Featured Tennessee Cedar Chest [original blue paint/wood castors]

34" x 17" x 17"h. The label inside the lid is pretty rough, but I believe it says 'Tenne Cedar Chest' 'Chattanooga Tenn.' Wondering what I should price this at, if anyone could advise. Thanks!

 

I 'think' its Empire revival ,circa 1880s or so. I rather like the blue,though I doubt its original as these were usually unpainted. It'd make a great coffee table.here in n. fla they go for $75-150 or so,

 

Yep, i agree, not sure on the date but the price sounds about right to on east coast USA.

 

Yeah looks like someone added the paint within the last twenty years and that this chest was left outside for a bit with how faded/worn it is. Thankfully cedar handles the outdoors very well! Johnny's evaluation seems right, I can report seeing 70-120 going for these chests out here in Indiana. Maybe $150 if you find the right buyer. Make sure to take pictures of the label when you sell!

No matter how worn it is, makes all the difference to the customer. Anything that can put the piece in a time and place.

 

Hi,
I had a similar chest but it was "antiqued" with a very similar blue back in the 1960s. Took the blue off and the chest looked much better and it sold for 400 bucks back in 2002.
greg

 

Can you show us the label AND the inside?? Thanks!

 

Not easy selling antique furniture anymore.

At the moment, I have many boxes surrounding it [from this estate] but I was able to find an example on the internet. I do believe its the original paint, but what I'm trying to do is find out if this company made this chest in this blue, and when. [makes a big difference to some people]
....just can't find the time.
But here is a little I was able to find:

Hi there, and thanks for your question.

There is surprisingly little information available on the Loomis and
Hart Furniture Company. Some of the best information regarding its
history comes, in fact, from a family history for the Arnold family
during the period when James Townsend Arnold was in Chattanooga. The
link for that history (also provided by ephraim-ga in the Comments
below) is:

http://members.tripod.com/clipclop/ref/arnoldhist2/chattanooga.html

The relevant section is about a third of the way down the page, and in
a nutshell, it says that the Loomis and Hart company was founded in
Chattanooga in 1869, originally as a sawmill with a small furniture
company added onto it to use up scrap wood. As such, the furniture
was apparently quite cheaply made.

Evidently, in 1912 the whole place burned down, and out of the ashes,
three separate companies were formed: Loomis & Hart Mfg. Co.,
retaining the saw-mill and lumber business, A.G. Stivers Lumber Co.,
taking the South Chattanooga planing mill, and Loomis & Hart Furniture
Co., operating the furniture manufacturing business. I cannot find
conclusively how long that furniture company was in operation, but the
history continues until at least 1918 with the furniture company being
headed up by one Gaston Raoul. The company is certainly no longer in
existence.

 

The printing on the label doesn't look older than WWII. Notice that the Loomis and Hart Furniture Co was not longer independent when this was made. It was "A Division of Tennessee Furniture Corporation."

 

Chalk paint?

 

Shhhhhhhhh secret.......

 

I figure I'll have to move all the boxes and frames & paintings away from this chest in order to get a pic of the label eh?
Damn

 

Not if you don't want all the input you want.

 

...

 

It's a cute little chest, and I certainly hope for you, if you're going to re-sell it, you do well by it, but, in MY ever so humble opinion, I feel that paint job isn't that old and has been 'antiqued'....look how bright the blue is in your second image down where it's been scratched.....I used to do 'antiquing' on similar style pieces (never on anything OLD) when we were first married and couldn't afford an antique!! It's nice, but I just don't get a 'vibe' for old. And I will be most HAPPY to apologize if I'm wrong!! I'm here to continue learning too!!!

 

You say you have a hoard of stuff to go thru......& we all here understand that..
But.....in order for us to help you......You need to help us first !

 

Undoubtedly the blue paint was applied and antiqued at a later date IMHO. I can see some woman doing this in the 80's when the pink and blue country decor rooms were the rage....

 

{shudder}......those d@mned geese and ducks with bows around their necks STILL waddle through my dreams on occasion......................and I STILL try to pull the bows just tight enough to..............well, YOU know.............

 

Aww Mansons, I figured you even had the geese and bow stoneware dinner dishes!!!

 

to but it in the vernacular - OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!!!!!

Geese are good for one thing.........and that involves THEIR dead body.............and a chestnut stuffing...............

 

Hi,
If it was old it would be calcimine paint. Chalk paint was much much later.
greg