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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: dustyn79 on September 25, 2013, 09:17:20 PM
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I bought this piece yesterday and was told by the lady that I bought it from that it was over 200 years old. It belonged to her Grandmother who was from Rhode Island and the piece itself was from England. I bought it with the intentions of redoing it, possibly painting, and then realized I may have something that shouldn't be messed with. I contact an appraiser in the Dallas Area where I live and was told that it would be over $400 for them to come out and appraise it. She asked a few questions regarding specifics.
It is missing one know. She did not have it.
Has marble top which appears to be original.
No new hardware in or out.
Claw feet are solid wood with no brass.
3 Dovetails on each drawer and none of them symmetrical.
Measures 41 1/8 In Wide; 38 In Tall (including marble); 19 Inches Deep
All of the legs are intact and not broken
No markings anywhere inside or out
Please let me know what you think... Where its from? When? Value?
Thank you for the help!
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Just throwing in my two cents...the feet are very elaborate for a Colonial period piece.
Are you in Dallas or near Canton area?
If this is truly a Colonial Period piece you should shop around and get an appraisal. Hands on is the best.
When you reply to this...you can add more pictures with your reply without opening up a new topic section.
Can you post pictures of: Closeup of the feet, Back side of the piece, Pull out a drawer and a pic of the side of the drawer, Close up of hardware (handle, lock, etc).
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Dallas/Grand Prairie area. Here is one of the feet and I can get more when I get home. Thanks for the help!
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These are not claw feet...claw feet looks just like the name says - a claw.
These are more elaborate!
This style, to me, is more reminiscent of late 1800's to very early 1900's. Will know more once you post more pics.
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Look more like a French dresser to me although both France and UK used similar dovetailing !! Need more pics as KC said !! Inside of one of the drawers too please !!
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$400....as a callout charge.... :o.....you,ve got more chance of finding out its potential worth on here....and all the advice is free....rather than being ripped by....this appraiser.....
you can get a free appraisal here....just send them pics and details as you have above and you will get a reply....this is a very reputable Auction House in Scotland...and they don,t charge....
http://www.greatwesternauctions.com/
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Thanks. I think the total was $419 and some change. That charge is if they can appraise for more than their charge. If they value it less than that, she said they would just charge $250 for coming out....lol I really appreciate everyone's advice and comments. I am taking it all in and hope to learn more throughout the process
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Looks like a very nice dresser !! You were right to check before destroying its value !! Waiting for additional pics !!
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Thanks "bigwull" I just emailed them.
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An English colonial dresser? Kinda a contradiction in terms isn't it?
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The lady I bought from claimed it was from England then the appraisal lady said it sounded colonial..... That's why I'm on here, to get educated
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Hey dustyn79, welcome to the zoooooooooo! Well, generally speaking, colonial, at least in the USA, refers to american furniture pieces C 1720-1780. Your dresser is not of the colonial period (18th century), i would say more late 19th century or early 20th.
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Ah!!...but....I,m sure America was once a colony....of ..King Geordie....and his muckers.....that was until he got his arse kicked....soooooooo ooo..is,nt it possible....that this piece of "English" furniture....found its way over to a "British" colony....that was essentially populated by millions of Indians.....that the colonists...eventua lly almost wiped out..... ;)
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Oh Yeah, it's possible and actually did in fact that colonists brought some of their furniture from their home country to the american colonies. Indeed, english furniture imports to america was big business in the american colonies. Still, whether you brought a piece from england, france or germany, that piece would not be considered an american colonial piece, if this makes any sense.
Bottom line, where the piece was built determines what the piece is referred to as.
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Mmm.....my way of thinking is....if this piece was brought over by an early colonist....and ....then 200..odd years later it would,nt be wrong to call it a colonial piece...irrespectiv e of where it was made....
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Yepper...not Colonial in style at all. And from what dustyn79 said "the appraisal lady said it sounded colonial"...it wasn't from seeing it!
So, just a few more pics there dustyn79 and we will see what we can help you come up with. I live by DFW Airport...and the appraisers in our area love to charge $$$. Now, are you wanting an "official" appraisal for an insurance company? Otherwise, you don't need one.
As for painting it...no matter the value...you have to have what you are happy with. The piece is gorgeous like it is and I also agree it has more of a French look...but agree that English pieces also leaned this way during the time period I had stated earlier.
I am not sure where you bought this in the metroplex (garage sale or antique mall) but where it is from can help me in determining whether you were directed in the right path. Do you mind saying? or Private Message me. Did you pay more than $400 for it?
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In light of the overwhelming comments as to the origin of this piece,..by more informed members than I.... I am now of the opinion that it might be Victorian..see link....but it might also be French....just hedging my bets... ;D
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=victorian+marble+topped+dresser&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=2rBEUvaMDMeN7AaO8oDoDA&ved=0CDkQsAQ&biw=1198&bih=665&dpr=1
...
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Just flip a coin Wullie !! Heads= I win,,,Tails= you lose !! Its pretty much a guessing game !! Where ever its from it has nice book matched wood on front !! Just enough carving to look nice/classy without being overdone, and appears to be a nice size !! Its worth restoring but no huge value !! Just from what we can see $500. or so restored !! I think about the same as Jacon4 about 1880 to 1900 !!
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More pics
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More
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Again
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2 more
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Ok
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Last one
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If the piece was built in england, then the piece is english, as simple as that. Ditto if made in germany or france.
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Gotcha... But who knows if the person I bought it from was right in the fact it came from England? No disrespect Jacon4, but that's why I put it on here was to find out the origin, era, and value.
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In looking at new pics of drawer sides, i dont think it's english because the secondary wood looks to be pine or poplar. English pieces are generally oak in drawer construction.
I would guess, American, late classical serpentine dresser with veneered mahogany drawer fronts, second half 19th century.
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If the piece was built in england, then the piece is english, as simple as that. Ditto if made in germany or france.
Germany.....who mentioned the Fatherland..... :D
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Value , $200-300 at auction, a bit more or less depending on where sale is, who is bidding, etc.
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bigwul, yeah, ALOT of germans in pennsylvania, many of which brought furniture with them from the old country. One would not call an 18th century chest built in germany an american "colonial" piece just because it crossed the pond to america. Matter of fact, germans are the 2nd largest immigrant group in USA behind the english.
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There is no way to accurately say where it is from originally being as we are only looking at pics !! My personal opinion is that it is not American in the traditional sense, although could have been made here using other construction methods as the others have said !! And I do not think it English !! France or Germany a much stronger possibility !! I did not consider Germany as I thought it lacked some of the strength normally seen in their furniture !! But,, who knows !! I think we are pretty much in agreement on approx. time period !! Another thing that you need to remember when buying is that memories are not always accurate !! Irregardless its still nice and worth restoring in my opinion !! That book matched wood would be gorgeous !! If the pulls are wood they should be easy to match !! Or have made by anyone with a lathe !!
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Thank all of you for the advice. Since I paid $80 for the piece I should make a buck or two!
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Darn,, would have been more here in NE Texas !! You did well !! Properly restored I think you will make a buck or two !!
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Mart, they lucked out on that piece. Probably a hair closer to you than me...and within 35 minutes of me. Even if it was only 20 years old would be a great price!
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No, the undulating ("serpentine") front, flame mahogany finish and the styling of the feet argue for a late rococo designation and date ca. 1855-65. I'd argue for NE U.S. for construction, though English is possible.
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Although mart is right, it's impossible to authenticate old furniture through pics alone, i would argue against english because of the secondary wood, it was almost always oak in england during this time and this piece does not appear to have any oak. Another thing, the dovetails on drawer look more american than english to me in that it was common in america for apprentices to do much of the secondary (hidden) joinery work in cabinet shops and therefore more primitive than in england. Naturally, this is all speculation.
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Does the top look original to the piece? Does it come off?
The thing that is throwing me..are the feet! The draped feet are reminiscent of mid to late 1800's. But, as noted by those above, the dove tailing, appearance of woods aren't typically seen from France. (Remember I am a French furniture nut.)
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agrees, the feet are weird and, to old furniture people, important. This argues toward late 19th century victorian where they threw in everything, including the kitchen sink in design
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Always possible that this is a transition piece !! Leaving one style behind and graduating into another !! That part of our problem,, it doesn`t show a definitive style !! Just a little bit of this and a little bit of that !!
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Does the top look original to the piece? Does it come off?
The thing that is throwing me..are the feet! The draped feet are reminiscent of mid to late 1800's. But, as noted by those above, the dove tailing, appearance of woods aren't typically seen from France. (Remember I am a French furniture nut.)
Nuts!!....you can say that again..... ;D....I,m a bit of a nut as well.....as Avril keeps telling me....