Author Topic: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet  (Read 6189 times)

txwoodworker

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Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« on: January 01, 2013, 09:02:32 pm »
Hi all, this is quite an active forum, it's nice to see.  I will do my best to add my limited knowledge to the board, but I've been out of the antiques business for more than 10 years, so I'm a little rusty. I have a piece that I have no idea how to identify and I'm hoping you will be able to help.  I came about this piece in trade for some work and I'm very interested in identifying it, finding a fair price for it and selling it.  The only provenance I have is that I received it from a home in Texas, it had only been there about 2-3 years.  The previous owner came from NYC, I only know this because there was a checkbook lost behind one of the drawers and it fell out when I moved the unit.  The address was for a condo that is currently on the market for about $8million.  I was shocked to find a price tag on the bottom of one of the drawers.  Looking at the text on the price tag, it looks like it may have been on commission, or in a large antiques mall of some sort.  If you can't read it, it says DPT 023 CL 15 VND 293 STY 00158 BUFFET-WITH-TOP $12,500.00
Here's a few images and a link to the entire Photobucket album I have for it.  If you want to look at something closer, the original pictures are much, much larger than the ones on Photobucket.  Let me know which one you want and I'll add it to the Photobucket album.




http://s566.beta.photobucket.com/user/txwoodworker/library/Biedermeier%20hutch

OK, hope to hear from you soon!
Thanks,
Tom

cogar

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2013, 04:28:02 am »
One thing I can say for sure, whoever built it knew what they were doing.

I don't understand why the door panels were made of two pieces, 1 wide and 1 narrow.

Other than that, I can't tell if it was made of solid wood, veneered, grain painted or a combination of all three.

The plinth blocks cover the front joints so a close-up picture of the back .... where the side panel is joined to the shelf panel might resolve my question(s).

ghopper1924

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2013, 06:47:00 am »
I'd say neoclassical, ca. 1820-30, looks to be veneered in maple. Very handsome! I would imagine that it was made in New York. That $12K+ looks like a New York City price, so it probably wouldn't go for nearly as much where you are.

Still, it's a beautiful, expensive piece. You rarely see buffets that look like this from this time period, usually its pier tables, mirrors and secretaire abbatants with this styling.

Beautiful!
« Last Edit: January 02, 2013, 12:22:21 pm by ghopper1924 »
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

mart

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2013, 08:47:38 am »
The tag has a bar code along with a dept number, vendor number and style number !!  CL doesn`t ring a bell with me !!  But don`t know of many shops that use those !!  Mfrs do !!  What is that cap made of ??

txwoodworker

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2013, 10:43:32 am »
I'm assuming the tag is from a large antiques store or consignment mall.  I'm also assuming that it is from NYC, but that is just from the checkbook clue.
The caps are cast brass?  I don't know my metals, they are not plated, whatever they are on the face, that is what they are.
I'm pretty sure it's not maple, since that is a domestic (US) hardwood and I doubt they were importing it to what I am assuming (based on it being Biedermeier) Germany. It doesn't look like Sycamore, or any sycamore I know, it's too yellow and the grain is actually not as fine as Sycamore or maple.  The grain looks so wild, like it was rotary cut, did they make rotary cut veneers back then? I was guessing Birch on the wood species, the drawers don't look like a birch burl though, maybe Mappa?  I don't know what would be appropriate for the period/location.

txwoodworker

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2013, 10:53:56 am »
Also, there's a lot more detail shots in the photobucket album.  The carcase is hand cut dovetails, as are the drawers, the unit is all veneered, the doors appear to be a mahogany species or some other fine grained darker wood while the insides are pine.  The columns are an ebonized wood.

http://s566.beta.photobucket.com/user/txwoodworker/library/Biedermeier%20hutch

Thanks!

mart

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2013, 11:32:28 am »
The pic with the drawer bottom showing is taken at an angle and even with the enlargement is not sharp !!  Can you take a bit closer, square shot of the dovetails and one of the screws, or nails at the back of that drawer !! I think there are two !! Post them to this site so we can enlarge if needed !!

ghopper1924

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2013, 12:52:30 pm »
Biedermeier was a style originating with the middle class and emanating from the German empire. However, as the style grew in popularity Biedermeier pieces could be found all over Europe , especially in Sweden. I know for a fact that the Biedermeier style was made extensively in Missouri, as there are literally tons of examples made by German immigrants in the first half of the nineteenth century.

All of this is to say that your piece could have easily been made in New York, probably by a German cabinet maker, but not necessarily even that. Biedermeier had wide popularity in the first half of the 19th century, so any master cabinet maker, regardless of nationality, could have been working in the style.

I still think that this piece is faced in maple veneer, actually curly Maple burl. Ash is another possibility. Ebonized pieces were usually - but not always - made of cherry. Another commonly used wood, particularly in Europe, was pear. Fruitwoods were common as they could be obtained locally. More exotic woods, such as mahogany, required a duty every time they passed through a political jurisdiction, making them prohibitively expensive.
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

mart

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2013, 01:10:46 pm »
Ghopper is correct !! I found one very similar styled piece made by Baker  !!  Many of the better furniture mfrs such as Kittinger and Baker used these woods and that price tag would not be out of line !!  From where that label was found I doubt that it was placed by an antique mall !!  If so logic would have it on the back !!  But to have to remove a drawer and look under it to access a bar code doesn`t seem reasonable to me for the person selling it !! 

greenacres

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2013, 06:47:58 pm »
I have Baker Dinning Room furniure for my grandmother. The cabinet bottom has the same door style as mart said.
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mart

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2013, 08:06:01 pm »
http://www.ebay.com/clp/america-antique-sideboards-buffets-post-1950/162914?query=Region+of+Origin%3AAmerica
Scroll down here and there is a sideboard ( I think ) with similar styling by Baker !!  Great Grandaughter just arrived may be a different piece !!

KC

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2013, 08:30:02 pm »
You might want to take a look at this piece...looks very familiar to yours....
http://www.viennawoodsla.com/products/armoire/



another in the same style here
http://www.canonburyantiquesblog.co.uk/art-deco-bookcase/

and another made with birch
http://www.antiquesdesign.com.au/ifs-furniture_desk.html

Finest quality South German Biedermeier sideboard in cherrywood on pine. Ebonized trim. Architectural pilaster front with two doors and one drawer in standing bookmatch  http://www.ritterantik.com/antique_furniture/1269/Biedermeier_Chest_and_Servers/BIEDERMEIER_CHESTS_AND_SERVERS_D507.html
« Last Edit: January 02, 2013, 08:35:22 pm by KC »
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

KC

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2013, 08:47:23 pm »
I failed to note...I do agree it is in the Style of Biedermeir...but so far determining where it was built...you might need a hands-on by someone in the know.

An absolutely stunning piece.  The ebonized wood and light wood (not sure birch or a fruitwood) make it a definite standout.  I can see this in a finer home/estate for sure.
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

txwoodworker

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2013, 09:02:19 pm »
OK, I posted some non-reduced pics on photobucket:






mart

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Re: Biedermeier Hutch/Buffet
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2013, 09:52:55 am »
http://www.ritterantik.com/ritter_antique_worth_knowing.php
There has been something bugging me about this hutch so went to the true experts in the field !!  It was the wood !! Normally that would have been like a slap in the face to me that there was little care taken in matching the wood pattern but I was more focused on the little things rather than what is a main factor !!  Read and look at the true Biedermeier pieces and you will see what  I mean !!  I suggest sending pics to the website above for their determination !! Please also add the pic of the label !!