Featured Depression in Brown Antique Furniture Prices?

Yes, those are called "invected corners", weird name for them and, you mostly only see them on QA period or mid 18th century tabletops in america. I don't know if that is an american quirk or an english design feature but they are interesting.

Nope, none listed.

 

Invected corners, strange name. QA meaning Queen Anne?

 

LOL, yes invected corners = notched in that peculiar way, it is a weird word, try searching for it, ditto many old furniture words that are almost lost to time
Yes, QA = Queen Anne 1740-1760 in america, earlier in england

 

"A fine Queen Anne lowboy, or dressing table; the fully-molded top with invected front corners and cleated ends, triple-arcaded skirt, and with exceptionally well-designed and executed cabriole legs and pad feet. Walnut, maple, and pine in an older dark surface with replaced brass. Southeastern NH or northern Essex County origin, c.1750-60. The cleated ends to the top and the fully-molded back edge are unusual, as is the shape of the small knee returns. Small in scale, with a more pronounced overhang than usual, the graceful legs and feet elevate this example from the norm. Case 29 1/2" wide, top 24" x 34 1/2", 30" ht."

Invected Corners- WEIRD WORD, even spell checker says NO, NOT A WORD! WRONG! it is a word!

 

aka "re-entrant" corner

 

OTOH, here is a W&M chest of drawers C. 1700-1725, sold by Israel Sack in 1988 for $65,000.
( Sack is an icon in the early american furniture world) and the 1988 invoice by Sack accompanies this lot.
It's a very fine example, original almost everything including brass pulls.
It's being offered for sale next week at Brunk's in Asheville NC, estimate is 6k-9k with an opening bid of just 3k.
YIKES! An IMPLOSION in price from just 30 years ago if it sells for anywhere close to estimate.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/78406858_american-william-and-mary-maple-high-chest

 

That's beautiful!

I don't know when the term "brown" furniture came into being. It sounds horrible.........what's wrong with natural, unpainted?

I love furniture that started out painted however.

 

Hi,
I had the good fortune to have Israel as a friend in the late 1970s. I was always amazed how much he got for pieces. I had a desk I was trying to sell for 3 thousand and it sat and sat. Sacks ended up buying it from me for 2500. With in a month he sold it for 7 thousand. The good old days.
greg

 

Well, people TRUSTED the Sack brand and, that's something you can't buy. They had the knowledge & product so it was worth a few bucks extra if just a beginner in old furniture for instance.
No matter how you slice it, SOMEBODY is going to get a very good buy on a very nice piece with a top of the line pedigree next weekend.

 

Israel was a good friend of my FIL. As FIL aged and decided to 'lighten the load', Israel sold some pieces for him. I think one ended up in the White House and another in the Reception Room of the State Dept. FIL was pleased with the sales and that they would be where others could enjoy their beauty. We mourned his passing and also of Joe Kendig Sr.

 

4 of these are coming to auction at Christie's. To be sold in pairs and estimated at $200-300,0000 per pair.


Link:

https://news.yahoo.com/pair-chairs-designed-frank-lloyd-wright-hit-auction-134901406.html

Lots of other high estimate offerings of 20th century furniture and worth a look.

Link to auction:

https://www.christies.com/salelanding/index.aspx?lid=1&intsaleid=28316&dt=2811201982624&saletitle=

 

Frank Lloyd Wright designed chairs, those Tiffany lamps were very nice & very pricey as well. A Sam Maloof rocking chair made the sale too.

 

The Sack William & Mary highboy sold today for 24k, a very nice buy and quite a ways from 65k 30 years ago.

 

Yeah, I don't call that "brown" furniture. Still, the price is staggering.

 

LOL, OK, I'll bite, what color is it then?

 

Okay, it is brown, but the term "brown furniture" generally refers to later 19th century to early 20th century heavy oak or other pieces that are factory or mass produced. An elegant little table like this is earlier and wasn't made in large quantity.

 

True, the small QA VA tea table is early american, hand made & is unique ( only 1 known) and yes, that price is staggering, no doubt.

 

The price paid for this table,is mainly about people with a lot of money and big egos,
It reminds me of the art market the same thing ,I paid $ 100.000.000 million because I liked the colours.
It seems some people buy the sizzle an not the sausage.

Regards Giotto.

 

Well, that is part of it yes but, that is not the primary reason prices soar for some objects.
There is usually only one of these objects and, you are not likely to get another chance at purchasing this object in your lifetime, it's NOW or NEVER.

 

My Dad always told me...."sell the sizzle, not the steak "