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Price development in pre-1850 period furniture – long-term perspectives?
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<p>[QUOTE="Hallingdalen, post: 11617571, member: 93477"]Thanks for sharing that — it’s a really striking example, and it lines up exactly with what many of us have been observing.</p><p><br /></p><p>When pieces like an Edwardian bureau bookcase or a Georgian corner cabinet can’t find a buyer at £50, it pretty much confirms the broader trend rather than being an outlier. These weren’t fringe items or problem pieces; they were once bread-and-butter stock that moved quickly and reliably. The comparison with 30 years ago is especially telling, because £250–£500 then wasn’t speculative pricing, it was normal, everyday trade.</p><p><br /></p><p>The bigger question is whether this is just another low point in a cycle or something more permanent. Previous downturns still had a waiting audience — people with space, interest, and a sense that these things <i>belonged</i> in a home. That audience feels much thinner now. Smaller houses, lighter interiors, faster turnover, and less emotional attachment to heavy period furniture all push in the same direction.</p><p><br /></p><p>It might turn again at the very top end, but it’s hard to see a broad recovery for ordinary “good” brown furniture. Once items start being given away simply to clear space, it suggests the market isn’t just depressed — it’s moved on. Whether that changes, or just keeps sliding into obscurity, is the part none of us can really answer yet.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Hallingdalen, post: 11617571, member: 93477"]Thanks for sharing that — it’s a really striking example, and it lines up exactly with what many of us have been observing. When pieces like an Edwardian bureau bookcase or a Georgian corner cabinet can’t find a buyer at £50, it pretty much confirms the broader trend rather than being an outlier. These weren’t fringe items or problem pieces; they were once bread-and-butter stock that moved quickly and reliably. The comparison with 30 years ago is especially telling, because £250–£500 then wasn’t speculative pricing, it was normal, everyday trade. The bigger question is whether this is just another low point in a cycle or something more permanent. Previous downturns still had a waiting audience — people with space, interest, and a sense that these things [I]belonged[/I] in a home. That audience feels much thinner now. Smaller houses, lighter interiors, faster turnover, and less emotional attachment to heavy period furniture all push in the same direction. It might turn again at the very top end, but it’s hard to see a broad recovery for ordinary “good” brown furniture. Once items start being given away simply to clear space, it suggests the market isn’t just depressed — it’s moved on. Whether that changes, or just keeps sliding into obscurity, is the part none of us can really answer yet.[/QUOTE]
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