Dresser

Here is a dresser I acquired. I would like to know a general date of the piece if possible. The piece needs a lot of work butwant to know about it before I would begin.

Dresser by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Dresser Side by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Dresser back by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Drawer Side by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Lock 2 by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Lock 1 by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Screws throughout by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Foot of dresser by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Back of drawer by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

Top of Drawer by shady54 posted Dec 8, 2019 at 11:34 PM

 

Hi Shady!
Well to me the dovetails look hand made, the lock looks replaced, the knobs look original. Maple wood I am guessing for the case, the inside of drawers may be pine. I would guess the piece is from the 1930-40 ish...But others will be along to give you more info.

 

i'd say 50's.

 

Yeah...that was my first thought, then I looked closer to the dovetails...and I thought perhaps a bit earlier.

 

Is this a piece for your own enjoyment? That's Great! But if you plan on stripping and refinishing to sell, I might think twice, I don't think you'll get you sweat equity out of it. Even refinished it is a tough market. In 'as is' condition, you'd be lucky to give it away, redone, maybe you could get 50-75 max that's where I am anyway in the Southeast.

 

This is a much older country piece from mid-1800s, give or take. Pics are not sufficient to tell wood with certainty but may be entirely pine. Lock looks right to me.

 

WOW......I didn't see that coming !!

 

Thanks for the information, would never have guessed that age. Here are some pictures of the wood.

Inside drawer by shady54 posted Dec 9, 2019 at 7:50 PM

Inside back of drawer by shady54 posted Dec 9, 2019 at 7:50 PM

Inside dresser back wall by shady54 posted Dec 9, 2019 at 7:50 PM

Inside dresser by shady54 posted Dec 9, 2019 at 7:50 PM

Top of dresser by shady54 posted Dec 9, 2019 at 7:50 PM

 

Hahaha

 

Not pine. Looks like it could be birch.

 

I'd say a bit later - later 1800's to turn of the century. Walnut I think with pine secondary wood?

 

Interesting discussion... we usually don't see such a wide range of dates and opinions here on the wood from which furniture is made!

 

I get a late 1800's vibe on it. Doesn't look to be walnut from what I can tell. Thinking birch stained to look like cherry.

 

The reason I feel the lock is not original is due to the back plate, the screws are contemporary, and if you look close there are no holes for the second set of screws, and to the right of the plate is a divot in the wood as it covered up an older plate. Not sure why there is additional scoring below.

 

Since there are many different opinions I took some more pictures and stripped a couple areas to start. The whole dresser finish is very crackled and a blanket was fused to it. The drawer and top is after being stripped.

Top by shady54 posted Dec 12, 2019 at 9:56 PM

Key hole by shady54 posted Dec 12, 2019 at 9:56 PM

Drawer by shady54 posted Dec 12, 2019 at 9:56 PM

Unfinished underside of top by shady54 posted Dec 12, 2019 at 9:47 PM

Lock housing by shady54 posted Dec 12, 2019 at 9:56 PM

Lock by shady54 posted Dec 12, 2019 at 9:56 PM

 

Top looks like cherry in this pic. I still think circa 1850 give or take a couple decades either way. Those large hand cut drawer dovetails were pretty much gone by 1880 in the US.

 

Typical mid 19th century frame & panel construction, machine built. Guesses tulip poplar wood species stained red to look like cherry/mahogany.