With 30 years of sales under my belt, I’m the guy when friends need a quick analysis. And over the years I’ve noticed something that happens over and over again: Antiques that many people consider valuable are often useless, and the things they want to throw away are often hot collectibles.
Here’s why: Most of us get our idea of what’s important from our parents. But markets are changing, and new collectors have different preferences.
What neglected treasures are hidden in your home right now? The answers may surprise you. In this series, we’ll explore the hottest collections you may already have.
1. Strong lights
A family-owned company that is still going strong today, the Stiffel Lamp Company was founded in 1932. Since its inception, the company has produced lighting products that last from generation to generation. The company’s long history combined with its commitment to quality means its products hold their value.
You can find the Stiffel logo in two places on real, fixed lamps: First, look at the lampshade hub. The Stiffel name is etched into the metal where the end screws go into place to secure the shade. The second symbol, an adhesive label, can be found near the light socket.
Stiffel’s classic forms create timeless design trends that appeal to millennials as much as they did to baby boomers. This Stiffel lamp with blue crackle glaze recently sold on eBay for $375, and this four-light brass lamp sold for $595.
2. Cesca chairs by Marcel Breuer
Sometimes, a piece of groundbreaking design quickly filters into homes everywhere – both in its original form and in its cost-effective bankruptcy. Marcel Breuer’s Cesca chair is one of the design’s highlights.
Born in Hungary in 1902, Breuer studied at, and later taught at, the famous Bauhaus school in Germany. His designs changed the aesthetics of time by combining new materials and forms to create objects that celebrate industry and technology.
Originally, Breuer’s Cesca chair – a deceptively simple chair with tubular chrome legs – was produced by an Italian manufacturer named Gavina. When Knoll acquired Gavina in 1968, it put Breuer’s chair front and center, expanding production and making it more accessible.
Cesca chairs come in many variations. Some have backs and seats, some are padded, some have arms and some don’t. The manufacturer’s paper label can be found under the seat and will read “Knoll International.”
Like Stiffel lamps, the Cesca chair never goes out of style. On eBay, this set of six chairs recently sold for $595. Also on Etsy, this single Cesca chair is listed for $628.78.
3. Halloween cards and decorations
We Americans love Halloween. The National Retail Federation estimates that total Halloween spending will reach $12.2 billion in 2023 (up from $10.6 billion in 2022). Lots of candy, costumes and fake blood.
And that flow of money makes big ripples in the resale market. Shoppers find a dwindling stock of vintage postcards, wall decorations, masks – even old trick-or-treat bags. At a yard sale in 2022, I picked up a small booklet of Halloween party ideas from 1929. I paid 25 cents for it and quickly flipped it on eBay for $90.
It might be time to take a second look at that stack of totes in the garage marked “Season.” Recently on eBay, this pair of 1920s-era metal casters sold for a cool $1,827. If that doesn’t give you goosebumps, this set of cardboard Halloween wall decorations will. They are listed at $850 on Etsy.
Wallflower power
This month’s assortment of vintage essentials have one thing in common: Few people would give any of them a second look. In their homes, they fade into the background – the used chairs, the pretty-but-inconvenient lamps, and the holiday decorations that are dragged out for a week or two each year.
For me, the exciting part of collecting and reselling is the quiet energy of time. Decades pass, tastes change (and then change again), and supplies run out. One day, you wake up to find out it has expired become retro and you are surrounded by little gems everywhere.
Curious about the weird and wonderful world of collections? Check out my series of hidden gems in the secondhand market.
Source link