Featured Aesthetic Movement Dresser

Hi, quick ask ........... they're asking 250$ for this Aesthetic Movement side locking dresser. Any opinions? My instinct says it's worth the time and money but I've been very wrong before.

It's walnut with burl, machined dovetail drawers and missing gallery. Thanks in advance

 

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is a (missing) gallery?

 

It’s like a backsplash on top of the piece.

This is a beauty! I’d buy it for that in a heartbeat.

 

VERY nice!!! Good Golly, how tall IS it???!!

 

Thank you for your responses. This piece currently sits in the back of my van? Yet another project to keep me busy this winter. And to answer the height question: it is a very tall 68 inches

 

It doesn't look in bad condition. What type of work does it need?

Debora

 

Darned thing's as tall as I am. It's big enough to keep you out of trouble for a while, Joe. Bet it weighs a ton too.

 

Nice piece! I like how the trim on the front kind of looks like a tree.

An article about a side lock dresser also in the east lake style. An interesting name for them is mentioned.
https://houseofhistory.squarespace.com/blog/side-locking-chest-of-drawers

 

The front does have a motif like a tree where each drawer is uniquely styled.
These pics have had the contrast heightened because the piece is so dark and dirty the detail gets lost in regular room light.
Thanks for the link to the article and the 'boarding house' reference- who knew?
As to work, the draw guides need epoxy and sanding, some drawers glued, the water marks on the top bleached, the pulls fixed so they don't rotate, a gallery built and the topmost dirty shellac removed and re-applied. Hmmm.... maybe done by winter 2025/26

 

IOW it'll keep you out of trouble and out of the way for a while. Not the worst buy ever then.

 

Beautiful!

 

The dresser looks like a great piece, especially for $250. The walnut and burl combination gives it a lot of character, even with the missing gallery. It is really a solid find. I’ve seen similar pieces go for more on various platforms, and I remember getting an ebay email with listings for similar dressers that were priced higher. It could definitely be worth it, especially if you don't mind doing a little restoration.