My elderly next door neighbor wants me to help him sell off his furniture but it get’s difficult for me without markings. Here is what I was told….He purchased the piece in the 1970s for several thousand dollars. It was a Butlers Desk from the Mid 18th – Early 19th Century and came from a Plantation in Maryland said to have ties with Benjamin Franklin. I can see there is a quill holder on the piece. The knobs appear to be made of bone, I’m at a loss to price this for him and thought maybe somebody here might have some insight. Links to the pictures are below
http://tinyurl.com/mvz7x9f
http://tinyurl.com/kr2qdlp
http://tinyurl.com/mdkfhye
http://tinyurl.com/nb76wmy
Does not seem like I am making any headway !! Mart,,,Martha,, you couldn`t guess ?? Mart is what all my aunts , uncles and cousins called me when growing up !! I can hear my great aunt now telling me,,”Mart, clean out your pockets” before she would let me in her house !! I had a few creepy crawlies at times !!
Well, I decided to check out this forum after Martha asked me to comment on this desk.
Sadly, as noted in earlier posts, some large antique furniture pieces have taken a big hit in the market place over the last 20 years or so for various reasons. Naturally, if there is a unique provenance or other historical history on the piece it can make a HUGE difference in the price it commands.
Martha makes a good point in that, where you sell the object can also make a big difference in the price you get. I would do a bit of research on past sales of auction sites and see what area of the country prices are best and then try to market in that area first.