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There definitely is You should never overlook valuable collectibles when shopping at an estate saleBut sometimes, the best deals are already inside your home. As any fan of “Antiques Roadshow” will tell you, you tune in to see unsuspecting guests discover that their vintage cabinets are actually designer antiques worth thousands. If you have a William and Mary chest of drawers in your home, this could be you. Sometimes labeled as an early baroque style, William and Mary furniture was created between 1690 and 1730, named after the British monarchs of the time. It was instrumental in the creation of dovetail joining and is delicate in its design, qualities that make it extremely valuable to modern collectors. At auction, small William and Mary chests go for a few thousand dollars, while larger, more distinctive pieces (such as those with oyster veneer) can go for more than $40,000.
Aside from their monetary value, many ordinary people already have busts of William and Mary in their homes because of their beauty. Perhaps they inherited the furniture from family, or bought it later Shop like a pro in the Facebook Marketplace … often from a seller who didn’t know what they had. They are simple in style and go with almost everything. “I think they blend into a lot of interiors — traditional, English, Spanish,” said designer Nathan Turner. Country living. “They’re great for nightstands, entry pieces, or living room trays and a bar set on top of them.”
Identifying and valuing your William and Mary chest
William and Mary chests are so valuable because they exhibit early American craftsmanship. When settlers first came across the Atlantic, they didn’t bring their fancy furniture with them. Instead, the pieces were built on shore and, in the early days, were fairly simple. As new settlements took hold, the quality and detail of furniture improved. The William and Mary Chest represents society’s shift from existence to comfort. When identifying William and Mary chests, you should note that the pieces are usually raised off the ground, and are angled by thin legs. This motif was repeated in fragments in style. They also have veneers attached to the front of the chest. These are quite detailed and meant to represent luxury. As mentioned, dovetail joints are also a prominent feature of the style.
Hope you didn’t get a William and Mary chest Ruined under layers of paint. If not, contact a local auction house for a quote based on its condition and features. They will also need to confirm that it is an authentic antique piece and not a modern reproduction. However, pieces with modifications can also be worth thousands if they are particularly rare, such as the line-and-berry inlaid walnut chest, which was listed at Sotheby’s with an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000.
You can also browse resale sites, from eBay to Sotheby’s, for listings that match your chest. By comparing similar pieces, you can arrive at a relative valuation. That said, furniture like this is worth holding onto for a while. They make excellent family heirlooms and are likely to increase in value with age if kept in good condition.
