Although it takes a while (and often some patience) to assemble IKEA furniture yourself, Poäng chairs and Billy bookcases can be found in houses all over the world. People go to the Swedish manufacturer because of its simplistic, affordable products. But did you know such furniture can be worth a lot of money? Some IKEA classics are highly sought after by collectors. Take a good look around your living room or attic. Someone might pay a fortune for that chair you’ve had forever.
In collaboration with Christian Plat - design expert at Catawiki
Trends Combined
Nordic furniture is comfortable, functional and creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere in your home. Vintage is popular because it is a more unique and sustainable option than buying new mass-produced products. With decade-old furniture you can create an individual style, without encountering an exact copy of it at your friend’s or neighbour’s house. When you combine these two interior trends, you get vintage IKEA furniture. And that can be worth hundreds, sometimes thousands of euros.
The Originals
IKEA was founded in 1943 and in the first twenty years the company was solely based in Sweden. Because of the lower production rates in that time, goods were produced to a higher standard and with better materials. That is why vintage pieces of IKEA furniture stood the test of time and now are popular collector’s items. With one of IKEA’s first products, the 1944 Clam Chair, selling for over €50,000!
Source: Ideal Home
Famous Designers
Not every piece of vintage IKEA furniture is rocketing past its retail price. The items you can sell for a profit are mostly those created by well-known designers. The eighties wire chairs by Danish designer Niels Gammelgaard for instance, or early work by the Swedish Gillis Lundgren, designer of the iconic Billy bookcase. And when it comes to famous designers, age doesn’t matter much. Dutch designer Hella Jongerius designed three different Jonsberg vases for IKEA in 2005. Back then they retailed for €35 a piece. Enthusiasts are now paying up to double or triple that price, depending on the condition.
Flop to Top
Another reason why some pieces of IKEA furniture are so valuable is because of their rareness. They flopped because their design was too bold back in the day, so they were discontinued due to low sales figures. Those that were unpopular then, are the ones most sought after now. For example, of this nineties Vilbert chair by the influential Danish designer Verner Panton, only around 3000 were made. A set of four was recently sold for €1,300 on Catawiki.
If you have vintage IKEA furniture that you would like to sell, we are happy to help. Register as a seller at Catawiki here, and find out what it’s worth. If you’re looking to buy some vintage furniture, take a look at our weekly Design auctions.