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Original poster

is my aunt being ripped off ? g plan or mid century furniture is "worthless" furniture

91 replies

SpinningCat2 · 20/01/2022 21:16

Hi all
My aunt is clearing a house for an elderly relative. She has been told the attached furniture is "worthless" and she has listed it in Freecycle. There has been a lot of interest in some of the pieces and my worry is that she could get something in eBay or the like. Would you be kind enough to have a quick gander and see if giving it away is the right thing to do. Thanks

is my aunt being ripped off ? g plan or mid century furniture is "worthless" furniture
is my aunt being ripped off ? g plan or mid century furniture is "worthless" furniture
is my aunt being ripped off ? g plan or mid century furniture is "worthless" furniture
OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Crinkle77 · 20/01/2022 22:55

@2022HowDoYouDo

I wouldn't get your hopes up too high OP. Apart from the sideboard I don't think there's much value there.
Yeah I thought brown furniture wasn't very desirable these days.
Forestdweller11 · 20/01/2022 22:57

I think it will depend on the area of the country the furniture is being sold in and the type of local housing stock that it would potentially go into. I see loads of this type of furniture locally and it's given away free/peanut prices.

Clawdy · 20/01/2022 23:03

Genuine Ercol or G-plan is popular, but usually the lighter wood.

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Home improvement
BluTangClan · 20/01/2022 23:13

Sideboard at least £100 and bookcase at least £80. Depends on area of the country.
I don't think the rest is the right style to get much more.

Clymene · 20/01/2022 23:16

It's not a different coloured wood @nancy75 - it's just a dark photo.

Those sideboards are made of teak.

Tartanblankets · 20/01/2022 23:17

I have lots of gplan and mid century furniture, and I would buy the glass side cabinet with legs. Not so much some of the other bits but that's my own personal taste. There is definitely a market for it!

nancy75 · 20/01/2022 23:23

@Clymene

It's not a different coloured wood *@nancy75* - it's just a dark photo.

Those sideboards are made of teak.

Not all of them, most of the g plan and Ercol was made in more than 1 colour. Ercol in particular is well know to have been made in a blonde, teak and dark finish. The blonde& teak are popular, the dark is not
Clymene · 20/01/2022 23:27

Ercol and G Plan aren't the same. Ercol didn't use teak often. I agree their dark wood is less popular. The light wood Ercol uses is typically willow but that sideboard is g plan and is made of teak.

Justkeeppedaling · 20/01/2022 23:27

How much do you want for the coffee table? I love g-plan.

ladycarlotta · 20/01/2022 23:35

I think it really depends who's in the market, your location, whether you're willing to courier, how much time you actually have spare for this, whether you have somewhere to store the things if they don't sell quickly... all that stuff. I can see those going for a decent amount but not loads. You wouldn't get the poncy shop prices and nor should you, those places have overheads etc.

If you have time to style them up and wait around for the right buyer, sort out transporting the things etc, you will sell them for more, I'm sure. But there is nothing wrong with pricing low for a fast sale - you'd be making someone really happy. They're nice but I wouldn't be expecting as much for them as some people here are saying.

Exhausteddog · 20/01/2022 23:36

When we cleared out my dads house a few years ago, there was a lot of mid century and G plan stuff. I researched Facebook groups of mid century furniture and approached a few vintage shops. No one wanted it, I couldn't even give it away free, so it seems only certain pieces or styles are trendy again.

Thirtytimesround · 20/01/2022 23:39

I dunno, antiques definitely had a massive dip in value a fee years back. My uncle tried for ages to sell a beautiful sideboard that was previously valued at £10,000, he couldn’t even get £500 for it. (He’s still got it 🤣)

Cocogreen · 20/01/2022 23:40

@Forestdweller11

I think it will depend on the area of the country the furniture is being sold in and the type of local housing stock that it would potentially go into. I see loads of this type of furniture locally and it's given away free/peanut prices.
This sounds right.

Also my friend was a second hand furniture dealer for a decades but has given it away because the market has totally tanked here in Melbourne.

In her words, no one wants old brown furniture - except for some light weight immaculate Scandinavian or a few particular brands.

spongedog · 20/01/2022 23:46

I agree with some of the more cautious posters on here. I buy and sell ceramics but look with interest at much of the auction catalogues. Mid-century (meaning not 1970s!) does mostly sell but for mid-high £10's. Ladderax goes crazy. I am not sure what is shown in your photos is that desirable.

An auction house will take 25-35% plus VAT and may charge other costs, if they are interested. Naturally a house clearance firm will offer less due to costs. Ebay - with a reasonable low start, and collection only might gain you a few £. Best of luck on finding the right category - they changed the ceramic ones a few months ago and it is still chaos - sales are down all over.

JeffThePilot · 21/01/2022 00:20

Too good to give away but nothing that’s going to make you any sort of big money.

JollyHostess · 21/01/2022 00:45

My family had that sideboard!

I've seen it online for £500!!

JollyHostess · 21/01/2022 00:48

I was really sad when my mum died and it was cleared from her house. I really regret not making more effort to get it up my house or put it in storage.

OP I would buy that sideboard from you in a heartbeat.

BitcherOfBlakiven · 21/01/2022 00:50

As PPs have said, it’s highly desirable and people go wild for this stuff (myself included)

earsup · 21/01/2022 00:51

The mid century boom is over...shop near me hasn't sold any items for months...a few years ago they were fighting over it....you wont get much....take what you can...nobody buys large pieces now anyway.

JollyHostess · 21/01/2022 01:04

There are two of those sideboards on eBay priced at £750

BarbaraofSeville · 21/01/2022 06:22

Are the high prices people are quoting actually sold prices or optimistic 'for sale' prices on eBay and 'we saw you coming' naice second hand shops in wealthy post codes?

chocolateorangeinhaler · 21/01/2022 06:47

Recent experience of this when clearing grandparents house out.

Sadly the advice you have been given is true. Nobody wants that type of stuff. Unless it's some famed danish mid century brand.

My parents tried freecycle eBay. Charity shops and charity for setting up homes for people with no money. The feedback was all the same in that people won't choose it to decorate their homes with.

Take it all to your local auction house and let them sell it. Otherwise you end up with a mountain of furniture to manage until it drives you mad.

Fairylightsongs · 21/01/2022 06:58

I think sometimes folks on here get a bit excited and can’t differentiate between the desirable mid century brown goods and those that you can’t give away, I’m afraid that stuff I don’t think she will be able to give away,

You can email an auction house and try, try listing on face book, she might make a few quid, but the likely hood here is the advice is correct.

Avarua · 21/01/2022 07:32

I'm sorry but i personally don't think those particular pieces will be big-money sellers. Maybe the bookcase if styled right and the sideboard if you get a buyer who doesn't know what they're doing.
Sorry.

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