Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest starts tearing up after expert revealed the value of her storage cabinet (marketrealist.com)
A lucky “Antiques Roadshow” guest received a delightful surprise when her humble storage cabinet was appraised for a staggering $20,000. The guest, who had postponed hernia surgery to attend the auction where she purchased the piece for a mere $15, initially estimated its value at around $800.
Appraiser Peter Loughrey identified the cabinet as an Eames Storage Unit (ESU), designed by Charles Eames for the Herman Miller Furniture Company. He pinpointed the model as an ESU 420-N, explaining that the “N” denoted the neutral color palette, “400” the series, and “20” the specific drawer and door configuration.
Loughrey further detailed the cabinet’s history, noting its 341 custom-manufactured parts, which were assembled at the Herman Miller factory in Zeeland, Michigan, before being shipped across the country. This complex process, however, proved costly and sometimes resulted in damage during transit, ultimately leading to a redesign in 1953.
The guest’s cabinet, bearing a label indicating its production between 1950 and 1952, represented the first series version with original legs.
Loughrey explained that in 1952, the cabinet would have cost around $200 (approximately $1,700 today). He then revealed its current auction value: a jaw-dropping $20,000.
Overcome with emotion, the guest exclaimed, “What!?” and burst into tears of joy, admitting she had been expecting a much lower appraisal.
She later revealed she owned another cabinet of the same size and two smaller ones, clearly still reeling from the unexpected windfall.