Library Table (Pats. Pend)

[maligirl]

hi folks,

i have recently inherited a library table (i think) from my daddy. my nana had it before him. i'm not sure how old it is and would like to know about it. i did a little research and found the company today that is now into real-estate. also, from books on internet. but have not found this table. what i've found was a bed and things that have patents dated on them. i also saw a few book pages on ebay that helped some, but to no avail i'm still wondering about this table. there is a label inside the drawer but it is so scratched off the only thing i can make out is "Wis. USA" i've enclosed photos for reference for those that will have more knowledge than me. thanks again, for any info you can provide.

maligirl

[maligirl]

oh also forgot to add it has two leafs that come out the front and back about 8-10 inches. i can't get them out by myself. so...

again, thanks for any help.

maligirl

[maligirl]

dang it, i'm not good at the internet, here is the top of the table. it also has a glass top that seems very old also because the glass is not perfect in fitting on the corners.

[cogar]

The "leaf" mechanism looks like it has to be pulled "down" ..... and then "out" ........ and then the leaves pushed "down" and then "in" to hide them again.

That sure is a unique design on the table top surface, never seen one like that before now.  

[maligirl]

hi cogar,

actually the leaf is pulled out from both sides at once. my husband and i had it out yesterday. that is why i can't get it out just from one side. maybe it needs oil or something...

yes, i love the top, plus it has had glass so it's almost in pristine condition. the wood edging also is carved or some sort of design on it. what i thought was cool was that "seng" was still in the "pats. pend" stage. i think i read they started in like 1874 but not sure if this was after then or what. so... the quest is on!

[Rauville]

I'm assuming that "Seng" provided the mechanical apparatus for the leaves, and the table itself was manufactured by another firm in Wisconsin, utilizing those parts.

You might want to research the "Phoenix Chair Company" of Sheboygan, Wisconsin as a possible maker. They made more than just chairs.

http://www.instappraisal.com/antique-appraisal/1927-phoenix-chair-company-tudor-duplex-table

[maligirl]

thank you rauville,

i will look into that company. with the pats. pend is what is really throwing me off.

take care,
maligirl

[mart]

Rauville is right !!  Seng only made the metal parts for furniture !! Your table looks like a mahogany and walnut veneer top with varying stains for contrast !! The glass would not normally be a part of the table originally and would likely have been added either as an extra or put on later to protect the top !!  Would like to see what the pull out looks like,,writing surface or some other reason its there !!

[jacon4]

It's a reproduction of an Elizabethan period (17th century) draw leaf table.

[maligirl]

yes mart, i read on that seng website they did metal work even for war efforts back in the day, but i was confused because it said "pats. pend". so i'm not sure when to try and date the table. weren't library/draw leaf tables pretty popular back in victorian age? this is what leaves me stumped. if seng were a metal parts manufacturer, contracted by furniture companies to supply mechanisms for them, would it not be seng with the patent? if so, then how and when were these applied for? i found something regarding patents, but couldn't find this particular item. this is what i was using to try and date the table. i kinda figured jacon4 is reproduction. i only knew of the style tudor by looking in one of the books on ebay that had a page that listed legs and then a table of contents with page number in "seng book" regarding the style of legs. i think i also read where this furniture was sold by salesman that had sales books and specifics you could send into the company to give koo-doe's for the salesman. i just wish i could find the company who manufactured the table. i think i read seng went out of the metal business in like 1949 or a little later. so... i was trying to piece together  the pats pend with manufacturer. my nana came from new england, but her daddy came from canada, which would make sense with the wisonsin thing.

thank you for all of your replies. it is so interesting to try and piece together information from such a long time ago, when it was "common knowledge" back in the day...

[mart]

I looked among a bunch of furniture labels and found that a company in Oshkosh, Wis. used that abbreviation but between septic line crash and Grandson in the hospital with sepsis haven't had more time to look !! But plumber was out this morning and Grandson is probably just an overnighter may have more time this evening to look !!

[maligirl]

dear god mart,

OMG!!! i sure hope your grandson is better soon!!! plumbing is just a thing i guess... although a luxury for us today. however, i can remember going to my "ma'coopers" outhouse. they use to get us to go before it got too late and then would tell me and my sister that there was a "troll" that came out from underneath my grandma's house at night that guarded the outhouse. she lived way back up in the blue ridge mountains. i can remember laying in the bed at night having to pee so bad i couldn't stand it but i was deathly afraid of what that troll would do if i got out of the bed. she had no electric or heat in that house the whole time i remember being there. i do remember when i was about 6 or 7 she had a toilet put in her house with running water in a sink and tub. it was blue and i remember thinking, you must be awfully rich to have a "blue bathroom"...

thanks for helping me. i truly wish your family well mart!

[KC]

Here's an article with History of Wisconsin Furniture makers and some names in Oshkosh
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19811212&id=RHpQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GhIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4545,2983828

Some furniture makers in Oshkosh were:
Gunz and Kloeckner Furniture Company in the late 1880's to early 1900's on Nebraska Street.
The Buckstaff Company  1850 to early 1900's
John Fair (from Scotland) 1850 to early 1900's

[maligirl]

thank you kc! i will look into that link. right now dealing with "drivey dogs" one of them being a 6 month old puppy and not being able to stay outside in the kennels because of the low temps here. i'm going crazy and i've only been up for a few hours. UGH!!!

[Rauville]

What are the overall dimensions of the table?