Featured Would You Date Thomas Brooks?

Hey all:

My favorite acquisition for 2019 is this washstand by Thomas Brooks, formerly of Brooklyn, NY. He had a factory and "ware room" on Fulton Street. He is still known for his etageres, bedroom sets, and tables, almost exclusively executed in the Renaissance Revival style of the 1870s. His furniture still commands high dollar sales; check him out on E-Boo.

Anyway, the seller of this article attributed it to Thomas Brooks due to some decorative details (particularly the legs/feet) and overall feel. I agree with him. However, I think this piece is earlier than most of the 1860s-1880s stuff you see from Brooks' workshop (he died in the 1880s). I'm leaning towards the late 1850s on this, as it has what I view as some Rococo Revival elements mixed up with early Renaissance Revival.

This is a bit o' fun, since it doesn't really matter a whole lot if this is 1857 or 1870. Fun to try your hand, though. I apologize if a pic or two is blurry.....cheap camera .

 

NICE details!!!!!

 

Would You Date Thomas Brooks?

Umm, no (I'm already married) and he is a bit too old for me. And being dead, he wouldn't be much fun.

 

Ha ha!

The perfect setup. I would have been sad if nobody had taken the bait. I should have known it would be wiscbirddog.

Oh, and thanks Acquitaine. You rock!

 

That is a lovely piece of furniture for sure.
I prefer men who are alive, so no I can not date him.

 

Hmmmm, are we sure this is a wash stand and not a shaving stand?
Think I'll pass on the dating thingy though, even if he was alive!

 

Wonderful carved wood !!! Elegant !..
( oh...& a spanky nice quilt too !!! )

 

ya, like where's the room for pitcher and basin???

 

Exactly, very nice piece but I'd guess a shaving stand, to small for washing plus it has the mirror so you can see what you are doing with a razor, kinda important!

 

SHAVING! YES! James is correct! Would this SHAVING STAND date to 1857?

 

The quilt was handmade by Ms. Ghopper. I'll pass your positive remarks on .....

 

1857? hmmmmm, i dunno, the feet are interesting & unusual, let me do a quick check on my very limited victorian furniture resources.........

 

Nothing definitive in the 2 books i have ( i said VERY LIMITED!), a quick google brought these up.
This one has the same feet
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/m...or-attributed-to-thomas-brooks/id-f_12291801/

 

And this one Attrib to Brooks 1860 says carved balls on feet are a Brooks signature feature so i dunno.
http://ainsworthantiques.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=17&idproduct=448

 

Gorgeous piece. Is that one drawer,or 2 small ones ? How do you open them ?

 

That's my shaving stand, James!

Johnny, that's 2 small parallel drawers. Never seen that before. You either open them with keys (don't have) or grasp the escutcheons. BTW the drawer bottoms are curly maple.

 

I had a Victorian themed apartment in Boston, but living on Cape Cod I've gone with an earlier style - partly because that's why hubby's family left behind. I'd still find a spot for this lovely.

 

Have no problem with the earlier date on this. Would have been a bit old fashioned by 1870.

 

He may be old but he sure is handsome!