A Month of Watching Auctions
The aftermath of auctions is insane. I love to go through and save a bunch of different things, forget to bid, and come back to the realization that I have lost big time!
I only use one auction site, Live Auctioneers, but there are plenty out there. I thought it would be fun to list the things in the last few months that I’ve wanted and lost by putting forth zero bids. It’s shocking the stuff that is out there that people are getting for next to nothing (minus the shipping of course).
Italian post-modern barrel dining chairs. The chairs on the left need recovering but still amazing. Sold for $750 for 5 chairs. I wager a seasoned diyer could handle this job herself! Compared to 1stDibs for $8,400 for 5 chairs. Both listed as In the style of Luigi Massoni or Karl Springer. Side note: Where is the 6th chair?
This one hurts most of all because we are actively searching for a Louis Philippe burl commode with or without marble for the bedroom. This one sold for $950. I did follow up with shipping cost for a piece without marble (which sold for $700) and it was roughly $200-400. Most French burl dressers like this sell from antique stores or online dealers for $2000+. This auction was a steal even with the missing escutcheon!
In Birmingham, Laurent “Lolo” is our resident French antiques dealer. Jason and I first stopped in his shop hunting for the commode. I appreciate the work Lolo puts into sourcing the pieces and shipping them over, however, he adds drawer handles and missing escutcheons where I’d prefer there be none. I like my antiques on the more rustic side, proud of their wear and patina. He also contracts with local stone yards for the added marble piece. These restorations include a considerable markup to the price. Almost $6,000 for this dresser. I will continue to hunt for a bargain at auction!
We all know the Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and his Beetlejuice empire that is Memphis Group (I’m joking!). Our Instagrams and design promoting magazines were rife with the Ultrafragola not so long ago. Both Italian, one $11,000-$some infinite number. Another at auction? One hundred and 70 United States dollars. $170! Why did I pass on this?
Do you like Milo Baughman-style Parsons chairs? I do. In 2014, when I began blogging and educating myself on design history, Milo Baughman was my go-to man. I loved his California style of oversized velvety pieces. Even then on Etsy where I frequently shopped, the chairs were out of my price range. A few years later in my last apartment, I found 2 Parsons-esque chairs for $50 at a flea market. Oh my gosh, I was elated with my find.
How about for $80? Or even $300? A simple Chairish search for Milo Baughman Parsons Chairs lets me know that again I missed out. If owning a designer piece is important to you then you may not want some inexpensive knockoff but I am not in that camp. If recovering is in your budget, these MB-style chairs are such a great find! Fingers crossed more appear on the site.
Prepare to be disgusted. I don’t know if these truly are Vladimir Kagan chairs for Preview (a division of Wieman Furniture of Hickory North Carolina, gained acclaim in the late 1980s-1990s when Vladimir Kagan designed several lines for them) but they sold for $425. They are in great shape and still very modern and relevant to our homes today! The chairs on the right are another Kagan for Preview set and are listed at $4,800 for the pair.
I follow a few auction houses and get regular updates for search terms I’m interested in but
Tip: the real fun is endlessly scrolling and perusing the upcoming auctions and “adding to cart.”
Favorite everything you like and set a reminder to bid! You may luck out like these people with fabulous finds no one else will have! Also remember to check the shipping price with the auction house or uship.com to make sure you stay in budget.
Message me on Instagram and share with me your missed opportunities or your furniture/decor wins!!
