I bought this old simmons metal dresser. How to identify if its a bell geddes?

I bought this dresser since it was a unique piece at a very good price. After researching i discovered they are pretty expensive and in chicago (where originated) sell for $1600 about after they strip them. How can i identify year it was made and should i strip it and sell it or paint it for my sons room? I normally wouldnt refinish a classic in good condition but if it stays here i dont like the faux wood i do like the lines and solidity of it.

 

I'd polish it but wouldn't refinish it.
Brad will be along to tell you more.

 

This has certainly been attributed to Geddes by many, though some of the more streamlined pieces are more likely to be his. I really do not know how involved he was with the company, designing just a few styles or having input into their entire modern line. Practical usage has deemed the latter. I am not sure there is any hard evidence to confirm this.

Found this in a film blog that pretty much confirms what I wrote above ....

"In 1928 the Simmons Company commissioned Bel Geddes to design enameled metal bedroom furniture that was first sold in 1932. Simmons apparently continued to manufacture metal furniture in the same style after Bel Geddes’ commission ended. Because of this, many pieces of ’30s-era metal Simmons bedroom furniture are misidentified as Bel Geddes. It probably also accounts for the wide price range (less than $100 to thousands of dollars) for this style of furniture in the collectible and antique market. The dressers in Taxi Driver were most likely made by Simmons in the 1930s, but are probably not Bel Geddes pieces. In any case, they’re still collectibles for fans of art deco and machine-age furniture."

https://jamesriverfilm.wordpress.co...seedy-hotel-room-holds-art-deco-collectibles/

People prefer these stripped and clear coated or painted in simple modern colors, either monotone or two-tone. Consequently, paint away if doing so for yourself.


Value really is dependent on the piece but even more so on the market. In chicago, NYC, and CA, these can bring big money. I am only 2 hrs South of Chicago in a large university town and can't sell this more desirable model with bakelite handles at $365.00 for over 2 months now.

 

Interesting... There is a very similar style metal dresser in my basement that has been there since I moved in 9 years ago. The style and color are similar to the one in the original post... but it has no legs. Maybe a knock off? And mine is in terrible condition -- lots of rust, especially around the bottom. And I don't see a label on it. I had no idea it might be related to something with any value at all.

 

Not all had legs, as can be seen by the one I have. There should be a label on the back or inside one of the drawers on the left side. Other companies made similar and all have some value. Yours, if not rusted through, can likely be refurbished without too much difficulty.

 

It looks like the legs have been cut and re-attached....have they??

 

The legs are separate and bolted on. Probably made this way for shipping and/or to allow a design variation without legs.

 

Thanks... It has 5 drawers and the middle one will not open. Looks like somebody might have tried to pry it open and the metal in the middle of the top of the drawer is split. And mine has one pull in the center of each drawer (another way that it differs from the others posted here). The split in the metal is right above the pull and weakens the ability to pull the drawer, which is stuck.

Anyway, I didn't see labels inside any of the other drawers, and none on the back. The bottom of it is not rusted completely through but around the bottom edge there is a significant amount of rust. Near where it sits there are sometimes water leaks into the basement from outside. (Another thing to have fixed.) So I'll have to think about it. I've grown to appreciate it more, that's for sure. I've mostly ignored it all of these years!

I will at least move it to a different part of the basement that is less likely to take in a little water.

 

There were lots of variations to these over the years. I can't find one exactly like mine but it is clearly marked Simmons. It is possible that your label is missing, has been painted over, or it was made by someone else. The stuck drawer and split are problematic but should be able to be taken care of. You might remove the drawers just above and below the stuck one to see if you can figure out why it is stuck and get access to free it. The split can be repaired much like one would repair a car with fiberglass and/or Bondo. Do move it to a dryer part of the basement to preserve it from further damage.

 

I moved it... I am not much good at this type of DIY project, although I have occasionally refinished wood furniture long ago. (Nothing of any value.) Maybe I will try on this, since it really can't get any worse! Or maybe I'll find somebody else. I'll work with the drawer later, since I have to get to another project soon and have been spending a lot of time here and on Facebook this morning so far.

 

Sooooooo i should strip it and deliver it to chicago or nyc lol! Thank you all i love it but if i can get a good buck for it id rather get its heavy butt out of this house lol

 

I also have a dresser made by simmons but cant find a year on the label on the back how do i find out the value mine is in great shape all the drawers work and the wheels even move still! The paint is a little dinged up but still not bad and doesnt have any rust! It is however missing a knob on the very bottom drawer! Any info would be appreciated!

 

I also have a dresser made by simmons but cant find a year on the label on the back how do i find out the value mine is in great shape all the drawers work and the wheels even move still! The paint is a little dinged up but still not bad and doesnt have any rust! It is however missing a knob on the very bottom drawer! Any info would be appreciated!

 

Post a pic of it here and maybe we can help.

 

I need some expertise on this one, hubby brought home this old metal dresser, had never seen one so I was intrigued, found a simmons label inside a drawer and did some research, WOW! turns out may be quite a find! Can you look at the pictures and tell me about this piece? Notice it at one time seems to have had doors on the front due to the hinges. Any help appreciated.

 

It is, of course, an armoire missing its doors. I was able to find a couple more examples but no real information. One seller listed it as circa 1920, which I agree with or just a bit later. Theirs was stripped and lacquered and is pictured here. It was sold so I don't know what they asked for it.



http://www.cityfoundry.com/2014/07/09/simmons-gentlemans-chest/

The styling with the spindle legs on this is not really what aficionados are looking for. They prefer the clean lines and the ones designed by Geddes bring a premium. The missing doors also hurt this. Still a neat find as they armoires seem to be somewhat rare.

 

Thank you so much for replying, I'm thinking of refinishing and using in my home, I find it so interesting and antiques always make me wonder and imagine a story behind them, if they originated in Chicago, it may have been in a hotel and used by infamous gangsters

 

Its really tough here in CA right now for me to sell anything larger than a nightstand. It seems like everything has dried up and no one is buying furniture like they used to, maybe its just the time of year, I don't know. All I know is I have great antique vintage pieces that I have priced really inexpensively and people are not biting.

Years ago I made a lot of money selling Danish Modern furniture out of my apartment, I live in the central valley and people would come from The bay area every weekend to purchase from me, now nothing. It seems people are only buying what they NEED, not what they would like to have. Simple dressers, Lawn, mowers, and appliances are selling like crazy over here right now, all NEED items.

Sorry to carry on but its just so frustrating, I am looking into painting all of my items and doing the shabby chic thing which I'm not crazy about but I think its the only way right now. All of these DIY TV shows have people losing their minds over painted REAL wood furniture, and that's to bad. But I need to make side money so It looks like I have to give people what DIY TV tells them they need.

By the way that is a beautiful dresser, I see some like that in thrift stores just they are not painted priced from about 80 -150, I'm not sure if they are Bakelite or not but Ive seen very similar. Around here thrift stores are overloaded with furniture, there is one in particular I go that sells all of the furniture for 5.00 EVERYTHING, that table and chairs I have posted that I needed Identified was only 5.00 for everything. I put them up for sale for 50.00 somebody offered ne 20.00.... WHAT

 

Lol, I just love old,if I were rich,my home would be full of old pieces, I did find an old school desk made of wrought iron and wood , painted the metal,polished up the wood and it's hanging around in my dining room.