Antiques Considered - August 15, 2012
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- Published on Tuesday, 14 August 2012 21:01
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This week a writer from Boston, Mass. has asked via e-mail about this oak chest that is part of an estate he is settling. He has been offered $100 for it, and asks whether that is a fair price.
This chest, or as some would call it, dresser, is a good example of its period and genre. It dates from the turn of the twentieth century, and is factory-made. The lines are good, and the finish appears to be original. The mirror is beveled, and the feet, not shown in this photograph, are cabriole in shape. The façade with five drawers is serpentine, and the piece still has its original wooden pulls. The ends are paneled.
Antiques Considered - August 1, 2012
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- Published on Monday, 30 July 2012 14:57
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A local family purchased this Hepplewhite butler's desk at a retirement home where an elderly couple was moving to assisted living. The previous owners were unable to provide any history of the piece, except to say it had been in their family for many generations.
Antiques Considered - July 25, 2012
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- Published on Wednesday, 25 July 2012 14:35
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This antique scale belongs to an old Northern Neck family that once ran the store in which it was used. It has been in the family for over one hundred years, and is in excellent condition. The pan is tin, and the scale itself is steel, the family thinks, plated with nickel. The marble retains its original polished shine. It still measures things correctly, and the family uses it during summer months to weigh garden produce. Unfortunately, it bears no maker’s identification.
Antiques Considered - July 18, 2012
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- Published on Monday, 16 July 2012 17:07
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This etched glass lidded compote belongs to a lady I met many years ago. She acquired it at an estate sale here in the Northern Neck, and prizes it as one of her best pieces of glass. It is in excellent condition, and the base shows the correct amount of wear for its age. She is thinking of giving it as a wedding present, and wishes to know if its value is sufficiently significant, as she thinks the newlyweds might not realize its value.
Antiques Considered - July 11, 2012
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- Published on Wednesday, 11 July 2012 00:00
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This captain’s chair comes from an early Northern Neck home where it is one of a set of six. Unfortunately, three are in very bad condition, with spindles and rungs broken and unglued, and separation of the seat planks. The wood appears to be oak, and none of the chairs has a label or identifying mark. The owner is concerned whether the cost of restoration is worth the effort.
