custard
Established Member
I was reading an article in Antique Collector by John Andrews about the current state of the antique furniture market which also seems to have some interesting lessons for anyone involved in furniture making.
Prices for pretty much all antique furniture peaked in 2003 and have fallen in every single year since then, furthermore that decline doesn't show much sign of slowing down. To give an example, a typical piece of oak antique furniture that sold for £100 in 1968 had surged in value to £3764 in 2003, but by 2014 is down to £2698. Victorian furniture has had an even more roller coaster ride. In 1968 Victorian was well out of fashion and a piece that could have been bought for £100 was up to £3914 in 2003, but today it's more than halved in value down to £1562.
John Andrews makes the point that this ongoing collapse in antique furniture prices isn't about the recession, because the decline began in the boom times for the wider economy. He argues it reflects a fundamental sea change in furniture fashions, and that people no longer aspire to furnish their homes with antiques but instead want a more contemporary modernist style. There's still a market for antiques, but it's really only got three groups of supporters. An ageing group of traditionalists who are literally dying out; an "interior designer" market who look for small, stylish antique furniture pieces that will fit into an otherwise modern decor; and a tiny elite of "museum quality" collectors who continue to drive record auction prices for the very, very top slice of the market...but this has about as much real connection to the mainstream antiques business as Wayne Rooney has with a pub five a side team.
He argues that as well as simple fashion there's also deep rooted social changes driving this trend away from antiques. For example he points to the collapse in the formal domestic dining room as a factor whittling away the demand for sideboards, formal dining tables, and sets of chairs.
This all seems to fit with my own experiences. The things that are in demand are paler woods, smaller pieces that better fit into smaller homes and apartments, matt finishes rather than the super shiny "french polished" look, combinations of wood with other materials, pieces for informal "kitchen/garden" living, and a generally more modern look that reflects mid century Danish design rather than traditional antiques.
Prices for pretty much all antique furniture peaked in 2003 and have fallen in every single year since then, furthermore that decline doesn't show much sign of slowing down. To give an example, a typical piece of oak antique furniture that sold for £100 in 1968 had surged in value to £3764 in 2003, but by 2014 is down to £2698. Victorian furniture has had an even more roller coaster ride. In 1968 Victorian was well out of fashion and a piece that could have been bought for £100 was up to £3914 in 2003, but today it's more than halved in value down to £1562.
John Andrews makes the point that this ongoing collapse in antique furniture prices isn't about the recession, because the decline began in the boom times for the wider economy. He argues it reflects a fundamental sea change in furniture fashions, and that people no longer aspire to furnish their homes with antiques but instead want a more contemporary modernist style. There's still a market for antiques, but it's really only got three groups of supporters. An ageing group of traditionalists who are literally dying out; an "interior designer" market who look for small, stylish antique furniture pieces that will fit into an otherwise modern decor; and a tiny elite of "museum quality" collectors who continue to drive record auction prices for the very, very top slice of the market...but this has about as much real connection to the mainstream antiques business as Wayne Rooney has with a pub five a side team.
He argues that as well as simple fashion there's also deep rooted social changes driving this trend away from antiques. For example he points to the collapse in the formal domestic dining room as a factor whittling away the demand for sideboards, formal dining tables, and sets of chairs.
This all seems to fit with my own experiences. The things that are in demand are paler woods, smaller pieces that better fit into smaller homes and apartments, matt finishes rather than the super shiny "french polished" look, combinations of wood with other materials, pieces for informal "kitchen/garden" living, and a generally more modern look that reflects mid century Danish design rather than traditional antiques.
. When I saw the chest I was horrified at what she had in mind. The chest was a really early oak piece in untouched condition. I expressed my views that it would be a shame to destroy such a lovely piece, so she said if I wasn't interested in doing the job she might have a go at sanding it down herself :shock: I decided to try and save the situation by offering to buy the piece, so she could go and buy something more to her taste with the proceeds. So now every morning I awake to see this lovely little piece of British furniture history In our bedroom. I still shudder at the vision of her attacking it with an orbital sander and nitromores :roll: 
