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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 06:26:27 PM

Title: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 06:26:27 PM
Hello, we were shopping in an antique store in New Hampshire this week and came across this beautiful stand...the woman in the shop said it was circa 1810 and had it labelled as a Hepplewhite. 
We are new to this and are not sure how to authenticate this piece and if it is truly a hepplewhite style and circa 1810.
Any thoughts/help would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 06:47:41 PM
another pic
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: sapphire on September 30, 2012, 06:58:23 PM
Welcome to the forum LeCat!  Can you take a few more close up pics of the construction methods?  The closer/larger/brighter the better  ;)  Once a few of our furniture wise people show up I'm sure you get some great info.
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: mart on September 30, 2012, 07:10:35 PM
Thanks Sapphire,, yes we do need pics taken in better light and close ups of nails, screws ect. construction details are important !!  Your table has the tapered legs typical of that style and the wood does show some age but will wait for additional pics !!  I see a darkened edge on the underside !!  Did they say that the table had been redone by any chance ??  The way that top is worn is not typical to what its use should have been and that color is not what I would expect of that period !!
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:47:18 PM
thanks for the welcome and help...so all she could tell me was that she got the table at an estate sale and it was a hepplewhite style stand.  It seems like the table was repainted because u can see the wood then what appears to be white paint and then blue.  also the table top is not even and seems to have most wear where the wood is raised.  also seems like maybe a leg was replaced because one leg has grooves like it was slid in...hope these pics are better...
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:48:13 PM
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Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:49:11 PM
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Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:50:54 PM
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Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:51:35 PM
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Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:52:37 PM
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Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:54:19 PM
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Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 07:56:09 PM
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Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: mart on September 30, 2012, 08:19:01 PM
Truthfully,, I think the lady tweaked the truth a bit !!   Like I said only the similar legs would be called Hepplewhite !!  From those nails it can date before 1850, but I think its had some work on that top !! It appears to be rough cut pine not typical of Hepplewhite  !! Its the linear wear pattern that looks wrong !! Almost like its been scraped !! If she had called it a farm table in Hepplewhite style would have been more accurate !!  Irregardless of that,, I like the table and its primitive style !!  Might i ask its price ???
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on September 30, 2012, 08:26:20 PM
ok that makes sense.   like i said we are new to this so i really appreciate the input....she listed for 375 but we talked down to 325.  Not too sure if that was too much to pay but we really love it.  thanks so much!! ps great forum here!
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: cogar on October 01, 2012, 05:03:05 AM
Nice primitive. It looks like an oldie to me.

Mortise n' pegged construction ...... and it looks like it might be a 1-board top cause I cant see any joining seam. Look at the underneath side.

That might be what is called "old buttermilk blue paint", and if it is, that dates it for sure. 
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: bigwull on October 01, 2012, 05:17:56 AM
What is the dimension of the top...i.e. i,m more interested in the width across the grain as opposed to the linear length with the grain...
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: ghopper1924 on October 01, 2012, 05:37:17 AM
It's got the age, but it seems like it's just a table, not necessarily Hepplewhite. I probably would not have paid that much, but if you love it that's all that matters.

Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: bigwull on October 01, 2012, 06:03:43 AM
It's got the age, but it seems like it's just a table, not necessarily Hepplewhite. I probably would not have paid that much, but if you love it that's all that matters.


Yeah....but sometimes love is Blind......
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on October 01, 2012, 06:22:55 AM
Wow thanks!!! so the against the grain dimension is 16 1/4 inch and the with grain is 17  3/4...what is the significance of the dimensions?  And yes it is one board on top no seem.
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: bigwull on October 01, 2012, 06:36:58 AM
Wow thanks!!! so the against the grain dimension is 16 1/4 inch and the with grain is 17  3/4...what is the significance of the dimensions?  And yes it is one board on top no seem.
looking at the pic.it looks wider than 16in...that,s why i asked about the width..had it been wider there was a very good chance that it was a jointed board...but at only 16.1/4...then it is most likely from one piece....
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: cogar on October 02, 2012, 03:09:48 AM
Quote
what is the significance of the dimensions?

With age .... comes width. ;D

Tops of tables and sides & doors of blanket chests and cabinets made prior to say the 1880's were often made from one (1) board that was sawed from "virgin" timber (BIG trees).

Most all the "virgin" timber east of the Mississippi had been cut by 1900 except in a few places that were inaccessible to loggers at that time. Actually inaccessible to the horses that were needed to drag the log out after it was cut.

I remember seeing a photo that my mother had, of my grandfather and his logging crew, that was taken in Webster County, WV, just after they had "notched" a tree they were cutting with their cross-cut saw. All five (5) of them were sitting in the "notch".

For those unfamiliar with what a "notch" is, it is a "piece-of-pie" shaped wedge that is cut out of the side at the base of the tree to control the direction the tree falls and to insure it "jumps" off the stump, otherwise it will likely "split" right up the length of the log.

(http://www.rprtrees.com/_/rsrc/1265822624741/services/tree-services/tree-cutting-diagram.png)
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: bigwull on October 02, 2012, 03:53:38 AM
Quote
what is the significance of the dimensions?

With age .... comes width. ;D

Tops of tables and sides & doors of blanket chests and cabinets made prior to say the 1880's were often made from one (1) board that was sawed from "virgin" timber (BIG trees).

Most all the "virgin" timber east of the Mississippi had been cut by 1900 except in a few places that were inaccessible to loggers at that time. Actually inaccessible to the horses that were needed to drag the log out after it was cut.

I remember seeing a photo that my mother had, of my grandfather and his logging crew, that was taken in Webster County, WV, just after they had "notched" a tree they were cutting with their cross-cut saw. All five (5) of them were sitting in the "notch".

For those unfamiliar with what a "notch" is, it is a "piece-of-pie" shaped wedge that is cut out of the side at the base of the tree to control the direction the tree falls and to insure it "jumps" off the stump, otherwise it will likely "split" right up the length of the log.

(http://www.rprtrees.com/_/rsrc/1265822624741/services/tree-services/tree-cutting-diagram.png)
....With age .... comes width.....Never a truer word said....maybe i should change my nom-de-plum...to Fatwullie..... ;D
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: cogar on October 02, 2012, 05:23:30 AM
 ;D ;D that wasa goodurn, wullie.
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: LeCat on October 02, 2012, 06:48:16 AM
Wow ok I'm learning a lot thanks everyone... So the top being one piece  likely helps date it?
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: mart on October 02, 2012, 08:40:06 AM
Yes !!  Single board tops can be earlier than jointed boards !!  Not always but is a good indicator !!
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: cogar on October 02, 2012, 01:36:16 PM
Right, except for old but "fine" furniture made by experienced cabinetmakers who would saw a board in two, lengthwise, and then rejoin it. Was done to eliminate internal "stresses" that could cause the board to eventually "warp". 
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on October 02, 2012, 04:45:42 PM
Waaaaaaay niiiiiiiice!!! Everything looks great- early paint, cracking finish, patina, square nails- You've got 'em all! VERY nice!

Something fun to do with these old single piece quartersawn wood tables is to count your tree rings! If there are too many to count easily, measure off an inch, count the rings in one inch and multiply by the width of the table.  Add a little extra for the center part of the tree. In the case of my dining table it was really neat to learn that once upon a time when my table top was a tree, it was felled when it was about 350 - 400 years old! So it adds a whole new dimension to the history of your table! Each ring = one year so count 'em up and let us know how old it is!
Title: Re: Hepplewhite style table original or repro?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on October 02, 2012, 04:47:41 PM
Here's some photos of the tree rings on my tabletop:

(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x124/talesofthesevenseas/Dining/Rings.jpg)

(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x124/talesofthesevenseas/Dining/Rings1.jpg)