The Mid-Century Modern Furniture That's Now Worth Thousands

Mid-century modern — a design style that dominated the post-World War II era from about 1945 to the 1970s — was defined by its simplicity, clean lines, and use of synthetic materials like plastic and metal, though it also incorporated natural materials such as wood and leather. Furniture from this era was all about accommodating mass-production, and the style is still widely copied today. But if you can get your hands on an original piece by a well-known designer, it could potentially be worth thousands of dollars.

A big reason why some original mid-century modern pieces are worth such a pretty penny is that they're more than just furniture. In fact, original pieces crafted by certain designers qualify as bonafide pieces of fine art because the designers themselves were, and still are, considered artists. A set of two chairs by designer Pierre Jeanneret, for example, can sell for up to $85,000 on some antique marketplaces, but you can also find Jeanneret's work at New York City's Museum of Modern Art.

An original piece of mid-century modern furniture is also an appealing investment to many people because it's not only beautiful — it's also functional, which is one of the major reasons this design style took off in the first place. Although there are lots of creative ways to style antique decor, and there are many antique items that are dominating 2025 thrifting trends, the practical reality is that it can be difficult to incorporate an extravagant Victorian antique into your modern home decor without it feeling out of place. Mid-century modern decor, however, is incredibly versatile, functional, and still copied by many furniture designs today — making it easy to seamlessly incorporate vintage pieces from this era into a 21st-century home.

Mid-century modern is a home decor style that experts say will never go out of style, so you can't really go wrong with furniture from this era. That being said, some pieces carry more monetary value than others. A lot of it comes down to who the original designer or creator of the piece was and whether they were well-known. For example, anything by famous Danish designer Hans Wegner is certain to fetch a high price at auction. Furniture by famed married design duo Charles and Ray Eames has also sold at auction for thousands of dollars.

The unique history of the particular piece you own is also significant. Antique dealers refer to this as provenance, or the record of ownership of a piece. If the chair or table was owned by a celebrity or part of a famous collection, buyers will be willing to pay a lot more to acquire it. And of course, the condition of the furniture also makes a huge difference in its worth. Ideally, it will look as new as possible, as any damage will bring down a piece's value. In order for it to fetch an optimal price, the item should also be as original and unaltered as possible, meaning it hasn't been restored or refurbished — or if it has, the work needs to have been done impeccably well.