I have a pair of Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona chairs that I am considering selling and I have no idea what they're worth or what avenue to take in selling them.
My Grandmother bought the pair in the early 1950's. (As for details about where she bought them, etc., I'm at a loss. She now has Alzheimer's and her memory has been completely compromised.) Anyway, my Grandmother gave the chairs to me almost ten years ago. Up until a few months back, I had the stored them in a temperature controlled storage unit and had kept them covered with a blanket and plastic wrap.
The chairs, I believe, are in excellent condition for their age. The frames, straps and cushions are almost completely unblemished with the exception of some minor surface scratches on one of the seat cushions and some stitching that has started to unravel around one of the buttons (also on the same cushion). The leather is still remarkably supple and is a latte color which I have never seen on any other piece.
I cannot find a stamp or sticker on either chair, which from what I've read may or may not be normal for chairs produced after 1950?
Given the limited information I've provided, is there any way someone might be able to tell me how much these chairs may be worth and/or what you think might be the best and route to take in selling them? I'm located in the Chicago area. If you have a moment, please take a look at the pictures provided below or at the link below it for a slideshow with additional photos.
Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.
http://www.slide.com/r/nMCPq6-21j_2R68y1xt1aoEaVjckjb2_?previous_view=lt_embedded_url
Probably not what you want to hear
...but your chairs are not authentic Barcelona chairs, rather they are vintage copies.
That means you are not going to get as much for them if you sell them. It does not mean that you can't keep them, use them, and enjoy them. If they have been in your family for a long time and you have a place where you can use them, why not have them in your home?
If you have no sentimental attachment to them, nowhere you can use them, and nobody else in your family that wants them or can use them either, you can still sell them.
There are several options for selling them, eBay and craigslist being the most obvious.
Best of luck.
Details
Well, the most obvious signs are the construction details. The frame should not have the seams in the corners. I can't see from your photos, but I suspect that there are visible fasteners on the edges. Also, the straps should not be riveted to themselves. Rather, they should wrap around the frame and be screwed to the frame on the underside edge.
As to assigning a value, I should probably defer since a lot of forum members object to people treating the forum like a free appraisal service. I'm sure if you take a look on line, you will see other chairs similar to yours and you can quickly get an idea of what people are willing to pay for vintage knock-offs.
Fake can be just as good
Not Blonde Redhead's best album, but the title applies here...
These chairs being vintage and looking to be in quite nice condition from the looks of it, I say why not keep them? Especially being that they are sentimental pieces as well. Obviously, I don't know your preference in decor or if you're into modernism at all. But If so, I say sit on them.
hold on a sec
The original Barcelona chair was bolted together and it wasn't until the 1950s that the legs were welded together with the advent of new(er) construction methods. The chairs in question could possibly predate the the chairs manufactured by Knoll who bought the rights of production in the 50s. The claim that the chairs are a knock-off are baseless without being examined by a trained appraiser
try this
L.Eichler
In your area:
Wright
1440 W Hubbard
Chicago, IL 60642
312-563-0020
http://www.wright20.com/contact/
If you need any help, please contact us at – info@designaddict.com