Happy New Year! I took a nice little weeklong break from the blog last week and I feel totally recharged and ready for the new year. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and wish you the best first day back.
I wanted to compile a list of where I shop for second hand/antique furniture so I could have a list to refer back to when people ask or want to search for themselves! I've been at this for about a month now, and while I am no pro, I have found some pretty great places and items that I wanted to share.
With COVID, I've been doing most of my shopping online through different apps and websites. I would love to shop in-store but it's not necessary and I've actually found that many stores have gone digital during these times.
The great thing is, since these are all online, you can shop too! Almost all the places below can be tailored to your local area or ship for an additional fee. My biggest takeaway is to take your time when you search. Things don't pop up right away, the best stuff takes a little digging. But something will always come up!
Happy shopping :)
Where I Find Antique and Vintage Furniture
Online:
I love Facebook Marketplace! I have a helpful blog post here on how I shop and find good things, but there is a lot of digging involved. Once you get the hang of it and truly spend time searching and saving, the diamonds in the rough start to shine through. I've gotten SO many great things from Facebook Marketplace and it's really led me on the path of buying second-hand/older furniture. Be careful because it's addicting!
Just like FB, you can find a lot of great things here. I've been eBaying since college and I love to use it to source older items. What's great about eBay versus FB is that the sellers are a lot more descriptive, more responsive, more professional (IMO), and they have a better search. Usually, sellers on eBay know what they're doing so you get more photos, can see reviews easier, your payments are protected, and most everything ships. I've been looking for stuff and then setting my sort to "nearest first" to try and find items that are local. If they are, I avoid any shipping fees by picking them up.
I also can use more vague and specific terms on eBay, which I like, whereas on FB sometimes people list it as "fabulous couch" which doesn't help anything. I feel like eBay can be a scary place for some but truly it's such a great resource to use!
These are both great, more well known resale companies. Both are great and have a TON of items. I do find I lean toward Charish more because 1st Dibs is SO EXPENSIVE. It really is kind of crazy and I don't know why. I mean, I accidentally saved a 79k sidetable. What?? I use the Charish app and just browse when I'm looking for something specific. I have yet to buy but they do offer a white glove shipping service (anywhere from like $200-800 depending on the item) which is nice. Mainly I've been using it to find things I like and search for them cheaper somewhere else.
A lot of you have recommended this site/app to me. I think it has to do a lot with your area and I've found that there's not a ton of furniture on here near me (not as much as other estate/auction sites). I've had little luck, but see if you find something better!
This was a game changer for me. I use it as an app, but it's an all-in-one place to find estate sells in your area. They pull in almost everything happening near by and it's been awesome. So many great things and the app is old looking but it works. You just find what you like and click to take you to the auction site it's listed on.
These are two sites that I've purchased from that I've found via EstateSales.Net. Both have almost identical interfaces but have a ton of great stuff (at least locally they do). I'll check new items about once a week, search for a handful of different items/terms, save my favorites, and get text alerts for when auctions are ending. Like all auction houses, they do charge an extra % on top of the final price. Just be sure to read all the descriptions and terms carefully so you're not surprised by anything.
I probably use Etsy the least, but I have found a lot of random great things on there. Usually because I'm searching for something else, but never count out Etsy! I love to look to them for decor items, rugs, hardware, and artwork.
Google Search
A lot of times when I find a piece that I like, I'll Google the name/similar names to find either that exact item or similar items, other sellers, and other prices to check and see what the going rate is. Google is your friend -- especially Google images. They will lead you to other sellers and websites that you would not have found on your own.
Local Stores:
Obviously there are a ton of stores out there but these are ones I've specifically looked/shopped at. I can continue to update these as I've shopped at new stores. One thing to note is I've found all of these stores via the online places above. Just pay attention to who the seller is/where they're located.
The Local Vault (CT)Greenwich Antiques (CT)Bucks County Estate Traders (PA) Stenella Antiques (PA)Liberty & 33rd (IN)
