Can't find out who made this desk

I bought this desk and have no information who made this desk. The only mark I found was in the mirror.

Mark by Dave Webster posted Dec 21, 2015 at 3:22 PM

Desk by Dave Webster posted Dec 21, 2015 at 3:22 PM

 

Circa 1900 oak drop-front or secretary desk. Looks to be transitional to the arts and crafts period. Nice hardware that may point to England as a source, though there were a few US makers doing similar. Probably impossible to know who made it without a mark or label. The mark on the mirror probably relates to just the mirror. Odd the way the silvering has come off to show this from the front. It really doesn't matter who made it in terms of value or salability.

 

Thanks Brad...looking at the wood and grain it appears to be mahogany. The mirror mark doesn't show unless a light is shined on it. I know it came from a family collection in Michigan who owned a railroad. The person I bought it from said it has been in their family since the late 1800's. I searched high and low for a mark but none found. I can tell the dovetails were machine made since they are evenly spaced and uniform. Any idea on the value?

 

" . . . looking at the wood and grain it appears to be mahogany. . . . I know it came from a family collection in Michigan who owned a railroad. The person I bought it from said it has been in their family since the late 1800's."

I wonder if it might have been constructed in the Grand Rapids region. Some lovely wood has for many moons made its way into, around, and through Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Dave Webster, perhaps it was a "commissioned" piece constructed by an independent cabinetmaker ("in the late 1800s")? You did say the family who owned it "owned a railroad."

If it was by an "independent cabinetmaker" the "signature/mark/logo" of the cabinetmaker may be "tiny" and "hidden" (perhaps along the top side or bottom of a drawer) and "carved/burned"?) into the wood as opposed to a brass plaque or some other "obvious" way.

 

Thank you for your reply and I will try to find it. The only mark I found was in the mirror of a crown with 3 "clubs" in it.

 

I agree with Verybrad's statement ("The mark on the mirror probably relates to just the mirror.")

I don't think "most" (if any) cabinetmakers or manufacturers would put the "only mark" of their wooden furniture on a mirror which could be easily broken and then replaced (thus losing their "mark" as having constructed the furniture).

Just my humble opinion.

Good luck if you delve further into finding a mark.

I do like the piece of furniture which you have acquired. It's a quite functional piece and attractive as well.

 

I looked at the enlargement of your photo and this is definitely oak. The drop front has nice quartersawn characteristics. Does seem to have a more red finish on it. This is a factory piece so I would think a makers mark would be on the back or inside a drawer. If the drawer interiors are oak, I would think this English. Some other hardwood and I would think American.

This could be as early as 1890 but I doubt much earlier. As I said, it is in a transitional style that leads in to the arts and crafts period. The turned spindles are too detailed to peg this to arts and crafts or Mission style as the simplicity of the rest of the case implies. The hardware is typical of English arts and crafts furniture. As I said above, some American makers did use such embellishments but not a lot and really for just a short period. I think if you look at some early Prairie School furnishings you will see similar.

Value is somewhat dependent on location. Used to be you could easily get $650.00 or more for a piece such as this. In today's market in most locations, getting half that would be pretty good. At auction or other wholesale venues, I doubt this would reach $200.00. Large city and coastal locations might do a bit better.

 

Thank you Brad. I've searched high and low on this piece, but I can't find any markings.

 

Did you check the secondary wood on the drawers to determine if American?

I suggested early Prairie School on this but in searching, it brings up little of what I was suggesting. Most of what comes up is Frank Lloyd Wright and he was indeed Prairie School. But it is the earlier vernacular that I am talking about rather than his later work. I think if you look at H. H. Richardsons work (especially Glessner House) and the work Of G. W. Maher (Pleasant Home among others), you will get an idea of the kind of interiors in which this desk would be at home. Wright and even Louis Sullivan were part of this movement but their work was moving in directions further afield from this desk.

This desk is the factory embodiment of the work done by the above famous architects. It was a style that only lasted a short while as a bridge between Victorian furniture and the more paired down arts and crafts styles of the 20th century. I am frustrated that I can find few American examples of furniture with brass embellishments such as yours. They are somewhat rare but not unheard of.

This is an English Example .....


This is an American oak bookcase ...

 

Thank you Brad, the desk you posted is similar. I will check the wood inside the drawers and post a pic. All I can tell you is that the dovetail design in the drawers is uniform in size and shape.

 

The woman I purchased it from said that it has been in her family for years. Her relative married into a well to do family in Eastern Michigan that owned a railroad there. Their mansion burned down and this was one of the few pieces that survived.

 

Brad, here are more pics. Hopefully it will help.

Desk by Dave Webster posted Dec 22, 2015 at 7:09 PM

Desk by Dave Webster posted Dec 22, 2015 at 7:09 PM

desk by Dave Webster posted Dec 22, 2015 at 7:09 PM

Desk by Dave Webster posted Dec 22, 2015 at 7:09 PM

Desk by Dave Webster posted Dec 22, 2015 at 7:09 PM

Desk by Dave Webster posted Dec 22, 2015 at 7:09 PM

 

This is definitely oak and your drawer sides are also oak. This would typically point toward English manufacture but there are some other things that make me less sure about this. That nice carving detail on the edge is very typical of American Prairie School furniture and not generally found on English examples. The back seen on a couple of your interior shots looks more like ash than oak. This would also point to American manufacture. The organizer looks to have the body made of maple or other similar light color tight grained wood. This could be done in either place but I would think it more typical of American make.

All this leads up to me not being entirely sure about where it was made. I would tend to lean toward American due to the reasons above but also due to the fact that provenance says that it has been in one family for generations. A lot of antique English furniture came here in the last 50 years. I would think very little came over as new furniture over 100 years ago.

 

This doesn't help much but here is a piece with the same escutcheon and faux strap hinges.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/40986433_american-oak-arts-and-crafts-fall-front-desk

 

Excellent example that is likely by the same maker and attributed as American. I see it sold for only $200.00

Edit:
I see it is marked as sold but is coming up again at auction with the same house on Jan. 9th with an opening bid of only $150.00. Sad that nice furniture like this can't do better these days.