Old Tonk piano bench questions

Hello I'm new here but seems like a good knowledgeable place.

I picked up this antique Tonk bench for 40 bucks and have some questions about it.

I can't find any real information about it other than it's somewhere between late 1800s to 1960s. If i had to guess its early 1900s like maybe 20s or 30s?

I want to refinish it but would that hurt the value? I was thinking of staining it with early american stain. it seems like it was refinished some time ago but not very well.

As for the wood I'm no expert, but seems like pine but I thought they used maple and oak. I'm not proficient at restoring yet so some pointers would be very helpful.

 

According to the internet, the Los Angeles factory wasn't established until the early 1920s so you bench isn't going to be earlier than 1922-ish.

Debora

 

that looks like a pretty standard piano bench..
I don't think value is an issue for such an item.... & I believe with some loving care , u can only make it better.....

 

That's kinda what I was thinking it looks like a standard run of the mill model

 

It looks like the kind that would have gone with an old upright piano.

Do you have a piano you would be using it for? Or for another use?

 

I've recently taken up restoring as a hobby and this was for sale at the local va hospital so I said what the heck I'll try it

 

a good item to start with........ now gather up some quality tools & sauce , and have fun !!

 

the VA is a great place to help out with a buy...... but $40...for this.....that's normally way too steep..

 

If ut was a NAF sale ya but this was a gsaauction

 

I'm mot sure what any of that means....... but ok !

 

Looks like a mohogany veneer on top with solid wood lower parts of lesser wood stained to match (poplar or maybe birch). Styling suggests 20s or so. The tapered legs with spade feet are a nice touch. Good first project that you can only improve on. Think the Early American stain will be too light.

 

What color would you think would look good to it?

 

black is classy
while is elegant
Burgundy............... is rich !

 

I gave a cabernet i did my wife's old dresser in

 

Looks like NAF sales are run by a private company that sells government surplus items from both US and Canada. https://www.govdeals.com/nafsales

GSAAuctions are sales run by the U.S. General Services Administration. That is a section of the U. S. government that, among other activities, sells U.S. government surplus items. https://gsaauctions.gov/auctions/home