Selling Furniture
Discussion
We've managed to collect a few pieces of nice, solid carved wood furniture from a few moves from different countries over the past 10 years. We downsized when we moved back to the U.k so would like to try to sell most of it. Wondering if anyone knows of a route for selling items that are too nice to just dispose of or give away?
Tried some local antiques places, but they are not keen (as they are more geared towards jewellery etc) + have given gumtree a go with no luck. Apart from Facebook marketplace (trying to avoid as I don't want a Facebook account) any platforms or vendors I'm missing?
Cheers
Tried some local antiques places, but they are not keen (as they are more geared towards jewellery etc) + have given gumtree a go with no luck. Apart from Facebook marketplace (trying to avoid as I don't want a Facebook account) any platforms or vendors I'm missing?
Cheers
This depends entirely on what style your furniture is, and be aware that the market in the UK for 'brown' furniture, antique, or anything resembling antique, carved, or similar, has absolutely collapsed.
Sadly, many pieces that would previously have been desirable, or certainly of having a cash value, is now being valued at no more than just 'smash it up for firewood'.
My parents are also trying to downsize their furniture collection at present, and they cannot believe how bad it is. They have a house full of carefully selected pieces that they have collected over the last 40 years, from well known 'fine furniture auctions' and they can't get anyone interested in buying it.
Just one example is their large antique 'carved and French polished' dining table and chair set, which they paid thousands for in the late 80's and at one point was valued/insured at over £10k. Despite trying loads of places, the best offer they got was £100 from an antiques centre, but then they called back and said they wouldn't take it as they just cannot shift the ones that have at present.
If you have tried all the local antique and 'reclaimed' furniture dealers, then your other options are: Start listing things on Ebay as a classified avert, start putting it on Facebook marketplace, or send it to a local house clearance and furniture action house.
Be warned that loads of stuff goes through local furniture actions now, and just doesn't sell.
You maybe have some really nice and unique pieces which will sell, but you will only find that out once you have hawked it around a bit first. If antique furniture dealers aren't interested, then it's probably a sign that it might not be as easy to sell it all as you would expect.
Good luck.
Sadly, many pieces that would previously have been desirable, or certainly of having a cash value, is now being valued at no more than just 'smash it up for firewood'.
My parents are also trying to downsize their furniture collection at present, and they cannot believe how bad it is. They have a house full of carefully selected pieces that they have collected over the last 40 years, from well known 'fine furniture auctions' and they can't get anyone interested in buying it.
Just one example is their large antique 'carved and French polished' dining table and chair set, which they paid thousands for in the late 80's and at one point was valued/insured at over £10k. Despite trying loads of places, the best offer they got was £100 from an antiques centre, but then they called back and said they wouldn't take it as they just cannot shift the ones that have at present.
If you have tried all the local antique and 'reclaimed' furniture dealers, then your other options are: Start listing things on Ebay as a classified avert, start putting it on Facebook marketplace, or send it to a local house clearance and furniture action house.
Be warned that loads of stuff goes through local furniture actions now, and just doesn't sell.
You maybe have some really nice and unique pieces which will sell, but you will only find that out once you have hawked it around a bit first. If antique furniture dealers aren't interested, then it's probably a sign that it might not be as easy to sell it all as you would expect.
Good luck.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 16th January 15:31
Yup, second hand furniture is usually just about worthless, however nice.
I had some family heirlooms taken away to the local auction rooms. Came out a full £10 in hand after paying for transportation, seller's commission, advertising, insurance and VAT. But it would have been uncomfortable to smash them up and burn them.
Having learnt my lesson I recovered the family silver from the auctioneers after their valuation and sold it on ebay. Even there it simply sold on "weight" and nothing else - but I came out well ahead of anything that was likely to be achieved at auction.
I had some family heirlooms taken away to the local auction rooms. Came out a full £10 in hand after paying for transportation, seller's commission, advertising, insurance and VAT. But it would have been uncomfortable to smash them up and burn them.
Having learnt my lesson I recovered the family silver from the auctioneers after their valuation and sold it on ebay. Even there it simply sold on "weight" and nothing else - but I came out well ahead of anything that was likely to be achieved at auction.
Simpo Two said:
Gumtree and FB are for tat.
If not worth taking to auction, eBay would be my route - but results will be limited due to size/weight.
I always find eBay gives the best results, no matter what I need to sell. I have had a fair bit of success with FB Marketplace, but eBay will get anything sold and for often at a surprisingly high price. Probably because it is just the one place where absolutely everyone looks.If not worth taking to auction, eBay would be my route - but results will be limited due to size/weight.
But these days I just find the selling fees a bit punchy and I also hate the fact they don't allow you to accept PayPal anymore.
I agree about size weight being a limiting factor. The OP will get hugely better results, and much higher selling prices, if he offers delivery for his furniture via courier, but that in itself is fraught with risk and hassle.
I tried to sell some solid Acacia wood furniture when we moved. Had it up for sale for months with no interest. Ended up giving a large table, 4 chairs, sideboard and 3 nested side tables to my mum. The TV unit eventually sold for £20.
Modern furniture like malm drawers, billy book cases I donated to British Heart Foundation who regularly update me and have made about £350-400 from my donations
Modern furniture like malm drawers, billy book cases I donated to British Heart Foundation who regularly update me and have made about £350-400 from my donations
I helped a friend sell her furniture when downsizing after her divorce. Exactly the same experience as everone else has said. Old furniture, even nicely made Georgian, Victorian and early 20th century goes for peanuts. There may be a market abroad (USA), but no one want the stuff in this country. Fuel costs make going and collecting expensive and the size and risk of damage makes professional movers uneconomic.
The stuff that did get a starting bid was from dealers who ignored the stated 'shift by' dates and either welched on the sale or had to be chased right upto the moving date.
The things that did make money were tools and some old toys. Even then, collecting stuff from before 1960s/70s/80s is no longer much of a thing. Unless its very rare, whatever you want is on Ebay and FB Marketplace every day, so why bother collecting it?
The stuff that did get a starting bid was from dealers who ignored the stated 'shift by' dates and either welched on the sale or had to be chased right upto the moving date.
The things that did make money were tools and some old toys. Even then, collecting stuff from before 1960s/70s/80s is no longer much of a thing. Unless its very rare, whatever you want is on Ebay and FB Marketplace every day, so why bother collecting it?
Having recently moved house and discovered that much of what we thought would go well in the new house doesn't go at all, I've had a fair bit of success on FB Marketplace selling things over the last couple of months. That ranges from an Italian leather 3 piece suite and a La-Z-Boy Cool Chair, each at a few hundred pounds the way through through a rocking chair, some rosewood side tables to a selection of chrome and glass occasional tables.
Flip side of it is that I've been buying a lot of 2nd hand Oak Furniture Land stuff and usually have to move fairly quickly before someone else gets in there.
Flip side of it is that I've been buying a lot of 2nd hand Oak Furniture Land stuff and usually have to move fairly quickly before someone else gets in there.
Lord Marylebone said:
This depends entirely on what style your furniture is, and be aware that the market in the UK for 'brown' furniture, antique, or anything resembling antique, carved, or similar, has absolutely collapsed.
Sadly, many pieces that would previously have been desirable, or certainly of having a cash value, is now being valued at no more than just 'smash it up for firewood'.
My parents are also trying to downsize their furniture collection at present, and they cannot believe how bad it is. They have a house full of carefully selected pieces that they have collected over the last 40 years, from well known 'fine furniture auctions' and they can't get anyone interested in buying it.
Just one example is their large antique 'carved and French polished' dining table and chair set, which they paid thousands for in the late 80's and at one point was valued/insured at over £10k. Despite trying loads of places, the best offer they got was £100 from an antiques centre, but then they called back and said they wouldn't take it as they just cannot shift the ones that have at present.
If you have tried all the local antique and 'reclaimed' furniture dealers, then your other options are: Start listing things on Ebay as a classified avert, start putting it on Facebook marketplace, or send it to a local house clearance and furniture action house.
Be warned that loads of stuff goes through local furniture actions now, and just doesn't sell.
You maybe have some really nice and unique pieces which will sell, but you will only find that out once you have hawked it around a bit first. If antique furniture dealers aren't interested, then it's probably a sign that it might not be as easy to sell it all as you would expect.
Good luck.
Probably a good time to buy a load and stuff it in a barn! This stuff is cyclic - my parents used to talk of 50 years ago where you couldn't give away what we now call antique furniture, and not so long ago people were filling skips with the kind of 60s/70s stuff the hipsters recently went completely spaz over.Sadly, many pieces that would previously have been desirable, or certainly of having a cash value, is now being valued at no more than just 'smash it up for firewood'.
My parents are also trying to downsize their furniture collection at present, and they cannot believe how bad it is. They have a house full of carefully selected pieces that they have collected over the last 40 years, from well known 'fine furniture auctions' and they can't get anyone interested in buying it.
Just one example is their large antique 'carved and French polished' dining table and chair set, which they paid thousands for in the late 80's and at one point was valued/insured at over £10k. Despite trying loads of places, the best offer they got was £100 from an antiques centre, but then they called back and said they wouldn't take it as they just cannot shift the ones that have at present.
If you have tried all the local antique and 'reclaimed' furniture dealers, then your other options are: Start listing things on Ebay as a classified avert, start putting it on Facebook marketplace, or send it to a local house clearance and furniture action house.
Be warned that loads of stuff goes through local furniture actions now, and just doesn't sell.
You maybe have some really nice and unique pieces which will sell, but you will only find that out once you have hawked it around a bit first. If antique furniture dealers aren't interested, then it's probably a sign that it might not be as easy to sell it all as you would expect.
Good luck.
Edited by Lord Marylebone on Monday 16th January 15:31
Teddy Lop said:
Probably a good time to buy a load and stuff it in a barn! This stuff is cyclic - my parents used to talk of 50 years ago where you couldn't give away what we now call antique furniture, and not so long ago people were filling skips with the kind of 60s/70s stuff the hipsters recently went completely spaz over.
I agree, it is cyclical to a large extent, and depends on global region. If you took all the antique stuff from my parents house (as an example) they would probably go mad for it in the US as newly-wealthy types would buy it all in a flash to decorate their homes and essentially buy themselves some history and some class. That sounds really condescending, but it is true to a large extent. In countries like the US, they are still trying to acquire/buy history. They go so far as to buy old European homes and Châteaus and have them dismantled brick by brick, transported to the US and rebuilt. The reality for antiques is that for the average Joe, it is way too much hassle and cost to export furniture to the US or similar, and you are therefore left at the mercy of antique dealers and auctions, who are absolutely overrun with the stuff and can't shift it.
As for the cyclical bit, you only have to wander into furniture stores and see all the mid-century styles making a big comeback. Personally I would rather poke myself in then eye than own any mid-century furniture, but thats just my personal taste
PositronicRay said:
I've let the local hospice furniture shop have loads.
Saves me hassle and helps support a good cause. No doubt some of it has now been 'shabby chiced' but at least it's still alive.
Ah the shabby chic nonsense, drown it in thick chalky paint and expect someone to give you £300 for it. Real shame to see some beautiful carved wood end up like that but I guess it at least keeps it in use. Saves me hassle and helps support a good cause. No doubt some of it has now been 'shabby chiced' but at least it's still alive.
MBVitoria said:
PositronicRay said:
I've let the local hospice furniture shop have loads.
Saves me hassle and helps support a good cause. No doubt some of it has now been 'shabby chiced' but at least it's still alive.
Ah the shabby chic nonsense, drown it in thick chalky paint and expect someone to give you £300 for it. Real shame to see some beautiful carved wood end up like that but I guess it at least keeps it in use. Saves me hassle and helps support a good cause. No doubt some of it has now been 'shabby chiced' but at least it's still alive.
The main issue with antiques is the colour. Brown doesn't tend to fit into many peoples colour schemes.
I agree that it is a shame to paint over beautiful polished wood, but if it keeps it in use, it's far better than using it as firewood.
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