Eastlake dresser help!

[mrobbins]

Hello,

I just bought 2 Eastlake dressers last weekend. The finish is pretty beat up (more so on one of them) but the wood is solid. The woman I bought them from said she had gotten them at a local auction here they had been stored in a barn for who knows how many years. They're not exactly matching. One has knapp joints, the other has manufactured looking dovetail joints. Both are missing some hardware.

From what I've read it looks like these could be from anywhere between 1870 - 1910. Both have marble tops. The only manufacturer label I could find is a niagra marble works stamp under one top.

So far I tried cleaning up the knapp joint one with some soapy water. A LOT of dirt came off but there still seems to be a dirty film on it. I would love to keep the original look but I don't know if I can save it. Anyone have any advice on how to go about cleaning these up? What do you think they're worth?

[ghopper1924]

Niagra marble works? Are you in upstate New York?

With the finish and hardware restored, in the midwest your dressers would sell on Craigslist for around $300 each. I'd say your date range is good, but would narrow it down a bit to 1880-1910, maybe even 1890-1910.

[mart]

These do not have enough finish left to worry about !!  So just get one of those teflon scrubbies and some Spray cleaner like Fantastik or 409  (without bleach) and dilute by half to 50/50 mix !!  Spray then wet the scrubbie and go over it lightly with the grain and wipe off with wet cloth !! Keep rinsing in between !!
Work in small areas about half a  drawer front or about 12 inch square till clean !!  Let dry two or three days !!  Can repeat spots if needed !!  This should get all the dirt and grime then you can decide on a finish !!  May need a light sanding after all the water !!

[jacon4]

Alcohol is a good cleaner as well and, if the current finish is shellac it will dissolve & remove it plus, it won't raise the grain of the wood. You need to refinish your dresser, quite easy to do these days with spray cans of poly or lacquer from big box hardware stores.

[KC]

Great advice! 

They just need a little TLC!

[mart]

Yes alcohol will work if you want to remove the remaining finish !! But get denatured alcohol from the hardware store !! Its stronger and does a better job !!  And be sure to buy rubber gloves too !!  That method destroys your manicured nails and the stains have to wear off !! 

[mrobbins]

Thanks so much for the tips! I will have to try them this weekend.

I am located in southern New Jersey. Only one of the tops says niagara marble works. Not sure where the other one is from

[mrobbins]

Knapp joints on first dresser pictured

[mrobbins]

Second dresser (mirror attaches to this one)

[ghopper1924]

Fun facts:

The Knapp Joint, also known as Pin & Cove, Pin & Scallop and Half Moon, is a visually unique style of antique joinery. It is a particularly interesting in that iit was only in use for about 30 years.

The Knapp joint was developed during the late Victoria Era in the post-Civil War United States. It was patented by Charles Knapp of Waterloo, WI in 1867. This type of joint was a significant advancement in furniture construction as it was made by machines whereas the dovetail joint had to be done by hand. The rate of production went from 20 drawers per day to 250!

This joint is the first known mechanization for making drawers in the industrial revolution age. The Knapp is a very strong form of drawer joinery but was only utilized from 1870 until about 1900, when it basically fell completely out of use. It was replaced by machine cut dovetails, which are still mass produced in factories today.

[mart]

These are hand cut dovetails !!  Unusual to see that many unless machine made !!

[jacon4]

These are hand cut dovetails !!  Unusual to see that many unless machine made !!

Yeah, is unusual to see those in late 19th century America except in custom built furniture by a cabinetmaker.