The Economics of Furniture

After Couillon’s excellent question on the economics of furniture, we decided to push the subject a little more in depth and finally made a post out of it. So here are some useful tips and advices gathered from our personal experience and from various server’s Auction House(AH) for those who are in the business of making furniture.

Woodworker’s Wares

Woodworkers have a long list of furniture they can produce, but sadly, few of them are relevant in the decoration market. The most interesting pieces are certainly the Pointed Bookshelf and Cupboard for their unique look. Other bookshelves and table are extremely similar to what Furniture Vendors can offer, making them unlikely to sell very well on the AH. Interesting reputation faction would be the Men of Bree for the Scholar’s Cupboard and Round table recipes, but most other recipes can be bought directly at Furniture vendors.

Tailor’s Inventory

Mass carpet producers, Tailors can create the most beautiful pieces of floor decoration out of leather. Unfortunately, they generally won’t sell for more then a 75s or so. It is true that the furniture vendors are offering pretty competing prices for decent rugs. However, Tailors can also produce Cushioned Bench and Red Canopy Bed. Those can go for a lot more on the AH, between 200 and 250s. These unique pieces of furniture are a brilliant way to add an extra touch to any decor. Be sure to work on the Rangers of Esteldin faction reputation for this is where you’ll find those pretty recipes!

Scholar’s Production

Certainly the hardest profession to level, but also the most lucrative. Scholars can produce unique paintings and wall colors. Shore Glimpse and Above Weathertop paintings will usually go for 250s on the AH. Those recipes can be bought from the Rivendell’s elves when Allied with them. Because they are so different from what Furniture vendors can offer, those paintings are most likely to be your best sellers and are totally worth grinding Rivendell reputation for!

Otherwise, Scholars can also produce exotic wall colors like Lavender, Pink, Pea-green, Sky-blue or Pale-yellow. Because they are very specific items, I’d say their selling rate is generally moderate. They usually go for no more then 50s. However during Festivals offering new wallpapers (Summer and Yule), you’re likely to see an increase in demand for new wall colors; people will want to change the colors in their house!

Finally be sure you have a friend –or an alt!- that will be able to supply you will all the farming materials required for your production. Ingredients used by scholars are rare drops from farmer’s field harvesting.

Less Common Furniture

A lot of other profession can produce pieces of furniture acquired through reputation vendors. Those less common furniture might be the perfect extra touch for some decors, but because the recipes are hard to acquire,the item itself if costly to make and most people won’t know what they are buying because there is no ‘’dressing room’’ for furniture, they hardly can compete with Furniture Vendors wares on the general market. For example, the Pointed Chandelier acquired when Friend with Thorin’s Hall and made out of 2 Platinium Ingots would be absolutely perfect in a dwarven interior. However most people will be satisfied with the Basket Chandelier, sold for only 12s by Rambi.

Those pieces of furniture are sure to be wonderful homes-welcoming gifts for friends and kinsmates, but I’m not expecting you to make a fortune out of it.

Furniture Production Table

For more details and pictures of crafted furniture, please look at the Decoration and Furniture Guide.