In the mid-20th century, it was a mark of a comfortable middle-class lifestyle to have a piano at home, and a “hutch” in the dining room filled with beautiful “fine China” dishware.
Today, few people want those things anymore – and their market prices are converging on “free”.
Pianos
Pianos are big, heavy and need to be tuned – and usually require paying a professional mover hundreds of dollars to move. Instead, those who want a piano buy a digital keyboard system for $500 new. Small, lightweight and easy to move.
A consequence is that it is now difficult to get rid of a piano! Today, I went through the Craigslist listings for the Portland metro area – there were dozens of pianos being offered for free!
“Fine China Dishware”
“Fine China” dishware is another – it’s often so nice and fragile that it was only used for special occasions and when guests visited. Moving it requires boxes and boxes and lots of packing material.
Today, we have an “inheritance glut” of stuff like this that most people no longer want. Even what was once premium dishware – made in Bavaria or England – is selling out full 8-10 place settings for $125.
An 8-piece full dining set of fine China, complete with gold leaf inlays – is selling for $50 with free delivery!
Hutches
“Fine China” was often stored in a “hutch” in the dining room – a large and very heavy, solid wood piece of cabinetry. Often quite beautiful.
But no one wants these large, difficult to move and very heavy items anymore.
The result is $2,000 hutches now sell on Craigslist for $200-$300.
Demographics
We are seeing the effects of a smaller youth cohort coming of age, simultaneously with the older generations dying and passing on their “stuff”. We may have already passed “peak stuff”. The world now has too much “stuff” – and it will initially go for “free” or get dumped in landfills.
