omg, what a shame; might as well give it away.....

You didn't want it anymore, and now someone will be able to get it at a great price and enjoy it for years to come.
That's a GOOD thing... and far better than having it get ruined in a basement!

I completely agree with western. You gave the furniture to your son. BOTH he and his wife decided to sell it. (you mentioned "she" a lot like it was only your daughter-in-laws decision) They asked you if they could sell it. You said yes. They sold it.

Could you have sold it instead of giving it to your son and his wife? I am sure you could have. But you didn't. Furniture gets passed along in many families. Some people keep it, others sell it. We are always thrilled when someone takes something off our hands that we no longer have use for. We don't have to move it or deal with it.

I feel that there is nothing sad about this "sad furniture tale." I actually thought by the title of this thread that there was a fire or something. Try to look at your old dining set as the gift that keeps on giving. You used and enjoyed this furniture. Your son and his wife sold it and got a little extra cash to do with what they need to. How wonderful that another family is now enjoying meals at your old table. Your oval table has now come full circle!

Thanks, Sisters 3. Maybe I needed a wake-up call. Maybe my problem was the daughter-in-law taking over. I just wish she had tried to get a better price and I hope someone is really enjoying it. Thanks.

Please don't thank me nanabella. Sometimes we all need a different perspective. By the way, I love your name nanabella. I bet you really are a beautiful grandmother!

I agree in principal...you gave it away and it was theirs to do with as they chose....but it rather seems to me that "she" didn't realize the value of good furniture and sold it way too cheaply.
You thought you gave them something of value and if they couldn't use it, perhaps they might sell it and buy something they could use. They could have placed an ad and advertised it properly and gotten a little money out of it...but instead they got $100.
But...let that be a lesson. Even Hockory Chair lovely furniture becomes just "used stuff" after you have had it for even a year or so....
Buy antiques! They never become just
used furniture"
Linda C

Yes .. maybe in principle it's okay, but if I handed down anything of value to my kids -- say, good jewelry or art -- and they pawned it for $15, it would be annoying. I understand nanabella!

Hi Nanabella.

I'd probably get sent to time out if I made a direct link to another website, but there's a popular TV-based decorating board that has almost the exact same discussion this morning, although there it comes from the other side--the DIL--and at this point she still has her MIL's table. This is what the Generation Gap is about: not pot, not sex. Furniture. All I can say was I was fortunate to be born with ancestors who had decent taste. Either that or I inherited their tastes along with their furniture.

I think the real issue is not DIL's taste--or lack thereof--but her cluelessness when it comes to money. The table is just a symptom of the larger problem. If you don't like something, that's fine. But selling it for almost nothing is simply stupid. Let's hope your son makes really good money. He'll need it.

Regards,
MAGNAVERDE.

Well, I mis-spoke. That thread's right next door on our own decorating board. M.

The value of something is in the eye of the beholder. I already know that our beautiful furniture will all be sold off when we die as our children have vastly different taste from us. I am sure most every thing will be sold for a song. But I think of it this way...our children will never enjoy it, so I would rather it be sold for a song to someone who will enjoy it and use it than have it sit in the homes of our children where it will simply collect dust.

realdreamer, can I pass along my phone number so I can be the lucky buyer?? :-)

Maybe their tastes will change ... that does happen.

DH's sister is widowed with no kids.

She once mentioned to him that her Queen Anne cherry dining room set is his when she dies. He looked at her and said "What makes you think I want it?" (HE dislikes cherry and leans towards the cleaner Shaker/A&C styles.) She was shocked - she assumed that he wants her whole household of stuff.

I hope she finds someone who wants it before she passes, or we will be selling it off for ANY price. HE neither wants it nor wants to move it 50 miles.

Maybe just a different take. Antiques are wonderful but a Hickory Chair James River group is an antique in the making. I realize furniture less than 100 years old may not have great value but $200???? Come on..... If I had 5 dining room sets in my house I would buy this set over the phone sight unseen and pay to ship it 1500 miles. This is highway robbery!

James River was one of the best executed traditional groups in recent furniture history and Hickory Chair is one of the best values in this design categories. I understand your frustration with DIL but unfortunately she was taken advantage of by the consignment shop. Best case, it is operated by inept people who have no idea what they are doing. Worse case, they are crooks who sell it to themselves and sell it at a different location for $2000 (still low) later.

I have four married children and have given them so much furniture. (We had two apartments in Tokyo and Hong Kong that I had furnished, besides our house) There were a couple of times that I cringed learning that they had disposed of something.. Something I thought they would want to keep.

I've had to learn that once it goes to them, unless I've said, "give it back if you don't want it anymore", I have to keep quiet. It is theirs to do with as they please. I've learned to not even ask what happened to it. As my uncle says, "Keep your mouth shut and wear beige". Makes for a much better relationship with married children.

I learned my DB/DS did something similiar and upset my parents so now I set myself up for no disapointment. We gave our daughter a great deal but only two had sentimental value that I said if she is ever going to get rid of to let us know we would probably want back. I often think taking family items can be an Albatross. I can't sell the few things I have yet really don't want so I offer to other family members.

MAGNAVERDE, I'll post the link. I really thought it was a timely discussion as boomers are aging and starting to pass on household items.

Gloria

Here is a link that might be useful: link on gardenweb regarding MIL dining table