FURNITURE is one of the most common things that can be found in nearly every auction nowadays with a variety of reasons why it is good to buy from an auction house rather than a high street retailer, as auctions can be a cheaper alternative, have select furniture that is not easily found in shops or can also be a good investment opportunity over buying brand new and we will look at some of the points you should look out for when buying.

Cost – Buying furniture at auction can be a good cheap way to furnish your home, every home has at least several items from furniture whether it is functional or just purely decorative, where a dining table and chairs could cost you up to hundreds of pounds on the highs street, this could be bought from auction for less, or you could snap up a bargain with a branded high quality piece for a fraction of the retail price. But not only should you consider comparing with the cost to high street retailers but also consider what antique furniture you could also purchase with that same money that could increase in value in the future!

Investment – Buying furniture with an investment opportunity in mind is no guarantee but there are ways to get the best return out of your purchase. When looking to buy there are a couple of main points to consider; quality and branding. Well constructed high quality items are always worth buying where ever possible as they are one of the ways of maximising your money, whether you are looking to buy a retro contemporary style like Ercol, G-Plan etc, or antique Victorian or Georgian is more your taste, they will last much longer than their flat-pack equivalent, which after a few years will most likely start to fall apart or break, your quality furniture will last and still have a resale value rather than just having to throw it in the bin and get no return. If you have your heart set on an expensive branded piece of furniture then auctions can be a good alternative to get what you want at a fraction of the price, consider that an Eames chair which a current retail price of nearly £5,000 sold for £1,200 with buyers premium that was only 8 years old.

Originality – As with most things in the modern world, great designs and
ideas are copied by other companies and individuals, the best buy is often buying an original version of a design, or at least purchasing from the same manufacture as, with all modern iconic designs, they are built to last, they are not built cheaply purely for a profit, they are built to showcase a company to push forward style and fashion, and as such will always have a demand even when that current style trend alters, people will always want to purchase an original, not a copy.

Style – Auction houses can offer a surprising variety of furniture items for sale, they can range from your usual examples from tables and chairs to quirky items that can be the centre piece of your house parties including a wide range of age. Most auction houses will offer some examples of Victorian or older furniture, which currently is out of fashion with market trends and consequently have a comparatively low auction value compared to 15 years ago, and can then offer a great way of buying items of this age as can only otherwise be bought from antique shops or dealers and can more often than not cost you more than at auction, and likewise can also offer a possible long term investment for when older furniture becomes more fashionable once again.

Keeping all these points in mind, you can get real bargains at auction that can offer you more for longer than buying that brand new versions. As always with auctions however, most items have been used so you should check any items over before sale day if you are intending to buy and be aware of any additional premium costs that all auction houses charge and keep looking at catalogues all the while for that perfect item to complement your home!

By Mark