Revealed: The IKEA pieces selling for thousands at auction

(Image credit: Household Quotes)

published 4 December 2021

Alongside its Scandinavian style and hackable pieces, IKEA is best known for its affordability. However, your old flatpack may be worth more than you might expect.

Mid-century modern pieces from the Swedish chain are currently selling for thousands at auctions worldwide – so you might need to pause on your IKEA hack – and send it to a vintage dealer instead. But which pieces are selling for the most? Here, we explore a recent study* to reveal if you own one of their most sought-after pieces.

IKEA disassembly instructions, bedroom with IKEA furniture, BILLY bookcase in IKEA bedroom or living room

What is the most expensive IKEA item sold at auction?

The TEMA sideboard is the most expensive vintage IKEA item ever sold after making $6,000 (£4,373) at auction. This same shelf cost approximately $40 in 1962 after its initial release. Secondly, the SELBO cabinet claimed $4077 (£3077), and the SINGOALLA daybed claimed $3926 (£3354) at a sale at auction house Bukowskis in 2019.

Plus, while limited-edition pieces are always quick to sell, there is none quite so in demand as the VILBERT chair, created by esteemed Danish designer Verner Panton. IKEA produced only 4000 of these chairs that now sell for twenty times their original price.

Modern decorating ideas have evolved over the decades, but the BERGSLAGEN' battle table proves that 18th-century Swedish castle furniture will struggle to go out of style (yes, really). The table, which is modeled on timeless Nordic design, sold for $3,899 (£2943), thanks to its particularly high quality. This is IKEA, after all.

IKEA disassembly instructions, dining room with IKEA furniture

'We are happy to see that a lot of IKEA products have been popular among our customers for many years and even become collectors' items,' explains IKEA's Creative Leader, Karin Gustavsson. She also describes the pieces as the 'best example of democratic design' whilst emphasizing IKEA's 'beautiful form, function, sustainability.'

The investigation revealed 18 vintage pieces make over $1.5k in recent years. However, as these pieces become even older, their prices are only set to rise. If you're looking for a sign to make that IKEA purchase this weekend, this is it. Happy investing.

*Study by HouseholdQuotes.

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Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team.

Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.

Megan currently lives in London, where she relocated from her hometown in Yorkshire. In her home, she experiments with interior design trends and draws inspiration from the home decor ideas she observes in her everyday work life. Her favorite pieces include her antique typewriter and her expansive collection of houseplants. When she isn’t writing, she is browsing London’s coffee shops and bookstores to add to her ever-growing library, taking over the open shelving in her apartment.

What is the most expensive IKEA item sold at auction?

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