Buying USM Haller Second Hand: Prices and Checklist

At 2nd home you will find used USM Haller furniture from mobile pedestals to large sideboards, and replacement keys from 10 euros (as of October 2026). According to USM, spare parts fit all the way back to the first generation from the 1960s, so a used piece can be extended with today's parts. You will find available pieces in our USM Haller collection.

In short: USM Haller is a modular furniture system by USM U. Schärer Söhne AG of Münsingen, Switzerland, developed from 1962 by architect Fritz Haller and engineer Paul Schärer, in series production since 1969 and part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art since 2001. You can recognise an original by the ball made of chrome plated brass, by dimensions from the USM grid and, on more recent pieces, by the marking on ball and tube.

Why is USM Haller worth buying second hand?

The system consists of three basic elements: chrome plated steel tubes, connecting balls and panels of powder coated sheet steel in fixed grid dimensions. That is exactly what makes buying used so attractive:

• Compatibility: Old and new elements can be combined. According to USM, spare parts fit all the way back to the first generation.
• Demand: USM has made the system in series since 1969. Well preserved pieces are sought after by collectors and office planners.
• Built for constant use: a system of steel and chrome, already produced, no new production.

What does used USM Haller cost?

Asking prices at 2nd home, as of October 2026, across 21 available pieces of furniture:

• Mobile pedestals, storage units, filing cabinets: 349 to 920 euros
• Shelving and display cabinets: 649 to 3,050 euros
• Chests of drawers and sideboards: 680 to 5,050 euros
• Desks and secretaries: around 570 to 600 euros

The price depends on size, colour, glass doors and the condition of the chrome and panels. The current price is always shown on the product page.

Used or new: the plain arithmetic

New USM is configured individually. Used, you buy a finished configuration and, thanks to the grid, can have it adapted or extended later. Because spare parts fit back to the first generation according to USM, condition is what matters most, and you check it with the checklist below. If you bring a little patience, you can wait for the right configuration.

How do you recognise genuine USM Haller?

You recognise genuine USM by three things: the ball, the dimensions and, on more recent pieces, the marking. A single feature is rarely enough, the combination tells you the most.

The ball: brass, not steel

The heart of the system is the connecting ball. According to USM it weighs 47 grams, is made of chrome plated brass, measures 2.5 centimetres and has six threaded holes into which the tubes are screwed. The ball joint was patented in Switzerland in 1965 (patent CH 429 317). When you look at a listing, ask for a close-up photo of the ball.

The dimensions: the USM grid

USM gives all dimensions as axis dimensions, measured from the centre of one ball to the centre of the next. Widths and heights come in 100, 150, 175, 250, 350, 395, 500 and 750 millimetres, depths in 250, 350, 500 and 750 millimetres. The outer dimension is the axis dimension plus 23 millimetres, so a 750 element measures 773 millimetres on the outside. If a dimension matches no axis dimension, ask the seller.

Engraving, sticker, key number

According to USM specialist dealers, more recent pieces carry a USM engraving on the balls and a USM sticker on one tube. On older pieces both may be missing, which does not speak against an original. According to specialist dealers, the key number is engraved on the key; if the key is missing, the number on the back of the lock helps. Replacement keys are also available in our shop.

The colours: the USM palette

Today USM offers 14 standard colours. Nine of them correspond to a RAL shade: pure white (RAL 9010), light grey (7035), anthracite grey (7016), graphite black (9011), golden yellow (1004), pure orange (2004), gentian blue (5010), steel blue (5011) and olive green (6003). They are joined by USM's own shades mid grey, ruby red, green, beige and brown. The first colour was a light green in the mid 1960s, which became USM green. Matte silver is no longer in the current colour list.

How old is your USM?

The first pieces were made from 1965 for the company's own offices in Münsingen, and series production began in 1969. According to specialist dealers, the connectors exist in an older and a newer generation that are hard to tell apart from the outside, the older one up to about 1990. USM Haller E, in which light and power run through the balls and tubes, has been available since 2017.

Replica parts

There are spare and extension parts from other suppliers that match the originals in form and usually in colour too. With assembled or extended pieces it is therefore worth asking whether all parts come from USM.

What 2nd home contributes

The sellers are selected by 2nd home, and professional sellers are vetted by 2nd home. Every piece comes with its condition, dimensions and photos, and its provenance as far as known. Through the listing you can ask for photos of the ball, the sticker or the key number.

The checklist before you buy

1. Check the chrome: Look at tubes and balls for rust, blisters and deep scratches. Surface dirt comes off, chrome that has corroded from underneath does not.
2. Panels and doors: Dents and chipped paint on the edges are the most common signs of wear. Small chips are normal, large areas of damage lower the price.
3. Locks and keys: Missing keys can be replaced, also in our shop. Faulty locks take more effort.
4. Shade: USM colours can vary slightly between production years. If you want to extend, pay attention to the surrounding shades or combine on purpose.
5. Completeness: Shelves, back panels and glides count. Missing parts can be bought, but they cost money.
6. Transport: USM can be taken apart, but it is heavy. For large sideboards, plan for freight delivery; with us it is stated in the listing.

Which colour should it be?

If you want to extend later, the neutral shades from pure white through light grey to graphite black are the safe choice, because matching add-on parts are easiest to find. The strong colours such as USM green, gentian blue, golden yellow or ruby red are rarer on the market and make all the stronger statement: a yellow lowboard or a green shelf carries a whole room.

USM at home: far more than an office

USM Haller is at home in the home office, but not only there: as a lowboard under the TV, as a highboard in the dining room or as a bedside table, the grid works just as naturally. Our article 10 ideas for flexible use of USM Haller collects ideas for this. If you are planning the system for work, you will find more pieces among our office furniture and sideboards.

How to buy USM at 2nd home

The sellers are selected by 2nd home. Condition, completeness and, as far as known, provenance are given in the description of every piece, and signs of wear are stated in the listing rather than in the small print. All pieces are available and ready to ship, with no production time as with new furniture; delivery time and, for large configurations, freight delivery are stated in the listing. And if you are looking for something specific, just let us know, the range changes all the time.

Frequently asked questions

How do I recognise an original USM Haller?
By the connecting ball made of chrome plated brass with six threaded holes, by dimensions that fit the USM grid and, on more recent pieces, according to specialist dealers, by the engraving on the balls and the sticker on the tube.

What should I look for when buying used?
The features above, the condition of the chrome and panels, and completeness. At 2nd home the sellers are selected and every piece is described with its condition, dimensions and photos.

Can I extend used USM with new parts?
Yes. According to USM, spare parts fit all the way back to the first generation from the 1960s.

How do I find the key number?
According to specialist dealers, it is engraved on the key. Without the key, the number on the back of the lock helps.

How do I clean chrome and panels?
With a mild cleaner and a soft cloth. No abrasive cleaners, they scratch paint and chrome.

Does used USM lose value?
Well preserved pieces are in demand. We cannot promise how their value will develop.

Sources: USM, Creative since 1965, USM Haller specifications, USM Second Hand, USM history, Patent CH 429 317.