Author Topic: Hidden Treasure?!  (Read 2265 times)

whichword

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Hidden Treasure?!
« on: February 22, 2008, 11:35:47 am »
I have found a beautiful old solid Oak dresser in someone's garage and would love to find out its history and possible value as I am interested to clean it up and sell it.  It could be German.  It could have been made around the end of the 1800's.  Please view attached photographs if you are interested and any feedback would be very welcome.  Thank you.

pasthence

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Re: Hidden Treasure?!
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2008, 01:46:56 pm »
Furniture is not my area, but that does look like a quality piece that needs to get out of that garage!  It is a buffet/china cabinet, not a dresser, and they recently had one similar on Antiques Roadshow, so maybe check out their website.  Check the wood in the areas that you don't see, like braces under shelves and the shelves behind the doors, they should be of a different, lesser quality wood than the rest of the piece.  It may have been made in the US by Germans who settled here in the 1800s.  The show I saw was San Antonio, within the last month or so, and they said there were a lot of Germans settling in that area in the 19th century.  You can also check how the corners/angles where the wood pieces meet, like at the shelves, are constructed, they should have an interlocking join kind of like a puzzle piece (but not shaped like one!), and not just be held together by nails, and definitely not phillips head screws!  The one on AR was much more elaborately carved and was in terrific shape from being taken well care of, and I am sorry I don't remember the value, but if I had to guess, that one was about $8,000, but that show always uses the best pieces.

whichword

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Re: Hidden Treasure?!
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2008, 02:02:53 pm »
Pasthence, thank you very much for your reply and information.  I shall look at the Antiques Roadshow website etc. and report back with info.  Once again, thank you.

cogar

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Re: Hidden Treasure?!
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2008, 05:59:35 am »
 whichword, not to be critical but to only offer my expertise, I offer the following.

First and foremost, be very careful in what you mean by “clean it up”. I suggest you use nothing more than a “wiping rag” and/or a clean dry brush. If it has an old “finish” then use a damp cloth. and then possibly paste wax. And be careful about moving it from a cool damp garage to a warm dry area.

A couple hints on “dating” old furniture:

1800, early 1900 cabinetmakers did not worry about using “cheap wood” because all wood was cheap. And they almost never used a board with a “knot” in it.

Check if “square nails” were used to apply the moldings around the top and on the doors, if found implies pre-1900. They were used exclusively up to 1880.

The shelves were most always mortised, tongue n’ grooved or doweled into the sides of a cabinet or chest.

And whichword, check for any variances in the “carvings” on the side frames of the doors. If they are identical …… it implies “machine cut”. 

whichword

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Re: Hidden Treasure?!
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2008, 07:08:15 am »
Cogar, many thanks, yep I was only going to damp rag  it and wax it.  I am a cabinet maker by trade so will be very careful!  As for the other details you mention I will go and check.  Certainly there are many square pegs on the cornice/back panels etc.  Whether these act as joints themselves or they have nails hidden underneath as yet I am not sure.  I will post a reply when I get more info.  For interests sake, this cabinet is in Mallorca.  Thank you again.