Office furniture often repurposed for home

DTerry & Kim Kovel

ecorating has once again become informal, much like the “country-furniture” era in the 1980s that led to rooms with “nonfurniture furniture.”

An old cobbler’s bench became a coffee table, a cranberry scoop was a magazine rack, stacked orange crates were shelving and tin signs were hung as art.

A new “technology” style has emerged in recent years in which a refinished workbench is used as a dining table, and a church bench replaces chairs.

Refinished oak filing cabinets from an office provide storage for jewelry or folded shirts.

A clever buyer can find solid wooden pieces for bargain prices.

An Ohmer’s Sons office filing cabinet with 48 drawers and the original brass hardware was auctioned recently in Maine for $1,331. It was made in Ohio before 1898, when Edwin Seibels tried to patent a way to file a flat letter in a lateral file folder instead of stacking mail inside its envelope in a drawer.

Reworked factory and office furniture of the past have become more popular This 48-drawer cabinet sold recently at auction for $1,331. for the living room, and it is increasing in price.

Q: Is it true that the first “Star Wars” toys were offered for sale before they were made and the company sold an IOU letter for the

first toy characters? How long was it after the movie was shown before the toys were for sale?

A: The first “Star Wars” movie was released May 25, 1977. Kenner Products, a Cincinnati toy company, had bought the rights to make toys based on the film, but there was not enough time to make small plastic figures.

The popularity of the movie signaled that the toys would be best-sellers, so they sold an IOU for $11.99 that could be redeemed at Christmas for an early-bird box of puzzles, stickers, membership in the Star Wars Club, Luke Skywalker’s autograph and future delivery of the four figures.

The toys were delivered in March 1978.

Of course, the early-bird box, the contents and the first toys are the “Star Wars” collectors “holy grails.” It is said that a package in great condition would sell for $7,500 or more.

Current prices

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

• Moriage, vase, stick neck, pink rose, orange, purple, flowers, pale green, handles on shoulders, 9 by 5 inches, $60

• Tiffany-silver, teapot, chased, repousse, birds, flowers, branches, ebonized wood handle, 7 by 10¼ inches, $1,500