Hi everyone, About a decade ago, we bought a Belgian Armoir, A. De Roose appears to be the manufacturer. We got a serious markdown because it's mirror was broken. Beautiful burl panels. Haven't don't any restoration. Any recommendations? Is the builder known? Is it worth anything to spend money restoring it properly? I don't know where to start, so any help would be appreciated!
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/making-a-post-and-uploading-pictures.16038/ Maybe you can show some photos. Above is instructions. Must be 1 mb or less!
Great, folks who know about Furniture will be along, don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a response right away. It’s an international forum, so you never know what time you will get a response.
The Chaussée d'Alsemberg in Brussels has always been a shopping street, so I think A. de Roose was a retailer rather than a manufacturer. There doesn't seem to be a shop by that name anymore. Historic view of the Chaussée d'Alsemberg: Brussels is famous for Art Nouveau, a style that is reflected in your beautiful armoire. Feast your eyes on the Horta house, a gorgeous Brussels Art Nouveau house and museum (one of my favourites), you will see some furniture related to your armoire in the slide show: http://www.hortamuseum.be/nl/het-huis/galerie-nl They have English pages, but those don't have the slide show with the furniture. Staircase in the Horta house:
Doesn't look like it needs anything other than the mirror replaced. A new beveled one would be expensive but a plain one would put this in usable form right quick. Not a terribly valuable piece but certainly worth putting a mirror in.
So if the tag on the door isn't the manufacturer, do you think there's any other way to identify who made it beyond its general age range and location? There are two pencilled signatures (I think) on the inside. Wasn't sure if that would have been the carpenter/manufacturer or if that happened at a later date.
Still, it's probably, what, around a century old if it's art neuveau? Be nice to restore it in a way that best retains its value, even if it's a fairly common piece?
I LOVE the inset sun and sun rays in what looks to be burly maple (or birds eye?) on both ends!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Oh, and WELCOME.....looks like you're new since Sunday....must have missed you!!!!!
Likely Belgian in origin but impossible to say much more beyond that unless there are some records related to the retailer that could be researched. Signatures could very well be the craftsmen but, unless you can pin them to a firm, won't tell you much.
Definitely 100 years old. A beveled mirror would be the way to go if not cost prohibitive and doing it for yourself.
