Empire mahogany game table

Hello. I'm a newbie to antiques and have fallen in love with this table. It's at a shop in Portland. It looks refinished on the bottom. The shop owner says it is not. Is two tone something true to this time period? I want to negotiate price but want to be prepared. TIA

 

I paid $65 for mine at a yard sale. It has a couple of dings on the edge.

 

Welcome to Antiquers, Trislo! You're member #700!

There are definitely members who will have advice about the table, but most can't/won't get too specific on value/price since there are so many variables involved. Some may give opinions about what they might expect to buy or sell for in the geographic areas they're in, however.

So which "Portland" are we talking about? Maine? Oregon? Another?

Do you have any other pictures? Like showing more closely the color and finish (perhaps even wood grain?) of the top and the pedestal and any difference between the surface of the "open" side versus the "closed" side? Any pics showing how the top is attached to the pedestal - hardware, hinges, etc. - and how the top is supported when open?

 

Mine is obviously not in great shape, but I couldn't resist for that price. The feet match my dining room table.

I actually have an old checkerboard and checkers and some very old playing cards inside.

 

Welcome!

 

Lumpy furniture like that is dead out of fashion now. Bear in mind the owner will probably be glad to see the back of it.

 

Wow! She's asking $760!!

 

No other pics. I didn't open it. I should have. The top finish appears original and in great shape. The bottom is in lovely shape but the staining looks more modern, less glossy. I'm in Portland Oregon.
Is negotiating something people do at antique shops?

 

Dead out of fashion?? I still like it. Should I offer her much lower. She's asking $760 which seems high, especially since a PP paid $65 at a garage sale!!!

 

The top is such a different color from the bottom. I wonder about refinishing, or also about replacement of the top. You thought the bottom looked like the part that would have been refinished, though?

I'm not one of the furniture experts here, but really notice the two tones!

 

Its not inconceivable the top could be lighter than the base,the sun could have shone on it all day. But to me,its at least been "cleaned" and that price,for that type of furniture,in this market ? Hopeful at best.

 

Well, part of the problem is that you're in Portland (I'm in Seattle.) We're not exactly swimming in older furniture out here (the Oregon Trail and all that.) And it's THE major city in your state. Bev (whose own table is pictured above) lives on Cape Cod, so the chance of finding an older piece at a yard sale goes up exponentially from finding one in your location. The dealer may just be willing to "sit on it" at that price because there just aren't that many around and the traffic through the store may one day include someone else like you who "loves" it and also has the wherewithal to pay his/her price.

Frankly it was the "glossiness" of what I could see of the table top that made me wonder whether the top had been relatively recently refinished (or replaced.) If it had "original finish" it would look more like the bottom (which is absolutely not "modern.")

The standard "opening gambit" is "Can you do any better on this?" and seeing what the dealer has to say. I don't know what you'd be willing and able to pay, but coming up with your "number" and starting out by saying "Would you take X?" might provoke an "insulted reaction" and a total end to useful negotiations. Especially if you offered $65

Now that you know that you "love" this style, you might want to 1) visit other antique furniture venues 2) search Craig's List regularly and 3) keep an eye on estate sale notices with pictures to see if you can find others and see how they are priced.

And definitely go back to visit this again, give a really good looking over (take more pictures), get the dealer talking about it and have that "Can you do any better" conversation.

 

Yes Trislo, negotiating is expected at an antique shop.
But as Bakers says, do your homework first, and only then walk in with a bottom price in mind that you would be willing to pay.

I don't like " can you do any better on this ? " because it leaves the door open to a negative response or a positive one where the dealer will budge ....just a little !

" I'm willing to offer you $ 475 for this table. " , lets the dealer know you're ready to buy, & puts the ball in his court to counter your offer . No good dealer is going to let money walk out the door by saying " that's to low...get lost "
He'll almost certainly counter your offer and then you hit him with " What's the bottom line number you'll accept for this table??"

Now , to make a sale ...he's going to give you the lowest price he feels comfortable with.....& then if it's in your ballpark.......well...buy it!

Sure , a dealer might hold the line on $760.......& you can tell them you hope it makes good firewood for the winter months !!!.......as you and your hard earned money walk out the door !!

IMHO......

 

OK...I used he....but it's a she.....no difference unless she's a ........#^#$%^&%!!!

 

Good points, komokwa.

 

Thank you Bakers....I've been on both sides of that equation...

The 1st silver bracelet I ever bought was from a Vancouver antique store , where the owner held her opening price.
I walked out , had a smoke and decided that I would overpay to get that item !
Oh, I was fuming ( literally & figuratively ! ..) but it fit like a glove and today it's worth 3 times what I paid for it.

I had a lawyer walk in the gallery once , & try to get me down on a 4 print set by a top flight artist. It's still one of my favorite works and a set hangs in my living room.
I held my price firm....& he stomped out in a fit !
15 minutes later he came back and bought it off the wall !!!

It's worth more today than he paid for it then !



NICE HUH ???

 

I am with the others here. The top is what looks like it has been refinished. The bottom looks right to me. Of course, some better pictures are probably necessary to make a true determination.

I am sure that the Portland market is higher in price than what most of us experience. However, that price seems way out of line for this type of furniture right now. A quick search of empire game tables shows some dealers asking that and more for similar tables. A look at completed sales shows that they are not selling at those prices.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Antiques-/2...H_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&_nkw=empire+game+table

 

Here's one up for auction now. They have an estimate of 4-600.
One bid. You might watch it and see where it goes. Notice the nice wood coloration and compare to the one in your local store.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/38307438_empire-flame-mahogany-games-table



@komokwa -
If I had a table marked at $760 and you came at me with:

" I'm willing to offer you $ 475 for this table. " , lets the dealer know you're ready to buy, & puts the ball in his court to counter your offer . No good dealer is going to let money walk out the door by saying " that's to low...get lost "
He'll almost certainly counter your offer and then you hit him with " What's the bottom line number you'll accept for this table??"

I might indeed come back with an offer, but in the meantime - you have insulted me and put me on my guard, so I'm not as willing to work with you. That might have been why the dealer held firm on the bracelet. Did you go back and buy from that dealer again?

I must be a bad dealer as I have let money walk out the door when I didn't like the attitude of the customer. I resent customers who think that I have to take or even consider low-ball offers.

@Trislo -
If you really like the table my advice is offer $600 cash. That's a 20% discount. You are more likely to get a favorable response without antagonizing the dealer. Particularly if you want to do business with them in the future. If they counter or say no, then you have to decide if it is really worth the extra that they ask for.
Or if they counter, you can hold firm with all I have is $600 cash, otherwise I have to charge it. The dealer will loose about $30 to the charge company. Don't let them talk you into splitting the sale - part cash and charge.

And in case anyone is thinking about it, Oregon has no sales tax.

 

" I might indeed come back with an offer, but in the meantime - you have insulted me and put me on my guard, so I'm not as willing to work with you. That might have been why the dealer held firm on the bracelet. Did you go back and buy from that dealer again? "


Don't confuse my suggestions with my real life.

I asked the lady with the bracelet if that's the best she could do , & offered her $350 for her $400 bracelet.
She became irate , took the bracelet out of my hands & placed it back at the very tip top of her shelf, while telling me that $400 was her price , that's it , don't bother asking further & the discussion is over.



I drew long and hard on that cigarette , before calming down enough to go back in there and buy it !
You see , she had insulted me, my money , & my knowledge , & treated a customer poorly with a foul demeanor & civility bordering on kicking a dawg !!!

I never went back there again.

I learned a good lesson that day to never treat any customer that way in my Gallery, & just as important never to be insulted by a client who started out offering me less than my posted price .


" I must be a bad dealer as I have let money walk out the door when I didn't like the attitude of the customer. I resent customers who think that I have to take or even consider low-ball offers"


You're likely not a bad dealer , you just never learned the lesson I did that day !

I've had a client ....that I knew....literally throw money on my desk , saying " that's all I'm going to pay you for this ! "
You wanna talk about insulted !!! .......I smiled , wrapped up his purchase ...& whenever I passed him on the street, still said hello !!

I had an American couple wanting to buy a mask for cash.
The woman said ...loudly... " oh, my husband is in business so he'll figure out the exchange rate & this is what we'll give you !! "
I smiled , took the cash , & wrapped up the mask !

Business is business........when you let it get personal ......it gets in the way of Business !!!

I once had a woman enter the Gallery, look around , and then ask me " Who would want to buy any of this crap ? " .
She didn't stop there and continued to berate , my store, & myself .....
I nearly threw her through my plate glass window ......as I was ushering her out !!!

That wasn't business ....... that was personal !!!

Get to know the difference !

Oh , & BTW....I never offered anyone $600 for a $760 anything , and seriously expected that out of the goodness of their heart that they were going to accept my 1st offer !

 

This discussion reminds me of a dealer friend I used to do shows with. A woman offered her less than 1/4 her asking price on a piece of glass, then started to argue with her when she counter-offered. She turned to the woman, took the item from her hands, and said she would rather smash it to the ground than sell it to her ..... and did just that! It may not have been good business but certainly gave her satisfaction and put the rude woman in her place. I always respected her for that and learned that there needs to be limits to what you will put up with in business.