The Vintage Wood Brand Everyone Overlooks At The Thrift Store

Thrift stores are often packed with dusty furniture in varying conditions. It's hard to tell if any of it could be valuable, and trying to find out can feel like a hassle. However, some wooden treasures are worth the hunt, especially if you encounter old furniture made by Ethan Allen. Founded in Vermont in 1932, Ethan Allen began producing quality, stylish wood furniture in 1939. The brand is known for its colonial-inspired pieces made with solid wood craftsmanship.

While the company is still active and thriving today, Ethan Allen's vintage pieces are quite valuable. Furniture made by the company before the 1990s was almost exclusively produced in the United States. A piece's resale value depends on its age and condition, as well as consumer demand. It's common for vintage Ethan Allen pieces to sell for hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars — a fact that many thrifters may not realize.

If you're a collector yourself or just want to furnish your home for a bargain, you can't go wrong with a tasteful blend of old and new furniture. Whether you decide to sell it for a profit or keep it for your own home, you should never pass up a piece of vintage Ethan Allen furniture at the thrift store.

The easiest way to confirm a piece of furniture is vintage Ethan Allen is to look for the brand's label and markings. This may be in the form of a stamp, sticker, or metal plate, and is commonly located inside a drawer or at the bottom of the piece. If a label isn't present, you can still determine if a piece was made by Ethan Allen by having it evaluated by an expert.

Ethan Allen is known for colonial-style furniture, so looking for pieces in this style is a great place to start. The colonial style is characterized by carved details, ball-and-claw feet, and natural motifs. The kind of wood the furniture is made of is also important. Woods such as oak, maple, birch, and cherry are commonly used in colonial-style furniture. Some of the brand's most enduring pieces include the four-poster bed, wingback chair, and American Revolution-inspired dining table. 

You may also want to familiarize yourself with specific product lines Ethan Allen has phased out over the years. Identifying these styles is one way to avoid overlooking a vintage Ethan Allen piece while thrifting, and if you do find one, it can help you estimate the piece's approximate age.

One of Ethan Allen's oldest and most valuable collections is the Colonial Revival line, produced from the 1930s to the 1950s. This line reimagined classic American furniture from the 1700s — hence the colonial moniker. The furniture styles from this era include Queen Anne, Chippendale, and Hepplewhite.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, Ethan Allen adapted to quickly changing trends. The brand's take on Midcentury modern design primarily focused on modern functionality. The Sierra, Secretariat, and Country French lines featured clean lines and less ornate finishings than some of the brand's previous pieces. Similarly, the Marseille and Salem Falls lines prioritized open legs and simple silhouettes.

Ethan Allen also catered to the demand for luxury design from the 1960s to the 1980s. Tiffany and Anastasia were among its lines of luxury furniture. Pieces from the Anastasia line are highly embellished. They can be identified by their gold accents, appliqués, and general baroque sensibility. The Tiffany line represented the opposite end of luxury. These pieces were adorned with two-toned finishes and subtle inlays that showcased the quality of the wood.