than current asking price Thankfully, none are mine but I still have not sold my arts and crafts wardrobe going on several months now.

Side by side secretary now down to $265.00


Nice deco mahogany tables now down to $88.00 for the pair.


Solid walnut parlor table now $45.00


Super cylinder secretary now $295.00 (Don't think this ever had a top)



Marble top walnut dresser now $295.00


Pair shield back chairs now $19.50


Oak drop-leaf now $67.50

 

These pieces have not been here more than a month but think they should have flown out the door at these prices.

This is priced $135.00 but very negotiable.


These two marble top tables are currently tagged at $265.00 each but were offered at $225.00 for choice to a customer who declined to buy (His offer was $175.00).

 

YIKES! It's almost to the point of having to pay people to take the furniture!

 

Of late around here on LI, I have noticed people buying older brown furniture. Many have just purchased homes or apts and need furniture. I know nothing about furniture at all, but seems here that market is picking up.
Let's hope that trend spreads out to you guys.

 

Was in the shop last night and saw where the dealer who owns the two marble top parlor tables has officially marked his price down to $225.00 each on them. This probably means that he would likely take a bit less.

 

Where I live the seller who seems to move the most stuff is still the woman painting everything. She has even graduated to using some sort of giant film decal/wraps and those pieces seem to fly.

But prices on brown furniture are not marked as low here. I would have snapped up those deco end tables in a heartbeat.

 

Yeah, I'd say at those prices that furniture wouldn't last long here in Charlotte NC at all. I suspect Brad lives in an area where there isn't a large & growing population of young people setting up households, Brad needs to MOVE!

 

aren't the marble slabs alone worth that much ??

 

In my opinion it is downhill hard. I can only imagine what buying some of the stuff I have been fortunate enough to come across would’ve cost years ago.

$250 on this barley twist server, 19thc

$400 on this French marble top server

$500 on this massive renaissance marriage bench. 19th century

$300 on this Victorian rococo dresser
$100 on the barley twist gothic slipper chair and $400 on the cabinet.



Absolutely in love with this style and I have forked out high prices for certain items but this is the majority of my awesome buys because of the market. Can only imagine top dollar years ago what these could have cost. I will continue collecting for the love of collecting regardless of the market but it’s not looking good for brown. Fortunately it’s a hobby for me.

 

Hint..!
Don't move too often !!!

 

Because it’s all breakable? Lol