Featured Hi, David here. Mission style desk?

I was wondering if anyone could tell me about this desk.

 

What do you want to know?
Mission style is correct.

I see bits of paint spattered on it. How bad is the top?
If it's just spattered like the legs, it might not be too bad to clean up.

If you don't want to do a full stripping and refinishing you could try Howard's Restor-A-Finish. They make a light oak. Because of the paint, I would apply it with a 4 ought steel wool. The steel wool will help to take the paint splatter off.

Wait for others to comment. They may have other suggestions.
Welcome to the board.

 

@daveydempsey would you be so kind as to move this to the Furniture forum where the others will see it. Thanks.

 

Have you looked all over it for any marks or labels?

I have a Stickley library table with a small faded label inside the drawer for example. I'm not saying Stickley just wondering if you've found any labels on the piece.

It looks well made.

 

That's excellent advice, Cluttered.

 

Reminds me furniture I've seen in a church with those crosses on the side. Communion table?
I'd like to see a pic with the drawer open.

 

Looks to be of good design/quality. Top appears to be veneer? There were hundreds of makers of these so hard to pin to a particular maker without a label or matching catalog page.

 

Yes
How do I do that?
My first forum : )

 

You can't. Davey is our moderator. He has already done that for you. (Thanks Davey).

Look at the top under the title you can see what forum it is posted in

 

Thank you both

 

I found the desk in the art studio of Fred Sexton, one of the black dahlia suspects. It had original contents in the drawer that were related to the Hodel family as identified by black dahlia author Steve Hodel. The desk is not in good shape but the panels with the crosses are slightly leaning in at the top. It has no identifying marks. I do have pictures of the studio, now torn down.

 

Reminds me of a monastery/ library table where the monks would study. I would think with some care and elbow grease it would clean up very nice. Nice find!

 

Thank you everyone.
Does anyone have an idea of how to move it forward?
I really don't want to capitalize on the black dahlia but I couldn't let it go to the dump either.
I don't want $$ I just want it to find a good home

 

In the condition it is in, just as a piece of furniture with no connections. About $60.
Cleaned up, maybe $125. Take the time to do a really nice refinish $200.
Those are Northern CA store prices.

Depending on where you are and how you intend to sell and whether you put any effort into restoring will determine your value.

As for the attribution to Black Dahlia, you will have to have more than just say so. You need documentation.
I don't know how to tell you to proceed with that.

 

attribution to Black Dahlia suspect, that's pretty creepy in it's own right , sort of like the huge meat cleaver my friend found buried near the levy ( but not where the levy was built post 1955) in Santa Cruz when we were kids. It has sat on my Mom's fire place hearth where my dad uses it for kindling.... I think I am glad it cannot talk....

Elizibeth Short is buried in Oakland , far away from L.A. ........RIP

 

Find a dealer who specializes in Mission furniture and offer it at a very good price for him/her. They will make sure it gets restored and placed where someone will appreciate it. Offering it to the general public could very well result in it being painted and later sent to the dump when the fashion for painted furniture passes. This is too nice of a piece to meet that fate. Wish I was close, as I would certainly be up for the task.

Might add that this is really a library table. A desk would not have a centered lower shelf.

 

Thank you for the story of the cleaver, very visual.

 

That is an interesting idea. Thank you for your input.

 

Yes you are correct. I only have the stories from the old man who lived in the house.
Thank you for the pricing.