Serpentine Dresser - Information needed!

[krita643]

Hello everyone!

I’ll start off by saying I’m new to the forum and most importantly new to the antique world in general. I’m glad to have found this forum and look forward to everyone’s help here! For my first post I have a serpentine dresser purchased from an estate sale a few weeks ago that I would love to clean up for my own use over the weekend. I’ve done as much research as I could on this but found myself a little overwhelmed and not being able to really narrow down it’s origin without some help. The dresser was kept in a damp shed for a very long time before seeing any sort of light and from the photos you will see it’s in need of major tlc. I’m more interested on the history of it than anything and plan on stripping the paint and carefully cleaning it up the best I can for my own use.

Here is a list of my newbie attempt on observations and research:
I believe it’s from the early 1900’s (if it’s a replica and I’m nowhere close I promise I won’t be devastated, I’ll still love it). From the pictures you’ll see that the previous owner(s) had painted it green and it appears that the knobs had been replaced since the hardware used to put them on is new. I think most of these dressers came with a mirror but this one I couldn’t find. I provided a photo of the back of the dresser with a stamp that just says 105 M. I also have a photo of the dovetail on the drawers. If I did my research correctly, dovetail joinery was a good sign of quality furniture? I also read that machines replaced this type of joinery sometime in the 1900’s so I’m not sure if this is perfect enough to be created by machine. I fell in love with the feet! I think they are called lions paw feet? All 4 legs have small wheels on them. The last thing is the veneer on the top of the dresser and front of the drawers and that’s something that threw me off when I was researching. I don’t know if it was used to build furniture cheaply and for covering more expensive woods or because that was the way most of the serpentine dressers were built? I’m also unsure of the wood because the piece is partially painted and very dirty at the moment. It looks slightly red/dark brown underneath the paint but that could be another layer of someone’s artwork.

Thank you in advance for reading and I look forward to any responses about it!

[krita643]

Here are some additional photos:

[Oceans64]

I'm not the furniture expert here but just wanted to say your dresser is lovely. That would look great anywhere in a home after restoration.

All I can do is validate your research from my quick searches. My gut tells me this might be a bit earlier - like 1890's but most agree these pieces were from the early 1900's. The dovetails have some age (shrinkage) possibly sped up a bit from damp storage but IMO this is definitely older and not a modern repro.

I look forward to others comments...

[mart]

You have an Empire dresser done around 1900 give or take a few years !! Those feet were common in several different forms for that style !! A little later some companies added large scroll feet  but still, all are Empire pieces !!  The style was started during the 1700`s so this would actually be a revival piece !! Oddly enough those pulls are common to some as well as several types of drop pulls !! It should be a nice piece if all that old paint is removed and refinished !! Not much left so shouldn`t be too hard !!  Hopefully it will be an oak veneer,, they finish beautifully !!  Just make sure that if the veneer is loose anywhere,, it it reglued before you start stripping it as well as any loose joints and drawers !!

[matty77]

I agree with Mart - and from what I've learned on this forum myself, the pin and cove dovetails on the back drawers were really only used in any prominence between 1870 and 1895.  The industrialization of furniture making at the turn of the century replaced that style with routed (machined) dovetails.  Restoring the veneer can be tricky, but well worth it for such a nice piece - good luck!

[Oceans64]

Matty brings out a good point...  At first I was thinking messy pin and cove gluing (see second set of pics -corner with circles) but, if you look closely at the first pic, on the first post, it looks like traditional dovetails....

Maybe krita can clarify.

[mart]

First pic looks like traditionsl dovetails and second pin and cove !! Possibly just the pic but would not be unusual to see both used !! Sometimes change came slower to some mfrs. than others !! Occassionally the parts would be cut and prepped months before it was actually put together and finished !!

Matty brings out a good point...  At first I was thinking messy pin and cove gluing (see second set of pics -corner with circles) but, if you look closely at the first pic, on the first post, it looks like traditional dovetails....

Maybe krita can clarify.

[krita643]

Thank you all for the responses and even for tips on restoring the dresser!

Both photos of the dovetails are of the same drawer which is the middle drawer of the dresser. The messy pin and cove (circular ones) are of the back of the drawer and the more traditional dovetails are on the front and same side of it. I definitely planned on the restoration process being tricky but I'm sure it will be worth it. I'll be sure to post pictures once it's done (possibly a long time from now  ).

Again, I appreciate all of comments, very exciting!

[mart]

Shouldn`t be tricky at all !!  Just remember to make sure when gluing the drawers that they are square and level !!  I have done many pieces like yours and am happy to help if needed !!

[KC]

Nice piece...agree with around 1900.  And also agree that it wasn't unusual to see both joinery styles used and more likely in a larger production shop because the two styles made it faster/easier to join!

Enjoy!


Great work Antique Shop Gang!!!!!

[krita643]

Sorry that it's been a while since I've logged in. I haven't started cleaning up/restoring the dresser yet but I wanted to be sure to thank you all again and I'll post an update at some point, hopefully soon 

[mart]

We look forward to seeing it transformed into a beautiful piece !!