Berkey & Gay dining table, seems unlike any other I have found

Hello. I have a Berkey & Gay dining table that doesn't seem to fit any of the photos I have found online for the company. The Grand Rapids Public Museum has referred me to the GR Public Library in the hopes they might have catalogues for pieces made in earlier years. I am waiting on feedback. Here is what I know: Berkey & Gay logo is branded, so I understand this to predate 1900 based on something I found earlier today; table is round (not seeing many of these), solid mahogany, lots of amazing inlay (Federal style), Model/Suite/Style number is 1855 (ironically or on purpose?), table is 5' in diameter, and has 5 leaves (each numbered) extending it to over 9'. In my childhood this table was covered in a thick varnish, but a beautiful table was reborn when mom had it refinished. See photos. Thank you for any information you can provide.

 

ACK! I forgot that step Thank you!

 

Not sure what you want to know. You know who, what, where, and an approximation of when. More than you ever know about most antique furniture.

 

Perhaps I am looking more at 'value' than anything else. Because the table is so very different than anything I saw that they sold, it makes me wonder if it was perhaps a demonstration piece for the Centennial celebration, or one of the first tables they made or even a personal table of Berkey's based on the model number. I don't want to try to sell it for $5K if it's only worth $2K, but at the same time, I don't want to sell it for $5K if it's worth $10K.

 

then start at 10 grand......and work down till it sells....

 

Probably not many buyers, in the market, for a 9-10' dining table!

 

THIS source states that B&G didn't adopt the circular logo until 1905. They also state that B&G furniture from 1866-1890 was mostly walnut, cherry, or ash and the styles were "massive". It goes on to say that though consumers tastes were changing from 1890-1915, "the feeling of massiveness and strength in its furniture remained". Pieces were now often made in golden oak and mahogany. The article talks about further changes in B&G's style through the years, I'll leave you to read it.
I live in Michigan and come across nice B&G furniture in the thrifts or at estate sales with some frequency, I've never seen prices anywhere near like you're suggesting.
However, you do have a very pretty table. It's size is a drawback, however, as well as the lack of matching chairs. (The ones in the photo don't appear to match.)

 

Thank you for the information! We have it priced at $3875 (when I've priced large mahogany tables they averaged about $9K) - the chairs are the chairs my parents always used with the table, and don't match (they're Queen Anne style), but are displayed with the table, but priced separately. One of the guys at the antique mall suggested it could be used as a conference table, due to size - maybe I need to promote it that way! The 5' in diameter (without inserts) is one of the main reasons we decided to sell it - though lovely, it's just so big.

 

(when I've priced large mahogany tables they averaged about $9K)

those are SOLD prices..????

 

Good idea! formal dining rooms are becoming extinct in many locations due to the "open" concept in design fashion these days which puts dining room furniture in a bind resale-wise.
Marketing as a conference table makes sense to me.

 

Would think 20th century on this. I've got a lot of Berkey furniture ca. 1880, and though it is "massive," it is high-style Victorian, no hint of Sheraton or Hepplewhite revival.

 

I will look again

 

ah, okay - I seem to not be finding photos of the earlier pieces, so I have no idea what they look like. Grand Rapids Public Library is going to research through their archives for me.

 

Agreed, guesses 1920s- 1940s.
A quicky search on Liveauctioneers brought this one up, a very similar label, carriage bolts & feet.
Sold on 8 bids for $400. last month.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/103513953_berkey-and-gay-federal-style-dining-table

 

Value really depends on your market and clientele. This may be worth several thousand in a high end big city shop if paired with appropriate chairs (or on firstdibs ). In most venues across America, it is probably worth what you can get for it. I know in my semi-rural Midwest market, the $400 the one on liveauctioneers brought seems about right. I would probably have a problem getting even that without appropriate chairs to go with it.

Your other option is to try and reach a national market with this. By posting on ebay or other venue you can fish for the right buyer. Be prepared to work out some way to ship unless you live in or near a large city where a buyer can pick up.

 

Berkey & Gay did not start labeling their furniture until after the Victorian era. Here is a picture of what a typical mid-level Berkey & Gay bedroom set would look like ca. 1880. Offhand I do not have proof that this is B & G, but I believe it is, and if it's not then it's exactly what the firm's late Victorian product looked like.

Not much resemblance to the table.

Just FYI B & G's 1880 furniture catalog has been republished.

 

Yeah, and they started running into trouble biz wise in the 1st quarter of the 20th & declared bankruptcy in 1931, reopened in 1935, and bankrupt again in 1948 which was the end of the line for B&G.
Guesses lots of stuff like labels fell thru the cracks during their later years, I see no definitive dates online for OP or Liveauctioneers label. They were fighting to survive so........
Still, OP table is clearly Federal in style so pretty much has to be the 20th century.
http://www.furniturecityhistory.org/company/3391/berkey-and-gay-furniture-co

 

Oct. 1936 print Furniture Advertisement put out by B&G, on Etsy
Notices the federal style dining suite
https://www.etsy.com/listing/741206...llery-1-14&from_market_listing_grid_organic=1