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.)
Adrian Stroud says
I find the best Mid Century Modern treasures at Savers, Goodwill, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, all over Connecticut. I have noticed lately, however, that these stores have begun to jack up the prices specifically on the MCM items. I have many times overheard clerks in these stores say to each other “I just checked the internet and this is what this item is going for.”
weed30 says
St. Louis: What Stacy said, but you can still get some pretty great prices at the professionally run estate sales. I went to one today and got two heywood wakefield bookcases in near mint condition for $75 🙂 I also picked up a desk lamp with two pierced gold metal cone shades for $12.00. At the same sale, they had five assorted 50’s coffee & end tables in the basement – the most expensive was $45, and a 1956 Frigidaire fridge with the “whale tail” handle for $60. I have the same fridge in pink. I doubt if theirs will sell, so I plan to go back tomorrow and offer them a few bucks for the handle. Always good to have a spare.
sophista-tiki – I’ve been collecting mid century for many years too. I miss the days when you could pick up just about anything 50’s/60’s for next to nothing! And I’m no MCM snob either – I buy what makes me smile.
Some of the sellers on eBay are nuts – the prices are ridiculous! I especially love it when they advertise “Same item on 1st Dibs for $5,000.00!!!” Yeah, and it’s been on 1st Dibs for 2 years….
Kate Fowle Meleney says
I think Rhode Island has maintained low prices on mid-century treasures. Baltimore is a tad high, but I’ve been able to snag some great values there, too. Are things through the roof in the West, perhaps?
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
It seems to me, around here in Grand Rapids, MI, people are wising up. The good deals to be had, generally, are at garage sales and a few thrift stores. If the finish is bad, then the furniture can be picked up for next to nothing. I got a Herman Miller shell chair with swivel base a few years ago for $2. I bought it to resell, but hubby nixed that idea, and now it’s in our living room.
sophista-tiki says
Prices and collectors here in Seattle peakd about 7 yrs ago. all the really great stuff has been picked and is in a shop or antique mall sapce. I still manage to find scores in the wild for free or practically nothing. BUT I am also capable of any restoration needed and am not a mid century snob, ( IE I wont reject a great piece just because its not designed by so and so.) I have a mixture of high end and unknown but all the cream of the crop for my house, I have been collecting mid century for about 25 yrs. When I started I was shunned for wanting mid century stuff and everyone had the exact same thi ng to say about it. ” why do you want that stuff my grandparents had that and I hated it” now look!
Stacy says
I have to put in a word about St. Louis. Stuff is getting harder to find at outlets like Goodwills and thrift shops. But I still have great luck trolling garage sales advertised as “estate sales.” I don’t mean sales where companies have come in to sell the estate. They are crazy crowded these days. But if you look out for garage sales in neighborhoods of 50’s and 60’s houses, good stuff can still be found. Lots of people are clearing out Mom and Dads old houses and basements (everybody has one here) every week. I can’t save it all, but I’m doing my part!
Jackie says
It’s true, there’s a lot of good stuff sort of under the radar in St. Louis, of a variety of eras (I got a perfect floral 1940s wastebasket for less than $5 at a yard sale this weekend.)
There’s nothing much in the thrift stores, but The Future Antiques (called TFA) has great items. Here in St. Louis they’re considered sinfully overpriced, but those of you on the coasts would consider their prices quite reasonable. For that matter, our “outrageous” estate sale prices would probably make our coastal sisters and brethren weak in the knees!
Jay says
All kinds of stuff are getting ridiculously expensive, not just MCM. Let’s face it, as others have ponted out, it’s essentially second hand stuff that was mass produced and still available in abundant quantity. Some of it’s better then others. Living in the suburbs of Philadelphia, stuff tends to run high. The pickers / dealers are ready to grab anything and everything at house sales and church rummage sales. The large antique malls in Adamstown Lancaster County (bills itself as Antiques Capital of the World) are no secrets, they draw people from DC, NY who have money to spend. I have found thrift shops and small junky antique malls the best places to shop. You can find identical items that one dealer is practically giving away and another one who thinks the item is a priceless antique. All in the thrill of the hunt and it’s fun to look.
Malissa says
I am in the Reading/Allentown area and agree with you wholeheartedly about the NY/Phila markets driving things up out here and in Lancaster! I found my Heywood Wakefield triple wishbone table and matching crown glass china hutch via an ebay deal with a guy up in Shamokin area. I was willing to drive 2 hours to pick up the table and when I got there, he showed me the hutch! I offered him $375 for the table and he took it and it can go for $1000 via other channels. I said how much for the china hutch and he said $500. Both were in excellent condition so I took that as well. He held it for me to come back afew month later as it didn’t fit in my van and I had to rent one to pick it up. He also has afew end tables he wants to sell me and will be in my area for a big antique extravaganza next month. He’s a picker and cleans houses out. Finding someone like him has been a godsend because he is much more reasonable than dealers etc. He needs to move his items, doesn’t want to dick with ebay, but used it to connect with a buyer and hope they come back. Very smart man and very good contact for me! 🙂 Our local antique malls are crazy priced because we get alot of NYer’s in the area. My kids and I started collecting glass hen on nests and let me tell you, those things are all over the place price wise! I’m not paying top dollar for something to sit in my china cabinet! 🙂
miss jillian says
I’m in North Carolina, the triangle area. Here, furniture shops are aplenty, but midcentury items seem rare. a few vintage shops in the area pride themselves on their mid century pieces, but they jack the prices. a small childs desk will run you 400 dollars. cool lamps will run you 100 bucks a piece. the flea markets are daunting but worth it.
On a trip to Asheville last week i stopped by a mid century furniture resale shop, and although they had great stuff, i couldn’t stay more than five minutes because the prices were so high.
there is one shop, Cheshire Cat Antiques Gallery, (in Raleigh) that has mid century pieces from different consigners…so your prices depend totally on the consigner. i’ve seen an “eames era” gossip/conversation bench for just over 200 bucks (which i was impressed with because they are usually so expensive and rare). also some really neat original artwork. it’s a huge place, but it’s worth the dig. in fact, i’m drooling over some jadeite plates and oatmeal bowls i saw there yesterday.
Tom says
Here in Western, NY you can still find some good deals on MCM Furniture. It is very country around this area so the Antique stores let the 50-60’s stuff go pretty cheap. Buffalo and Rochester have stores devoted to MCM and they have higher prices but after talking to them they are buying their items from dealers so they have to mark up to make some money.
We are actually in Corning, NY so Pyrex and Corningware is a dime a dozen around these parts, you practically can’t give the stuff away because everyone has it. I’ve been able to furnish my entire house with MCM furniture off of Craigslist for less than a leather couch from a furniture store would have cost me.
adam says
Here in New Orleans prices are high also in thift stores . We dont have much mid mod now post katrina sometimes you may find a good deal but its rare. I once owned a retro mod shop and think many good retro USA items are being sent to other countrys such as Tokyo ,Japan ..and pretty sure Seoul Korea and Hong Kong picked up on the trend due to the life style culture there.