Parlor table and dresser

[kathyv43]

I bought these items at an estate sale. Any information and/or value would be appreciate. I think both items are circa 1870-1880 and walnut. Thanks.

[ghopper1924]

Hi there:

You are probably right about the material and time period, although the dresser may be a bit earlier.

The parlor table is very handsome, although it looks like it has some issues on the top. I'd value it around $200 for replacement. The dresser looks like it has replacement pulls on the main drawers, so I'd value it at about the same: $200. These figures may be a little more or less, depending on where you are located.

[kathyv43]

You're right about the pulls. The original hole is in-between the holes for the brass pulls. Probably had pulls similar to ones on top drawers. I'm going to refinish the table so hopefully it will look much better. Thanks for your info.

[mart]

Thats a cute little step back chest !!  Wouldn`t mind having that !! Ghopper is correct on values for most areas !!  I think the table is closer to 1900 !!  About right for the chest give or take a few years !!

[kathyv43]

Around my area I can probably sell the chest for a hundred or so more, time will tell. The table probably around $200 like he said. But if you want to pay for shipping I'll be glad to sell the chest to you. haha

[ghopper1924]

Agree to disagree re: the table. I'd stick with 1870-80. When refinishing, I'd stick to a stain and finish as close to the original as possible for the best look and maximum value.

It occurs to me that the raised panels on the dresser drawer fronts probably had walnut burl applied to them. It would be great if you could find someone to restore those....it would really look terrific. Agree that the original pulls would have been wood, possibly walnut leaf style. Take a look at the back of the dresser: if there are holes near the top then there was probably a mirror as well. Just FYI.

[kathyv43]

I checked first for the mirror holes but didn't see any. I'm going to check again though because there was a little discoloration on the top drawers that made me think a mirror had been there. I think the pulls were originally the same or similar to the pulls on the top drawers.
We happen to have a guy in this small little town I live in that could recreate the pulls but then I would not make a profit when I sold the dresser. He's good but not cheap. Haha

[mart]

Agree to disagree re: the table. I'd stick with 1870-80. When refinishing, I'd stick to a stain and finish as close to the original as possible for the best look and maximum value.

It occurs to me that the raised panels on the dresser drawer fronts probably had walnut burl applied to them. It would be great if you could find someone to restore those....it would really look terrific. Agree that the original pulls would have been wood, possibly walnut leaf style. Take a look at the back of the dresser: if there are holes near the top then there was probably a mirror as well. Just FYI.

LOL !!  Whats 20 or 30 years anyway !!  I will say 1890 to 1910 !!  Want to flip a coin Ghopper ?? 

[ghopper1924]

  Ha! Take 20 or 30 years off your life and see if it makes a difference!

Let's flip that coin. I call tails (of the 7 seas)!!

[KC]

OH my goodness....laughin g so hard.  You beat me to it ghopper1924!  I would like the instant 20 - 30 off life at some point! 

I would agree with the late 1890 - 1910 timeline as well!

[jacon4]

1910? uhhhhhh, nooooo. Age of Golden Oak was firmly established by then. Why? because they had already cut down all the easily available walnut and oak was NEXT! Table is a version of eastlake, i'd say 1880-1890. Looks to have original casters which is a plus. Over 95% of old antique furniture that needs a new finish will get a better price if refinish is done well or professionally. The only exceptions to the 95% rule are museum quality examples with original finish or original painted pieces.

[ghopper1924]

I see my pal Jacon and I are in agreement pretty much all down the line. Yes, refinishing is a no-no at the high end, but otherwise it's OK, if, like we said, it's done well.

I see some lingering 1870-style Renaissance Revival in that table, thus to give it a more exact date I'd say 1875-85.

This is fun!

[mart]

But Jacon4,, the production of walnut furniture was the dominant wood around the turn of the century and up until late 20`s !!  Yes oak was there but in an entirely different genre`and style !! 

[jacon4]

Mart, hmmmmm, walnut dominate in 1900? nope, and certainly not by 1910. Thing is, you see the Eastlake style in oak during this period (1890-1900) as they had the machines set up for walnut eastlake but no walnut! The solution? do runs of eastlake style in oak and sell as hotel or cottage furniture. By 1910 the craftsman style or mission style in quarter sawn oak ruled. Stickley opened in 1900 so by 1910, eastlake was dead as a door nail style wise and the age of Golden Oak was in full bloom. Walnut was over forested during the 19th century and it was just not available in the quantities needed as that century came to a close, which is why you sometimes see late eastlake in golden oak, it's kinda weird looking but hey, we ain't got no walnut so let's go with golden oak eastlake!

The problem for the furniture industry by 1900 was twofold, they literally ran out of walnut and 2, it's not so easy to completely re-tool their machinery from the eastlake style to craftsman or mission, that was a BIG design change and it took time for them to create new machines to build mortise & tenon craftsman style furniture.

[mart]

http://antiques.about.com/od/furniture/ss/aa062706.htm#step2

Just stay tuned folks..we will be back in a moment !!     But now, a message from our sponsors  !!  LOL !!