17th Century English Oak Silver Chest

[jacon4]

I could be wrong! I did have a typo the other day and had to suffer a couple of stump jumpers tormenting me!

But, in looking at marhamchurch boxes currently for sale, i'll stick with the $500 number, there is simply A LOT of early english pieces available which hurts value, particularly when out of fashion, which is presently the case.

[Ipcress]

Well I think the feet are wrong, I don't like that trim on the base and I think the carving is later but furniture on photos is a tricky one.

[jacon4]

furniture on photos is a tricky one

Agrees, pic's lie when it comes to furniture, i am not sure why exactly but cameras just miss stuff that is apparent when examined in person. If the carving is later, that would harm value, no doubt about it.

[KC]

Totally agree ipcress and jacon4 about the camera bit.  It's amazing how on some things more flaws/details will show up and on furniture/others it is the total opposite.

[Ipcress]

A good photo of a porcelain item without glare on the surface and i'm fine. Even a painting is better than furniture.

Colour of the wood, surface wear etc etc etc Hardware can look fine on a photo but in person was obviously applied later.

[jacon4]

Another thing to keep in mind about early boxes or early furniture in general, if it's American, you can get  away with MUCH more in terms of condition. Take Ruth's box, a rather sad episode of mine years ago, entire bottom was REPLACED! lock REPLACED! entire box REPAINTED!  auction estimate was 1-2k,  my first & only bid was $4000. from the get go and I was blown out of the water, box went for over $8000.
You could NEVER hope to get that price from a similar condition english box, not gonna happen!
I would add, this incident took place in 2010, at the height of great recession when antiques were supposed to be cheaper, only god knows what that box would bring today.

[KC]

Isn't that amazing that all of those alterations are made and it is still worth so much! 

[jacon4]

Isn't that amazing that all of those alterations are made and it is still worth so much!

Yeah, is, i was stunned. My strategy going into sale was different than usual, my plan was just to overwhelm others by a single bid, take my best shot while bidding was still in the mid-hundreds, 600-700 or so, i posted 4k on bidder screen, BAM! i am taking this box home with me folks, you can all just move along to another object!
WRONG!
That is what is so different about early american furniture, it's very rare to start with, add in each object is unique and, it's very hard to get a handle on what the price will be, total crap shoot really. One thing for sure, nobody that counted gave a damn about condition as far as Ruth's box was concerned! And that is really weird in the antique furniture world.