Furniture Valuation Melbourne: Antique, Vintage and Estate Pieces

Quick summary Furniture valuation in Melbourne usually starts with a free appraisal from an auction house, then moves to a paid written valuation only if you need a document for insurance, probate or a settlement. The figure depends on the purpose, so an auction estimate, a replacement cost and a probate value can differ for the same piece. Auction houses also choose what they take, so a valuation is not a guarantee of a sale.

To get furniture valued in Melbourne, identify the piece, ask for a free appraisal, then pay for a written valuation only if someone requires a document. That's the route for antique, vintage and estate furniture, which our pricing guide for everyday secondhand furniture doesn't cover. Below: what each valuation type is for, where to get one, what auction houses charge and refuse, and what the ATO means by "antique".

What Type of Furniture Valuation Do You Need?

Start with the purpose, because it decides the number. Leonard Joel's valuation services page sets out the main types:

• Market: what a piece may reasonably realise at public auction.
• Insurance: the full cost, including GST, to replace the item with a similar one or have it remade at current retail prices.
• Probate: what the item can realistically achieve on the second-hand market, used for deceased estates.
• Family division and matrimonial: a fair market price on an open second-hand market, for estate planning and for court settlements respectively.

One sideboard can therefore carry different figures. An insurance figure is about replacing the piece, while a probate figure is about what it would realistically fetch second-hand, so they aren't interchangeable. If you're dealing with a deceased estate, the estate's solicitor can say which is required, and our deceased estate furniture guide covers the wider process.

How to Prepare a Piece Before Asking for a Valuation

A valuer can only assess what they can see, so gather the evidence first:

• Identify it. Maker, era and materials come first. Our guides to vintage versus secondhand furniture and to identifying Australian mid-century furniture explain what labels, stamps and construction details to look for.
• Photograph everything. Take the whole piece, then the underside, back, drawer interiors, joints, any label or plate, and any damage.
• Note repairs and measurements. Replaced hardware, reupholstery and refinishing all affect assessment.
• Collect paperwork. Receipts, earlier valuations, auction catalogue entries and family history all help.
• Leave the finish alone. Refinishing can remove labels and original surfaces that specialists check. Light cleaning is fine.

Where to Get a Furniture Valuation in Melbourne

Free options come first. Leonard Joel offers complimentary appraisals online, complimentary verbal valuations at its Melbourne saleroom (2 Oxley Road, Hawthorn) by appointment, and a monthly Valuation Evening on the first Wednesday, 5pm to 7pm, with no appointment needed. Appraisals at the evening run for 15 minutes, with a maximum of three items per person. Abbeys Auctions (80-86 Highbury Road, Burwood) says it offers a free, no-obligation appraisal from photos, or by appointment, with onsite visits possible for large collections.

Written valuations are the paid step. Leonard Joel provides them for market and probate purposes, and works with the Howden Group's Heritage and Fine Arts department on insurance, family law, loss assessment, superannuation and cultural gifts. Abbeys says written valuations for insurance or legal purposes are charged. Neither page's main text gives a confirmed fee at the time of writing, so ask for a quote that states what's included and how long it takes.

A free appraisal is an auction estimate, and the house also hopes to consign the piece. That's a fair trade, but treat the figure as "what might this achieve at auction", not as an insurance or probate value. The same applies to independent dealers: ask whether they're valuing the piece or hoping to buy it.

What Does Selling at a Melbourne Auction House Cost?

Both houses explain their process rather than publishing rates. Abbeys deducts a vendor's commission and a lot fee, plus cartage if it collects, and its page asks sellers to contact it for rates. Leonard Joel sets out fees in a consignment agreement and agrees a reserve with you before the sale. Auction terms change, so confirm current commissions, reserve rules and payment timelines directly with each house before you consign, and ask for the fee schedule in writing so you can compare what you'd net.

Terms published in October 2026:

• Reserves at Abbeys: none for items under $500. Reserved items are offered for a maximum of three auctions, and the auctioneer may cut the reserve by 20% each time. If the item is still unsold, commission is charged on the original reserve and you collect it at your cost.
• Payment: Abbeys pays on the second Wednesday after the sale, less a $5.00 EFT fee. Leonard Joel says vendors receive funds seven days after an Auction Salon sale.
• Buyer's premium: Leonard Joel adds 25% of the hammer price, including GST, for Auction Salon buyers. The buyer pays it on top, so bidders are working from a higher total.

Will an Auction House Take Your Piece?

A valuation isn't an offer to sell. Abbeys' valuation and appraisal page says its intake follows market demand. At the time of writing it listed mid-century modern furniture among categories in strong demand, and said it wasn't accepting brown or dark timber furniture, oversized furniture, upholstered lounges, mattresses, reproduction antiques, flat-pack furniture or everyday used household items. Leonard Joel's weekly Auction Salon covers furniture from the 18th century to the present. Lists like these change, so check current intake before you deliver anything.

If a house declines the piece, or the net after fees isn't worth it, a private sale is the alternative. Use your valuation to set the asking price, and put the maker's marks, label photos and history in the listing. Zirkly doesn't value furniture, but its vintage category and suburb pages such as Collingwood show what similar pieces are asking. Asking prices aren't sale prices, so treat them as a guide.

Is Your Furniture an Antique? What the ATO Says

"Antique" has a specific meaning for tax. The ATO's ruling TD 1999/40 says the word isn't defined in the legislation, and that an antique is generally an object of artistic and historical significance more than 100 years old. Age is tested when you sell, not when you bought, so a piece that's 98 years old today could cross the line before you list it.

It matters because antiques you keep mainly for personal use or enjoyment are "collectables" for capital gains tax. A gain or loss is disregarded if you acquired the piece for $500 or less, and a loss on a collectable can only offset gains on other collectables. A seller's or dealer's use of "antique" can be looser than that. Most household furniture sits under the personal use asset rules instead, which our guide to tax when selling secondhand furniture explains. For a high-value piece, check with an accountant.

Getting Furniture Valued in Melbourne: The Short Version

For furniture valuation in Melbourne, identify the piece, take the free appraisals, and pay for a written valuation only when insurance, probate or a settlement requires one. Check what an auction house will accept and charge before you consign, and remember a valuation is an opinion for a particular purpose on a particular day.

Decided to sell privately instead? List it free on Zirkly with clear photos of the maker's marks and your valuation, and let Melbourne buyers who value the piece find it.