Sept. 29, 2011: I herewith doth declare that as of today, prices on ebay for mid century modern treasures (or not) have crossed over into insanity. I had to work too hard to find these 10 items for you, my lovelies. Too many sellers being influenced by 1st Dibs, maybe, or by the rollicking popularity of mid century design style? I don’t know who is going to buy this stuff at the BIN priced being listed.
What about where you live, readers?
Are prices for mid mod high — or low?
Is stuff plentiful — or rare? What’s going on?
Where I live, there’s plenty. It’s still plenty cheap. And I think there’s much more yet to come out of original owner homes. On the other hand, I was talking to a friend who lives in New York City yesterday — she said it’s slim pickin’s for mid mod down there — everything gets snapped up. I don’t sell anything on ebay — I hoard all my vintage delights. But maybe with the frenzy seemingly under way, I will have to start playing the market. Baby needs a new pair of shoes. (NOS vintage, preferably.)
Louisa says
We purchased a 1953 ranch two years ago. The house had a beautiful 3 square panel front door that, sadly, was exposed to the elements. After two winters we knew in order to save the door, we had to replace it. It also had schalge 5″ Riviera eschuteons. We have just replaced the door with a blank fiberglass with Crestview 16″ sq lights and new schlage replacement (new old stock! from ebay for $5 each!). We just sent the old door and its hardware to our Habitat Restore, so if anybody in Lexington is looking, please buy this door–it’s beautiful!
Lisa says
Prices in NW Ohio are still quite reasonable, but slowly on the rise. People still seem to prefer early century here. I have noticed the largest price increase in wall decor.
Eldon Daetweiler says
Eldon from Fresno CA here. Ebay prices have gone nuts & I have a hard time believing that even wealthy people pay the prices on 1st Dibs. When I moved to Fresno from LA seven years ago I purchased some great items at Salvation Army at low prices. Their prices now have gone through the roof even for damaged items. Several years ago I purchased 14 Knoll Executive Armchairs (Eero Saarinen) for $5 each that were in great shape from the Rescue Mission thrift store. And no, I didn’t sell them 🙂 – kept 3 for my office, 6 for dining & gave five to my brother. Just saw a shadow box there for $140 in the same store & small danish clock for $85. somebody is catching on. I agree with above posts that estate sales from original owner homes is where the beautiful finds are in cherished condition. Sadly, dealers have either made agreements with the auction people in advance or are there at three in the morning with their army of people to nab items for resale, so it takes most of us treasure hunters out of the loop. The unfortunate thing in our area is that once the treasures are gone, the homes are usually gutted & the time capsule is reduced to a heap in a dumpster. I guess our part is to continue to educate people that these homes are precious & irreplaceable.
Mike Key says
I live in Saint Petersburg, FL and the prices here are kind of high because of the number of dealers in the area. You can find a lot of mid century stuff because of the retirement community at garage sale and estate sales for a great price, but the dealers and resellers are like vultures around here.
I find myself turning to ebay a lot. I did manage to snap a Plycraft Eames style Chair and Ottoman for $75.00
Eartha Kitsch says
Re: those sconces in your carousel. I quickly emailed the Seller this morning to see if she could measure them for me. We thought that finally after over two years, we’d found our sconces! Then guess what? The poor lady dropped one and broke it while measuring for us. sooooooo sad. : (
Prices in Nashville are just okay. Things definitely haven’t skyrocketed here but I tell you, Mad Men definitely made things harder to get. I could feel it when it happened.
pam kueber says
are you kidding me!!!! that is awful — those were beautiful and the price was not bad. argh, eartha k, you have some kind of sconce curse….
Eartha Kitsch says
I know! We’ve got some bad lighting purchase mojo.
pam kueber says
I am going to be on the lookout for you at my big Re-Store! I have a sense of what you are looking for… Retro Decorating Gods owe me a few, I think.
Kate H says
I’m in the Northern Virginia/DC area and went to the DC Big Flea a few weekends ago. Prices were outragous — colored pyrex going for $30 and up, and I saw a set of Corning Ware (3 dishes, 2 tops, with the French vegetables on it) that I just bought at an estate sale for about $20 going for $60 at the Big Flea. I recently bought (at an estate sale) a fully working, good condition 1950s Dormeyer mixer for $9 (good deal) and a fur jacket (not such a good deal, needs repairs). If we have mid-mod stores here, I don’t know where they are.
Megan D says
I would gladly help you buy a new pair of shoes for the right goodies! 🙂
nina462 says
SW – Michigan. at the allegan antique fair last weekend I saw a lovely mid mod bedroom set (nightstand, head-footboards, dresser & mirror) for $345. Not in the market yet for that – but it was a good find.
I did find at an estate sale a couple weekends ago – my perfect set of 5 Costco bar stools for $35. The guys who run the retro furniture store would’ve sold them for about $200, I guess (they had bar stools for that price earlier this year).
Elaine says
I forgot to mention, Charley Harper illustrated for Ford Times magazine in the 50s and 60s, so his work is definitely recognizably MCM, even though the national park posters were a bit later.
Natalia says
We’ve gotten some great deals in and around Lansing, Mich. A few sellers are hip to the demand for this stuff and charge accordingly, but most don’t. We’ve got a store called “Love, Betti” that stocks tons of great MCM furnishings and knows their appeal, but the prices are still relatively good. We’ve also gotten gems through Craigslist, secondhand stores and garage sales.
The downside is that most people here don’t give a fig about historical appeal and will slap on greige vinyl siding, plastic windows and a fake Tuscan kitchen faster than you can say “Home Depot.”