Can anybody tell me anything about this dresser with wooden peg joined drawers?

Would like to find out some information on this bed. I can't find anything on one with wooden pegs holding the drawers together. I would like to find out any info I can (date, style, value, etc.) Any information would be great. Thanks.

 

Picture of drawer

 

That is the mortise and tenon peg method about 1900ish.

 

And, sorry! Welcome!

 

Thanks for the information. And thank you. I'm kinda new to this and we have just opened a antique store and I'm trying to educate myself on these things. Trying to find out the things to look for and also I don't want to over price or under price anything. Thanks again, Nathan

 

Unless that dresser has some spectacular provenance I doubt it's worth much. Others will be along to help as well.
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I don't see much of this type of construction around here. It's of interest to me.
Dovetails are far more common.
Look up Peg & Scallop. I really like that.
All are far better than nails.

 

Welcome!

(Also here's a tip for loading photos --if you click on "Full Image" after you've uploaded your photo, the photos will appear beautifully in the text --much easier for us to see and help to evaluate.)

Wait for others on the dresser. Best of luck on the new store!

 

Based on the details, I do think this is an antique and would place it a bit earlier than 1900. Possibly as early as 1860. Your piece appears to be a hand made and is sometimes referred to as a country piece due to lack of sophistication in style and construction methods. As such it really doesn't have a discernible style.

The drawer appears to have a lap joint that has been reinforced with dowel pins. The pins may have been added at a later time than the piece was made, as it is not common construction. The peg and scallop joinery mentioned previously is a machined joint from the late 19th century, but is different than this. Some additional pictures of drawer bottoms, how the knobs are attached, and a close up of the wood might provide some additional insights.

 

Can you take a close up straight down at a front corner please.

 

That's the best I have until I get back to the store tomorrow

 

does a lock on every drawer have some meaning?

 

Keep the staff out?

 

Still not sure about the wood. Possibly pine but could be a fairly nondescript hardwood such as poplar or birch. The secondary wood is definitely pine. A look at the top might help.

The wood lock escutcheons are pretty typical of mid-19th century furniture and were in use commonly up till about 1880. After that, you began to see more brass in use. It was very common for all drawers to lock on 19th century furniture so doesn't help date it all that much.

I really wanted to see the underside of the drawer and the inside of where the drawer handles came through. I do see that the drawer bottom is straight sawn so this would put this most likely prior to 1880. It is kind of hard to tell with country furniture since such details as straight sawn lumber would persist longer than in city furniture. The drawer joint is a single rabbet joint with the wood pins added. Such construction without the wood pins is typical of old less expensive (country) furniture and was used for decades on in to the 20th century.

Can't tell much about the handles. The one picture showing three suggests that they may not all match each other exactly. The bottom one seems to have a bit of a bead where it meets the drawer face. The one we can see the profile of shows that the handle edges are nicely tapered and rather thin. This is a sign of an old pull. A truly old wood pull would also have a threaded wood dowel that screws into the drawer face. Like this ......

 

Here's more pictures. Thanks so much for all the help y'all are great. Any idea what this should sell for?

 

Nice pics!
Unless this has some great value I would replace the back with thin Masonite or Luan if you are going to sell it. I've found that most people who are just buying such as useful furniture don't like backs in that condition.
Wait til Brad checks in.

 

Hi Nates and WELCOME!!!! Lots of well versed antiquers here anxious to share their knowledge in so many areas!!!! Please also share yours in any areas of expertise you may have!!! By the way, we manage to have fun while learning and sharing!!!

 

Thank you it's nice to be able to find out some information because my knowledge is almost non-existent I am very new to this but I've always been interested in the Antiques and learning about them and ways to tell what are good and what's not I'm a quick learner so hopefully I'll catch him soon.

 

I assume the top picture of this new bunch is the top? What are those things that run cross-grain (Look like tenon ends)? Does look like pine but I am still not 100% sure. If the entire piece is fairly light weight for size, it would be pine. Pine is pretty common for an American country piece so it would fit.

The one pic of the drawer bottom edge looks like it could be plywood. Can't quite tell but, if it is, it would be a replacement. I would expect to see solid chamfered drawer bottoms on this. If the drawer bottoms have been replaced, it lends credence to the idea that this has had some work done to it and the wood pegs in the drawer joints are an addition.

The back looks fine to me other than needing to be cleaned. Some finish or oiling on the back would improve the appearance. To me, an old back like this is preferable to plywood. I would only replace if it was completely rotting away.

Value is really based on where you live and how you are selling. The condition will also affect value. Those tenons through the top don't look right to me and won't look right to most people. I am guessing this is missing something. Antique brown furniture is not bringing much these days. Here in my neck of the woods (semi-rural Midwest) this would be somewhere under $200.00 at retail. At my shop this would be closer to $125.00 and would sell faster if painted. At auction, somewhere around $50.00. You might do better in a big city or other areas where primitives are still strong.