Saturday, July 24, 2021

My Chinoiserie Find/The Price is Right

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 My breakfast room is filled with many blue and white treasures. This is a favorite vignette of mine. The little bar cart holds a vintage Mottahedeh Vista Alegre Epergne. 

There is also a vintage Italian monkey obelisk, Amanda Lindroth wicker Birken bags, and vintage Mottahedeh child's china. I would love to know more about the monkey obelisk - I have never seen anything like it anywhere.


The bar cart was formerly in my late husband's man cave and the china was my daughter's when she was very young.

CCC - Man Cave - One Room Challenge

CCC - Man Cave - One Room Challenge
 
And now here in Florida -

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The wicker wrapped candles are new HomeGoods finds and they smell wonderful.

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The tote bags are from Dana Gibson - I use one as a tennis bag - the racquet cover is vintage Louis Vuitton.

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Here is where it gets interesting. I found the Vista Alegre for Mottaedeh Epergne on Etsy several years ago for $74. The seller just called it an "Asian Figurine" so I had no idea what it was until it arrived. I was thrilled to see the same one below sell on 1stDibs for $1895 a while back.

1stDibs Mottahedeh Vista Alegre Epergne


Chairish Mottahedeh Asian Epergne

My question to you all is, where do these crazy prices come from? Are they based on actual research/sales or do these dealers just wing it hoping to get lucky? Now I know I got a good deal, but $74 versus $4500? Crazy. 

I have little faith in so called antiques experts. I took several things to a very reputable auction house before I moved here and they were clueless on the majority of pieces and outright wrong on several. 

But I suspect this may be one of my better chinoiserie finds. I wonder what other treasures I have here. If anyone buys the Chairish one for $4500 and would like another for $4500 for a pair, let me know. I'll even throw in a wicker candle. LOL


11 comments:

  1. ha,ha - now that is funny - AND, I hope someone takes you up on it - I'd sell it too in a Florida minute :) As for a "deal" - I purchased a Mottahedeh Blue/White Punch Bowl several years ago for $100 off a dealer on Ebay who runs a pawn store. Looked it up upon receiving it - and found out it retails for over $1000 bucks ! Score for ME :) Have a Blessed weekend.

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    1. I love Mottahedeh - so classic. You got a great deal.

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  2. That epergne is cool, I’d love to see it with flowers in it. Hot pink bougainvillea come to mind, for some reason!
    I was selling a vintage Ficks Reed rattan 3 seater and it was $2000 on Chairish. I started at $350 on marketplace and ended up selling it for $300. So to your point, I’m not sure these sellers are getting their ask! Granted, My FB marketplace audience is way different than Chairish’s but still!!

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    1. The prices on Chairish have long puzzled me. I rarely see anything that is not priced crazy high. Someone got a nice deal on your Ficks Reed.

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  3. I, too, have been downsizing, moving and selling off masses of things and I’m shocked at what the prices are for certain items compared to what I paid years ago. I have stone garden pagodas that I picked up for $200 and I see inferior pieces in Chairish for $4000. I’ve been combing the junky antique stores weekly for years so I’ve amassed lots of goodies and I flip items as well. It’s not that easy to get top dollar so who are those creatures shelling out the crazy big bucks? And do their decorators fleece them?

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    1. I wonder too if anyone is paying those prices. And some get offended if you offer them less.

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  4. I adore the Mottahedeh child's china, but I have a soft spot for many children's things. I have a collection of old and vintage children's books. They are so sweet and reflective of a more innocent and gracious era. The illustrations are just adorable, and some of the binding are downright beautiful.

    I can't get over some of the prices on Chairish either, although when I look at 1stdibs.com, Chairish seems modest by comparison. I think some people just put their objects up and ask insane prices just to see how much they can get. Just because that is what they are asking, does not mean that is what it is worth.

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    1. I agree, I find both 1stdibs and Chairish puzzling. I'll have to do more research on this question.

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  5. I am wild about Salterini metal furniture, which I see quite a bit of on Chairish and other sites. I would love to have a set of four chairs and a table, but the prices - oh my!

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    1. I'll have to start stalking Craigslist here - on my to do list.

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