I have a Murphy rocking chair #759 that was my grandfathers, I believe. It was in his house in Brooklyn, NY and was still their when his daughter Evelyn passed away at the age of 93 that's when I removed the chair. I moved the chair to Michele's (great grand daughter) house in the Hamptons, NY. I took the chair to my new Florida condo in Boynton Beach where it now resides. I was about to refinish or paint it when I noticed its label and number, Murphy #759. And historical value? To me it does. Can you advise more history on this chair?
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This is one of the more unusual chairs I have seen with the flat slat and spools and what looks like an applique on the flat part.
Do you know if the art is original or after market? I know people liked to put "rub on" art like that on furniture in the 50s and 60s so it may be after market.
I hope they share their numbering system meaning. It has always been a mystery to me. Some companies use numbers to mean year or lot # or to tell the wood type or the plant or some combination of all of the above. Murphy's system has never been that clear to me how it worked. Hope they share!!
Looking forward to hearing.
As for value, because it is an usual piece, it may fetch more than a run of the mill chair.
Furniture sales however are very regional so it could be from $25 on up to $800. Depending on supply, demand, and condition.
If you have a furniture reseller in your town you trust, ask him or her to help you value it for your market if you are going to sell it or if you are worried about devaluing if you paint or refinish.
Almost always painting or refinishing will devalue a piece (unless it is a professional restoration refinishing and then if it is a highly sought after piece and then it may increase the value or at least not devalue it as much as if it was left in bad shape).
If you have no intent to sell it, then the "value" is irrelevant. Enjoy your piece and do with it what you wish! Furniture should be loved and enjoyed. Your kids aren't going to get rich on it some day .... there are very few things like that out there any more that are like that, so enjoy it now!!
Post back what you hear!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for the detailed report, I have a message into the Murphy Co. Lets see if I get a reply. Im not looking to sell this piece, it has personal historical value to me as it was my Grandfathers. I could refinish the chair and keep it, but I certainly dont want to de-value it if it stays in the family for future generations. There were many posts referring to other numbered Murphy chairs, there appears to be many out there, I dont think its got a high value other than my personal family history, I just may leave it alone and have my Grandchildren deal with this in the future, who knows?
This Murphy came from a family business that was founded in Detroit Michigan in 1872 by M. J. Murphy - More info about his life and business - https://murphychaircompany.com
Thank you for your reply, I did an online search of this company and thought the number assigned to my chair meant something of historic value. I sent a message to this companies contact list, bye the way the company today is in business and located in Kentucky.
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