Featured Help me identify / age piece.

Pieces are in Ontario Canada. One story I was told suggested immigrants brought the pieces with them from Italy, but may be a myth.

Wood appears to be elm. Care was taken to match colors.

This is one of the side tables for a bedroom set currently stored. I have been told all the pieces match and are in just as good condition as the one pictured. 6 piece set consists of:

2 night stands (one shown)
44 in H X 20 in W X 14.5 in D

4 drawer dresser with mirror
70 in H X 49 in W X 23 in D

Dressing table
67 in H X 57 in W X 15.5 in D

Headboard
69 in H X 58 in W X 2 in D

Footboard
41 in H X 58 in W X 2.5 in D



The mattress is 54" x 84" (so definitely pre 1925 when bed sizes started to standardize.


I am no expert, and some of the clues seem to contradict each other. I am thinking 1850.

Although I have no intentions on selling the set, interested to know if worth anything.

What are thoughts on modernizing the set? The mirrors are in poor shape (need resilvering) and cutting down the bed rails would allow a standard Double XL to fit nicely.

Piece is located in eastern Canada and it is thought that the set was a family heirloom brought from Europe pre WW1, but no one is absolutely sure. There are no manufactiurer markings of any kind on the piece.

 

@verybrad
@Ghopper1924

 

Very informative post Steve! Well done. That very much helps members give you opinions.

 

I'm not the furniture guy......... but I'm thinking this comes close....

https://lechateauatl.com/products/walnut-wood-french-sideboard-with-multi-color-marble-top-antique

 

Yes, the post is quite well done and informative.

That’s a beautiful nightstand! I’m thinking French or Italian, walnut, ca. 1870-80, executed in the Renaissance Revival style. If you were to put it up for sale the price would depend on local conditions and demand. In my part of the Midwest US antique furniture is more dead than ever, despite rumblings that the brown furniture depression may be ending. Still, I would think several thousand dollars US, but would have to see photos of the whole set to be more definitive.

Keep in mind that most alterations cut down on the value of the furniture. Serious collectors like mirrors that show real age, so unless they’re a disaster I would leave them alone. Again, photos would help. If you need to alter the bed to use it, then it should be done with maximum sensitivity and without cutting corners.

 

My son has that same stand except it's incomplete. It belonged to his paternal grandmother. Her mother was an interior designer in NYC back in the 1930s-40s. Most of the really good stuff - gorgeous Chinese antique furniture and pictures - went to other branches of the family. The one my son has is missing the marble top, the back piece and has no shelves inside, but it's beautiful nevertheless. I always thought it was mid-1800s.

 

Agree completely with Ghopper here. Might throw Belgium into the mix as a possible source. I am also thinking walnut, though elm is a possibility. However, I would expect a bit more figure to the wood if it is elm. Bed size is odd so I see no reason not to make it useful.

 

Thanks... the style is definitely very similar.

I thought that the grain was to light to be walnut.

I forgot that I had this photo of the entire set. I was told there was a matching dresser stool originally.

 

Thanks for the extra photos. It's walnut, which is to be expected of furniture of this vintage.

I'd throw a value out of about $3K for the set, more or less. Gorgeous!

 

It is insane how low prices have dropped on antique furniture in the last 15 years or so. I was thinking closer to $5000, but not surprised by your suggestion of $3000.

Walk into any big box furniture store and you can end up paying more than what an old set costs for something that will be falling apart in a couple of years.

A 150 year old set like this one, taken care of will still be just as functional in another 100 years as it is today.

 

Thanks. Good call.

The woodworm damage is hopefully minimal and not active.

Set was stored in an dry clean attic for years and no signs of sawdust. In summer the attic was hot and dry (likely 120+ but short of the 140F needed for a sure kill) that may have killed them off.

The piece photographed has been knocked around quite a bit (just tried your rubber mallet suggestion this morning) with no signs of the damage being extensive or active. After you mentioned it, I recalled being told years ago that their was some woodworm holes noted when it was refinished many years ago and a treatment was applied then.

As extra precaution, I'll paint the set with a permethrin top coat.

Again, thanks for the reminder.

 

It would take very little to adjust the frame to fit a standard Full XL (54x80 nominal or 53x79 actual) from the current size (54×84 nominal) so will likely go that way.

 

What does the writing say underneath the marble tops?

Agree likely not from US because of hardwood secondary woods, so Europe is possible, but Canada had a lot of wood to make furniture with and maybe hardwood secondary is seen in Canada (not much experience with Canadian pieces - the only Canadian piece I have from this era to check I can’t get to now).

You don’t show the bed rails, but if they are without decorative ends, it is indeed much easier to shorten than lengthen. And if you haven’t seen in person yet, bear in mind that owner may have mis-measured by including wood for head and foot. If you’re going to go to the work to shorten, consider whether a queen would fit: some rails allow frame and mattress to go past rail a couple inches, and queen beds and bedding obviously much, much cheaper and easier to find than double-XL.