Teacup Curio Victorian? Whale End? Reproduction?

I have researched the crud out of this thing. Can't find another one like it. I have found whale end shelves that are much larger. The bail pull is traditional Victorian style pull. The screw and nail style seem to point to much older. Any ideas??

 

It looks like it might be a homemade piece, in which case there may not be an exact comparison. Your photos do not show the joinery at the corners of the drawer. That might be a helpful indicator of how professional the maker was.

 

What does "whale end" mean?

 

It is a design term. Photo shows a 19th century New England hanging whale tail shelf circa: 1840-1860

 

Many of the 19th century shelves look homemade.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

 

Reading your initial question more carefully, it seems you think a Victorian date would be likely, except for the "screw and nail style". Do you mean the fact that nails and screws were used to assemble the piece, or that there is something about the type of screws and nails themselves that seem older?

 

I, too, have never heard of whale end shelves. I learned something new today.

The pull is not Victorian, but rather a classically-inspired piece of the type found on, say, a Georgian or Sheraton Revival dresser of the early Twentieth Century. The flathead screws point to a date before 1940, as Phillips-head screws were on the ascendancy by then. I suspect that your charming shelf was made somewhere in this time period.

 

Ok, that helps. So you think early 20th century and more of a Georgian style?

 

Well, someone thought it was a modern reproduction. But the screws appear to be older.

 

Not modern, but vintage 1920–40 or so. Just MHO

 

Thank you for the feedback. What is MHO?

 

MHO - texting shorthand for "My Humble Opinion"

 

LOL

 

My Humble Opinion.