Old IKEA Products Are Now Coveted Collectibles And Selling At Steep Prices
Image via ben bryant / Shutterstock.com
When you think flatpack, you might also think impermanence. IKEA’s wares are therefore remembered for their affordability and portability, making ideal pieces for rentals. But don’t confuse this seeming fleetingness for a lack of value—some old IKEA products are fetching much, much higher prices than they were originally retailing for.
Vintage homeware pieces are all the rage nowadays, and this obsession seems to extend to IKEA’s furniture, too. According to a report from The Guardian, IKEA’s Järpen metal wire chairs from 1986, which were selling for as low as £12 (US$16), are now retailing for US$453 or up at vintage furniture reseller Pamono. Meanwhile, the stackable PS HASSLO chairs for both indoor and outdoor use are being sold at US$919 for a set of four at online flea market Selency.
Even more surprising is the selling price for a set of four VILBERT chairs from the early 90s, which was formerly worth £60 (US$81) but are priced at US$5,639 today. This is because the MDF and melamine chairs were produced in a small quantity.
With that being said, don’t discount the potential value of your mass-produced IKEA products from the 1980s and 1990s, as IKEA pieces from this era tend to be in great demand. “I think this is because IKEA in this era began to define itself as a brand aimed at a youthful, urban and contemporary audience,” Pamono’s editor-in-chief Wava Carpenter told The Guardian. “The silhouettes are fun, eye-catching and colourful, even while maintaining a rather minimalist quality.”
Also climbing in popularity are vintage IKEA products from the 1960s, which often bore “mid-century modern Scandinavia[n]” vibes, Carpenter noted.
Eva Seeman, art and design modern works lead from auction house Bukowskis, believes that retro IKEA products are regaining traction because they were good quality and “very up to date from the period [they] were designed in.” They’re also more pocket-friendly than the Danish furniture designs that inspired IKEA’s pieces.
If you’re wondering which item in your house could reap a high price, Seeman recommends wares from IKEA’s small-edition 1992 PS (short for Post Scriptum) collection, which are “generally attractive” to furniture enthusiasts.
Your BILLY bookcase, however, isn’t expected to fetch anything substantial. It’s readily available and there’s one sold every 10 seconds.
[via The Guardian, cover image via ben bryant / Shutterstock.com]
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