For Jacon4,,plantation desk !!

[mart]

http://www.kovels.com/forums/6-furniture-clocks-lighting/8501-need-some-help

Couldn`t figure out how to get all pics moved so just posted a link to the page !! Its a nice pine plantation desk and time seems correct but I have no idea about the value for NE states !! Since it was purchased in the 70`s not sure if value has kept pace !! Here in Texas about $1500. to $2000. is what I would expect !! That would be for a pine desk without provenance !!

[KC]

Mart, this reminds me of an antique clerk's desk.

This one didn't sell for much $345 in 2013 auction.  Even has a marker's mark

http://www.crockerfarm.com/maryland-auction/2013-05-04/lot-329/Classical-New-York-Clerks-Desk-with-Makers-Stamp/

Take a browse at this site
http://www.officemuseum.com/desks.htm

A "true" plantation desk came in two parts.  The bottom being a flat topped stand - most of the time without drawers.  The top part came with a drop down desk area that revealed pigeon holes and storage with the sides having handles for ease in transport/placement on stand.

[jacon4]

Yeah, looks to be first half 19th century desk with Sheraton features like the legs. Antique desks of any era, even colonial, are a very hard sell these days, they just don't fit modern life and tend to be large and heavy. On the east coast this desk would do well if it brought $500., desks of all periods have taken a MAJOR hit at auction and it's doubtful that prices will return to their 1990s level any time soon.

Would agree with KC, this desk is more of a clerks or butler type desk rather than a full blown plantation desk, basically a smaller version of that style which should help it sell as it's smaller. Still, i have seen period Sheraton/Hepplewhite plantation desks in solid walnut/cherry go for a song at auction these days, ditto chippendale, QA, W&M. For whatever reason old desks are just not "in" and do not do well at auction.
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/search?q=plantation+desk&by_date=2014-12-01T11:17:46.543Z&sort=relevance&dtype=gallery&hasimage=true&type=complete&rows=20&pagenum=1

[mart]

Thanks folks !! It is supposed to be a butlers desk as you said Jacon4 !! Thought it might do better if the historical connection could be proven !!  But they said they had nothing written !!

[frogpatch]

It is a shame but that seems to be true. Large TVs and bars are taking up the space that would have held a nice desk or secretary. I would expect that piece to still bring 750.00 to 900.00 in my area to one of the many people who have large period homes around here (central Jersey Shore), at the right auction.

[jacon4]

I saw one of those reality shows, property brothers or some such over the holidays, where 2 brothers sell/remodel houses. I noticed in living room they had a small modern cabinet built to look like an antique apothecary chest that was used as a stand for a very large flat screen TV, it looked good! The problem with large antique pieces of furniture is, they need to function as a stand alone item by themselves, you cant put anything on them.
It's kinda like that thread awhile back on Armoire's/ wardrobe/schrank, large pieces that have lost their main function and have had issues in adapting to modern living.

[KC]

It is sad values have dropped but understand with the size of homes/apartments and functionality of pieces.

Too bad the provenance wasn't kept over the years. 

[jacon4]

Large pieces still have their place in the antique world, it's just that if they don't have a stand alone function, they usually suffer in the market place. I have a large period american W&M gate leg table in my dining area, it still looks great and functions very well even after 300 years. Ditto a large chest of drawers, a 200 year old chippendale chest of drawers for instance, will hold your socks as well today as it ever did and, look pretty good doing it.

[jacon4]

Hmmmmmmm, Pook is having their year end grab bag type of sale, not a catalog type auction, more like stuff that's affordable that dealers can't sell, pook didn't sell during the year, etc. I noticed about the 3rd or 4th of these when i was looking at furniture, are dealers repurposing 18th century desks/ secretary/ bookcases into top & bottom sections to get them out of their shops? I dunno but it seems like there are a lot of these guys at year end sales at major auction houses here in the east, to many to just be a coincidence i would think.
I am not sure how i feel about this, is it better to repurpose into a piece that will be sold & used somewhere OR leave it alone gathering dust somewhere in a shop/warehouse?

[mart]

Depends on when it was made,,its condition,,ect !! For 20th century furniture sometimes its the better thing to have happen !!  Just depends ,,,!!

[jacon4]

These are 18th century pieces, the one above in pic is C. 1760 queen anne with tombstone door panels. It's the top half of a desk/bookcase, about 4 feet tall by 30 inches wide. I'll be interested to see what this sort of thing sells for, they have it estimated at $200 or so, i couldn't buy the walnut for that.

[mart]

  Was it just separated from the bottom ??  I have to say that it looks like a nice cabinet and if both parts can be used independently !!  Well,,I guess its better that having it tossed into the barn !!
I have seen some repurposing of later furniture that I really liked,,but we are talking about mass produced furniture and only moderate value at best !!

[KC]

I would love to find such beautiful pieces like this.  Even tho' it is separated from the base...it can be repurposed into a lovely wall mounted cabinet!  OR sat on a table...

I agree with you jacon4 that I am seeing more and more pieces that are being separated.  Chances are it was an inherited piece and over the years inheritors find they only need the bottom part.  I have also seen in many of my friends moving escapades across the country that one part of their family heirloom makes it to their home and "somehow, someway" the rest of it is "lost" to never be found.

Sure wish I could find good quality pieces like this around me at an end of the year sale! 

[jacon4]

Was it just separated from the bottom ??

Mart, yes and, there are like 3 or 4 of these in the Pook sale alone which leads me to think dealers are doing the "divorce" rather than just a naturally occurring event. Generally speaking, large pieces got divorced when the family that owned them fell on hard times and needed furniture, you take a highboy for example, separate the top from the bottom and boom! you got 2 usable pieces of furniture.

Sure wish I could find good quality pieces like this around me at an end of the year sale!

Yeah and, if the estimate is anywhere close to correct, you couldn't buy the walnut alone for that price!

[jacon4]

Well, the QA top sold for $1200. which does not include BP or shipping, quite a bit more than i thought it would.