Featured Need help with age/origin of sideboard

I was just given this piece by my boss, who bought it an antique shop in Everett, WA 20-some years ago.

It’s very heavy for its size, so I’m thinking it’s solid oak/veneer. It has some obvious damage, but a lot of character. The drawers are quite impressive, with a center guide and 1/4 pieces along the insides, hiding the intersection of drawer side and bottom. I cannot find any drawer pulls that look similar, nor can I find any info on the maker’s tag. Because it doesn’t have a state or province on the tag, I’m starting to think this is from Plymouth, England (not Plymouth, MA or US otherwise).

The back is held on by wooden pegs that set into the top, and the side pieces have been broken off and need to be reattached. The carving on the back piece has also thrown me for a loop as...odd. Originally, I thought the top piece might not have been original to the piece, until I realized the maker’s tag sits every-so-slightly above the top edge of the bottom cabinet, and is hidden once the top piece is set down. The bottom cabinet is either screwed together by old-looking screws, or by hidden mortise and tenon joints. And glue, of course.

I’d love to figure out the age - thinking 30’s because of the pulls - and country/area of origin. Sorry for the poor quality pics; I can get more quite easily now as it’s in my living room currently.











This is the little locking mechanism that’s inside of the left-hand door. It’s missing a screw.

 

Oh that's nice! Nice boss too!

 

I like the way the fan shaped pulls & hinges echo one another.

 

Me too! ‘Tis why I’m thinking it’s a little Art Deco-ey.

 

Thank you! Yes, she is.

 

Wonder whether Taylor, home furnishers, were the sellers but not the makers.

 

1930s English sideboard for sure. I also find the top part a bit incongruous.

 

I was wondering the same. Especially since they also did lighting and heating lol. 1930s Home Depot? Or maybe an exporter? The tag looks to be either celluloid or some other sort of resin.

I wonder if it’s a much-later add on then. The carving reminds me of something you’d see in a nursery for some reason. The wood and finish match the cabinet, and the top has left a shadow line on the top...underneath it’s quite clean. Will always be a mystery I’m afraid.

Speaking of lines - I pulled out the drawer and found what appears to be a signature in pencil on the back. It’s quite faded, so I’m working on getting the pics adjusted (adding contrast?) so you can see it better. Any tips on doing so?

 

(fan collector)

 

The signature is probably the original customer. This looks absolutely typical of English 1930s relatively mass market stuff. It's missing a mirror. I had pieces with that ball and socket fastening. Tag is probably ivorine: again, very commonly used here.

B Taylor would be a shop. I'll ask himself, he grew up there, but so many businesses were destroyed in 1940 that I doubt it would have survived into his childhood. Kellys Online Directories might have them, or Grace's Guide. Or Plymouth City Council's archives. Or ask this bloke: http://www.oldplymouth.uk/

 

THANK YOU, awesome information!! I might try to research farther.

 

You're very welcome. The missing mirror bit sort of sat in that top bit, if that makes any sense at all.

 

How odd. I swear I posted a reply.

@Ownedbybear - I don't see any witness marks for attaching a mirror on that top part. Assuming it sat under the engraving, it wouldn't have been very tall, maybe 4". Is that what you mean?