Bye Memphis Group, Hello Ikea.

[AmScray 355]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Group

 

This was an Italian school of design that emerged in the late 70's and basically went on to define the popular-cultural aesthetic of the 1980's, in addition to probably having a huge influence on Pee Wees Playhouse.

 

 

Now that I can no longer poker online, I'm forced to sell some of the fruits from the gravy train which, right now, appears to begin with my pretty decent collection of original Memphis Group furniture.

 

1) I need emotional reinforcement that I'm doing the right thing because the furniture is so appaling ugly.

 

2) Any suggestions as far as whats good at Ikea this season?

[brvheart 1,752]

I have no idea what you're talking about, but how much are you selling your furniture for?

[FCP Bob 1,312]

you can't go wrong with Billy bookcases from Ikea, they are very functional

 

[InternetExplorer 2,609]

I feel like it's sort of ridiculous that you are resorting to selling things. I don't get the impression that you are the type to ever truly be hard up for money. unless this is just a liquidity problem.

[Essay21 2,385]

That shit is ugly as hell. I approve this decision.

[AmScray 355]

I have no idea what you're talking about, but how much are you selling your furniture for?

 

Well, I bought most of it at auction back when it was still pretty reasonable. I'll be consigning it at retail, which is high.

I'll be making money. This stuff prices more like a 'collectible' than 'funiture'.

 

I feel like it's sort of ridiculous that you are resorting to selling things. I don't get the impression that you are the type to ever truly be hard up for money. unless this is just a liquidity problem.

 

Things are getting tight'ish.

I was wise with poker loot, always played beneath my skill level and aggressively took money away from poker to put into other things... but, two trips to private rehab paid out of pocket didn't help things.

 

Irony: I always thought having a felony record would be the harshest mark against my employability.

Turns out, it's spendng over half a decade playing poker for a living.

 

Really, I guess I'm getting rid of it because it's time for a change but in years past, where I might have taken the loot to buy a $15K guitar or blown it playing commodity futures, now, it's going to pay bills, emergency fund, etc.

[GOCUBSGO 77]

Do you mind me asking what those pieces of furniture are valued at? I'm not interested in buying them, just curious.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

I'm more of a Bauhaus fan, but I'm never going to turn my nose at something garish and delightfully absurd. I guess my question would be, do you think the bubble is going to burst on this furniture or do you think it will have a revival? I Suspect as people get more nostalgic for the 80's, that this furniture could increase in value. I know **** all about the value of high design furniture to be honest, but it seems like you may be selling this stuff short to me.

[AmScray 355]

Do you mind me asking what those pieces of furniture are valued at? I'm not interested in buying them, just curious.

 

Runs the gamut.

Galleries seem to be snapping most of the more substantial stuff up right now, just like it was with the creme of the midcentury crop in the 1990s. A legit Shire 81 Bel Air chair like that, big city retail market, XX,XXX.

 

My favorite part is whoever buys it will never, ever suspect the sort of things that have been done on that furniture. Good thing I was too fat to ever sit on it.

 

I'm more of a Bauhaus fan, but I'm never going to turn my nose at something garish and delightfully absurd. I guess my question would be, do you think the bubble is going to burst on this furniture or do you think it will have a revival? I Suspect as people get more nostalgic for the 80's, that this furniture could increase in value. I know **** all about the value of high design furniture to be honest, but it seems like you may be selling this stuff short to me.

 

I am definitely selling too early, especially this period.

The sweet spot tends to be 40'ish years on this sort of thing.

[AmScray 355]

Consigned one of my chairs, delivered to the shop at 10:00 am, they sold it before the closed the doors that day

 

That means someone local has been very hot for one, someone wealthy made an odd impulse purchase or I priced it way too low.

Either way, oh well.

 

3 more pieces to go, that was a test run.

Also, in hindsight, why in the **** am I delivering it to them? Shouldn't they have their guys come pick it up?

That's how it will be from now on.

[NickCave 194]

That means someone local has been very hot for one, someone wealthy made an odd impulse purchase or I priced it way too low.

Either way, oh well.

 

Unless the consignment deal you have has daily costs attached, there's no reason not to price it over market, is there? There's always some chance some clown gives you ask. What's the downside?

[AmScray 355]

No downside. It was stupid of me.

Apparently, the market's moved more on these than I had estimated and I priced it too near what I originally paid.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

What do you think is the current style that is poised to take off in the next few years?

[NickCave 194]

No downside. It was stupid of me.

Apparently, the market's moved more on these than I had estimated and I priced it too near what I originally paid.

 

As just kind of a general note on sales, it's amazing how often this happens. I don't mean that as any kind of insult or jab or anything, but as a general warning, uh, after the fact.

 

It's shocking how time slows down during sales and/or negotiations for most people. I've done some selling, and I was always decent at it because I had no problem waiting/delaying. My only real skill was staring dead-eyed at the person across the table, saying, "and...?" and letting him fill a vacuum. That is not even a skill. That is, basically, not caring.

 

I remember when I was asking for money as an agent, and I'd get a preliminary-budget type offer, I'd ask how much he was willing to spend/put down/whatever, and he'd give a number. I'd nod for a beat, and then say, "...up to?" And he'd give me another number than was 10%-20% higher. Anyway, what I'm saying is, people make mistakes when they are spending money on something they want, especially if there is a competent salesperson there.

 

Keep us posted on how you do on the next few items? I don't know a fucking thing about this shit, but I'm fascinated nonetheless. The more details the better.

[pezeveng 207]

The bel air chairs go for about 11k. Looks like something you would find in a lobby of a artsy hip graphics or advertising company.

[AmScray 355]

What do you think is the current style that is poised to take off in the next few years?

 

Stylistically, nothing that hasn't already been beaten to death. It's not like we've had any great interior or architechural design eras since the 'establishment' wrote off Googie. There's some European stuff, nothing here though. We've been an aesthetic wasteland since heterosexuals were run out of design in the early 70s by all the unemployed gays from the theater world.

 

The value of everything is down right now, given the shithouse economy.

 

http://goo.gl/YiCrT

 

A lot of that kind of stuff brought more in the mid 00s. Your best bet is familliarizing yourself with key designs and names, then plucking it from the wild. It still happens all the time with this stuff; there's a lot of grandmas and grandpas who haven't redecorated the basement since 1969 still alive and kicking and consequently, still dying off, their furniture being garage-saled for nickles by idiot sons.

[speedz99 145]

I priced the pots and pans too low at our yard sale. It's really keeping me up nights.

[ShakeZuma 585]

to the surprise of no one.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

leave the ethnic humor to Scram, please.