Buffet Mishap

[dubiemo]

Been hauling some things around for about 30 yrs. Dusted them for 15 yrs. prior, in my great aunts house. One is this beautifully carved buffet. Can find no marks, and I've looked! Dove tails are not uniform and are located at front and back of all drawers. There is a hidden drawer, top center, with release button located below. Center opens by press-release and holds 3 pull out shelves for, I'm guessing, wine. I would like to know where it came from, how old it is, and what it might be worth?

[ghopper1924]

Looks European, probably French or Italian. Beautiful!!!! European craftsman continued hand dovetailing furniture well into the 20th century, long after Americans had gone to machine dovetailing, so it makes Euro items a bit more difficult to date. My first thought is 1870s, Renaissance Revival, but it could be later.

I'd compare buffets on rubylane and e-bay for value.

[mart]

Are you located in the U.S. ??  If you can make the pic file size smaller, they are above the size requirements for this site,, then we can enlarge to see detail !!  They are a blur at current size when enlarged !! 2000kb is max size !!

[KC]

Ditto what Mart said!

[dubiemo]

 Not real savy on computer, so not sure how to shrink or if I can. Sorry.

[mart]

You can resize in your program for images on your computer !!  What program came with the camera or computer ??

[dubiemo]

Think I might have figured the picture size thing out. Let me know if this worked, please.

[mart]

Those pics are fine !!  Now can we see those dovetails and open the doors and take a pic of the hinges on one of thedoors !!  From the front there is something that bugs me about them !! A pic from the inside would help !!

[dubiemo]

I did the best with what I have. I also took pics. of locks in drawer and on door.

[mart]

Well, last two pics of hinges are so dark couldn`t see what I wanted but from what I can see,, I would think that this buffet is no older than the 30`s !! Could be French,, can`t say for sure !!

[ghopper1924]

Yep. I'm thinking 20th century now. The dovetails cinched it.

[mart]

Did it for me too !! Still its extremely nice !! Depending on what that guy did to the top,, value about $500. to $750. !!  If left original maybe a grand !!  Reason being, with that wine rack would be a perfect bar !!  And many are retrofitting these for the bathroom,  adding a sink in the top !!   Cheaper and more style than you can build and much less money !! Even the wine rack would work !!

[dubiemo]

What might the hidden drawer have been used for? Took me 15 yrs. before I realized it was there.

[KC]

Okay...this is one that might need a hands on to determine age.

When I viewed the latch (above the pics that look like a night sky without moon or stars)...it is indicative of those on some of my French pieces that are from the 1800's.  (They drive me crazy because on days when it is humid the cabinet doors stay shut...and on dry periods the doors will swing open occassionally even tho they are locked!)

Better pics of hardware would help!

[cogar]

I've been thinking that piece is late 19th Century.