I have a piece of furniture, it looks to be some type of sewing box, it has a deep “box” that you open from the very top. Is has a drawer pull and you pull up the lid. There is a drawer as well, that is underneathe that “box”. It doesn’t look as though it was made any time recently. I would say the piece of furniture is 2.5 to 3 ft tall and 1.5ft wide and 1ft deep.It seems that most of it seems to be fitted together instead of being nailed together.
I don’t even know what this piece of furniture is called, but are there any signs that you can look for to know if it is an antique?
I almost suggested you put some pictures on your website, then I checked it out. Maybe that won’t work.
Open it up and smell it. Does it smell like a hamster cage? I ask because it sounds sorta like something to store woolens in and they were made of cedar like hamster litter. IIRC, cedar splits easily, too, so it would me better to fit it together than nail or screw it. Most cedar chests are wider because they are made to hold blankes and such but one your size would be good for sweaters.
If it’s not that it might be a bin of some sort, like you would’ve found in an ol’ general store.
How do you tell it’s old? That can be tough, especially because some people can make new stuff look real old. I’m not bad at it but I grew up antiquing with my parents. Some of it is feel (details? It’s this certain form of dryness…not too helpful, eh?) and smell (that grandma’s house smell that is vaguely like raw tobacco) and how it’s made (even machine tools of a hundred years ago didn’t make as clean a cut as modern tools–real smooth and flat and with nice, sharp joints and corners is likely to be new) and differences in color between the wood exposed to lots of air (darker) and the protected wood (lighter) and sound (newer wood sound duller, in part because of more plywood and softwoods) and the type of wood (is it hardwood, softwood, plywood, or MDF? Check the bottom of the drawer–it’s most likely to be plywood if it’s modern or not real, REAL old). But it’s best to take it to an expert like a dealer, though experience has taught me that there are few trustworthy–or expert–antique dealers.
Sorry I couldn’t be more help, and welcome to the SDMB.
No, I guess it wouldn’t quite work on my website, heh. I’m sure I could try to tie it in, but I’m just not sure how it would go over.
I haven’t yet taken it to a professional, because I didn’t want to be laughed at! My mother is “sure” it’s an antique, so I’ve been taking quite good care of it. She actually bought it at a garage sale, and I fell in love with it, so she gave it to me. I really think this is WAY too small for even sweaters…the box itself is only about half a foot deep. The drawer is only about 3 inches deep. I can’t figure out for the life of me what it might be for. The joints of the piece are somewhat angled…so they look like this…
}
{
}
but instead of curves, it’s an angle.
That is kinda how they fit together…very odd…
That sounds like dovetailing Click here, which is a way to join two pieces of wood without nails. The site I found shows a single one but a series of them would be used in something like your box to join two sides. It makes a good, strong joint.
Take it to your local historical society or museum. They won’t laugh, I promise, especially if you drop a hint or two that you may give it to them someday.
I work in a museum, and I’m often called up front to identify an item that a visitor has brought in. Just recently, I had to gently break it to a lady that what she thought was her great-great-great grandmother’s wedding dress from around 1800 really dated closer to 1900.
That is what it looks like, but they are MUCH smaller, and the whole pieces, I’d say there has to be at least 40 of these little “dovetails” on each corner, keeping it together. Thanks for that picture, I’m impressed that you could figure that much out from my picture!
I know, . . . she just found a long, white silk dress in a trunk in the attic and assumed it *must * be for a wedding. To the modern mind, why else would you wear a long, white silk dress?
Searching back through her geneaology, she was insistant that it must have belonged to this particular ancestor, even though the style screamed that it was early Edwardian.
The poor woman was terribly dissapointed. I think that may be the reason she immediately donated it.
Sounds old…the woodworking is usually a good sign but not conclusive. There should be a stamp or tag attached if it is/was an expensive piece when originally made. I assume you have looked everywhere for markings. My dad has owned his antique shop for 25 years. It can be hard to tell sometimes.
Several factors combined can at least tell you if a piece is old. Detailed markings, tool scars, nail/screw type (a lot of screws/nails are no longer available) wood type/age/dryness, finish…shellac/varnish.
Anyway if several of these indicators are present. You can feel relatively sure (not absolut) it’s not a new reproduction.
The problem with many antiques is reproductions that are old themselves, (knockoffs, so to speak) A piece can be old, but still not worth much. I’d find a reputable dealer, ie: friend, family, someone you trust who knows an expert.
I can’t tell exactly what you have but it could be a number of pieces. Perhaps a silverware chest, jewelry armoire, keepsake stand…etc. Try browsing this site
maybe something will look familiar.
Try browsing this site
maybe something will look familiar.
Wow, thanks so much! The silverware chest looks a LOT like it, however, this is much more subdued. It’s very “boxy”. I’m going to look for markings on it in just a bit…thanks so much!
Damn, I’ve been trying to get back on for over an hour…talk about slow.
I found a jewelry case that sounds a lot like what you described check this out. See the closeup photos. It’s square design and kinda “plain”. It has a single drawer with a lid that opens and even has a removable box.
One more link and I’ll quit bugging you. This site has some good links available to assist you in determining authenticity, design and age of antique furniture. He also explains how and when different dovetailing was done. Locating the origins based on wood types and lots of useful info.
