“Anyone familiar with the market for modern used furniture knows that it is very difficult to get any sort of decent price. The same thing is true of lesser antiques and vintage furniture. Anything that is at all big and heavy is a tough sell at auction.”
Even “valuable” antiques are difficult to move. The spread between cash value and retail value is huge. In order to get top dollar, the items must be displayed, and handled by a knowledgeable dealer in either a shop setting of a well publicized auction.
Once time and expenses for handling and moving the furniture around is considered, the net proceeds from the sale of such items is not very impressive. Often a “$10,000 rare antique whatever” sells for far less if it has to be sold in a short period of time, and $1500 is not a low price if it is cash and carry right now.
The “worth or value” of furniture is not the retail or insured value.
Not saying the Gov isn’t a crook, but this issue is not the one to use against him.
When I said “lesser antiques”, I meant most of them. The top items that sell for over $250K or so have not been as severely impacted, but it is a very small market.
If you have a run-of-the-mill Federal table or chest, you’re hurting right now. If you have a piece of used furniture that you bought from a fancy store ten years ago, you should take whatever price anyone offers.