Top 10 second-hand furniture pieces that could make you £6,960

By Jacqueline Wake Young

September 7 2022, 11:45 am

The trend for mid-century interiors means that furniture from those decades is in high demand.

Many homes are treasure troves of valuable furniture without their owners realising it, a new study has found.

The study analysed sold price data on eBay to identify the most valuable retro furniture items commonly found in UK homes and discovered that Brits are often selling items for much less than their real value.

The sleek lines of mid-century or ‘retro’ furniture now look very up to the minute.

The research by kitchen and bathroom retailer Tap Warehouse identified 10 second-hand furniture pieces that together could fetch just under £7,000, which would go a long way to a deposit on a new home, a car or a luxury holiday.

The mid-century aesthetic is highly desirable right now and while pieces can be bought new, retro collectors are interested in four brands in particular: Hille Robin Day, Ercol, G Plan and Merrow Associates.

Top 10 retro furniture items

1. Ercol plank dining table and chairs

Value: £1,065

If you’re unsure if you have an Ercol table, the ‘plank’ features a sleek rounded rectangle top with outward tapered legs. And underneath should be an Ercol stamp.

2. Mid-century Hille Robin Day sideboard

Value: £933

After analysing all the major retro furniture brands, the Hille/Robin Day sideboard is the most valuable. The average price at £933 is several hundred pounds more than Ercol and G Plan.

Decor of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s is very fashionable at the moment and preloved items are being mixed with new to achieve the look.

3. Vintage Ercol daybed

Value: £902

Despite the Ercol daybed being used and around 61 years old, the average sold price is £902. A new daybed would cost a fraction of that at £485 on average.

4. Hille Robin Day sofa

Value: £800

Hille, a British manufacturer established in 1906, hired designer Robin Day in 1949 to modernise their furnishings. The collaboration was so prolific they produced over 150 designs in just 44 years.

A vintage 1960s sideboard made from teak in Denmark.

5. Hillestak Robin Day chairs

Value: £737

Hillestak chairs are beautifully-crafted stackable chairs with a beech frame and walnut seat. The chairs have an iconic mid-century look and just one chair can sell for a whopping £270.

6. G Plan dining table and chairs

Value: £682

Look for a gold G Plan label or a red label if the item is from the mid-1960s to early 1990s. G Plan’s furniture often makes use of sleek straight lines so look for that too.

Ercol Ancona Breakfast Table, £699, Ercol Ava Chair, £259, available new from Furniture Village.

7. G Plan sideboard

Value: £606

It’s no shock that another sideboard has made the list with vintage sideboards being one of 2022’s hottest interior trends.

8. Merrow Associates Drinks Trolley

Value: £549

Merrow Associates exudes classic 1960s-1970s design. The company was founded in 1965 and its items were found in high-class stores like Harrods. One of the more iconic items is a drinks trolley, crafted from wood, chrome and glass.

Just one or two pieces inspired by mid-century design are enough to convey the retro theme.

9. G Plan ‘James Bond’ swivel chair

Value: £438

A G Plan 6250 chair was used by Bond villain Blofeld in 1963’s You Only Live Twice. The swivel chair was launched in 1962, discontinued in 1982, then re-released in 2012. An original is worth on average £438.

A current Ercol Ravello Sideboard, £1,095, available new from Furniture Village.

10. Ercol sideboard

Value: £364

In recent months vintage sideboards have become one of the most popular interior trends. Look out for small blue Ercol labels on metallic paper or gold roundels. Vintage pieces often have a lion above the name while newer items just have the logo.