A+ Auction -- April 27, '08 - Elkhorn, WI -- MERKLEN chair & settee

I'm posting this rink-e-dink auction for two reasons only...the "wood twist chair" and matching "rope twist wood settee" look like Merklens to me. 

The settee appears to be damaged (one spindle in the back ain't where it ought to be), but the chair looks nice. 

http://www.antique-central.com/cgi-bin/frameit/smartframe.cgi?http://www.MurphyAuctions.com
(click "auction calendar"...then "see item photos" for the Sunday, April 27 auction)

This auction is a bit too far for me to drive to.  Maybe somebody out there can turn a tiny profit on this.

Thank you,

Jason

Yes, indeedy.  Merklens but not convenient to me.

Rare:

I didn't pay attention to the auction result last year when you identified a nearly-identical Merklen chair (as the one in this WI auction) on ebay.  Do you know how much the ebay chair went for?  If not, would you care to offer a guess as to what the big-time auction price might be on a chair & settee like those in this WI auction?

Thank you,

Jason

1881, sorry do not know how much that one went for.  I think a practice that might be helpful in future is for me (or if I forget, others) to comment the final sale price onto the original blog posting after items sell.  We lose the sale amounts after a few months (90? 120 days?) on Ebay, and for other sites, immediately after the sale except for auctions that archive their results.

An upper-end Merklen parlor table with lots of hardware just went for $1,500ish.  As for "big-time auction" estimates for these two, I'd probably say in the upper hundreds, maybe cracking a $1,000 each depending on auction house.  That assumes the buyer can get them in proper condition for a "big-time" sale.  The average Joe won't be able to repair the broken spiral piece in the back and make it look proper, so more money may need to be sunk into a professional repair.  The previous, comparable chair that you mention had brass finials, whereas this one does not.  It is also hard to judge condition from those small, dark photos.  The cushions also may be hiding a surprise or two as well.  At this sale, I expect them in the mid-range $ hundreds.

Somehow I missed this post and now the pictures are gone from the auction site.  Anyone save these pictures?  Could you send them to me please?

The pics are still posted, but you have to do a bit of navigating.  Click on the link in my original posting.  Next, click "Auction Calendar" near the top-right.  From there, click "True Success" (it is a small link just under their phone number).  After that, scroll down a bit & click the Sunday April 27 link.  Finally, click "see some photos".  The thumbnails for the settee and chair will look like those posted below.

Thank you,

Jason

A big version of the chair attached...

- Jason

I believe that I have "re-located" the chair.  The asking price is now $2,500...I don't know what it went for at auction.

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/fur/659579515.html

The seller's description makes reference to a familiar place...

Very rare and hard to find Merklen Chair. It is not perfect. it needs 2 balls on the top, 2 turned spindles for the back, and a stretcher on the bottom. structurally intact. You can check the Rare Victorian website for more information, and photos of examples. Merklen furniture is not signed. below is some information i gathered on the internet.
PLEASE CALL 414-559-3625 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Now it is official in my mind..."Rare Victorian", you have arrived.    <lol>

- Jason