Featured Help Identifying JK Rishel Desk

I am looking to purchase a writing desk for my wife. I came across a JK Rishel desk on Craig's List but I know very little about it. Is there any way to tell what it is worth, what wood it is made from and the date it may have been made? See link for images and thank you for any help. Seems nice but priced a little high as it looks like it may need to be refinished.

http://annapolis.craigslist.org/atq/5377382227.html

 

Looks like mahogany to me. Prices are so variable by location, it's hard to comment on that.

 

Well....you get to inspect it before putting 2 bills in the guys hand !

Talk about ' brown ' furniture here and folks discuss how best to burn it !!
That said....it's very nice & where are you going to find one like it for the price.?
Oh...& it's a gift......so just make sure she likes it !
Oh...& it's CL ...so make the guy a reasonable offer !!

 

That's a pretty piece, and way cheaper than buying a new one of similar quality. The wood wheels mark it as most likely pre-WW1; they phased them out by the 20s. I'd say $200 is fair, depending on what kind of shape it's in. Dunno what the going rate is - given how well brown wood sells at this point, probably not much.

 

Looks to have been stripped at some point and has very little finish on it now. Some clean up and a couple coats of varnish on this would do wonders. Price does seem high to me but, as others have pointed out, it is a better desk than what you can get for the money today.

 

Welcome and that's nice!

 

Personally I like it and think it LOOKS to be in good condition and think the price seems fair!! But DO get to inspect it, make sure the wife likes it and then make an offer!!! Prices do vary depending on location, as mentioned before. If it were near me, I would be owning it!!!!!!!

Edit: And a warm WELCOME!!!! I think you will enjoy the give and take here as well as all you will learn, and hopefully contribute if you are a collector!!

 

I ended up buying the desk for $125. It is in good shape but need a few small things to be fixed and needs to be refinished.

I have had good luck on another small item when I sanded it, stain then Polly. I feel like i need to sand as the desk top has a few scratches, some up to 1/8" deep. I have also used lacquer on a cherry piece I made which came out nicer than Polly but I had issues with the Lacquer getting thicker and showing some brush strokes the more coats I put on.

So should I sand or use a chemical striper? Should I used polly, varnish, lacquer or something else?

Also it does not have a key, how hard are they to find?

Thanks for the help.

 

I like the $125.00 price a lot better. If the top is solid, sand away if the scratches bother you. If veneer, be very careful not to sand too deep. I am not a fan of polyurethane, though it does even out nicely. On old furniture, I prefer a tung oil varnish. There are ready made products or you can make your own (1/3 oil based varnish, 1/3 mineral spirits or turpentine, 1/3 tung oil). It can be put on with a rag or foam brush so no brush marks. Probably will need 3 coats to get a good substantial coating or two coats with a coat of paste wax afterward.

If you remove the lock and take it to a locksmith, I imagine they will have a key that will work. Likewise, some antique dealers keep a stock of keys and may have an old one that will work. These locks are not complex so you should be able to find a key.

 

The key will be tedious but not difficult. If you can't take the lock/latch out, buy handful of skeleton keys that seem to be the right shape and keep trying until you find one that fits. As for the finish, do whatever Brad says. I rather like tung oil for the older pieces myself. It looks a lot nicer than poly ever will.

 

I think the top is solid which is a good thing. What is the difference between varnish and tung oiled varnish? What kind of gloss can I expect from it? Also how will varnish hold up as a working desk? I have heard varnish does not due well with water, say from a glass drink being left on it. Thanks.

 

The only thing that does well with water is poly or the spray acrylic laquers. A coat of paste wax will add some protection to other finishes but is not completely waterproof. I don't like polyurethane due to the plastic look it provides. It also does not penetrate very well so can have the tendency to flake off if the surface is not adequately prepared.

Tung oil varnish penetrates well, blends well with most other finishes, leaves no brush marks, and has a nice antique glow to it. The more coats you add, the shinier it gets but that can be dulled a bit with steel wool and/or a coat of paste wax. I use paste wax on all my furniture to provide an extra layer of protection for the finish.

 

I put a new finish on a skinned mid-Victorian desk with tung oil when I was in high school. Straight up tung oil. I must have done a dozen coats on parts of it. Someone who shall not be named had stripped off the old grungy finish (sob!) when I was in diapers and it sat in the basement until I got it into my head to put it back together. It looks really nice now, not original but nice. Your desk will look a lot closer to what it's supposed to.

 

Is there a brand of Tung oil varnish that you would recommend or any to stay away from? Thanks.

 

Straight tung oil will do the job as evelyb30 suggests but you will need a lot more coats. Homer Formby's makes a good tung oil varnish but it is expensive. I used to buy Hope's but can't find it any more. There may be a Watco product with tung oil but I am not sure. I usually make my own.

 

Because of the potential of water rings (or from coffee cups - me!) I tend to use a Satin Polyurethane.....then hit it with 600 steel wool - VERY lightly...will take away any sheen one might be worried about..... BTW, AWESOME SNAG on the price!!!! You 'done' good!!!!