Online 20th Century Design & Decorative Art Valuations

20th Century Design pieces are quite fashionable in contemporary interiors and the interest for them has increased recently. Thanks to inventive and talented creators, design has now come to forefront of collecting, where people mix contemporary art and design. Do you need to get a piece of design furniture appraised? Perhaps it's a funky lamp or a quirky dining chair that you found at a car boot sale, or picked up at auction or on ebay? No matter the type of piece, our Design appraiser will be able to give you a valuation within 48 hours for your 20th century item. Also, if you're thinking about buying an item, our online design appraisal service is also an excellent way to get an independent third party opinion before you make your purchase.

Our 20th Century Design Expert

Our expert has worked for a leading auction house in London where he has ran sales for this highly collectable field, which has seen a major upturn in the last 10 years. With the advent of a young generation of designers in the decorative arts from the 1960's onwards, this trend to focus on visual communication and presentation in the decorative arts has led to some of the most striking results in furniture, ceramic and glass making.

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The Market for 20th Century Decorative Arts & Design

Pieces from both classic designers (Le Corbusier, Charles & Ray Eames, Charlotte Perriand, Gerrit Rietveld, etc.) and contemporary talents (Marc Newson, Ron Arad, Zaha Hadid, etc.) can be found at auction, some of them achieving amazing features. In 2006, a prototype Loockheed Lounge by Marc Newson sold for $965,000 at Sotheby’s New York (around £650,000). It is attractively made of fiberglass and riveted sheet aluminum. This sale represented the start of a new era for design market.

With new materials influencing striking creations, many design pieces have been produced over the past decades. The more unique models and vintage pieces, can indeed achieve some very high prices, hence it might be worth to have your piece valued. Despite the market power of rare and fresh works, some historical pieces are still affordable. A set of six chairs designed in the early 1950’s by Harry Bertoia and Charles Eames and produced by Herman Miller, was appraised for $800-1,200 in the Antiques Roadshow. Though an early edition with its original upholstery, the set of chair’s value has not increased tremendously ever since. At this stage, the level of interest from buyers is still not as high as the number of lots offer. Those interesting in renewing their interiors should consider purchasing Design furniture as we believe it is still an area worth investing in...

Design also includes some less expected pieces such as pieces of furniture designed by Alberto and Diego Giacometti in the 1930’s. Two lamps will be auctioned by Bonhams London on March, 10th 2010.

How to determine the Value of your Design Pieces

When getting an appraisal for your Design pieces, there are several factors to consider. These include the age, the originality and quirkiness in design, the condition and of course the manufacturer. As some of the pieces have been substantially copied and faked if the design proved to be popular, our expert's main job will be to establish whether you might be have an original or a later copy. The material is also important in a 20th century decorative arts appraisal because there might be an inherent value of the object.

Get your Design Item Valued Today

Getting your Design furniture or objects appraised from Value My Stuff Now is quick, easy and confidential. Simply upload a photograph and tell us anything else you know about the lamp, table, chair or anything else. Within 48 hours, our specialist will evaluate the item and let you know its worth. To get started, simply upload photographs of the item.