Featured furniture ID help

I am not very knowledgeable on furniture. This piece has been in the family for awhile, so it's at least mid 20th century, however, I suspect it's earlier. I found a label on the bottom but I can't read it. I suspect early 20th century French or Italian, but again, my knowledge on furniture is rather limited. I should have taken pics of the inside, but there are several horizontal slatted shelves. There are brass rails on the top shelf where the crystal is. I'm sorry I didn't get better pictures and I can't get more...for awhile at least. There is a considerable amount of glazing on the top middle drawer, so a secondary question is, should we refinish?

As always, any info is greatly appreciated. I've learned so much from this forum!

 

Beautiful early 20th century piece: an etagere shelf top with a beautiful shield-shaped mirror over a cabinet with very nice marquetry. Looks like mahogany overall.The marquetry theme makes it look like this was probably a sheet music stand; guessing ca. 1910.

 

Now isn't that fun? Lots of personality. Feminine and charming.

Debora

 

Beautiful! The label appears to be somebody's name... maybe Emma? or something else. It reminds me of something that a person would attach to designate who will inherit a possession.

 

YES! IMO although others will disagree, the finish has darkened over the years and hides the beauty of what looks like mahogany.

 

I have to agree with James on this one. Sure looks like very, very nice mahogany and it needs to see the light of day.

 

Absolutely positively AGREES!
Notes that this "original surface" nonsense is an american dealer inspired fetish that is mostly a marketing scam which was championed by 2 brothers who will remain nameless....
The fact is, over 90% of clear finish antique furniture pieces, their value will be enhanced by a professional refinish not to mention their survival rate as well as how their maker intended them to look.

 

Two brothers who will remain nameless??? Hmmm....

 

lol, Yeah, THEM! who were tagged a couple years ago committing fraud. They escaped prison but their reputation/credibility in the antiques world is pretty much zero these days.

 

They have been conspicuous in their absence.

 

Tough to make a come back after something like that, trust, which is the coin of the realm in the antiques world, is something you can't buy and once lost, almost impossible to get back.

 

What rhymes with Reno?

Very nice piece! Were the decorative painting accents on this piece original or added later?

 

I think that's inlaid, not painted.
I could be wrong about that, just assumed it was inlay, can't really tell with photos provided

 

Keno?

 

that's a tough call...I think the white may be inlaid.....but the rest is painted...

Sidebar....James...while shopping last month...at the check out a young lady asked how I would be paying.....I chirped " Coin of the Realm , M'lady ! "
She looked at me as if I was from Mars...!!

 

If it is painted, that will make refinishing tricky, not a DIY project for sure.

Guessing she was young.

 

Ya...young....& I shoulda said Bit Coin....of the Realm !!!

 

Just returning to this thread, it is all inlay. It's not painted.

 

OK, I'll be the odd one out. Even though this is 20th century furniture I would suggest NOT refinishing. First of all it is a lot of work - so if you have never done it, don't start it lightly since it takes a lot of time to do a good job, and the stripper is sloppy and gets over everything, and you'll do at least some damage to the wood surface by stripping it. A lot of furniture stripping gets started with good intentions, and never finished (ending up in the garage then a landfill). Second, this finish looks to be in good shape with no missing areas. Instead of stripping and refinishing, try this two step process instead.

First clean it well - damp rags with small amount of detergent, then once clean go over with a lightly damp rag. Let it dry, then step two is to put on a good coat of wax. I predict it will look great.

Also, I don't think the "original surface" idea is nonsense. I collect a lot of old painted furniture, and if painted furniture can keep its original finish for 200+ years, then so can unpainted furniture. You wouldn't recommend stripping old paint, so why recommend stripping old shellac/varnish? Once you start scraping/sanding/steelwooling a wood surface to remove the finish, you will damage it.

 

OH NO!!!!! NOT THEMMM!!!!