Antique-shop.com

Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: cee_jay on October 17, 2010, 09:36:38 am

Title: old rush rocker
Post by: cee_jay on October 17, 2010, 09:36:38 am
Hi all! I found a rush rocker at a yard sale and fell in love with it.
I am taking a class for caning and rush work so I was so excited when I found this chair.
I cant seem to make out the label.
other than it was made in Cincinnati.
Thanks a Ton!!
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: KC on October 17, 2010, 12:43:35 pm
This plate could have been put on by the store selling it!  Most mfrs wouldn't put "on the parkway"....

Anyone else?
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: mariok54 on October 17, 2010, 01:46:04 pm
Looks like 'Aline & Joefke' or 'Soefke' .. What do others think?
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: KC on October 17, 2010, 02:08:44 pm
There are Amish stores in the area......
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: cee_jay on October 17, 2010, 06:32:59 pm
Yes, there are a few of the amish stores.
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: Oceans64 on October 17, 2010, 08:05:02 pm
How old do you think this chair is? If you think it is very early...  Keep in mind that in old style writing an "s" was written in such a way that it looks like our cursive "f" of today.  I believe it ended around the late 1700's.  It is hard to read..

ETA: Also the "s" at the end of the word (as in the first word here) would look more like a traditional "s" in old style writing. 
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: cee_jay on October 18, 2010, 09:30:57 am
would you like a better picture of the label?
and on the back of the seat it is put tog eather with almost a tongue and grove, or dove tail
I can take a picture of that also, if it would help.
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: KC on October 18, 2010, 12:39:55 pm
If you can't get a better pic of the label....is it raised lettering?  If so, do a rubbing!
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: Oceans64 on October 19, 2010, 09:07:51 am
Check out this link...  Its not a rocker but it looks very similar - particularly the arms.  Author calls it a "sack back" since sacks were placed over the back of the chairs to keep out drafts in the winter.  AKA Sack-Back Windsor chair.  They were very popular in the 1780-1790's.  Does it look like yours started life as a rocker? I know many times they were fashioned from a widely available chair.  Otherwise, there are several makers listed on the article below. Perhaps they were also shipping rockers.

http://www.bobdillonwindsorchairs.com/sackback.htm

"The arm was typically made up of a single, steam-bent piece of wood; but sometimes a sawn arm was used, pieced together from three parts: two arms joined by a central arm-crest. Sawn arms usually had carved knuckle hands, as did some bent arms. "

On the other hand.... 

I found the above link from this site: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Collectibles-General-Antiques-682/2010/10/identify-Windsor-chair.htm Again, it's not a Rocker but the author indicates that reproductions of the chairs were made in the Depression Era (1930's).
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: KC on October 19, 2010, 03:48:04 pm
Okay, does any of this help?

"Some letters in old handwriting are often difficult to recognize or are commonly confused because of curls and flourishes, plus the differences in old style writing and modern day writing style. This may cause errors in transcriptions taken from old handwriting, making it important that you understand these commonly confused letters in order to account for possible surname variations when searching for your ancestors. For example, the letters I and J were often used interchangeably and often appear identical. The old style S often appeared as f or p, especially when followed by a second s. This is apparent in commonly mis-transcribed words such as Jefse and Jepe for Jesse. Therefore, when searching for surnames, please keep in possible transcription errors in mind. To aid you in your search, here are a few of the most commonly confused letters in old handwriting transcriptions.
.
Commonly Confused Upper Case Letters
F - H       J - I       K - R       S - L       O - Q       P - R       U - V       W - M, UU
Commonly Confused Lower Case Letters
b - f       d - el       j - i       k - t       s - l       t - c       ss - fs, ps       w - vv       y - g
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: Oceans64 on October 19, 2010, 06:11:35 pm
I have a subsrciption to GenealogyBank and they have a database of old newspapers...  In the Feb 24th, 1929 edition of the "Cleveland Plain Dealer", page 17A there is an advertisement for a new ironing invention call the Thor Speed Iron. There is a list of companies near the advertisement that are distributing this monster of an iron and one in Ohio is called....

The Alms & Deopke Co...  on the Parkway

So that's my guess...  ;D

I'll try to post a pic in a bit.

ETA:  Having problems saving the pic since they frown on that sort of thing at Genealogy Bank.  Really nothing to see, just one line listing their name, Cincinnati, and "on the Parkway". (I'll keep trying for Ironlord - screenshot maybe)  However...  When you Google the name, you will find VERY, VERY cool info.  I will be interested to know how much (if anything) it will add to value of the chair...

ETA again: I figured it out. Here are the pics of the advertisement in 3 parts. Probably only interesting to fans of ironing  :)  On the 3rd pic you can look under Cincinnati and see the company name but again probably not that interesting considering the history of the building.

(http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n494/bwaltier/Thor%20Iron%20Ad/ThorIron1.jpg)

(http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n494/bwaltier/Thor%20Iron%20Ad/ThorIron2.jpg)

(http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n494/bwaltier/Thor%20Iron%20Ad/ThorIron3.jpg)

And..  In case you were wondering, this was a….

(http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n494/bwaltier/Thor%20Iron%20Ad/Headache.jpg)

JK!!!!  Thought it was a great ad and was on the same page  :)


Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: ironlord1963 on October 19, 2010, 06:30:05 pm
Thor Speed Iron, wow sounds intresting can't wait to see this.
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: Oceans64 on October 19, 2010, 07:17:36 pm
hahaha!  I just read the "Speed Iron" ad for the first time and am resisting a line by line commentary!!!  It's HILARIOUS!!!!

Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: ironlord1963 on October 19, 2010, 07:54:41 pm
    Cool Stuff Ocean, Seems pretty expensive for that day and age.  Can get a modern Iron for $20.00.  But who need a iron now day, my speed Iron is wear my wrinkly clothes for a hour or so and no more Wrinkle  ;)  ( Bohemian Way )  ;D
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: Sara Finn on October 19, 2010, 08:18:32 pm
Hmmm... I don't know the store/manufacturer/etc. as described on the tag in your posted image cee_jay, but if you'd include it & an image of the whole chair via email (not from a phone/blackberry) to Mr. Fred Taylor at 'info@furnaturedetective.com', you might just get the info you seek.

I'm of the opinion that your chair is early 20th century (from your pics), though.

Cool old windsor-ish chair!
 :)
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: KC on October 19, 2010, 10:56:39 pm
Oceans, my hat is off to you!!!!!!

My kiddos and I had ALMS as the first name and was sure it was oepke....

The company was in operation "on the parkway" from 1878 until it closed April 3, 1954.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/OHHAMILT/2000-04/0956618637 (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/OHHAMILT/2000-04/0956618637)

still in line with what I surmised late 1800's early 1900's.

can't find detailed info on who their chair suppliers were!...That hopefully will come from a researching fiend on this site!!!
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: cee_jay on October 20, 2010, 07:25:47 am
WOW thanks everyone!!!! What GREAT information. I found one on ebay yesterday, he said that if it had the metal plate on the bottom it was a reproduction. he was selling his for "buy it now" for $450.00
I tryed to add the link but the listing has expired.
Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: Oceans64 on October 20, 2010, 09:00:02 am
What's interesting is that for such a large company and for all the years of service...  You find very little of the furniture for sale today. I have found none that I can see a pic of. There is a syrofoam mirror on ebay with a sticker....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290474239019

I read in a Google Book that their philosophy was to sell with small profit margin so maybe it wasn't value much by the purchasers? I don't know.  Very cool tho cee jay.  I just love things about which you can tell a story...  and in another 20/30 years (or so) you will have a bona-fide antique!  hahaha...  Altho it's probably worth more today than most true antique chairs out there.  There are lots of stories about Grandpa working for Alms & Deopke (not mention Cincinnati History in general). I imagine it opens up a market that wouldn't necessarly be there for just any other Rocker.

Title: Re: old rush rocker
Post by: mariok54 on October 20, 2010, 11:06:56 am
Well done Oceans... some good detective work there!!!

I wonder if could take up the option to sell the 'new' Thor Speed Iron ...? With its totally new speed principle .... the mind boggles!!