Stickley Dressers: Are they Valuable?

Stickley Dresser

In August of 2022, we sold a beautiful eight drawer vintage Stickley Furniture Dresser. This particular dresser demonstrated incredible quality, and had a lovely warm cherry finish.

At that time, this dresser sold for $1085. Update for April of 2023, we estimate the same vintage dresser in the same condition to sell on a major platform for about $2800. Of course, we had refinished the Stickley dresser in order to bring it back to life. So, let’s take a look at this particular piece of fine heirloom quality vintage furniture.

Here were the specs of this dresser:
Item: Vintage Stickley Furniture Dresser in Solid Cherry.

Dimensions: 53.5″ wide x 21″ deep x 36″ tall.

As you can see, this dresser dates to the 1950s. It likely was part of Stickley’s Cherry Valley Collection, which centered around simple Shaker Style designs and light finishes. This particular line was introduced int he 1950s and became a hit. Most Cherry Valley pieces by Stickley have an early Colonial, or Early American design.

Indeed, this eight drawer dresser did not have a lot of frills, but still had a very elegant form. It has simple bracket feet and graduated drawers. Finally, it has simple solid brass hardware.

Particularly apparent in Stickley Furniture is the high level of craftsmanship. For instance, all the drawers have dovetailed joints in the front and back. Also, Stickley used “side-hung” drawers. This means that a groove is cut into each thick drawer side to keep it moving straight as its pulled in and out. In other words, no more crooked or uneven drawers.

In Stickley Furniture, form follows function.

The Value of Stickley Dressers

Certainly, the quality and restored finish helped this dresser sell for the price of Certainly, the quality and restored finish helped this dresser sell for the price of $1085085. Obviously, dressers demonstrating poorer finish or issues likely would be worth substantially less then $1000. Afterall, condition matters greatly in the second hand furniture market.

Generally, with vintage furniture from the mid to late 20th century, the level of condition can be summarized as follows:

• The Best Finish is Untouched, Unused, Mint Condition. The Dresser is free of blemishes and imperfections. All parts are original and in pristine working order.
• In second place, is a sensitive and quality restoration that restores the dresser to “almost original” look and condition. (This dresser probably fits at this level.)
• Furniture in Original Finish, but with some light flaws generally falls under the restored level. Light flaws can include scratches, small dings, tarnish on the hardware. However, the overall function and look has to be of very good standards.
• Finally, below this level is furniture in rough or “used” condition. Heavy blemishes make it unsightly, though not unusable. Sadly, this state makes most furniture virtually worthless.
• At the Very Bottom lies furniture in the broken, unusable, very poor condition. In this state, furniture likely gets donated or thrown away.