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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Bertha Schaefer desk

Several weeks ago, my SIL found a desk that he knew was too good to pass up, but it was a much more expensive piece than he had ever bought before. It was a very rare desk designed by Bertha Schaefer for M. Singer & Sons, which was made of Italian walnut, with a single center drawer, a flaring letter tray on top and beautiful tapered legs. (I had actually posted about the same desk months before, never dreaming we would have something of that quality for sale before being in business a year.) Refusing to be deterred by the price, he contacted a well-known Dallas dealer and persuaded him to go 50/50 on the purchase.

The other dealer listed it on 1stdibs, and he just called my SIL to let him know it sold. We're happy about our very profitable partnership!

Bertha Schaefer desk for M. Singer & Sons - SOLD!
collage.1stdibs.com

9 comments:

  1. What can I say? This piece is stunning.
    I'm amazed how items move so quickly in your store!

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    1. To be fair, the dealer who partnered with my SIL on this deal has decades in the business and is known internationally, so his ad on 1stdibs carried a lot of weight. To give my SIL his due, though, he did find a phenomenal piece of furniture! He has developed a great eye...and the number of hours he puts into finding just the right pieces for the store is staggering.

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  2. That is one beautiful piece of furniture!

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    1. Some gorgeous desks came out of that era, but I think this is my favorite.

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  3. I don't know if I could have let that one go! Just think how sexy one's junk mail would look sitting in that letter tray.

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    1. Believe me, if I could have afforded it, that desk would be holding my junk mail right this minute, but they sold it for more than the combined price of every piece of furniture in my house...and my appliances too. That's the downside of this business. Eventually you find yourself selling pieces you can't afford to own...LOL

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    2. Wow! That must have been some chunk of change. I'd love to get into the mid-mod reselling business, but I don't think that I could part with all the cool things you come across. Keep an eye out for me on "Hoarders" one day.

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  4. Replies
    1. I could just sit and look at this desk for hours!

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