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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: dajain on June 01, 2014, 06:52:35 pm
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I found this chair that my neighbor has. He is 70 years old and he got it from his mother who has passed. He claims it is over 100 years old.
As far as I know, it has never been reupholstered and will get better pictures if they are needed.
I have a chance to buy it, but what is a good price?
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We really do need better pics if possible !! Also what is your location ??
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mart it has arms similar to the ones posted earlier by Gusto but these are of a dog. I saw a chair similar to this at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN which was owned by one of the mayo brothers in a small museum there. Also of dogs.
can't get over a couple of them in a row here, even if they are not made by the same person or company.
Very cool
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Welcome!
I just love these old carved arm chairs. I agree sugarcube5419. Amazing how these are popping up now!
Can you poast a few more pictures of the "dog" faces straight on, any construction that can be seen under the chair, etc.
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Awesome! Also photograph any metal hardware (screws, iron straps etc.)
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Thought that's what it looked like but wasn`t sure !! Had green beans in the sink,,didn`t have time to look closely !!
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I have had many of these chairs through the years. They were made by many quality chair makers and can date from 1880 until 1920 with little change. Generally the more elaborate the earlier but not always. Your chair looks like it still has the original upholstery. Morris (known for the Morris Chair) made similar pieces as did RJ Horner, Sikes, Heywood Wakefield and even Stickley. I have never seen two alike. I always liked them. I have also seen them in sets with a stationary chair and a love seat or sofa. They are usually stuffed with horsehair. I would love to see a better picture of the upholstery. If original that can help date it.
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Here are a few pictures. It will take a few posts to get most of the pictures in.
The only hardware I seen was the staples in the black fabric under the seat and the wood plugs for the screws under the rocker.
The seat does have a stain on it which couldn't be seen in the shade. Shows real nice in the sun though.
With these pictures, what's the approximate worth?
Thanks everyone!
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more pictures
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more pictures
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the seat and the stain
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If there are staples holding the dust cover on,,then it has been reupholstered !! You mean there are screws that attach the rockers to the legs ??
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I wasn't about to pull the wood pieces out of the holes they are in. The pictures show these wood plugs on the rockers. I can see how these fasteners would be essential to the integrity of the chair but that doesn't mean they are original.
I do know the chair is very sturdy from side-to-side.
Maybe reupholstered or maybe just a new dust cover. Could go either way. I don't know enough to try and even guess. I do know (and trust) the guy who had the chair and he got it from his mother 20 years ago. He can remember this chair being that same color since he was a kid. He's 78 right now by the way.
What is the condition and value of the chair?
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I am not saying the man is intentionally trying to mislead you,,only that memories are terribly inaccurate at times !! Young people in general do not pay a lot of attention to what fabric a chair is covered in !! In my opinion the fabric is not original,, not that it makes much difference in the chair value !! My opinion is that the chair is late 20`s or most likely 30`s !! I do not see anything that makes me think it is older but looking at pics is not always the best way to examine a chair !! Value is between $125. and $150 as it is.,,these are not one of the best selling chair types and rockers in general are not as popular as they once were !! The carving makes in less attractive to buyers except for those that are into the Gothic style of decorating !! Cleaned up and reupholstered could be a bit more but not worth the expense if re-sale is the intent !!
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Thanks for the reply and ball park figure as far as it's worth. I didn't buy it, but he is thinking of selling it and my wife does like it.
The owner said his mother was offered $3k for it 20 years ago. I guess he should have taken it. :-\
Thanks again!
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Only way it is worth that is if there is a famous makers name written on it !! That would be hard to believe even 20 years ago !! I grew up with that type furniture !!
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That's just what he said. His memory is pretty good, but that doesn't mean he don't remember the details exactly from 20 years ago.
I do know that an accurate appraisal can not be done from the pictures so I will have to seek locally for an expert.
Any ideas where to start looking. We are in a smaller city less than 30K people so a museum or such is not available.
Thanks again for all the great input!
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I am in Texas and value here may not be the same in your area !! But I do keep up with furniture as that is my area of interest and what I have dealt with over the years !! I would not recommend a dealer for valuation !! And internet values are hit and miss at best !! You might try to see if there is an appraiser somewhere close to you but that would cost and unless the chair was exceptional,,no sense spending money that you may not get back in value !! The condition of the chair is fair, the wear is a bit more than I would like !! And if its been in an attic I would be unsure about the joints and shrinkage of the wood !! Are you thinking about buying the chair to keep or for resale ??
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The owner is thinking of selling it but has no idea where to start and neither do I. He also has some paintings that look pretty old and one has, what looks to be an auction ticket on the back that says:
Da Vinci:
Madonna,
Child, St. John
Just going to have to take this stuff somewhere and get a value. Or just start high with a price and see what happens.
He's got a lot of other stuff, but this chair, these paintings, and some old wooden weight scales (says they are 150 years old, has date on scale) and what he brought to my attention right now.
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The Detail on these Dog heads are very good. I would suggest a second & third opinion. My opinion is it's and Alexender Roux. & easy $1,000.00 Dollars
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I agree that the detail is pretty good. In a large city like Dallas/Ft Worth this would sell easily for $800+ depending on condition of wood. If really good shape much more. I agree with Dewaine that this could use a hands on look from someone in the know!
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Not even close to Alexander Roux quality !! My opinion is an Empire Revival rocking chair !! I just don`t see the quality !! !! The carving looks to be similar to the oriental carvings of the same era !! And if it has plugged screw holes as stated,,is sure 20th century !!
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Alexander Roux? uhhhhhh, nooooooooooooo. Gee wiz, what are you kids smoking over here.
Linked is a Roux carved chair that depicts a hunting scene but to compare with posted attic find? it's not even close.
http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/armchairs/alexander-roux-hunting-chair/id-f_442042/
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I'm not even going to try and say I am an antique specialist, but just from the pictures of the Alexander Roux chair and trying to compare the chair I posted is like apple to oranges.
Which is better, a '68 Roadrunner or a '68 VW Bug? Same type of comparison if you ask me.
The Alexander Roux is a beautiful chair and I wouldn't even think the chair I posted is close to the value of that.
Love all the comments and look forward to all the opinions. Thanks Guys!
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Hey dajain, my post wasn't a knock on your chair at all, I was just pointing out that Roux is a rather famous french immigrant cabinetmaker who built very high end victorian furniture in NYC during the mid 19th century. His competitors included Belter, Herter Bros and others in the golden age of victorian furniture.
Yeah, apples & oranges would be correct in this case, although Roux frequently carved animals in his furniture your chair is just not a similar type of carving or same time period either. Here is a pic of a Roux attributed side board with a carved Elk head
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I didn't take it as a knock at all. I know "my" chair isn't museum quality and has quite a bit of use so I expect some criticism about the chair. No harm at all.
The owner of the chair is selling it and he doesn't do the internet. He was disappointed about the value of $150, but then was happy with the $1000.
I didn't mean my comments as a knock either so please don't take them that way. It's just the Alexander Roux chairs are in an entirely different league than the chair I posted.
I'm open to all the comments, good or bad. ;D
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Where are you/chair located?
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Carlsbad, NM
I've been thinking of listing the chair on Craigslist in both El Paso and Albuquerque and see what happens.
Thinking of starting high. Any suggestions based on the pictures?
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Sorry, not a clue here what your chair is worth. Where is frogpatch, i think he has this chair about right, 1890-1920s or so plus he likes this style as well as owned a few. I am guessing $150 as mart suggested would be generous on the east coast.
Quick google search found this chair, lot was passed and did not get a min $100 bid
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6324785
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Jacon4, I would have bought that for $100 in a heartbeat! :) Would resale great in the "artsy" part of the cities here! :)
Rockers that are ornate generally garner a little more. Do agree from late 1800's to early 1900's.
Another example that sold:
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2502671 (http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2502671)
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Jacon4, I would have bought that for $100 in a heartbeat!
lol, Yeah, i hear you but, that chair that you posted was in very good condition plus it was sold in the mid west, Iowa i think which would be a much better market than say the east coast for that kind of chair.
Frogpatch should chime in here, he/she has owned some of these chairs and probably knows their value. I know very little about these chairs and i came into this thread when i saw Alexander Roux mentioned.
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So, the farther West you get, the more these chairs are worth? I'm in the Southwest (Carlsbad, NM), so what does that do to the value?
Just trying to get a figure to give to the old guy to see if he would want to let it go for that price.
Still have a wide range from the forum, which is appreciated, but would like a more specific "ballpark" figure. :-\
Still, if it's not worth that much, I may buy it from him and keep it. If it's worth more, I'll sell it for him and he always treats me good.
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OK !! I had an entire paragraph typed last night and fell asleep at the keyboard !! Don`t know what I did with that paragraph !! It has been a tough week, I am still neck deep in green beans and other stuff !!
First to Dewain,,I didn`t mean to sound abrupt about the possibility of this being by Roux !! Nor did I intend to sound sarcastic,, I was just in a hurry !!
What I would do is list it on Craigslist as a "best offer" item then just see what you get !!
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Not A problem. my main interest were the Heads of the furniture. Roux senior died in 1889 the son continued but Quality, did not. Roux, Hunzinger, & other's Faltered on Quality as more shop's opened & time went on.
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OK !! I had an entire paragraph typed last night and fell asleep at the keyboard !! Don`t know what I did with that paragraph !! It has been a tough week, I am still neck deep in green beans and other stuff !!
LOL, You are not smoking those green beans are you?
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I am here Jacon4. I am a he just so you know, an old he that restored and sold furniture in the 70s and 80s until I realized it was not worth the hard work anymore. When I saw that chair I thought the upholstery was original and perfect. I would expect in the market here to get around 100.00 but only to someone who doe upholstery. Having it done professionally where I live would be around 300.00. It is really hard to date these because so many were made for such a long time. Mart and I are pretty much on the same page on this one. I always seem to date things a little earlier than she.
Regarding the painting, Da Vinci Virgin Child and St. Anne is the name of a famous masterpiece which hangs in the Louver. It is known as his last masterpiece. His Virgin Child St Anne and St John in a charcoal drawing that is in the national gallery. If there is a painting with only St.John(the baptist not the apostle) that is unknown to exist anywhere but this guys attic it would be priceless. There also should be an auction record for it somewhere. I would love to see that. I have had works made by an art company that look like an original painting and even feel like a painting with the title and artist on the back.
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OK !! I had an entire paragraph typed last night and fell asleep at the keyboard !! Don`t know what I did with that paragraph !! It has been a tough week, I am still neck deep in green beans and other stuff !!
LOL, You are not smoking those green beans are you?
LOL !! Here lately maybe I should be !! I have everything in the gardens (I have two) going at the same time !! Next week will be six rows of corn,, and they are long rows !! About half a football field I think !! Potatoes in the small garden ready now,,pulled onions already !! Only things that will be later are cantaloupes and watermelons !!
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Mart, hope you got a little bit of the rain that passed through here last night. We had a huge electrical storm with lotsa' rain but luckily no hail!
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WE did KC !! 1 3/4 inch of needed water !! Should be a good year for melons !! Everything has hit about perfect this year but my tomatoes are not as good as they usually are !!
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Not A problem. my main interest were the Heads of the furniture. Roux senior died in 1889 the son continued but Quality, did not. Roux, Hunzinger, & other's Faltered on Quality as more shop's opened & time went on.
Those "heads" remind me of some found on chairs by Stickley and Brandt.
http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?itemid=41362 (http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?itemid=41362)