Antique 20th century design appraisal, online
That teak sideboard or molded-shell chair you inherited may be worth far more than its everyday looks suggest, or far less if it is a later reissue. Our team researches your 20th century design piece and returns a thoroughly researched value report within three days.
Structured research, reviewed for clarity
We start with the photographs you send us: the piece from several angles, the underside or back, and any label, foil sticker, or impressed mark. Our team compares it against recorded sales of similar examples, weighs the designer, decade, materials, and condition, and works out whether it is an early production run or a later reissue. You receive a plain-English report with an estimated value range and the reasoning behind it, reviewed by our team before it reaches you.
What affects the value of 20th century design
A design object's worth rarely rests on one detail. Our team weighs several factors together, because a strong showing in one can be offset by a weakness in another.
Designer, maker & period
An object tied to a recognized designer or manufacturer, and clearly of its decade, sits in a very different tier from an anonymous piece in a similar style. Retailer labels, foil stickers, impressed marks, and model numbers all help our team place who made it and when.
Originality & condition
Original finish, upholstery, glass, and hardware matter. A teak surface with its factory sheen or a chair in its first fabric holds value that heavy refinishing, replacement parts, or later reupholstery tends to erode. We assess what is original and what has been changed.
Comparable sales
Value follows what similar pieces have actually sold for at auction and through dealers, not the hopeful figures seen on listings. Our team leans on recorded results, weighted for condition and version.
First-run production or later reissue?
Many of the most collected 20th century designs were made for decades, and a number are still in production or sold as licensed reissues. An early example with a period label can be worth several times a recent one that looks almost identical. Rather than a full identification guide, our report tells you where your particular piece sits, based on its marks, materials, and construction compared with recorded examples.
Inherited a mid-century collection?
Estates often hold a mix of teak furniture, lamps, studio ceramics, and art glass with no paperwork at all. You do not need to work out which pieces matter first. Send us clear photographs of each, including any label and the underside, and our team researches them and returns a value range for each item. When you are ready, submit your piece to begin.
A few reports we've delivered
Illustrative: 1960s Danish teak lounge chair with original wool upholstery and a maker's stamp
$700 - $2,200
Illustrative: mid-century molded fiberglass shell chair on a wood dowel base, first-run production
$400 - $1,200
Illustrative: 1950s glazed ceramic table lamp in the studio manner, unmarked
$150 - $500
Illustrative: 1980s postmodern laminate side table in the Memphis manner
$300 - $900Estimated ranges shown to guide research — not official appraisals for insurance, tax, or legal use. Illustrative examples.
Questions, answered honestly
How old does something have to be to be an antique?
As a rule of thumb, an antique is generally at least 100 years old. Items roughly 20–99 years old are usually called “vintage,” and the line shifts by category — but age alone never sets value. A 60-year-old designer piece can be worth far more than a century-old everyday object.
What affects the value of my item?
Value comes from a combination of factors: who made it, its age and rarity, condition, originality, provenance (its documented history), and — most of all — what comparable pieces have actually sold for recently. Our research weighs each of these to produce an estimated range.
I’ve inherited a collection — what do I do?
Start with the pieces you’re most curious about, or the ones you suspect are most valuable. Submit them individually, or for more than ten items use our white-glove service and we’ll research the whole batch together at a tailored rate.
Is this an official appraisal?
No. Every report is a thorough, researched estimate to guide your research — not an official appraisal for insurance, tax, or legal purposes. For those uses you’ll want a certified appraiser, and our report is a great, fast first step before that.
How accurate is a researched value report?
Our research is based on real comparable sales and a structured assessment of condition, era, and maker. It’s designed to give you a credible, well-researched estimate quickly. Like any estimate it isn’t a guarantee of sale price, which is why we always give a range rather than a single number.
“I had a vase from my grandmother and no idea where to start. The report was detailed, fast, and honest about the range.”
“Three days, a fair price, and a genuinely useful breakdown of comparable sales. Far better than waiting weeks.”
“Loved that it was upfront about being an estimate. It gave me exactly what I needed before talking to an auction house.”
Illustrative examples shown during launch — verified customer reviews will replace these as reports are delivered.
Find out what your 20th century design is worth
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