What is the best, if any, way to sell my oak bedroom furniture, please read ?

Question

I have a beutiful set of oak bedroom furniture that i actually got for next to nothing but it is great. I don't know anything about the value of furniture, but now that I am 56, I am finding that things I have in my house are actually collectibles etc. I guess there is something good about being on the wrong side of 50 :) :) :) I bought it "used" in 1989 but it is like perfect and includes 2 night stands, big chester drawers with mirror and head for bed. ?? thanks for you furniture people I can help with children things and sewing :) and selling on ebay and of course jesus things

Answer 1

The sad part of having anything beautiful, like well-made furniture, is that many people can't or won't appreciate it. I found this to be true when an Appraiser came through an estate I was handling and put these ridiculously small values on some fine pieces of furniture. His answer was that there is a small market for "used" furniture; most young people today would rather go to a "Big Box" store and buy some "you-build-it" crap made out of particle board than spend a few dollars more and have something they can cherish for years.
You can certainly try selling the suite on eBay, but unless the set is really old, you may not find a buyer...
You may want to try placing an ad in the classifieds of your local paper, but that usually entails alot of unwarranted phone calls.
We have "consignment" shops in this area that will take in items like this, but, if you have a timely need for cash, you may have to wait a while before the set sells.
Auction houses are always looking for quality merchandise, but there again you have to be careful, as their costs may eat up a lot of your possible gain.
Word-of-mouth may be the easiest; letting people know at work, your place of worship, etc.
And then, there is always donation. You state that you got for "next to nothing", so if you're not looking to make a few bucks, need the space, and want to feel good about it, you can call a local charitable orgainzation. They could come pick it up for nothing and you get a decent tax write off.
Good luck....Like I said, nice pieces can be difficult to "get rid" of. I have two of my parents solid mahogany dressers that neither of my sons want, so I don't know where they will end up..........

Answer 2

From your description of the furniture this is most likely partical board or plywood with a thin oak veneer over it making it appear to be oak but most likely not. The furniture made from the 1980 s to the present has such a thin layer of veneer on it or just a photo finish of veneer on it that sanding it or trying to strip it with a chemical would just take off the veneer and leave you with plywood or MDF which neither is very attractive or has any quality. You would be much further ahead by purchasing some Howard s restore a finish and applying it with a medium fine steel wool pad. This would give the furniture a like new finish that does not require and stripping or sanding. Good Luck

Answer 3

Depending on what part of the world you live in, you may want to try a consignment shop. If that is not a possibility, try a site like Craig's List. Good luck.

Answer 4

there are still people out there tht like their collectibles. have you tried kijiji or craiglist. it is free to post, and you might just get really lucky. word of mouth is always fantastic. when you go to service if you go, tell other members to pass it on. if you are allowed to place a sign maybe on your yard with a picture of it. you can even sell it on ebay as a pick up only. good luck to you. i wish i were close, i would snap it up in a second.