🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Antique furniture

[stevengugas]

Can anyone id this type of furniture for me. The maker marks and margin marks indicate it is pre 1830. Thanks

 

[tamrock]

What are these marks you mentioned. Can you send images of these marks and labels? I'm not a furniture know it all, but I've been to many antique shops looking for other things that interest me, but I say that piece might date a hundred years later than 1830s and more like the 1930s.

 

[stevengugas]

What are these marks you mentioned. Can you send images of these marks and labels? I'm not a furniture know it all, but I've been to many antique shops looking for other things that interest me, but I say that piece might date a hundred years later than 1830s and more like the 1930s.

Thanks for the interest. Don't want to move and unpack it for photos. However, on the back of the piece and on the back of the doors are the Roman Numerals for nine. The one on the back is etched in and about a foot and a half tall. However, the carpenter got it wrong. Instead of IX for nine he wrote VIIII. Evidently this was a common mistake made due to lack of education back then. My research indicated that this was not uncommon, but only before 1830. Also the draws have Marking gauge marks on them with saw blade overcuts on them. This was done prior to 1860 when dove tails were hand cut. Also the carvings at the top and bottom of the piece are hand carved. Anyway all these have led me to date the piece prior to 1830, but who knows I could be wrong. I just like it! Let me know what you think.

 

[tamrock]

Thanks for the interest. Don't want to move and unpack it for photos. However, on the back of the piece and on the back of the doors are the Roman Numerals for nine. The one on the back is etched in and about a foot and a half tall. However, the carpenter got it wrong. Instead of IX for nine he wrote VIIII. Evidently this was a common mistake made due to lack of education back then. My research indicated that this was not uncommon, but only before 1830. Also the draws have Marking gauge marks on them with saw blade overcuts on them. This was done prior to 1860 when dove tails were hand cut. Also the carvings at the top and bottom of the piece are hand carved. Anyway all these have led me to date the piece prior to 1830, but who knows I could be wrong. I just like it! Let me know what you think.

A few more details and pictures I believe will be needed to know for sure about when it was actually made. To me it just doesn't look like a piece of furniture that's been around for a 180 plus years.

 

[pepperj]

Need better photos of the handles, the screws that are holding the in place. The hinges with the doors open, as well as the dovetails if possible. You don't need to unload any glassware to provide these details.
Thanks

 

[stevengugas]

Thanks. Here are some photos of the carpenter marks, Roman numerals. They are on the door edges as well. I replaced the screws on the hardware. Also the piece was painted an awful green and yellow so I had to sand down the entire piece and re-stain it. The Marking gauge marks and saw overcuts show up pretty well. Thanks for any info.

 

[creskol]

three thoughts:

• the marks look newer to me than the wood they are on
• the dovetails seem excessively crude for such a fancy piece
• the "fanciness" looks like it is pressed rather than carved

 

[Almy]

It appears to have either been built in a damp environment or put in one for awhile and then shrunk when it got to a drier one. That contributes to the poor dovetail fitting and it caused panel cracking. I don't recognize the porous hardwood top or the softwood bottom species. The workmanship of the wood and the cast brass furnishings suggest it was handmade in a shop in the far east, like India. But I am not an expert, I've just seen a lot of antique furniture and this piece appears cruder than any North American or European shop-made furniture I have seen.