Are these chairs worth anything?
August 4, 2013 11:00 AM Subscribe
I have a couple of perspex chairs I'm going to get rid of. I wouldn't have thought they were worth anything but someone mentioned a few years ago that he thought we could get a bit of money for them. They're not going to make me my fortune but I'm wondering how best to price them; like, in the $5 range or in the $25 range? Any ideas? Photo inside.
(Yes, I realise that any given item is only worth what someone will pay for it, but I have no idea if these chairs might actually be worth more than $5 apiece or not, so I don't want to get taken for a ride by someone who knows more than I do).
They're old, solid and heavy folding chairs. That's about all I know. The question is really: might these be worth more than a few bucks, or not?
Photo here
(Yes, I realise that any given item is only worth what someone will pay for it, but I have no idea if these chairs might actually be worth more than $5 apiece or not, so I don't want to get taken for a ride by someone who knows more than I do).
They're old, solid and heavy folding chairs. That's about all I know. The question is really: might these be worth more than a few bucks, or not?
Photo here
Clear plastic is very trendy in interior design right now, so I'd be shocked if you could not get closer to $50 each.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:23 AM on August 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 11:23 AM on August 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you do a shopping search on "folding perspex chairs," you'll see they retail for between $65 and $120. I would think you could list them in Craigslist or something and get between $25 and $50 or even more, depending on their condition.
posted by Ink-stained wretch at 11:26 AM on August 4, 2013
posted by Ink-stained wretch at 11:26 AM on August 4, 2013
Those are neat. "Old, solid, and heavy" is extra-neat. Do you have any idea of how old? Are there any manufacturers' markings at all? With nothing else to go on, +1 at least $50 per. And are you anywhere near Ottawa? If yes, sold
posted by kmennie at 11:27 AM on August 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by kmennie at 11:27 AM on August 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you can determine the manufacturer they may be worth well more than 50 bucks each. I'd accept no less than 50 a piece even with unknown origins.
posted by Max Power at 11:38 AM on August 4, 2013
posted by Max Power at 11:38 AM on August 4, 2013
Response by poster: Oh. Wow. OK. Clearly my taste is all in my mouth, I hate the things!
I have absolutely no idea how old they are, though the fact that they're well-made and heavy suggests that they're at least 20 or 30 years old. I just weighed one and it's about 14 pounds. Due to their age the perspex has a few dings in it, though nothing major, and the chrome has some marks. But anyway I know enough now, thank you all, sounds like my friend was right.
(Sorry kmennie, nowhere near Canada.)
posted by rubbish bin night at 11:40 AM on August 4, 2013
I have absolutely no idea how old they are, though the fact that they're well-made and heavy suggests that they're at least 20 or 30 years old. I just weighed one and it's about 14 pounds. Due to their age the perspex has a few dings in it, though nothing major, and the chrome has some marks. But anyway I know enough now, thank you all, sounds like my friend was right.
(Sorry kmennie, nowhere near Canada.)
posted by rubbish bin night at 11:40 AM on August 4, 2013
If they are that old, you may have some genuine mid-century modern pieces. If you can find out more about the provenance, then they will almost certainly be worth something. Don't let them go for $5!
posted by so much modern time at 12:28 PM on August 4, 2013
posted by so much modern time at 12:28 PM on August 4, 2013
Response by poster: I've looked over every part of the chairs but can't find any sort of maker's mark anywhere. Now I'm really curious to know where they're from.
posted by rubbish bin night at 12:31 PM on August 4, 2013
posted by rubbish bin night at 12:31 PM on August 4, 2013
I'd pay $50 for each of those chairs in a red-hot minute.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:35 PM on August 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 12:35 PM on August 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
Unless you're in a hurry to get rid of them, start high, and if nobody buys them for a week, drop the price a bunch and try again. It doesn't hurt to ask for more!
posted by aubilenon at 12:49 PM on August 4, 2013
posted by aubilenon at 12:49 PM on August 4, 2013
You might want to advertise them as"lucite" not perspex. And yes, I'd also pay $50 each for those chairs in a hot minute, although I have a sneaking suspicion they might be IKEA from the early 90s and if so they're probably worth less.
For $30 if you're anywhere near an urban area I'm sure they'll sell immediately and you might get $50 for them, who knows.
posted by fshgrl at 3:05 PM on August 4, 2013
For $30 if you're anywhere near an urban area I'm sure they'll sell immediately and you might get $50 for them, who knows.
posted by fshgrl at 3:05 PM on August 4, 2013
That chair looks a lot like this chair. $120 a piece! But the chair in this photo is very new, and made in China. If yours is old, it might be something original the newer model is modeled after. (Or, it might be the exact same chair).
posted by instead of three wishes at 4:04 PM on August 4, 2013
posted by instead of three wishes at 4:04 PM on August 4, 2013
Agree with fhsgirl--list them as lucite or acrylic (I had no idea what perspex was until I clicked on your photo.) These kinds of chairs are going for 100 apiece on ebay so depending on where you are, I'd try high and them drop the price.
posted by biscuits at 4:15 PM on August 4, 2013
posted by biscuits at 4:15 PM on August 4, 2013
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posted by Shouraku at 11:20 AM on August 4, 2013