Furniture advice - pros and cons of buying new vs second-hand

In My Humble Opinion
1

I have an opportunity to buy a second-hand dresser that is described as “Kling #505, manufactured during 1950’s, 10
dovetailed drawers, solid cherry, excellent condition, recently refinished, on wheels, 56"width x 21"deep x 35"tall, $500”

Right now I have 15-year-old Ikea dressers that are failing due to the fact that they have cardboard drawer bottoms.

I want to buy a solid, quality dresser that is made of actual wood.

I asked for pics, especially of the drawer construction, the seller sent them, and I will probably be able to go see the dresser in person this weekend.

It will cost me some money to move it, also, so I have to add that to the purchase price.

I’m trying to compare it to new dressers by looking at pieces online at sites like Jordan’s furniture. Comparable looking dressers are priced between $600 and $900

So I ask all you Dopers:
If I like the aesthetics of the dresser, is $500 a good price for a second-hand dresser that is in good condition? (the dresser’s actual condition is tbd, obviously)
What might I look for when I visit the dresser to assess condition?
What would you look at?

My parents would have said that a 1950s piece would be better made than a new piece.
Is there any truth in that?

Size, shape, hardware wise it looks pretty much identical to this one, though obviously a different model, cherry not walnut, and minus the mirror.

2

So the primary con with old furniture is that it may have accumulated odors or finish loss from the last owners. Generally it’s not worth the 80 percent of new price this piece is listed as. Unless this is something really special - some old style that is again trendy or something really classic like specific models of old sports cars.

You can probably just fix or replace your Ikea drawers. I wouldn’t use longevity as a justification to spend $500. If you could replace your Ikea dressers instead with $200 new one and they lasted another 15 years that is a better deal.

Personally I think that piece of furniture looks hideous and like 50 similar pieces of junk at the local thrift store.

3

I appreciate the unvarnished opinion. :smiley:

In cherry it is MUCH more attractive than the walnut. And I’d probably swap out the hardware. But your points are well taken, and have given me things to think about. Thank you!

4

Their is an abundance of old wooden furniture that nobody wants. That dresser would have to be in excellent condition to even think about paying $500 for it.

5

How are the drawers constructed? Are they dovetails or biscuit joints or just whacked together with staples?

What is the drawer hardware like? Is it sturdy metal or thin, cheap garbage?

Is it real wood? Or is it MDF with a vinyl veneer?

6

One aspect one needs to be aware of is bedbugs.

Also the price seems high, though it depends on what they are selling.

7

Bedbugs in solid wood furniture? Really?

Honestly I think it looks much nicer than anything from Ikea (and I like the hardware). I bought something like that maybe 30 years ago and, while it needs some repair (one of the door glides is broken) it has stood me in good stead and has a long life ahead of it. That said, old used furniture is a drug on the market and $500 seems like highway robbery. I would offer $200 and walk away if they weren’t interested.

8

I’m still using a dresser that I bought for $65 at an auction in 1993. I’m still using the bookshelves I built myself in 1994. Well-made furniture is a worthwhile investment.

9

Yes really,they nest in such places, they evolved from cave dwellers so wood is a step up for them.

10

Not sure where the “80% of new” comes from, as there is no way to tell if the comparison new piece is also solid wood or not.
In my opinion, solid wood can last for damn near ever. Non-solid wood is not worth repairing. Some Ikea is actually solid wood, most is not.
A lot of furniture of the type you show a picture of, is nearly impossible to sell. However, the value assigned to it by the sellers is often not reflecting that, but reflecting what they paid for it back when, adjusted for Zimbabwean inflation to boot. Often it ends up being donated to Goodwill by their heirs - if Goodwill is willing to take it.
If you like it, then it’s for you. It will last you. But with effort and time you can probably find similar for far less. If you want it now ,500 isn’t horrible.

11

That part first. No. There were people turning out cheap crap in the 50s the same as today; and some of that crap had some actual good wood in it. I looked at a half-and-half once (like this sort of https://image.invaluable.com/housePhotos/Northgate/99/644199/H0806-L169994442.jpg) where a couple of the pieces of wood were really nice but the overall construction and design was terrible. It was probably something to fill space in some 1940s office or store of some kind. The dovetails were badly machined and fitted and the structural wood was basically softwoods and not very good ones at that. Some place like Jordans (I don’t know them myself) looks to have fair to better quality and would be a pretty fair bet for something that should outlive you.

Now – comparable in quality and price. IF the quality looks as good as that of the modern $900 and up pieces $500 is an OK deal. If its more like the modern $600 pieces I would say not so good. Getting things to match in style could get real tough and if I’m going to “mix and match” I want to save more than 50% - a lot more - but that could just be me. This isn’t something like say Shaker that everyone makes and has made for ages; this could be a little tougher.

The little boogers will hide anywhere they can find a dark crack to get into. And the scary part? There have been reports of new furniture arriving with the little demons in them. Google – it will really frighten you a little; maybe.

12

Yes, I came here to warn about bedbugs. They can most definitely live in wood. Having had them, there’s no deal good enough for me to ever buy a piece of used furniture.

13

New furniture tends to be fairly expensive or have a basic, utilitarian design. You can often get an exact size or colour. Quality may be better. New means some sort of guarantee, new smell, no stains, fewer surprises.

Used furniture can be far cheaper. In Canada, you could buy a used dresser of decent quality at a thrift store or online exchange for $30-200. Some of these are aesthetically nice, a few may be very nice antiques; and may even include a mirror or be made of expensive woods. It is easy and cheap to do minor work on furniture — sanding, painting, stains, marker touch ups and/or changing handles - and the results can be surprisingly good.

For the price you quote, you should really like it much more than average and it should meet all of your exact specifications. If you have more time than money, it is worth a visit to local charity and thrift shops to compare. The selection probably varies, but tends to be picked over in August by students.

14

I think the price is high but, being the proud owner (for degrees of proud) of lots of handed down furniture (from 1 year to 300 years-ish), I would say good quality is worth looking for. I’ve got solid wood furniture that will toddle on indefinitely, and I’ve got particle board stuff that I’m going to have to pay someone to take away.

If you like the piece, offer less in cash and be prepared to haggle. Also be prepared to walk away.

15

I also think the price is rather high, but if you like it, you like it.

Two pieces of advice. inspect the nicks and chips carefully, especially if they’re along the edges. If they show a veneer, then you’ll have continuing trouble with it, no matter how well the drawers are made. And the drawer rails, runners and stops were often all-wood in those days. They’ve had 60 years of expansion and contraction. Make sure the drawers slide smoothly in and out.

16

It is definitely high on the price but not so much as to be a ripoff. Without something else going for it like a particularly well known maker, exotic wood or unique, interesting provenance or or some other unique appeal, I think this is more of a $200 dresser. That said, it’s not so much for a nice item that you really want that will last forever.

Mid Century Modern is the stuff from that period getting top dollar now.

17

Motorgirl, here is link for https://boston.craigslist.org/search/fua?query=dresserBoston Craigslist Furniture - Dressers

I think you’ll find much better deals there. Sellers usually will come down from their listed prices.

Here’s a solid maple dresser with 14 drawers for $175. I’m tempted to look at that one myself. If it’s actually solid maple it’s a steal. That may not be what you want but there’s a lot listed there to look at.

18

I find that used furniture , from when they made it of real wood, is better and cheaper. But of course, rarely will anything match. Consignment stores and yard sals is mostly how we furnished the house.

19

And it would have to have a few hundred dollar bills taped to the undersides of the drawers, overlooked by the Grandkids getting rid of old furniture. :smiley:

20

I furnished a great deal of a 3500 square foot house with used “colonial revival” furniture from the 1940s to 1960s. The house is from 1760 so it did not look out of place. Used furniture shops, craigslist, ebay, etsy. All my bed frames and night stands, for example. Dressers, mirrors. They are sturdy solid wood, well made, and very cheap. You have to be willing to furnish with stuff that looks like grandma’s house but other than that it seems absolutely practical.

No bedbugs have occurred.