Is this looks like anything?

So my mom went to yard sale on Saturday morning and bought this really old trunk for home decoration purpose.

She was googling about the antique trunk and found a guy on ebay who sells same trunk for $50000.

The guy on ebay did some retouch on trunk but our trunk is in original condition.

My mom is dying to find out if her trunk is worth that much.

Can you please see the picture and tell me if its worth anything?

 

Whatever you do,DONT scrub it until your sure that's not the original finish. It looks like its pretty old to me,I see it even has the till to one side. Im guessing MAYBE 1800-1820,some close ups of the hardware like the handles and lock could help to date it too. Lovely size too.

 

Early 19th century immigrant's trunk (At least that is what we call them here in the States). Looks like it is most likely Northern European or Scandinavian. Worth a few hundred dollars here at most these days. Time was it would have been double that. Not sure where the guy gets the $50,000.00 price. Some of the early American painted trunks with names and dates can be pretty valuable but still don't reach 50K. Plain European ones are much more plentiful and a lot less valuable.

 

Get in touch with that eBay seller your mom found and ask him if he'll pay you $30,000 for your trunk !
If he can make a $20,000 profit I'm sure he'll snap it up.
If he doesn't buy it with out question.....then you should question what he's asking for his !!

 

Asking is not the same as selling
http://www.ebay.com/itm/c-1725-Anti...133?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259a51b1bd
This seller is quite wishful
But he seems to occasionally find a sucker for his misdescriptions
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Pri...336?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259ecd1500
Imagine getting $7500 for Pier 1 junque

You will not find a similar sold for more than about $500. More likely is $100.

 

I think some of the people who post auctions with sky-high asking prices do so because it makes them feel good or important, not really thinking it will sell for that. Or they only have one antique thing, have little knowledge of the trade, but hitch all their hopes and dreams on this one item. It will save them from their otherwise humdrum existence. Or somethin' like that.

-Dr. Freud

 

The guy is delusional. Unfortunately, he has gotten a few people to buy in to his delusions and buy at his prices. Did you all see the 20's chest of drawers for 350K?

Maybe I need to rethink my business model...... A single sale could make my year at those prices.

 

Being a crook is not a business model..........or is it ???

 

Wowee. Somebody really paid $7500. For the repro Medieval junk? I find that hard to believe, but I guess there are always people around who have more money than brains. That buyer has 1100 FB too. Sure makes ya wonder. DSS?

 

Don't look at what Ebay sellers are ASKING for an item. Go to Completed sales and see what they are actually selling for. There is usually a big difference.

 

You can buy a 16th or 17th century five plank oak chest here for well under a grand.....