Featured Do you think the market for brown wood furniture will recover and ? primitive

With the market so low for antique brown wood furniture, do you think in 10, 20, ... or more years it will eventually recover? Seems with recycling such a popular thing that more young people might be drawn to it instead of short lifespan new furniture.

Primitive pieces still seem to be high in the my area. Wonder if the market will collapse for it also at some point?

 

Have you heard of "Granny Chic" yet? it replaces "Paris Apartment" in Millennial land.

 

Granny Chic is coming, or so we hope!

 

I recently read an article by Southern Living Magazine about what's coming back. The pendulum almost always swings...just depends on how quickly.
What I recall -
1. 70's tones in the kitchen. Not necessarily avocado/harvest gold/or brown appliances, but Earth tones in the kitchen. Stainless steel persistence is suspect.
2. Art deco
3. Wicker
4. Brushed nickel in in the bathroom. Apparently brass is out (gee, how did I miss that.) One could spend some serious $$ when bathroom fixtures change every couple of years.
5. Edison lights - too much visible dust at the coffee shop.

I'm sure I've missed a couple. So, I think the consensus is brown furniture will have its day again, just like Grandma's Pyrex.

 

I'd bet on Memphis.

Debora

 

Well, it depends on what you collect in antique brown furniture. Prices are way down in the middle market, i doubt anyone disputes that, which is probably 80% of the market but, there is a flip side to that coin.
Early American (pilgrim), Colonial ( W&M, QA, chippendale), Shaker, Mission (big boys), etc do VERY well at auction. I track early american pretty close and prices are far from low, trust me.

 

Granny Chic? below, according to some.
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, noooooooooooooooooo

 

Somehow I think 80s Goshawful may be gone for good. At least we can hope. If you're after Ethan Allen, you can furnish a house for peanuts; that sort of Colonial can end up in dumpsters here. I'd bet good money on the Memphis pieces coming around too, and probably G Plan furniture in Britain.

 

G Plan has been big here for a decade or more, as has Ercol. I've seen some articles suggesting that nice Georgian stuff may be on the way back: much of this is around the green movement. I approve.

 

I bought an 18thc bow front corner cupboard (with key!) yesterday for $75 and sold it 10 mins later, to a friend for $100, she'll probably ask about $275 and it will be gone within the week. Oh well, paid for brekky!

 

Here's to Georgian revival! Reduce, reuse, recycle. Send Ikea into Chapter 9 for all of me. (liquidation bankruptcy for those outside of the USA)

 

I think they will have to re use old furniture as they can’t keep cutting down trees, they are becoming too precious for the air quality and insects we need to survive. I’m depressed when I see all the ads for Oak furniture Land, the pale oak desire I’m sure will morph into darker wood. Like hemlines, long then short, jeans, skinny then baggy.

 

Great question! I've wondered about that too; as the new furniture definitely has a shorter lifespan! My hope is that it will return

I hope you are right! I also think that it seems somewhat necessary due to the short shelf lifespan of new furniture... and I honestly think people should think "reuse" "repurpose" and "recycle" ...

Granted; it doesn't seem like it is in the young folks mindset right now - even though they are thinking about global warming issues. Perhaps in time!

Leslie

 

I just wish my mother's largish collection of amber daisy and button EAPG would come back. At least it appears to be selling a little better than 15 years ago.

 

You noticed a slight uptick in good and fine brown furniture last year at Americana Week in NYC. This year not as much was offered so it wasn't as noticeable. There has definitely been an increase in interest and prices in good Southern furniture.such as VA, KY, TN and NC. They bring pretty good prices in our area.

 

Oh Boy! is there ever!
I don't know why but, i just assumed i would have a better shot at early southern pieces when i moved south to the Carolinas in 2000. NO WAY! Keep Dreaming!
If anything, the market in good and better early southern pieces is much much stronger than when i moved here 20 years ago.

 

Yes agreed, last year was a really GREAT year for american furniture, that happens when large multi million dollar private collections are sold. Jeez, they even sold a table that Thomas Jefferson once owned.
This year by contrast was a bust, hardly worth a post, it happens, these things go in cycles.

 

Brown furniture will return but think it will be different than it was in the 70s. Golden oak isn't coming back any time soon. Think classic lines and good construction. Good art deco, MCM, and maybe even 40s mahogany. There will be a niche for good Victorian walnut and primitives. Maybe even a resurgence in Empire/late classical?

When is this happening? Hope it is within my lifetime but am not holding my breath. The penchant for paint has held on longer than I expected. We may be starting to see it wane a bit in big coastal cities. It is going to take a long time to push it out of the nooks and crannies of rural America.

 

Had to go look up Granny Chic and saw some horrible examples. I also saw some glimmers of hope. Hope this is where we are heading with brown furniture …..