Table Info

[hosman321]

Haven't posted anything in awhile, having withdrawls.
I'm going to pick up this table later today and was hoping to get a bit more info. Like what company made it and where. Kind of obvious when it was made. Although I'm assuming that is the patent date and it could have been made later. I doubt they dated each table the day it was made but I suppose I could be wrong. The last digit of the date is unknown. I think this is the correct patent but I don't know. Does it look like it is? The date is wrong though.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=iH9AAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=table&as_drrb_ap=q&as_minm_ap=0&as_miny_ap=&as_maxm_ap=0&as_maxy_ap=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=1860&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=1869&num=100&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1#v=onepage&q&f=false
The table I'm getting is missing a part though. A center insert underneath? The extra leg is not broken off or anything, it just doesn't provide extra support now that the piece is missing. Anyways, thanks for any help or opinions. I'm just curious about it's history...

[hosman321]

One more...

[hosman321]

Well, I picked this up yesterday and I just love it. The patina in person is just marvelous, very rustic, worn and a rich dark walnut? color. He told me that the previous owner swears there is a maker's mark on it and he saw it before. But we couldn't find it with the table unextended. So, a-maker's-mark-huntin' I go to learn more. Bad thing is that nearly every single piece of hardware has been replaced with new stuff. Even the hinges and wheels.
Oh well. I'll hit up ebay.

[Oceans64]

I've been looking...  Is the extra leg really short on this or did it just look like it in the pics.  I was wondering if it had swung out to different positions depending if the table was extended or not.

And btw...  on my Pembroke Table the mark is imprinted but not blackend.  I had the table for years before I ever saw and had looked a few times.  It was only in outside light that I noticed it.

[hosman321]

The leg is the same length as all the others, I thought the same thing you did. It actually appears to screw in right where the date is. I don't think there is a piece missing like he said. The table is a drop leaf but also extends out for more leaves. I think the detached leg is for added support when extra leaves are added. I haven't messed around with the table yet, we brought it in last last and I fell asleep 5 minutes later. Gonna go check it out though, hope I can find that mark.

[hosman321]

I just realized what he meant by "missing piece." Duh, he meant the missing leaves. He meant that the leg was not needed now because the leaves are missing. He didn't know much about antiques so...yeah.

[Oceans64]

That leg is still puzzling me a bit.... Why only support one half the table? Seems like it should have swung in to support the leaves then swung back when the leaves weren't in use.  Something like this maybe...

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/7799119

[hosman321]

Well, I think I can explain this but it may be confusing. When you pull the table apart, all those rows of wood lined up on the underside slide. I just went and looked under, and the screw holes for the leg are now in the middle of the table. So, with extra leaves, the extra leg would rest in the proper place to support the middle of the table. But when closed and without extra leaves, the leg is off center because it doesn't really need to provide extra support.

[hosman321]

Well, now this drives me crazy. I found a hidden stamp on the slider. It's a whole bunch of words and numbers but I can't make them out at all. If I can get better pictures can anyone use photoshop to see if they can read it? I'd be ever so grateful! I don't have any photo programs. Any tips on how to take good pics of stamps?
By the way, this little table gets huge! I only pulled it out a little bit and it's at least 6 ft long. Probably gets up to 9ft or so.
In the pic, it appears there is a "10, 18--" It's probably just a patent date?

[sapphire]

hosman, try taking a shot (without flash) on an angle.....may help eliminate the flare.  I can give it a go with my program....don't hold your breath though

[hosman321]

Well, after about a billion pics with and without flash here's the best I could get. I'm not as interested in the dates now because most start with "186" so it was made in the 1860's-early 70's, I'm betting. Probably multiple patent dates. After wiping it a bit with a damp paper towel, I found a word next to the dates that has "SSNE"? in it. I bet that's the patent holder and then I can find company info. Thanks for any help! Also, maybe I can't find a patent because it's from another country? Did England have patents back then? If so, is there a website I can search?

Now that I look at the pics again, I see "SEP 10 18--" And "DEC 11?"

[waywardangler]

I can read some letters but the pics still are not good enough.  Top line looks like ...Sep 10,18
Next line is ...ss*ed D?ec  ??  I think the angle shot needs to be parallel with the writing and not an angle shot from the right side.  Maybe if you wet the surface the writing will stand out more?

[hosman321]

I'll go and try again.

[KC]

Looks like Dec and a date next to it on the second line! For December....

[waywardangler]

I would say it appears to be more like Dec 14.  I am wondering if this is a design patent and then the first word before Dec could be assigned?