Justin Miller, a 33-year-old home design content creator based in Los Angeles, made a fortune from a seemingly ordinary purchase on Facebook Marketplace. As part of his daily routine, Miller spends about half an hour browsing the online marketplace. In February, he stumbled upon a leather chair being sold for $50 as part of a yard sale in Beverly Hills. The chair, with its unique color and shape, caught his eye.
Upon contacting the seller, he was told that the chair could be worth a lot if repaired. Intrigued, Miller decided to do some research and discovered that the chair was a rare piece designed by Danish designer Frits Henningsen, with only 50 ever made. Similar chairs had previously sold for over $100,000.
Miller documented his journey on TikTok, where his video detailing his discovery garnered over 2.4 million views. Encouraged by comments suggesting he contact an auction house, Miller reached out to Sotheby’s, who handled the chair’s restoration and sale. The chair, after being lightly repaired and conditioned, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction on June 7 for $85,000—or $107,950 after buyer’s fees.
Miller plans to use some of the profit for a personal memento of his adventure, while the rest will be saved for a down payment on a home. His experience serves as a reminder of the hidden treasures that can be found on online marketplaces if one looks hard enough.
