Anatomy of a Find: The Brass Mastercraft Chairs I Scored at a Salvation Army

What I paid, where I found them, and how much I sold them for

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Any time I share a really valuable thrift find on Instagram, I get at least a dozen comments from people saying, “Well, it might be going for a high price on 1st Dibs, but you couldn’t actually sell it for that.”

So, let’s talk about how much I actually sold one of my thrift finds for — and chart its full life cycle (at least, the part of its life that coincided with mine) in the process.

In my first Anatomy of a Find, I detailed what I paid and how I found a Gio Ponti-designed, Fornasetti-produced desk — one covered in a lacquered butterfly pattern and with brass legs. (Spoiler alert: it’s worth upwards of $25,000 and I paid…. a lot less than that.)

For this second installment, I wanted to chart another great find — one that I actually sold. So I can explain where and how I found it, what I paid, and ultimately what I sold it for.

I say this a lot but it’s an important caveat: value is subjective. Especially when it comes to vintage furniture, art, and home decor. Yes, a big, designer name adds value — but so does scarcity. If you have something no one else has, people will pay more to have it themselves.

Such was the case with this incredible thrift store find: a set of six 1970s Mastercraft dining chairs, made entirely of brass (except for the professionally upholstered seats).