- Justin Miller bought a chair from Facebook Marketplace for $50.
- Fine art auction house Sotheby’s says it could be worth up to $50,000.
- It appears to be one of only 50 such chairs ever made by a famous Danish designer.
In February, 33-year-old Justin Miller paid $50 for a chair he found on the Facebook Marketplace. Now, Sotheby’s estimates his purchase to be worth up to $50,000.
Miller, a full-time content creator, told Insider he spends hours trolling the Facebook Marketplace every day while helping a friend renovate a home. (Miller has an interest in fine design; he worked on Chip and Joanna’s Magnolia Web as design producer for the Emmy Award-winning “Home Work,” and spent six years producing celebrity photo shoots.)
When he spotted the large winged chair—pictured sitting on the driveway of a Beverly Hills home—he thought its unique shape could be one of a kind. Miller said a quick Google search returned “insane prices” for similar furniture.
The seller, who Miller said was accused of selling unwanted items to a family friend for a percentage of the profits, pulled the whole thing out into the yard before an onlooker told her that front-yard garage sales weren’t allowed in Beverly. hills.
In the interest of expediency, the seller took pictures and listed them all for same day pickup. Before Miller worries about how much he has to divulge about the suspect value of the chair – A common complaint Left by commenters on a TikTok Miller later posted — Miller told Insider the seller gave him a heads up: “This chair is worth a lot — just so you know.”
Sending a silent prayer that she would not sell the item to someone else while he was in traffic, Miller drove from Los Angeles to the multi-million dollar home and left with the infrequent Fritz Henningson. A chair in the back of his truck.
in February 13 TikTokMiller recounted the experience to his followers. The video went viral, with over two million views.
Miller went back and forth about what to do with the potential nest egg now in his storage unit. Should he renew it (potentially with its value at risk) or try to find a seller as is?
Google searches have turned up a wide range of sale prices ($9,600 for one to $223,000 for a pair), but Miller attributes his TikTok comments to how rare and valuable he can buy.
For example, in mid-February, TikToker Minya commented that Kirsten Dunst had the same chair, and discussed it in her 2021 Architectural Digest home tour.
She was right. In it, Dunst called her Henningsen chair one of her most extravagant purchases. Dunst made it clear that she’s never been interested in clothes or cars – but she’s invested in art and furniture. (Dunst also owns a door that was originally found in Jackie O’s apartment.)
Her interior designer, Jane Hallworth, told the outlet that the Danish designer has only made 50 such chairs and has been “looking for one for years.”
At viewers’ urging, Miller contacted fine art auction houses. Soon after, he received an enthusiastic response from Sotheby’s.
On June 7, the auction house will be offering Miller’s purchase on Facebook Marketplace for $50 in an Important Design sale.
The chair is currently estimated to fetch $30,000 to $50,000, Louis Solard, Sotheby’s sales president for 20th Century Design, told Insider.
After deducting the seller’s fees and taxes from his sale, Miller told Insider he thinks he’ll come away with about 50% — or up to roughly $25,000 — of the net profit.
Viewers expressed bewilderment at Miller’s quiet demeanor on his TikTok stories.
“How are you so calm? Imagine finding out that your chair is worth 30-50k!??” single viewer comment.
For Miller, who grew up in Boise, Idaho, it’s part of the privilege and absurdity of living in Los Angeles and working in the entertainment industry.
“There’s something crazy that happens every single day in your life,” he explained to Insider. “It’s different for me than if I stayed in Boise.”
However, he said he was just as excited to receive a potential windfall of $25,000.
While Miller describes his personal brand as “finding cool stuff on the cheap,” he plans to get a little decorator himself to remember the experience she had.
Otherwise, Miller’s Henningsen chair payments would go toward a down payment on a house.
“I’ve been making some good market discoveries for Facebook,” Miller said he told the viewers“But this is the best I’ve had so far.”
“Internet geek. Friendly coffee trailblazer. Infuriatingly humble musicaholic. Twitter fan. Devoted alcohol aficionado. Avid thinker.”