Pal, there was a very interesting piece in the NY Times this morning about MCM classics and all the knock-offs they've inspired. Here's a link to the article. Click on the slide show to see the interesting comparison photos that were printed in the paper.

As to your question, I haven't a clue. Not a market I know much about, since I have rarely had a client who collected or even wanted anything MCM.

Here is a link that might be useful: MCM Knock-off article

Those simply wouldn't be findable in my area, no matter the condition. Occasionally you might see a named original turn up on the Atlanta CL, but antique stores, etc. in Alabama simply don't get this stuff. Because nobody in Alabama had the stuff when it was new. And I can't imagine there would be anyone around her who would competently reupholster it.

I have to somewhat disagree with Jakabedy. We're in the same area and my parents completely gutted a house in 1955 to remodel. Many items purchased were MCM pieces and they still had many of the pieces 27 years ago when they moved. Have sold some since then, but still have their first anniversary bedroom set, a set of 4 Russell Woodard Sculptura wire mesh patio dining chairs (we used them inside and had light blue leather covers - Mom still has one in case someone wants it for a pattern), slate table and a set of four Woodard barstools.

DD2 has 2 of the 4 dining chairs. Their anniversary set is in a guest room and the barstools are still being used today in their kitchen (3rd house).

Until a few years ago, Dad still had his Danish modern blue leather sofa until Mother banished it to the basement - Dad hid crack across cushion withe knit throw for years (in his office). The chair is in the lower level tv room, still wearing it's original leather.

Jakabedy, don't you think the original owners of the MCM houses in Vestavia/Hoover area had Pal's chairs at some point? But I do agree you're more likely to find them in ATL. Hanna's has at least 1 MCM booth. Then there is the newer place in Homewood. Also Urban Suburban.

No opinion on what you think you would pay if you wanted one, or what you might be expected to pay though? They're iconic, is it that regional, really?

I've seen them for sale occasionally (although not at auction) and don't pay much attention because they just didn't wear well and rarely look good enough to want. They must be very comfy to get sat on enough to look like they've been sat on that much! There's a pretty blue one with an ottoman on my local CL but it looks quite recent.

Honestly, if I wanted one, I'd just get a new one. Those look a little mangy and I wouldn't want to use them as is. Given the choice between reupholstering or getting the same darn thing new, I would probably go for the easier way.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/fuo/3297574971.html

allison -

My take has been that mid-century era stuff that was popular around here was more in the Hollywood Regency mode, or the mod-colonial mode, or French Provincial, with a dash of the more conservative side of Danish Modern: all of a more traditional bent. I just don't think there just was much used in the way of the more daring MCM designers and the more iconic and groundbraking pieces, like pal's Saarinen Womb Chairs. But there will always be outliers.

I do haunt the usual retailer suspects for MCM pieces. But they seldom have anything iconic. Soho Retro might, occasionally, but it's not sourced locally. He goes on a lot of buying trips to Florida and points North and West.

Pal -

As to value on yours, I would really struggle trying to price them, because I would really struggle with trying find someone to reupholster them correctly, so I wouldn't know how much it would cost me to get them redone. I think that's the danger with pieces like that -- especially when there are authorized reissues (and countless knock-offs of varying quality) available.

So if my options were your chairs, two new Knoll chairs for a combined $6,000 (sans ottomans) or two reasonably well-constructed knock-offs with ottomans for a combined $1,500, I'd have to say I'd go knock-off. If I were to be a purist and rule out the knock-offs, I would either wait until I could afford a new Knoll, or wait until a vintage chair in better condition became available.

I don't think you will find a pair for under $6600 new, in the lowest grade fabric (which is still nice, but about 1/6th the price per yard of the really nice stuff). It's also not possible through some vendors to get certain Knoll fabrics or the black frame, they only deal with limited options.

I think Knoll pretty tightly controls their minimum pricing, kinda like Sub-Zero/Wolf.

The Womb is such a specifically-designed iconic piece of furniture that the knock-off is really out and out piracy, so I would not buy the knockoff in this instance. Saarinen took impressions of people's bodies as part of the design process, as I understand it, and it is available in 100%, 85% scale, and child-size. They are very comfortable.

If you have someone who can reupholster these, it becomes a matter of economics. Can you get more for your money new or old?

Mid century modern does Not take patina well, for the most part, and this is why refinishing it does not particularly affect its value unless it is a super rare early piece. I would never buy a Saarinen table with chipped laminate or yellowed coated marble, because it just looks beat up. Traditional furniture takes wear better.

I don't know exact $$, but here on CL they'd probably be at a dealer vs. private owner, so I'm sure they'd be a higher price.

They still make them, right?

I've had not the greatest luck finding skilled tradespeople so I'd be unlikely to purchase them used. Reupholstering those is way out of my skill set.

How comfy are they? Really comfortable or extremely?

Even with the foam hard as a rock they are comfortable. A new one is very comfortable, in an enveloping way.

They have never stopped production, so having a vintage one is not really different than having a new one (unless in a rare fabric).

When I briefly toyed with the idea of buying an ebay knockoff, I found that the devil was in the details. Slight differences in measurements make *all* the difference in terms of ergonomics. That's the genius of Saarinen. I guess the knockoffs aren't allowed to copy measurements precisely? Or are they just lazy and going for easier measurements to mass produce? But I eventually talked myself out of the knockoffs because every time I could just imagine feeling the 'off'ness of the angles and lengths every time I sat in it.

A lot of the knockoffs are made in China and not very well constructed. I believe the joint on the Barcelona chair is patented so it can't be duplicated exactly. I don't find Barcelona chairs particularly comfortable, but the knock-offs are deadly imo.

FYI I paid, including auction price, premium and sales tax slightly under $2000.00 for the pair and this was in an unreserved auction with a bit of competitive bidding but I came out under high estimate. These were considered a good deal, if you can believe it. A pair of Womb chairs in the fabric I would likely choose would probably be close to $8000 new, and I can come in Way under that doing it this way, plus spread it out over a couple years.

Sooooooooooooooooooooooo...will you recover them? And with what? This particular chair can look so good in the right fabric and so mediocre in the wrong one. I trust you'll do them justice. :)

Didn't you just buy one a while ago?

These are them. There were several in poor shape that I was prepared to bid on.

They will be recovered in something Knoll, and possibly something from Knoll Archive. Both or the original fabrics on these were nice when new.

These are they.

Here they are... something like that.

"Yes" would work too. ;)

Oh, I see. Was it Rago? Trying to remember... At any rate, you did very well and I look forward to seeing them reupholstered. They're my dream chair.