There are many reasons to decorate your home via the secondhand market, but here we outline the 10 most important.
10. Give in to nostalgia
With each passing generation, a whole category of objects succumbs to the label of 'vintage' and falls into the category of collectibles. So when some (especially children of the 1980s and '90s) think of Nike Air Jordan, Pokémon, Garbage Pail Kids or Game & Watch consoles, childhood memories resurface and a sweet sense of nostalgia sets in.
Related: The Emerging Category of Rare Sneakers
As Pontus Silfverstolpe, co-founder of Barnebys confirms, "Often the highest value is emotional value." The second-hand market is a real gold mine and, with a little perseverance, it's possible to find rare pearls. And what could be more fun than revisiting your fondest memories of childhood?
9. Save the world
Buying furniture made in 1950 today has very little or no impact on the environment. Antique furniture or vintage fashion, for example, are much more durable than contemporary creations and can change owners several times and thus constantly feed the secondhand market. Buying vintage is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and recycle.
Related: Is Vintage Clothing the Answer to Fast Fashion’s Impact on the Planet?
"The amount of waste on earth is alarming and we owe it to consumerism, which has prevailed since the end of World War II," says Silfverstolpe. "Those who buy at auctions today have a completely different attitude than previous generations."
8. Save money
Despite preconceptions, buying at auction doesn't necessarily cost an arm and leg. In fact, it is possible to get great deals. Right now, for example, one of Sweden's biggest auction houses is auctioning the Superellips table by Bruno Mathsson with an estimate of $300. Based on Barnebys' price bank, several versions sold in 2023 for the average price of $350. In comparison, a brand-new model costs over $2,000.
Related: Need to Know: Tips for Buying at Auction
7. Be unique
Thanks to blogs, social media and design magazines, most people know that unique pieces can make all the difference in an interior. While some auction catalogs offer the same creations by the same designers over and over (their most famous pieces of furniture or those produced in larger series), some rarer pieces also appear from time to time.
The Thunderball chair, for example, is a piece of furniture that most people recognize and appreciate. But how many know the other creations of Eero Aarnio? The Focus 2, Prisma, and Cognac chairs are, for example, less common but just as original. None of these models can be found in stores today, only on the second-hand market.
Related: Barnebys' Guide to Vintage Scandinavian Design
"In recent years, those interested in interior design have been more daring," says Silfverstolpe. "Today, people have more eclectic tastes and don't hesitate to mix antiques with designer furniture from the 20th century, and in particular with Scandinavian design, which is still so popular."
6. Rekindle interest in designers
Finnish designer Eero Aarnio, like many of his contemporaries, is very popular in the secondhand market. The demand for his designs was such that the company Eero Aarnio Originals was established in 2016. About 15 of Aarnio's pieces of furniture are produced there, including the Thunderball armchair and the Pastill and Bubble chairs.
Another example is Alvar Aalto's Artek company which has started producing, among others, the Mademoiselle and Crinolette models by Ilmari Tapiovaara, and the Karuselli armchair by Yrjö Kukkapuro.
Related: Alvar Aalto: A Finnish Hero
The public interest in these designers has restarted production. Taking an interest in vintage pieces helps to perpetuate the history of important figures in the field of design.
5. Reveal hidden treasures
In the abundance of objects present on the secondhand market, many are still waiting to be discovered. For example, it is no longer possible today to find a new Flamingo chair by Thea Leonard. The model belongs to the archives and sometimes appears in the secondary market, but much of the designer's work is missing, because the clues about her furniture disappeared after her death in Zurich in 1972. Who knows? While browsing the market, one may discover pieces missing from the annals of design.
Related: 6 Sensational Attic Finds
Related: Børge Mogensen: Simple and Functional Danish Design
4. Honor the craft
Furniture-making is an old tradition. Until the beginning of the 20th century, most furniture was handcrafted by a local craftsman. There were many producers and to be successful, the products had to be varied.
Carl Hansen & Søn is a Danish family furniture company based on the island of Funen. This is the company behind many models of classic furniture from great figures of the Danish modern movement. The firm has notably produced furniture by Hans Wegner, Børge Mogensen, and Kaare Klint. Carl Hansen was 27 when he founded the company at the turn of the 20th century. Although his family did not know any entrepreneurs, Hansen had a clear goal in mind. According to him, he was "the best craftsman in town". He was not mistaken, and even as industrialism swept the world, he invested in machines for mass production.
Related: A Brief Guide to Danish Design
“Of course, there are still a lot of high prices in the secondhand market, especially for the works of design pioneers that have been produced manually, like those by Finn Juhl and Niels Vodder. Nevertheless, the average price of furniture or objects made with real craftsmanship can be still extremely low on the auction market, considering the quality," adds Silfverstolpe.
Even though the furniture was mass produced, consumers were still looking for good craftsmanship. The companies that at the time mass produced while skimping on quality simply did not last. So why not opt for a chair from the 1920s with fine details that testifies to the existence of extraordinary craftsmanship?
3. Make a statement
From Keith Haring's art made to bring attention to the fight against HIV in the 1980s, or Judy Chicago's feminist installation The Dinner Party, there are many works created by artists and designers who have dedicated their art to a cause. These works today have a symbolic value. Vintage artworks and furniture can make an important political or social statement today.
Related: The 10 Most Popular Furniture Designers
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2. Learn about history
Did you know that James Bond actor Sean Connery is sitting in Gaetano Pesce's beautiful chair Up 2000 in the film Diamonds Are Forever? Did you know that there is a photo of Margaret Thatcher being interviewed in the Mondo office chair created by Swedish designer Karl-Erik Ekselius? Or that John F. Kennedy sat in Hans J Wegner's chair during the first live presidential candidate debate in 1960?
Related: Gaetano Pesce's UP 2000: 'Big Mama' is Growing
With the help of vintage furniture and paintings, it is possible to revisit history and learn about the evolution of design.
1. Start a conversation
And when you know the story behind a piece of furniture, it is of course very fun to impart this knowledge to guests and fellow design aficionados. A chair is not only comfortable to sit in, it can also be a conversation piece.
Find more articles in Barnebys Magazine
This is an updated version of an article originally published on September 4, 2020.
