Featured Either some amazing desk or...or not.

Good evening everyone!
Here I am again … sooner than usual but well… this one is again a little tricky.
I beg your pardon for the smaller pics. I still deliberate wether to purchase this desk, so I can only rely on pics sent to me by the owner.
Why this desk may be amazing – because it has all locks made by hobbs & co.
Everything else looks rather casual 19th century for me. However there are some issues.
First of all, as far as I know, “hobbs & co” was a marking used by this company even up to the 20th century despite other names officially added to the actual name. The lock is marked machine made, this is not a disqualifying feature for the 19th century but still…
AND, the shape of the lock bolt… I am not sure if this shape was used in England before the late 19th ct. As far as I recall most of the locks I’ve seen dated earlier had the 2 or 3 smaller lock-bolts.
However, the keys (look second part) do have a resemblance to the Chubb detector lock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubb_detector_lock (the shape of both teeth and stem)

I do not see any veneer, but even if there was any, I doubt it would help to indicate the age, since in England after 1851/1852 (the years when Hobbs created his lock company) they already used pretty thin ones…

Now as usual – thrilled to learn your opinions!

 

and now the second part, with more pics

 

Are the brasses replaced, or just those hex nuts? It's a nice old piece of wood, for certain.

 

to be honest - no idea… yet. In my opinion the handles look just too fake... Like those you find on replica tables from the 1950s-1980s. But the desk is currently in like 500 km distance so I cannot tell for sure just from the pics…

 

Looks ok for a late 19th C one to me - the big question is how much do they want for it?

 

Well...they ask 500 Euro for it + It s something about 150 Euro for shipping...

 

That's way over the top, in my opinion. In the UK, those are fairly common and a couple of hundred pounds.

 

at one time that was a standard office desk.....

 

Yeah, I know… In the UK it is much easier to purchase them… but try to find one in Germany... Especially some which has not been altered or a complete reproduction :-/ I could buy one in England, sure… but the freight costs would certainly at least double or even triple the price...

 

I like it. good patina. much better than the new ones.
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Schreibtisc...f:g:ivUAAOSw6dhcCPiW:rk:2:pf:1&frcectupt=true
hard to say how old, seems they still use the same handles.

did you look a bit around ? does it have to be exactly that model ?
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Englischer-...=item3b2acd79e8:g:lmgAAOSwBRlcYsBN:rk:16:pf:0

 

Yeah, it is certainly older than these two… especially since the first on is brand-new and the second one is listed as around 1900… And that’s the sticking point btw.
I would like to have the second desk also not younger than high-Victorian, actually as old as possible.

The 1900-1930s are not an option at all.
Taking into consideration, that these desks are produced in the same designs for more than 2 centuries now, and thus even the better replicas from the midcentury may already have some patina of the age, it is rather difficult to find a 100% genuine for a decent Price.
About half a year ago there was a good example of how bad the situation is.
There was a excessively altered desk from the 20s-30s, turned into a sort of a captains desk from the late 18th –early 19th century.
There was even a certificate from an “expert witness” (I hope this is the correct translation) from the late 1970s telling all kind of miraculous stories about it. Originating from a north german castle, used to be in possession of Black Beard himself and similar stuff... They attached some barock and empire decorations, but still it was a rather chep desk from the 20th century.

 

I doubt it that you'll find such a thing outside a real posh antiquity shop below 5000 € in Germany.
Hamburg and Bremen were good places for English stuff; don't know if they still are.

 

Blimey. I've got a mid 19th desk - admittedly, not in the best condtion. I'd be lucky to get a hundred for it.

 

True...unless with a lot of luck, like I found my first desk...

Still, you are right. Mostly such a furniture you can find there, and their prices are really really inflated.

Sure they will be polished and shine like they've been made yesterday, but to be honest - I do not like it.
I try to keep the furniture the way it is. Its age should be visible. And the marks, dents or whatever –well such a desk is not supposed to stay in a museum and be touched with white gloves only...

That’s why I kind of liked the one I posted in this topic. If it was 1870-1880, I would even buy it... maybe not for 500 but for 300-400 Euro... I just don’t want it to be from the 1900+

 

it's what the old Germans called "das englische Eck".
I'm looking for Gothic Revival wood panels to make a library room with Chesterfield sofa and chair, but also in Northern France the prices went up like a rocket in the last years. if health permits I'll make a little tour of England with by bus and look around there, but it has to be rather soon before the "bordelle" starts on March/April...

 

If you want to sell it , post a pic and find a way to to arrange a transport to me

 

It was my Pa's, so has huge sentimental value.

 

Well guys...guess what. After a day of further discussion with the girl selling this table I sent her to look for manufacturers mark.. And she found one... Pity

 

It might be worth checking with the architectural salvage places here in the United States too, although shipping might get a little pricey. Salvage/reclamation people get all sorts of Victorian bits, and Americans are apt to tear down old Victorian houses and buildings.