Old Office Furniture

Q: I am thinking about remodeling my home office and am agonizing over replacing my old desk and chair. I bought the very heavy desk about 20 years ago from an elderly couple. It was made by the Imperial Desk Co. of Evansville, Ind. It has a few nicks, but it’s in very good shape. The chair was made by Domore Chair Co. of Elkhart, Ind. I had it reupholstered about 18 years ago. It has a cast-metal frame and is also heavy. Are the desk and chair valuable antiques I should keep? And if so, is it OK to use them?

A: Your desk and chair are not valuable antiques. But they are good, solid pieces of office furniture. Depending on their style and condition, the desk might sell for about $350 and the chair for about $200. Base your decision on how useful the pieces are and if you like their “look.”