Featured John Bieber & the Edelweiss Chest

Indeed, exactly half of the estimate 6 months ago.

Ocean winds are fickle, add-in you are constantly turning around as you proceed from one hole to the next in your round, quartering winds, left to right, and then on the next hole right to left can be very tricky. (leaving your ball in dune grass a foot tall, you are lucky to find your ball, never mind play it)
Add it all up, ocean winds (if blowing) will find any weakness in your game over 18 holes. It separates the golfers from the duffers pretty fast.

 

I know which end of a golf club to hold and that's about it.(LOL) As for the chest, I have a hunch it's got a 15,000 reserve on it this time. Wonder if it will make that.

 

It should but, with a 28k hammer & 35k sale with BP 6 months ago, the seller really screwed the pooch here.
I suspect the seller was hoping for Foo-Foo folk art people with deep pockets to bite, they didn't and all it got was lowly old furniture people.
The offer last fall was very fair IMO and the seller likely will come to regret turning their nose up at it.
It's a very nice example but there are condition issues, the feet are replaced to begin with. There is only 1 Bieber chest known with original feet extant and those feet were removed, restored, and reinstalled on the chest. It's how we know what they SHOULD look like. (they should look like the feet on the chest that started this thread)
I would add Bieber just isn't well known enough for Foo-Foo people at this time.

 

OTOH I'd be quite happy to get $15,000, provided I'd nobbled it for $50 at an estate sale! The consigner probably paid $25,000 to a decorator for it.

 

Consignor purchased this chest from G.K.S. Bush Inc (antique shop in Washington DC) in 1987 so probably paid a pretty penny for it.
It happens, selling at a loss in today's market is "normal" in the antique furniture world, especially if you purchased in the 1980s.

 

They bought at the top of the market. They're selling in the basement. NOT the way to make money or even come out with your shirt.

 

But as James has his shirt well buttoned as demonstrated by his fabulous buy, he should be in good position if he were ever to decide to part with his. Lovely chest you have BTW

 

One more reason I try to buy at 'melt' for whatever I'm buying. If not less. I don't think James will let the pieces he scored loose any time soon.

 

Yes, trying to guess the market in antique furniture unless a dealer who constantly turns their inventory is a fool's game that you are bound to lose.

Exactly, which is why I don't expect to make money, pieces I bought in the 70s-80s are worth now nowhere near what I paid for them.

Well, I would hope so since I bought it at the bottom? of the market, if there is ever going to be a bottom!
Thing is, I really don't care. Yes, it would be great to make a few dollars but if not that's OK, I get to enjoy being around them which is payment enough.
The depression in prices has actually HELPED me, I have acquired pieces that 30 years ago I could only dream of owning.

 

I do sympathize with folks who purchased expensive pieces years ago as an "investment" which could be the case with this latest Bieber chest.
Better to face reality though IMO than try to regain value that is clearly not there.
It is likely the owner has compounded the loss with their present sales strategy, the 35k offer last fall was fair, they will be lucky to get that this time around.

 

Well, today is the day for round 2 on this blanket chest, the seller rejected a 35k offer 6 months ago and I'll be interested to see how it does today.

 

Will it go higher or lower?

 

So exciting. You made this a mystery!

 

Times are more certain financially here in the US, but the pent up buying that everybody talks about hasn't materialized yet that I can see.

 

I say lower! based on pretty much nothing! I could be wrong!
Over 100 people watching this lot so a lot of interest but that means very little, the sale started at 10 and this lot is # 64 so we will know shortly.

 

on lot 45 now, 17 lots to go!
My guess is based on, Foo Foo folks are NOT biting.
That leaves old furniture people who have ALREADY examined this chest 6 months ago.
Selling again so close to the last sale is likely to cause many to pause, is there something wrong?

 

What’s the starting bid?