May 21, 20180 found this helpful
When you ask the question "what is it worth" do you mean value for insurance purposes or do you wish to know what it might could be sold for?
- There is usually a wide difference between the value shown for insurance (an appraisal) and what someone might be willing to pay for an item.
- There are quite a few cedar chests available on several web sites and the asking prices vary widely so it is really difficult to place a "for sale" value on any one style as several things will determine the real value (what someone will pay).
- First is the overall condition of the chest and then the area where the chest is located. Very few people will pay the high cost of shipping an item this large and this heavy so where you live will usually be the biggest determining factor for a cedar chest like this.
- Cedar chests are not really a popular item and it is not something a collector would usually be interested in so you are now looking at a very small "interested" audience that basically lives in your area.
- You may find similar cedar chests selling for $200 or more (usually people tend to pay more for Lane over Murphy chests) but that may be in an entirely different type of area than where you reside.
- Many sellers keep relisting (month after month) hoping they will find an interested buyer and some do but not too many pay a high price for a Murphy chest.
- Here is a link showing the cedar chests sold on eBay (the largest site) over the past several months. Mostly what sold are Lane cedar chests as I did not see a Murphy in the list but check for yourself.
- www.ebay.com/.../i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524...
- If you wish to sell your chest it may bring more money if you list it on your local Craigslist.
- Craigslist is easy to use and usually free to individual sellers and anyone interested could see the item firsthand and there would be no shipping involved.
- You could start your price higher than $200 and reduce it if no none shows an interest.
Your style of chest was usually placed at the foot of a bed and the top was used as a bench.
I have a tapestry covered lid Murphy cedar chest with the number 7273 on it. It has a wooden engraved wheat design on the front and two handles. What is it worth? I bought in the 1980s.
