Author Topic: Great but unknown Bench  (Read 9108 times)

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #30 on: November 22, 2017, 03:54:00 am »
I hope that there is a niche market for such a bench,

I think you are going to be disappointed on that score, you have to ask what purpose or function it has around the house TODAY and, if there isn't one it's probably going to be a tough sell. From what i see at auction, this bucket bench below is what the market is looking for bench wise at the moment.
1st quarter 19th century, walnut, Pennsylvania

cogar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3590
  • Karma: +41/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #31 on: November 22, 2017, 05:24:35 am »
Quote
From what i see at auction, this bucket bench below is what the market is looking for bench wise at the moment.

Now why in the world would anyone refer to the above pictured item as a "bench"? ??? ???

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #32 on: November 22, 2017, 05:28:44 am »
Now why in the world would anyone refer to the above pictured item as a "bench"? ??? ???

Because it held buckets?

cogar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3590
  • Karma: +41/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #33 on: November 22, 2017, 05:47:15 am »
I think I'll remove the castors before I put this up for sale.  I kind of don't think they are original, but I base that only on general appearance and that the legs taper to so thin at the bottom. 

I would leave the casters on the bench ...... because me thinks they are original. A lot of furniture was made with casters simply because of the wood floors.

And benches, ..... with casters, are still available today, ....... like this one a Target.



https://www.target.com/p/georgya-tufted-bench-with-casters/-/A-53061577#lnk=sametab&preselect=52967606
 

cogar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3590
  • Karma: +41/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #34 on: November 22, 2017, 06:00:13 am »
Now why in the world would anyone refer to the above pictured item as a "bench"? ??? ???

Because it held buckets?

You mean like ...... lard or paint buckets, ....... in a retail store?

Like so .................






jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #35 on: November 22, 2017, 06:40:34 am »
Earth To Cogar, in the 19th century, buckets were a BIG DEAL, indispensable really around the farm. Most bucket benches were 2 or 3 tiers high, some had drawers or cabs attached as well. And, when you consider that 90% of the population lived on a farm back then, buckets and the benches that held them were very abundant. You can buy these 19th century benches today in the $100-$400 range but outstanding examples like the one above go for thousands.
https://www.pinterest.com/haldy0640/bucket-benches/
« Last Edit: November 22, 2017, 07:18:23 am by jacon4 »

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #36 on: November 22, 2017, 12:50:37 pm »
The problem with OP bench is, size, it's just to damn big at over 8ft long to fit well in a modern living space. In looking at bucket benches by contrast, i think i was wrong about who buys them, gardeners i had always assumed bought these but on pinterest i see now why they are at furniture auctions, pottery people are using them to display pots/jugs.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2017, 12:53:04 pm by jacon4 »

cogar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3590
  • Karma: +41/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #37 on: November 22, 2017, 01:04:19 pm »
Quote
Earth To Cogar, in the 19th century, buckets were a BIG DEAL, indispensable really around the farm.

Cogar to down to Earth, ….. uh, …… I meant ....... Cogar to Jacon4.

Shur nuff, buckets were a BIG DEAL around the homestead/farmstead …. up through the 19th Century and into the early 20th Century, ……. especially water buckets, well buckets and milk buckets.

The ole saying “kick the bucked” surely originated due to the milk cow kicking the milk bucket over and spilling the milk. I have witnessed that happening myself.

And whenever or wherever there was a bucket being used around those early households there was also surely a “bench” or ”shelf” for sitting buckets on.

And iffen you had a hand-pump on your water well you didn‘t need a “well bucket” or a shelf at the well to sit it on ........... because you could “hang” you water bucket on the spout of the pump when pumping water, …… which is why the top of the  spouts were made like pictured below, ……..



Here is one person’s thoughts about “bucket benches”, to wit:

Quote
In the days before indoor plumbing was available just about everywhere, the bucket bench played an important role in people’s lives. A bucket bench was typically a wooden bench that was placed on the porch or outside of the summer kitchen. On it sat buckets of well-drawn water that could be carried inside to have quick access to water for doing dishes, cleaning the home, and cooking meals.

A common practice was for the man of the household to keep the buckets filled and easily accessible for their wives to complete the indoor tasks that required water. Throughout the day, when the buckets were depleted of water, they were replenished with water from the well in order to keep the household supplied. 

Read more @  http://www.aprimitiveplace.org/Bucket-Benches.html

And Jacon4, iffen you prefer calling your pictured item a “19th Century bucket bench”, …… go for it, whatever “turns your crank” ….. is OK with me.

But now, I just hafta tell you, …… I was, and still am, having quite a problem “visualizing” your pictured item sitting on the back porch or in the kitchen area of a 19th Century home/house …… with all kinds of different sizes (heights n’ widths) of wooden buckets sitting on those narrow shelves …… where “one (1) size shelf fits all size buckets”.  ;D ;D

Now this'un here looks like a “bucket bench” ta me, to wit:



And ps, very few items during that era were sold in “buckets”, tin or wood. Most “loose” retail items were delivered to the retailer via “large bulk” packaging ………. and retailers sold those items in “small bulk” quantities, …… wrapped in brown paper, in cloth bags or in containers, ...... more often than not, the container(s) supplied by the customer. 

You "younguns" should spend a little time watching those old TV "westerns", .... in a 19th Century setting, .... with cowboys, Calvary, Indians, homesteaders ...... and General Store retailers, ..... aka. Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, etc., .... to get a learned impression of "historically correct" life and living in that era.

cheers

mart

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 19849
  • Karma: +122/-1
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #38 on: November 22, 2017, 07:21:19 pm »
Cogar ,, look at the link that Jacon4 posted !!   Most are like the one you have shown !!  Just simple utilitarian shelves  This one is the fanciest one I have seen !!

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #39 on: November 22, 2017, 09:00:58 pm »
Yep, these were built for utility, function and most were painted. Naturally i am going to post best example i can find at the moment but most of these benches are cheap, a couple hundred or less.
The main point is, these benches are in demand because they still have uses around the house, most are fairly small width wise and are usually 2 or 3 shelves high, perfect for gardeners or pottery people.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2017, 09:18:09 pm by jacon4 »

jacon4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1807
  • Karma: +20/-0
  • collector/ student of early american furniture
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #40 on: November 23, 2017, 04:56:49 am »
Now this walnut one above is an OUTSTANDING example and, i can see why it sold for $2600 and with BP over 3k. The farmer or merchant who had this built wanted his buckets stored in style!
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6950585_619-pennsylvania-walnut-bucket-bench-early-19th-c

« Last Edit: November 23, 2017, 04:59:54 am by jacon4 »

cogar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3590
  • Karma: +41/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Great but unknown Bench
« Reply #41 on: November 23, 2017, 07:19:54 am »
Cogar ,,  This one is the fanciest one I have seen !!

Mart,, then you should have a "looksee" at this Pinterest site because it has dozens n ' dozens of pictures of “bucket benches” ......... with several really "fancy" ones pictured thereon, ...... to wit:
   
https://www.pinterest.co.kr/haldy0640/bucket-benches/

But anyway, ……. iffen “bucket benches” are what are "hot" and in demand, .... and bringing "good money", ....... then its a “bucket bench”.

Who am I to be arguing with applying "names" to items to increase their sale value?

"HA", ;D ;D ;D ...... iffen that pictured, per se, “bucket bench” belonged to me and I still had my Shop open, ..... I just might have placed a wooden bucket & dipper on one of the shelves, .....

with a "note" stating, ....... "George Washington drank here". 

Reminds me of the time at the Hillsville (VA) Labor Day Weekend "flea market" when a little ole lady stopped at my "lot",  ........ opened up her purse and took out a little "miniature" wooden thingy ...... and whispered to me ..........

"Look what I bought before anyone else did, ..... a "Salesman's Sample" spinning wheel."

I said ....... "OH WOW, ..... that's great" ....... and she went away smiling.

Cheers