WHAT IS THE VALUE of a set of vintage steel kitchen cabinets? What price should you ask? This is a common questions that I receive on the blog. The answer is not definitive — but there are a number of factors I would suggest to consider, including: Condition, Size of Set, Brand, Location, and Luck.
Note, I have updated this story several times, often to include links to more, related stories. Most recent update: 2019.
I have been watching the market for vintage metal kitchen cabinets on ebay since 2002 and for sure, prices have gone up, but… maybe not as much as you’d think, since this is a hassle-filled endeavor. So, now that the disclaimer is in place, here are my thoughts on value:
1. Condition — The number-one determinant of value, I’d say, is condition. If the cabinets are are in excellent shape — with their original finish — and don’t need repainting, that will add to their value. Repainting cabinets can get expensive and is a hassle. Rust on the sink cabinet also is not good. And a serious ding will pretty much bring a cabinet’s value to zero. My advice to buyers is: Hold out for cabinets in excellent condition, they are out there. AND REMEMBER: Old products and materials can contain hazards, such as lead paint. Get with your own properly licensed professional to assess what you are dealing with so that you can make informed decisions how to handle. For more links and info see our Be Safe/Renovate Safe page .
2. Number of pieces available…size of your set — It can also be quite a hassle to retrofit someone else’s kitchen into your kitchen space. I bought 67 cabinets to get the right fit into my 15’x15′ space. And I made it work by the skin of my teeth. I know several readers who are in the process of collecting 2 or more sets just to get the right pieces — one collected four sets! So in general I’d say that the larger your set, the better luck you will have finding a buyer.
3. Brand — I tend to believe that the larger-name brands are going to find a home sooner because of the issue above, that is, people collecting multiple sets. From my research I’d say that the big name brands were and are: Youngstown, Geneva, St. Charles. It’s generally believed that St. Charles was the cream of the crop…but I have 1963 Geneva’s and I think their quality is terrific. If you have a less-common brand — like Crosley, Tracy, American brand — you still may find a buyer, especially if there is a collector watching far and wide to find just the cabinets they like.
- See my entire category on steel kitchen cabinets.
- Here is my growing Encyclopedia of Steel Kitchen Cabinets
- And here’s my history of steel kitchen cabinets.
4. Location — I tend to believe that the market for cabinets is very local or tight regionally. Buyers are most likely going to want to come pick up the cabinets personally as shipping is costly. They also are likely to want to see them. So, the closer you are to a large city the better you chances may be of finding a buyer close enough to work with. That said, I’ve also known readers to drive all over the nation to get the cabinets they need.
The last factor is: How much time do you have? If you need your cabinets out of the garage next week… well, don’t be thinking you’ll get the top possible dollar. While interest in these cabinets is growing, it’s still *probably* a collector’s market. If you plan for some time to connect with the right buyer you may get a better price.
Okay. All that said, how much?
$5,000+?
In the early-ish days of this blog — like, circa 2010, a large set of cabinets (sorry, I forget the brand) in a great shape, from a church kitchen in Iowa, sold for $5,000. At that time, that was the most I ever heard a set sell for, and I thought it was krazy. Today, it’s more common to see large sets of good name brands on ebay for prices heading this direction.
$3,000?
I bought my 67 cabinets — 100+ linear feet in great shape, original finish, great color – for $3,000 in 2005. The reason I got them so cheap (67 cabinets!) is that the seller would not break up the set, and the buyer had to dissassemble them and get them out, and she was in the Heart of Gotham. Also, 2005 was ‘early days’ before these cabinets became as collectible as they are today.
Just so you have an idea of what a buyer might have to go through:
- I took a day off work and paid my hauler to go with me to NYC to check out the cabinets and viability of moving them, BEFORE I made my decision.
- I then had to pay another $3,000 to the hauling company for the cabinets’ Escape from New York.
- Then for 4 months, I had to rent a Pod to house them in my front yard while the kitchen renovation got under way.
- During this entire time, I also had to endure my husband’s beady-eyed stare, he did not believe the grungy cabinets would be worth the effort. (Fortunately, all the NYC grime protected their finish, they are gorgeous and all is well here in Pam’s Retro Paradise once again.)
- After I installed all I could (in mudroom and garage, too), I sold the remaining 28 cabinets (pictured above) for $2,500 minus commissions to ebay and paypal. One bidder, at the last second.
So that’s the saga of one buyer, moi. Honestly, the seller in NYC probably should have paid me to take them off her hands — I am sure she would have had to pay some dough-re-mi to cart them off to a dump. But it was a non-profit… I didn’t even dicker. I had been looking for five years til these gems found me, and I snapped them up fast as you could say New York New York.
$2,000 and less….
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Go onto ebay and craigslist and Facebook Marketplace and start checking current prices in your current market. That’s kinda what it comes down to. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Why don’t the cabinets sell for more? They are expensive to repaint. As described by my personal experience, they are a hassle to hunt down, pick up, store and then try to retrofit into an existing kitchen. To that right person it can be very gratifying, but Retro Renovation takes a lot of energy physically and creatively — it’s hard work and time consuming.
Where to sell you metal kitchen cabinets
Once you get your pricing in mind, you can also see:
- My post on how and where to sell your cabinets and
- And here’s another one, kinda similar, on where to sell vintage stuff.
A note on sink cabinets with porcelain-on-cast-iron or -steel drainboard sinks:
If these are in terrific shape — if the drainboard sink is in pristine condition — they can be also desirable in on the open market. If you have a name brand, you may have good chance of finding a buyer looking for this important piece. See my story here on where to find drainboard sinks.
- Note: Re potential safety issue with old drainboard sinks, see my May 2016 story, Understanding potential lead hazards in old porcelain enamel bathtubs and sinks and ceramic tile of any age
Common question — on refinishing:
This blog is not a fixit blog per se — and I am not an expert on these questions. That said, readers have used several methods. In general you can read about them in their stories which are either in Kitchen Help / Steel Kitchen Cabinets or Kitchen Help / Readers and their Kitchens subcategories. That said: My key advice is: Get with your own properly licensed professional to help you with such questions. And importantly, be aware that there may be hazards in old products and materials — for example, there may be lead in the paint on these cabinets and in the finish and manufacture of the sinks, and you don’t know what the sound-deadening materials (if used) were made of — so get with your own pro to determine what you are dealing with so that you can make informed decisions how to handle. Yup, one more time, for more info and links see our Be Safe/Renovate Safe page –> https://retrorenovation.com/renovate-safe/
For more info:
KM says
Have entire set of Youngstown Kitchens cabinets available. Still in use. Have dimensions of all upper and lower cabinets plus 2 lower lazy susan units Also have 2 upper outside corner shelving units and 1 large lower outside corner shelving unit. All are in good condition except for the undersink cabinet. The floor is rusty and has been cut out to accomodate a garbage disposal, otherwise in good shape. Believe all pulls and handles to be original. Still has the Youngstown Kitchens badge on the undersink cabinet. And the decals on the inside of the cabinet doors with serial numbers that have been painted over but intact. How do I do this? Want to sell the entire set. Otherwise will keep them and use elsewhere.
t e says
I have a 1940’s -50’s items as follows:
1. steel sink cabinet that fits under a double sink with drain boards on each side. Is it feasible to try to find a buyer. I live in Central Illinois.
2. sink top that goes with it.
3. GE double oven range. Does anyone restore those?
Just need answers asap so I know whether to proceed with having these hauled to junk dealer.
Thanks so much
pam kueber says
yup — lots of stories about this on the blog…
vivian stuart says
I have came across a beautyqueen sink cabinet ..I am tearing down old ranch hand home built in 1940’s am just looking for some info on this..It is white or kinda off white, porcelain cacinet underneath has 2 doors, also has drawer..even strainer still in place lol.. just checking to see if anyone knows about this sink/cabinet combo…
pam kueber says
vivian, use the search box on the blog, we have some stories
Denise says
I am new to the site…LOVE IT!!! I do have a problem that maybe someone on here could help me with? I have a metal kitchen base cabinet with the porcelain sink and dual drain boards and I am having a hard time finding one online to compare it to for pricing. The only thing I find on it is a sticker that says Sears Roebuck and model number 788.136. We believe it is from the 1950s? Could you point me in the right direction in tracking something like this down? Thank you!
Julie says
I just picked up a set of Crosleys for $10 at a Boy Scout Garage sale. They will go in a small basement apartment in our 1954 house. Thanks for the research and info!
pam kueber says
WOAH! $10 is a good price!
Bruce Jennings says
Hi folks
Thanks you so much for your appreciation and preservation efforts as reguards vintage homes! I’m so happy to have found your site, and people of similar minds.
I’m working with an elderly couple who have a Tracy kitchen that is in desperate need of repair. The main issue is that the wheels on the drawer glides are plastic, and have worn down so much that they must be replaced. Can anyone suggest a course of action?
The best scenario I can imagine would be to locate a supplier of replacement wheels. As one side of the guide is welded to the drawer box, and the other side is very unique and appearantly irreplaceable, new wheels would be the choice way to go.
Thanks,
Bruce
pam kueber says
Hi Bruce, I have not personally delved into where to find replacement parts for these cabinets. There are 70+ brand of vintage steel kitchen cabinets out there — although maybe 12 “common” ones, Tracy toward the bottom of that list of 12, I’d say. You might also want to post this question on the Forum — under All About: Tracy Cabinets. Maybe another reader/owner may have some thoughts for you.
Joan K says
I have Crosley cabinets installed in the 50’s, and Crosley sink.
My Crosley Kitchen Sink Faucet fixture has gone, and I want to replace it. It’s a wall mount with 4 inches between faucets. Can anyone help? I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area.
pam kueber says
Joan, all of my faucet finds are in Product Guides/Kitchen. And, here’s a post I did on where to find wall-mount kitchen faucets.
Lynn says
Pam, I’m buying the apartment, and trying to ’embrace’ Tracy cabinets. Honestly, I think the vintage St.Charles and Geneva cabinets look better if you’re going retro.
Pat L. says
I own a 1951 Levitt ranch in Levittown, Long Island, and Tracy cabinets were standard in the Levitt homes. Our house still had the originals, but they had been painted many times. We’re keeping them. The seamless steel countertop is great. The original pulls were gone and replaced some ugly modern ones, but I took those off and found some stainless steel ones in Lowe’s that go well with them.
Lynn says
thank you, Pam. I will hunt on flickr. There was not much information on it at the forum other than a few items being sold. I would like to find out more about these cabinets (that I so want to ditch). They are yellowing, originally white though and electrostatic painting is not an option as its an apartment. I’d have to hand paint them. There is no counterspace in the galley kitchen. The Tracy only offers a small flat space on both sides of the sink and one of which has to be used as the dishdrain holder. So we are talking no prep space. Anything I place on the opposite blank wall which has no cabinetry now, could serve as additional counterspace (microwave counter cart, etc.) but it would look sort of mismatched along with the 1950s cabinets. Like it was just plopped in as an afterthought. The kitchen is too narrow for me to even add any additional original Tracy’s if I wanted to given the depths of them. 20″ max in depth is all it can stand to allow walkthrough space.
What can I do other than take it all out and throw in a cheap $3000 Ikea kitchen that will give me additional storage and prep? (you may all pick up your rocks and start throwing them now)
pam kueber says
Lynn, did you go down to the All About section? Are you buying the unit or renting?
Lynn says
does anyone know anything about Tracy cabinets? I think they be late 1940s early 1950s; not sure. I’ll be moving into a place that has these cabinets as standard in the building. I don’t especially like them, they look like a hospital or laboratory storage. I have tried to find information on the internet but always come up blank. If anyone can direct me to some info; I did not find any on this site. Not sure if I am going to keep them or not.
pam kueber says
Lynn, Another good place to hunt is flickr