Old IKEA furniture: treasures for your home or hidden profits?

Old IKEA furniture: treasures for your home or hidden profits?

Vintage furniture is currently more trendy than ever before. Old pieces from IKEA in particular are very popular among collectors. These pieces of furniture, which were once considered mass-produced goods, have experienced an impressive increase in value in recent years. Loud exxpress.at Some of this IKEA furniture could sell for surprising amounts well above its original price.

One of the most famous examples is the Cavelli armchair, which was sold in 1959 for just 25 euros and changed hands in 2022 for an incredible price of 15,500 pounds (approx. 17,500 euros). The Impala armchair from the 1970s, originally available for 37 euros, is now worth around 2,300 euros. Figures like these are evidence that many old IKEA furniture is not just bulky waste, but rather represents real treasures.

Popular design classics and auctions

Many of these cult pieces of furniture are offered at collector’s prices on the vintage portal “Catawiki”. They recently curated an exclusive auction with IKEA design classics, as by oe24 reported. The next auction ends on May 25, 2025 and will include numerous sought-after pieces, including Karin Mobring's “Natura” armchair, estimated at 1,100 to 1,400 euros, and Niels Gammelgaard's bookcase, valued at around 400 euros.

Designers like Carl Öjerstam, Karin Mobring and Niels Gammelgaard are known for their timeless pieces. The most wanted objects include not only chairs and armchairs, but also vases, bookshelves and lamps. For example, the 1993 “Vilbert” chair fetched 1,300 euros at auction in 2021, while a set of four PS JONSBERG vases by Hella Jongerius fetched 2,450 euros – the original price level was just 35 euros per vase.

From mass-produced goods to collector's items

Another notable player in the vintage market is the “Guide” shelf, designed by Niels Gammelgaard in 1985. This shelf, which originally cost 65 euros, is now trading for around 1,300 euros. The color scheme and user-friendly design also appeal to many lovers of modern interiors, including the urban furnishing styles returning in 2023.

The history of the “Impala” sofa is particularly interesting. It was designed in the early 1970s by Gillis Lundgren, who lost a bet for a bottle of whiskey from IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad after the sofa unexpectedly became a bestseller. The sofa's name could be based on the Chevrolet Impala, which was popular in the 1970s and was also found in Sweden.

Given two trends - the continued increase in value of such vintage furniture and the continued interest in unique designs - buyers and sellers should take a look at their old furniture while spring cleaning. You may have a collectible in your own possession that could fetch a significant sum at auction. The clues from ad-magazin.de show that the market for such pieces is lively and lucrative. After all, who could imagine that the old piece of furniture from your own living room could soon become a valuable heirloom?