Featured identifying antique furniture

I hope not to make too many of you groan, but I rescued a stool from the dump. The plan is to disassemble the stool for the upholstery tacks for a pirate chest I am building for my nephew. It is broken but I wanted to make sure that I am not destroying a valuable piece of history. I need help in identifying the piece. As far as I can tell it is late 1800's. It was cut with straight cuts and has the same claw foot as an Eastlake but is more Victorian in style.

Can anyone tell me who made this piece and if it is OK to retask the furniture.
Thank you, Steve

 

More like 1920s, if I'm guessing. Brad's the expert, but odds are this isn't anything to worry about, doubly so since it has bits missing.

 

Thanks..it will become an actual treasure........chest.

 

Before saying anything else, those tacks are still available so you don't necessarily need to take these.

20s-40s vanity stool. Pseudo-Duncan Phyfe style. With the missing handle, I say have at it. I would probably salvage it by cutting off both ends and painting but what ever suits your use best. Someone might want the rest or even just the needlework seat for something.

 

Frame the needle point for resell and sell the brass feet on the Internet..

 

Steve, thank you for posting this bench/stool query!! I have an identical one. Yes, identical to legs, feet, reed arms with carved acanthi leaves handles, etc... Only the needlepoint is different. I suspect my needlepoint is original? It was my mother's. I haven't a clue as to where or when she got it. Right now it is in storage waiting for daughter or one of my nieces to say whether they want it or not. I wasn't sure of its timeframe. In my inventory database, I had an expanded timeframe of 1880-1920. I am delighted to now have a much narrowed timeframe of 1920s to possibly 1940s. My thanks go out to evelyb and Brad also.

--- Susan

 

Definitely save the feet. I had a piece with one of those kinds of feet missing and it took me years to find a matching fourth!

 

If any one is interested here is what became of my dump find. I was a little embarrassed to ask the guy for his trash and I am a repeat offender. Brought home a rear tine tiller last year. Happy with both with the exception of all the crap I got from my wife. Lol

 

There is no shame in dumpster diving / trash picking. The rewards outweigh any possible embarrassment from the act.

Chest turned out great!