Would you...?

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ProutyBoy

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I came across a couple of deck chairs while cleaning out a garage. The first thing that stuck out to me is that they are real teak and brass so I separated them and saved them from the dumpster. The owner knows and didn't want them. After further inspection, I noticed two plated on them. One said "First Class Only," and the other, "Queen Elizabeth." Although I haven't had the chance to get them authenticated yet, I'm assuming they are from the White Star's Queen Elizabeth...a sister to the Titanic. This ship was first used in 1941 as troop transport, then in 1946 as a cruise liner. In, I believe, 1951, it caught fire, was docked in Japan and scrapped out. I haven't been able to find much on the chairs other than one other person that had a set and had bought them in Tokyo.

So my thinking is: A) keep them as deck chairs, get them authenticated, and maybe sell them (they'll just sit in my garage otherwise) or B) get them authenticated, slice them into blanks and incorporate the brass and make some limited edition pens.

I can see benefits to both. One preserving them in their original form, and the other, keeping history alive by creating another heirloom.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
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The percentage of people that ACTUALLY care about these chairs is probably small. For me, it would be a bottom dollar decision.
 
Zach,

I lean the same way. I think people would be more nostalgic about them as pens. Thanks for the feedback.
 
I agree. I nice box with replicas of the plate you have on top would be interesting.
 
If these chairs are authentic, it would seem criminal to cannibalize them for a few dollars. I've seen to many pieces of history destroyed in the name of greed. Babe Ruth bats sliced up and glued to baseball cards. Mickey Mantle jerseys cut into one-inch squares and sold. Yankee Stadium torn down and sold off piece by piece. Just exactly where is the nostalgic value? Where is the historical value?

Just a thought.
 
Do more research, call an expert and ask questions about getting them authenticated. Is it worth it? What's the cost? Do they think anyone would be interested in buying what you have found? Be informed, then make the decision best for you.
 
I understand and respect the history portion of the thread..

I still think if I wasn't going to "use" them myself and I planned on selling them one way or another, I'd follow the dollar ($) Whole or parts, I mine as well make what I can off of them. Who nows, the person you sell them to as authentic chairs, may cut them up and sell them as authentic pens... Just my $.02
 
Being in the antique business for years, nothing surprises me anymore.

Yes there are people that sailed on the QE and would want something like these chairs as memorabilia. Because of that you can pretty much name your price within reason. For something of historic (used lightly) value figure about twice the value of a similar item without the authentication. So if restored these chairs would bring $250 then figure about $500 if authentic. (values used are just pulled from the air, not a guess on the chair values) Not too sure about how you would get them authenticated. You might do better money wise to cut them into blanks and sell the blanks as well as maybe a couple of boards for desks sets.

Anyway, yes the market is small, but it is much larger than you might think. Who would be interested, the short list.
People who sailed on the QE
People who had family that sailed on the QE
Troops that went to Europe on the QE
People that are into the White Line history and memorabilia
People who collect Nautical items.
 
FWIW, the RMS Queen Elizabeth was not a sister ship to the Titanic. The Titanic's sister ships were the RMS Olympic and the RMS Brittanic.
 
Just for info. More google search links available and not bad pricing. No mention of authentic or not.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2941365

The historical inpact of destroying something like this may not effect "us" personally but the world community looses so much with simple destruction. I absolutely love antiques and as a woodworker seriously appreciate the work these craftsman went to to create their works of art.
 
upon further research, it was a Cunard ship, not White Star. And my dates were close, but not correct. Doesn't change much. I think I'll keep them as chairs. Maybe one day buy a yacht with all my pen selling money and it will adorn the Lido deck. :)
 
Personally, i'd have them authenticated, and then find out what they would go for, either individually or as a set (if they are from the same ship). There may be a few museums that may take interest in them. Us North Americans are much of the mindset, if it's over 50 years old, knock it down and build something newer. If this would have been the case in Europe of African, what would have happened to the castles and pyramids? I know, it doesn't quite compare, but at what point does it?

Just my two cents...
 
In the late 1960s (about the time of the steel porch glider) a company actually made teak reproductions of deck chairs used on famous cruise boats. They were exact copies of the chairs used on the HMS or RMS ships (I have never seen one from the White Line /Titanic), using the same materials and the same markings.

It would be hard to imagine that these could be from the actual as it was gutted and put into military service (1939 or 1940) and later distroyed by fire long ago. But still, these reproductions would be valuable as only a few were made.

To me, it would be tragic to destroy these chairs with history for the sake of a few pen blanks. I would use the chairs and relish in the story.
 
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DCBluesman said:
If these chairs are authentic, it would seem criminal to cannibalize them for a few dollars. I've seen to many pieces of history destroyed in the name of greed. Babe Ruth bats sliced up and glued to baseball cards. Mickey Mantle jerseys cut into one-inch squares and sold. Yankee Stadium torn down and sold off piece by piece. Just exactly where is the nostalgic value? Where is the historical value?

Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the Berlin Wall! :wink:
It really depends on the situation, but in all of these cases that you mention, money and greed set aside, the items are now able to be enjoyed and treasured by many instead of just one. On the other hand, if these items were put in a museum instead, they could also be enjoyed by many, in a different way. I can see the appeal to both sides...
 
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