DuMouchelles is a high-end auction house in Detroit. Periodically they send out a glossy catalog listing items from wealthy estates – including their estimates as to what the item will “bring” at the sale. In the most recent catalog I found this sampling:
French style Walnut dining table & set of 6 Chippendale style chairs H-20″, L-68″
$1,000-1,500
Victorian Walnut and Burl Walnut chest Circa 1870; H-29″, W-50″, D-23″
$400-600
American Cherry Antique chest H-48″, W-42″, D-19″
$300-400
French Bow-front chest of drawers H-32″, W-48″, D-23″
$300-400
Louis XVI style Walnut and Satinwood inlaid commode with marble top H-35″, W-39″, D-20″
$400-600Mahogany Governor Winthrop style slant-front desk H-40″, W-36″, D-20″
$300-400
American Hepplewhite Mahogany Bow Front Chest of drawers (7) Circa 1790 H-42″,
W-42″, D-20″ $1,500-2,500
When I look at the amount of work involved in a “Bombe” chest or a “set of six chairs” and a table, not to mention the cost of the wood, it must be LOVE that keeps us at this game.
P.S. And Love it is for me.
Frosty
“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert,
in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.”
Milton Friedman
Replies
frosty,
those prices have got to be "opening-bid-get-the-feeding-frenzy-going" numbers. it would be interesting to see what the final bids amount to.
eef
From what I have seen, these are pretty close to what the item actually sells for. Sometimes people go crazy or DuMouchelles has made a mistake in evaluating the object - but very rarely. Sad isn't it?Frosty“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert,
in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.” Milton Friedman
If you watch some of the BBC antiques shows from the UK, prices are similar there, if not lower. I couldn't buy the rough lumber for what the piece sells for.
Jim
Frosty,
Well, the stuff is second hand......
In truth I prefer the idea that items such as those you list are sold for those prices - certainly I prefer that as a customer - rather than the silly prices paid for very similar things that have some famous name attached to them. A curse on all rich collectors for bumping up the prices of many things, not to mention for hiding their booty in some private cellar where the rest of us cannot have our minds improved by a sight of things made with high design and excellent standards.
Presumably, the original makers of the items now at auction have long been paid what they sought and the original owners have had good and long use from the items. So who is losing out? Even the customers get a bargain!
Lataxe
lataxe,
sort of on the same subject...
my friend passed away in 2004 having achieved 92 years of life, during the course of which, he amassed a great many objects with "antique" status. through a series of events, mistakes, altruisms and various other happenings, i ended up "possessing" a great deal of this old stuff. to make a long story short, after several years of agonizing what to do with it all, i settled on the wife's suggestion that it be sold. we are talking here about old stuff ranging from native american artifacts to 14th century manuscripts, roman glass and a pile of dead wood south dakota wild bill hickock memorabilia. the relief gleaned from letting all these things go free to someone else has been nothing short of delightful. eef, a recovering hoarder of old things.
Antiques: If they were any good the relatives would have snapped them up...
The antique stores in St Paul are closing one by one. I'm told the young generation would rather buy disposable items at Ikea. It is a lifestyle choice like living inside the sparkle of a cell phone.A year ago we settled my parents estate who had lots of Victorian walnut furniture. We were told that nobody wants that stuff now. It's out of fashion. Despite the fact that I helped them buy some of the pieces I only took one chair. And ten I looked at it as an amateur maker and said my god how did they do it. I couldn't even quite figure out how to re-glue it let alone make those sinuous thumb dents that run up the curved back. Had we sold the chair, they said it would go for $25. I sometimes worry about craft in america and if anyone is following on. Few people are willing to pay for the hours it takes to make something wonderful. The "After the Gold Rush" piece in the Gallery had a price tag of some $35,000 on it when I saw it over in Minneapolis. I doubt if he made for his time even if he sells it for twice that amount. I saw some beautiful Green & Green chairs at a show by Thomas Gallenberg and I wanted one. They cost $1,200 each and when I asked how long it took to make one, did a quick calculation of how much profit and time in a year and said yes, he's working for pennies and love of his craft.My old pottery teacher told me the best compliment you can pay an craftsman/artist is to say I'll take it, and not even quibble about price. We should all occasionally do that.Peter
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