Hey all,
My wife and I have been looking at an aesthetic bed in a local antique shop priced at around $2500. It's in nice original finish, one applied roundel missing and well preserved:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j285/zekenstein/IMG_0628copy.jpg
I have no reason to believe that it's Herter or P&S but a good New York piece and it goes well with our decor. The marquetry inlay is similar to Herter and gives a nice balance to an otherwise well proportioned piece. Everything about it has a nice feel to it!
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j285/zekenstein/IMG_0618copy.jpg
We would only be using the headboard because of room restraints but we really like the bed and would so much appreciate any thoughts on it regarding price etc.
Many thanks
Zeke
Aesthetic bed help!
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Victorian Furniture thread on victorianforum.com · started February 15, 2008 by zeke · 5 posts · discussion in 2008.
Hey all, My wife and I have been looking at an aesthetic bed in a local antique shop priced at around $2500. It's in nice original finish, one applied roundel missing and well preserved: http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j285/zekenstein/IMG_0628copy.jpg I have no reason to…
I was tracking an Aesthetic bed at auction last year. The piece was not attributed and it sold for $2,200. A couple of months later that same bed had been cleaned up and was for sale at South Hampton Antiques for $7,000. Therefore, in my opinion, I think you are paying a fair price.
Zeke, any knowledge on how long the beds been there? The longer it has been there, the more willing they may be to take a lower offer. I would offer less anyway and see if they bite.
Here's how I look at it: If I were to buy an Aesthetic bed (alone, not a set) anywhere else, would it be more? less? Can I find a comparable piece at auction for less (including shipping) and in the timeframe I would be comfortable with? Am I buying it to keep or do I expect to sell it in the near future and get my money back? Then ask yourself, "do I *love* this particular one?", or do I sometimes run across others I like better? The degree of your response to the last question may alter the answers to the former questions.
I also practice the trade-up technique. If you run across something you like and the price is in an arena where you wouldn't lose your shirt on it when selling it, you can swap it out when you find another you like better. With this approach, I don't fret as much about purchases and buy more often.
I think you would pay more as formulagal states at some of the shops that specialize in this stuff, but potentially less at an auction. That bed would probably get cleaned up and put on the SH site for $4,995. I don't think it is priced in the wrong stratosphere and would be a fair price to pay, but I would ask them if they'd take $2,000 and see where they end up.
I'm trying to remember where I've seen the rolling pin footboard....
Here's how I look at it: If I were to buy an Aesthetic bed (alone, not a set) anywhere else, would it be more? less? Can I find a comparable piece at auction for less (including shipping) and in the timeframe I would be comfortable with? Am I buying it to keep or do I expect to sell it in the near future and get my money back? Then ask yourself, "do I *love* this particular one?", or do I sometimes run across others I like better? The degree of your response to the last question may alter the answers to the former questions.
I also practice the trade-up technique. If you run across something you like and the price is in an arena where you wouldn't lose your shirt on it when selling it, you can swap it out when you find another you like better. With this approach, I don't fret as much about purchases and buy more often.
I think you would pay more as formulagal states at some of the shops that specialize in this stuff, but potentially less at an auction. That bed would probably get cleaned up and put on the SH site for $4,995. I don't think it is priced in the wrong stratosphere and would be a fair price to pay, but I would ask them if they'd take $2,000 and see where they end up.
I'm trying to remember where I've seen the rolling pin footboard....
I don't see any side rails in the photo... are they present, or missing? If the latter, the asking price seems high to me. IMO, if the bed is incomplete, you have some bargaining leverage.
Thank you so much everyone for your help! The bed has been in the shop for over a year and it is complete with nice side rails. I have seen it together and its nice and solid. My problem is I?m only going to use the headboard as we want to retain our queen sized bed. I actually don?t need a headboard, we have a white iron one now, but we are in the process of redoing the furniture in the bedroom, we had some generic oak pieces from our younger days in there. My wife and I can only afford so much and we will retire in a few years so I?m basing my purchase on that. We also need more a nice aesthetic dresser and an armoire for practicalities sake. We actually had a lovely old fern pattern iron settee where the armoire will go and my wife definitely needs the storage. This bed speaks to us though, we love that warm orangy glow that old walnut takes on if not refinished and we have an affinity for Aesthetic / renaissance furniture. I think I can get the bed for 2000 with a little luck and I know what this would sell for at SH. It?s something we really have to think about given our budget and other furniture needs.
It?s funny I have bid and won some stuff at Fontaines over the years and have bid against SH and won. SH buys a lot of their stock from Fontaines and they have a nice shop. Unfortunately for myself I can?t afford their prices so I have to bargain hunt and what fun that is! Honestly, the 24 years my wife and I have been going to house sales and auctions have been a wonderful adventure. Living in New Jersey is the place to be because everything is so close to drive to. Adamstown is a few hours away and the prices there are so fair. A lot of this stuff was made in New York and Philly and a lot of it stayed near those 2 cites. Im am geographically lucky in that respect.
Many thanks again for your help everyone, I?m proud to be a member of these boards where people so unselfishly share information and thoughts
Zeke Feldhaus
It?s funny I have bid and won some stuff at Fontaines over the years and have bid against SH and won. SH buys a lot of their stock from Fontaines and they have a nice shop. Unfortunately for myself I can?t afford their prices so I have to bargain hunt and what fun that is! Honestly, the 24 years my wife and I have been going to house sales and auctions have been a wonderful adventure. Living in New Jersey is the place to be because everything is so close to drive to. Adamstown is a few hours away and the prices there are so fair. A lot of this stuff was made in New York and Philly and a lot of it stayed near those 2 cites. Im am geographically lucky in that respect.
Many thanks again for your help everyone, I?m proud to be a member of these boards where people so unselfishly share information and thoughts
Zeke Feldhaus