Vintage Chairs
Sometimes there is a vintage treasure that speaks to you. Like vintage chairs which always seem to speak to me. But when they speak loudly- you listen. You look. You look at the condition vs the price vs the ‘love’ factor. And maybe you grab that treasure if the boxes are all checked. Or maybe you contemplate a bit if the price isn’t right, deciding if you should make an offer that is more in line with your comfort zone for price.
You see, my friend Sandy taught me something about offering less on something years ago and it stuck with me. Sandy and I first met at a by appointment vintage sale I was having at my house. She revised on Craigslist and set up a time to come by. We hit it off instantly-and there was something familiar about her like we were old friends. We have been friends ever since and have done some thrifting and yard sale shopping together since. We were at a sale where she found something she was interested in – and she didn’t offer any less. Where as in other sales – she did negotiate. I asked her why. She said, if the price is agreeable as to what she would pay as it is marked – she just pays it. It makes the seller happy, it makes her happy. If it is way out of the zone she is comfortable with – she will ask if they have a better price.
The Chairs that took 3 Years to Buy
So back to the vintage treasures and checking the boxes…. I was working on my book Inspired Gatherings in 2019- and while I was dreaming up stylings like the table in the field- I had a vision for golden grasses, lots of romantic touches and a table set with chairs in old fabric.
I bumped into a set of 4 victorian chairs that had the most delightful aqua fabric, old painted frames and carved details. I LOVED them. And I could even get over the torn fabric and the water stains on the seats. BUT I hesitated… The problem? The price. The seller was asking $600. I decided that the gap in between what I was comfortable with paying for them and the asking price was too big- so I kept looking.
Then we all know what 2020 and the next couple years looked like- so there was not a whole lot of vintage shopping going on during that time. Fast forward to a couple months ago. I was shopping marketplace and bumped into a listing for the antique chairs. With a beautiful aqua fabric. Chippy painted frames and all. those. same. details. They were in the same location as before. Same $600 ask price as before. But, the listing was a year old – and there was a lovely little slash mark in the price and since originally posted- the seller marked the chairs down.
$200 for 4 chairs.
Of course, now, my table setting book was wrapped and already out for a couple of years. But truth be told, I kept thinking about the chairs and how they would have been so perfect for that table in the field. I shrugged that I should have gotten over my bargain loving overpriced feelings and had just bought them. Since they popped back up- I figured it was a sign that I should at least go take a look at them.
Vintage Aqua Damask Chairs
My husband and drove over to take a look at the chairs in person. I seriously thought that maybe they would not be as fabulous as I built up in my mind over the past few years. I thought for the condition the price was probably a little high yet and since I wasn’t doing a book on tables- I didn’t need them. so told my husband that I was not committing to buying- I just wanted to look at them before deciding if I needed them. Well, you know what that means. ha ha. They went in the car right away. ha ha.
I had about a 1/2 dozen stylings in mind for them at first sight before the first one even landed in the car. And so- voila. These are the chairs that took 3 years to buy and bring home.
I am thinking wedding photos, flower filled tea arrangements and of course- that table in a field with these chairs has me thinking about loading them up into the car to shoot it again.
The chairs are up in the barn already waiting for some photo fun. I haven’t touched the fabric to try to clean it yet- I don’t really know how to do that with a vintage fabric like this but also, I don’t really mind the staining. In person it is very light and on just small areas. And don’t even mind the tears in the one chair- I think it adds character. I love the little wheels on the legs and the charm and character in the old painted frames. I believe they are victorian era parlor chairs. Whatever they area- they are darling and full of character.
What do you think of these little chairs? Would you have brought them home too?
You can see another set of vintage tree branch chairs I brought home HERE
Happy Monday everyone!
teresa