Today, furniture is not just a basic necessity in the interior, not only comfort and coziness or an important element of decor, but an item that emphasizes the high status of the owners. Those who manage sums of money exceeding a six-digit figure can afford to buy, say, a table for $200,000 and proudly show it to friends and the public until a new similar purchase. What does furniture offer for such a price and is it worth that kind of money? We offer you the TOP-10 most expensive furniture in the world.
This list includes both modern items offered on the market today and antiques that have been sold at auctions for fabulous sums of money.
1. Vividus Air Mattress
This is not only the most expensive, but probably the softest and most comfortable mattress in the world. It is made from the most natural and high-quality materials: lamb wool, silk, cashmere, flax and horse hair of a certain breed and place of residence. All products are "made" by hand and to order, taking into account the personal wishes of the client. Cost: $59,750. The creators can spend more than 300 hours on one mattress
2. Aristocratic bathroom Archeo Copper
This bathtub, made entirely of pure copper, looks truly luxurious. Its design is reminiscent of vintage bathtubs and is equipped with a hand shower and a classic faucet. It is quite a compact product, holding up to 270 liters of water. Price: $67,557. Looks really expensive.
3. Sofas by Plume Blanche
These sofas were limited edition (only 50 pieces) and were acquired by some buyers as a result of whole battles and bidding. The goods were sold out very quickly due to the expensive and luxurious materials that were used in its creation. And it's not even about the varnished mahogany and genuine leather upholstery. A very small detail, like platinum buttons on the carriage coupler, can raise the price to the skies, however, only if they are decorated with real diamonds. Price: $187,175. However, you can only see the main advantage up close
4. Luxury of Wood by Parnian
The table from Parnian was created specifically to order for an American company and cost them a large sum, the secret of which is the use of six types of wood in the creation of this piece of furniture. Naturally, the most expensive. Cost: $200,000. Such a table will add presentability to any company
5. The Golden Stool
The inflated price of this stool does not need to be explained: it is obvious that the product is made of pure gold. It was made to order by one jewelry store, which spent as much as 50 kg of gold on the creation of the stool. Price: $1,000,000. You can't even sit on a stool like that.
6. "Car" chairs
The creators of this office chair were inspired not only by the stylish appearance of Ferrari and Cadillac cars, but also by their technical capabilities. Anyone can adjust the design to their requirements and make the place as comfortable as possible thanks to the dynamic tilt system. This chair is designed for only one owner, as the seat upholstery is able to remember and take the shape of the owner's body. Price: $1,500,000. For lovers of comfort and exclusive things.
7. Ruijssenaars Magnetic Flying Bed
The next product is the result of many years of efforts by its creator, Dutchman Janjaap Ruijssenaar, who spent more than 7 years developing a flying bed. He succeeded by using magnets of different poles. The bed is capable of hovering in the air 40 cm from the floor and can withstand up to 900 kg of weight. Only after buying such a design, you should carefully ensure that there are no metal objects nearby. Cost: $1,600,000. You can really pay such money for technologies from the future.
8. Thomas Tafft's Elegant Table
The table was sold at auction for an unheard-of sum of $4.6 million. The antique piece does look very elegant, but such a price may be due to the long history of the item, which passed from hand to hand for several centuries and found its current owner in 1990. Price: $4,600,000. The slightly curved legs resemble the paws of a cat.
9. Dragon Chair
This is a work by artist Eileen Gray, created in 1907. The recent owners planned to sell it for 2-3 million dollars at auction. But they were lucky: one of the visitors really liked the piece and, in order to get it, he paid ten times more for the chair. Price: $27,800,000. There is something dragon-like in the shape and dynamics.
10. The most expensive office bureau
And finally, in first place is the most expensive piece of furniture in history - the 18th century Badminton Cabinet Bureau, commissioned by Henry Somerset. Thirty craftsmen worked on this bureau for six years, so that centuries later, in our time, Somerset's descendants sold it at auction for $ 36.7 million. But the work looks truly magnificent: ebony is inlaid with amethyst, opal and other stones, and the exquisite decor indicates noble origin. Price: $36,700,000. At the top of the structure is the gilded coat of arms of the Somersets.
11. Throne of Qianlong
The throne that belonged to the Chinese Emperor Qianlong also went into a private collection. Another piece of furniture from the 18th century. It was transferred to the collector's collection in 1911. The throne itself has been preserved in excellent condition to this day. It was purchased at auction for 11.07 million US dollars.
12. Master's Tea Table by John Goddard
What is interesting is that this item, unlike the previous exhibits, is not made in a single copy. There are two of them in the world. One of them is now a museum exhibit and is exhibited in the Winterthurn Museum in the USA. The second exhibit could be purchased for a collection by connoisseurs of antiques. The table was sold in January 2005 for 8.416 million US dollars.
13. Cabinet - office of Domenico Cucci
This master is known for his mahogany works. It was made in the late 17th century in France. The author himself received wide recognition for the execution of several architectural cabinets. Cucci worked on the order of Louis XIV. And the cabinet-cabinet at that time belonged to the Queen of Sweden. The rarity with a rich history was purchased for 7.33 million US dollars.
14. Dressing table made by talented craftsman William Seiver
He was able to create a real piece of furniture art. Collectors from all over the world wanted to acquire this work of the American creator. The table itself was made in the 18th century. To this day, the dressing table has been preserved in excellent condition. This is the merit of the descendants of the first owner of the table - John Jackson. For a long time, it was in their family that the rarity was kept. It was first presented at an auction in the 30s of the 20th century. At that time, the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. The work of the American master was also declared as a lot in 2009 - at Sotheby's auction. The work of the American creator was estimated at 4.48 million US dollars.
15. 18th century secretary
It was made in the 18th century — during the reign of Louis XV. This piece of furniture is unique, first of all, in its execution. It is made using Japanese technique. At that time, craftsmen rarely used this technology. It was too expensive and labor-intensive for creators. And the materials themselves were extremely difficult to obtain. For example, Japanese lacquer. It was almost impossible to get it for work — the Land of the Rising Sun was a closed state at that time. The author of the secretary Lazare Duvaux. According to some information, he made it especially for Madame de Pompadour. Given the unique production technology and rich history, the piece of furniture was sold at auction for 5.1 million US dollars.
16. One of the most expensive stools was made by master Reginald Lewis
In 2008, the price for it reached 5.2 million US dollars at auction. Interestingly, such a high price was not always offered for it. Relatively recently, in the mid-90s, they also tried to sell it at auction. But then they only gave 10 thousand US dollars for it.
17. Thomas Chippendale English Chest of Drawers
This master is a significant figure in the furniture industry. His creations are highly valued by connoisseurs of antiques. To this day, collectors from all over the world would like to acquire works by Thomas Chippedale for their collection. The chest of drawers by the famous master was purchased for 5.98 million US dollars.
18. Pair of mid-18th century Italian sofas: $1.7 million ($2.77 million)
The name of the artist (the artist, not the cabinetmaker) who designed the two sofas that went under the hammer at Sotheby's in London in July 2011 is shrouded in mystery. There are only two versions: according to the first, it was Lorenzo de Ferrari (1680-1744), according to the second, it was Domenico Parodi (1668-1740). Both were famous artists of their time, who did not hesitate to earn extra money by designing furniture. Presumably, the sofas were made between 1740 and 1744 and could well have been one of the last works of both de Ferrari and Parodi. Initially, the sofas were in the now-preserved building of the Chamber of Commerce of Genoa, then ended up in America, then in England, where they were put up for auction, which ended with a record result.
19. Faberge chair by master Mikhail Pershin: $2.28 million
When the name Faberge is mentioned, the first image that comes to mind is the world-famous Easter eggs and jewelry made by the masters of the eponymous company. It is almost never associated with furniture. Nevertheless, they were made, but in very limited quantities, but even when working on larger forms, Faberge craftsmen maintained their brand and put their soul into their work. Master Mikhail Pershin spent four years - from 1899 to 1903 - to create a true masterpiece of furniture art: a chair based on surviving sketches by the German artist and architect Leo von Klenz (1784-1864). At the Sotheby's New York auction in April 2007, the final sale price exceeded the maximum estimate by $780,000.
This is what the most expensive furniture in the world looks like, which only the rich and powerful can afford. Some items received such a price thanks to innovative technologies and luxurious materials, others fell into this category by the will of fate. Whether these items are worthy of their cost - everyone decides for themselves.
