Victorian Chess Table

Hi there I've just joined today.

My hubby bought me a cute little Victorian chess table. Apparently it's made out of walnut and mahogany and that's all I know about it.

Would love to find out more about it if anybody knows? I'll try and post photo. Also at the top front face there is a pattern which looks like pawn shapes but could be wrong.

Would also love to know how to look after it? What type of wax to use and how often etc.

Many thanks

 

Welcome Snow!

I'd say your chess table is not Victorian, but rather was made in the second quarter of the 20th century, closer to 1940. I have a mahogany smoking stand dated 1942 with a decorative pattern much like yours.

Use Howard's Feed n' Wax once or twice a year to keep it looking good. Otherwise, a slightly damp cloth will take care of any dust issues.

 

Thank you so much lovely to get info and a reply. Would love to see your smoking stand to compare.

Seller got it from an auction house and that was the info she was given. I'm not fussed what date it is really just want to look after it seeing as it's survived this far you feel a bit of responsibility!

Thanks again

 

Anywhere I can find out more info about it? It has a few tiny small holes in the back and I'm wondering if the cabinet underneath could have contained some kind of mechanical device to make it into a musical chess table.

I've been googling chess tables but cant find anything similar. Would love to know who made it and any other info or sites I could search on.

I'm from UK so imagine must be UK item. Thanks.

 

if wires ran thru it...it would likely be one bigger hole , lower down.
I highly doubt that it held a radio or stereo of any sort.

 

Yes they are only tiny round holes at the lower back cabinet bit. They are visible on the photo. I was thinking more of a musical mechanical device rather than a stereo but guessing it would have to be an older piece than this potentially is.

 

Might well have been a wireless it would only have needed a power and aerial cable.

Just dust it and run your hands over it. An old silk scarf is good. You won't get Howard's here, NO spray silicon polishes please! Get a tin of traditional beeswax polish and use it very very sparingly once a year. Do a little bit at a time, or it's a right pig to do.

I think it's late 40s into early 50s. We weren't making pretty furniture during WW2.

 

I see what looks like supports inside for a shelf. I'm wondering... could it have been a humidor?
I agree with post-WW2. I don't see Victorian at all.

 

Hi yes. When I looked inside there were supports for what looked like a shelf. Humidor? Is that for cigars? Would love to know been googling for days just to find something similar to it and cant find anything at all.

 

Can you get some close ups of the inside please? It doesn't have the fitments I'd expect from a humidor. I do have a theory.

 

Hi there. It's REALLY dark inside so shone a light inside and took some photos. Hope this helps.

 

Are those brackets metal please?

 

No they're wood

 

I was thinking “former“ humidor, one that had been stripped inside in order to use the cabinet for other purposes.

 

Well, I see booze cabinet !
upper shelf for glasses..

 

I like booze cabinet.

I did find Howard's Feed on Amazon UK.

The inside is a lot rougher than the outside apart from bottom inside which is nice smooth wood like the outside.

 

One would expect a booze cabinet to have been fairly well finished inside as well as out. I'm still leaning towards humidor that's had its insides removed.

 

Yes I've looked up humidor, never heard of it before and I can see that's a possibility. Can sort of envisage a pair of gentlemen playing chess and smoking cigars!

There was once definitely a shelf by the looks of it and the tiny holes may have been added later for whatever reason. They appear to be strangely positioned. There's even one in the bottom inside of the cabinet. Seems to be there for a reason.

Guess I will never find out for certain but wondering why I cant find this cabinet anywhere.

 

I'm inclined to believe Bluumz and Snow are correct. Smoking was a hugely popular pastime in the 1940s, and chess never goes completely out of style. Why not combine the two?

I will say that I've never seen this combination before, but it makes sense. My 1942 smoking stand is a smaller version of this piece, without the chess board and wings. The inside of mine was probably a humidor as well. It is, however, lined with cedar and has no holes in it. Adding holes to Snow's piece must have seemed like a good idea at the time; the only function I can see would be to provide a little ventilation. Perhaps the tobacco was getting damp........

 

if one put a chess table on top of this liquor cabinet .?