CHI Good Questions: Selling this Vintage Piece

Jenny sent us an email: "I've decided to sell my vintage Swedese Lamino Chair & Ottoman because I've decided its just not my taste. I don't know much about selling vintage & I want to get what its worth without ripping myself or the buyer off. I know its a classic & kind of a big deal so any approximations based on the photos would really help!...

(Note: Include a pic of your problem and your question gets posted first.
Email questions and pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to:
chicago(at)apartmenttherapy(dot)com)

There are 2 cracks in the wood that I'm pretty sure could be doctored with a little TLC so that would depreciate the value. The upholstery is original & its the basic fabric not leather or sheepskin. I'm not sure which wood the frame is made of.

PS: It would be super sweet if an AT reader wanted to buy it!"

Can anyone help Jenny with a price estimate? Please let her know in the comments...and it sounds like offers may be welcome too!

Comments (20)

I'd do a Google search and see what similar pieces are going for in galleries such as 1st dibs and closing prices in various auction houses.

You can also look on eBay to see what prior sales have closed for.

eBay is a great resource for situations like this.

I would love to buy it but I'm scared what the shipping would be...can it be dismantled?

you can ship via greyhound for a very reasonable price. drop off and pick up at the bus station. had a chair shipped from florida for around $100.

This leather version was estimated at $300-600 without the ottoman: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4899200

and this one with ottoman went for $700: http://www.treadwaygallery.com/ONLINECATALOGS/MARCH2005/Results3-05.pdf

so... it looks like your should be worth $500-700 depending on the damage and upholstery.

The legs detach from the seat on both pieces, so it could be made smaller.
I've checked eBay & Google searches several times but there's never anything like this going..
I once saw a website selling only the chair for $900, but that's as far as I've gotten.
Thanks for the advice!

With the two cracks?

I buy antiques.
Why would I want a piece of mid-century furniture with cracks?

I think a $100 bucks for the chair would be fair.
It will always be a damaged chair though.

Personally, I would rather pay $500 for a chair that's not damaged.

People always think their damaged furniture is worth top dollar. It's not.

I agree w/ WD - if there were tears in the upholstery, that would be one thing...
...but this has a damaged frame, so deduct at least 75% of the value since it's not completely usable.

Sometimes people buy mid-century funiture with cracks because they have taste but can't afford the pristine version.

Personally, I would rather pay $100 for a nice chair than have no chair at all.

Just my two cents.

Weasel Dearest, if you don't want a piece of MCM furniture with cracks, then don't buy mine.
Thanks!

While perhaps WD's tone may not be appreciated, they do have a point-- damaged furniture, even if repaired, will never fetch nearly the amount as furniture in pristine condition.

Unless you get a sucker for a buyer, that is.

It is a lovely piece, regardless. But there's no way it's going to fetch top dollar.

ouch people. stop the rudeness. jenny simply asked how much she should sell it for. she noted that there were cracks in the furniture "...so that would depreciate the value". all she asked for was advice.. calm down and pull your claws out.

I deal with antique appraisal, outside the office my research has lead me to find that the current retail value is $ 2,000 for chair and ottoman in a basic fabric.
check this out....you can match the wood and fabric and equate it out. http://www.mezzanine-online.com/product_detail.mv?id=666

I would than take about 250-500 dollars off for older fabric, animal wear, and the cracked wood

Yes, this is an expensive lounge chair. I wish it didn't have cracks. But I have no idea about its popularity. For example, people willing to pay a lot for beat-up Eames lounge chair.
$1000(?) and see if anyone would be interested. Good luck!

This is an Yngve Ekstrom designed Lamino chair. You can buy one in pristine condition now on retromoderndesign.com (click easy chairs and scroll about halfway down) for SEK 6500 (about $1,095 plus shipping).

Another pristine version went at auction for $600, but that was back in 2002:

http://www.architonic.com/4102122

and check out this ekstrom stool on ebay now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=360051726498&Category=63568&_trksid=p3907.m29

I have this exact chair in leather, and I really love it. Good luck with the sale.

a chair with 2 cracks? thankfully, i've got fill-sticks... i would imagine you could get $500 easily, if not up toward $800... of course, you have to find a buyer with the right attitude, as you can so plainly see here...

I have sold many vintage pieces on Craigslist... I don't like dealing with the shipping on Ebay, plus any serious Craigslister can use other programs to watch cities he doesn't live in for vintage finds... and can contact you for shipping and paying through paypal... so why pay a listing fee?

Just as long as you are selling it for what it's worth and not an over inflated price, taking into account the area where you live (IE, where I live in KC, things go for super cheap, but the same pieces listed in NY would go for 4 times that because they are harder to find), you will have people knocking down your door for it.

I have seen several auctions online where they don't assign a price and say the best offer by such and such time takes it. And then they keep the post updated with what the current bid is for the piece.
I don't know how well it works, and that allows the buyer to purchase it for what they want.... typically more than you might think it's worth. (or you can always start taking offers over a certain price)

Based on your website it looks like you may be in Canada. If you were local (Chicago) I would be willing to offer $150. Although, considering what others are saying it is worth, that is probably too low.