Featured Could I get some information on this item please.

Hello there,

So I have this coat stand, I've had it for many years at this point. This stand was about to be thrown into a skip on a job I was working on almost 20 years ago. It was a refurbishment of an old bank building. I asked the guy who was about to chuck it into the skip if I could have it, he asked his boss who said yeah sure take it away.

I wasn't exactly interested in it because it was old or cool or anything like that, my girlfriend (now wife) had been complaining recently about the mess of coats in the hallway of our apartment. As I stood near the skip watching this guy about to fling this lovely stand into the skip I saw a free solution to my problem .

So it stood in our various apartments over the years doing what it was designed to do. After we bought a house it sat in the hallway for a while then it ended up in the attic, my wife wanted to dump it, but I wouldn't let her. I carefully wrapped it up in some blankets and put it in the attic.

I recently came across it again and older wiser me realised this thing is actually really well made and may have some age to it. Upon inspection I found the label on the bottom. It says FISCHEL. I obviously started searching for it and found a good bit on the history of Bentwood furniture, Thonet being a very famous maker etc.

So the reason for this post is I'm having trouble pinning down exactly when this was made.I assume it can be pinpointed by the label type? I've noticed a few different types as I looked. I've also not found this stand with this particular label either.

Also I'd like advice on what I should do to take care of it. From what I can tell it's completely original. We have never put anything onto it oils/wax etc etc. It only ever got a wipe down with a soft cloth. There is no woodworm on it either.

Sorry for the text wall .

TLDR.

Pulled from a skip 20 years ago in Dublin Ireland.

It was made by Fischel in Czechoslovakia.

it is just under 2 meters tall.

The building was an old bank.

Looking for the time period it was manufactured and any other interesting information. Some links would be great.

Is there anything specific I should do to take care of it?

I've no interest in selling it but are they valuable?

I've attached some pictures to help with identification.

If you require any more pictures of information please let me know.

Regards

Edgar

 

Same label but in the 'half' size & not as ornate as yours, claiming date of 1920s: https://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/bentwood_hat_stand_by_fischel/as342a2261

Czechoslovakia State came into existence 1918.

pdf file of a Fischel catalog. scroll down to page 5 to view the bottom right picture: http://www.volutes1900.com/publications/catalogue-fishel.pdf

So glad you saved this nice piece!

 

Hi Edgar and welcome to the forum. Really nice looking hatstand (and good story) Looks like from the 1920’s (probably the same info you found) Iam sure the ‘furniture guys’ on the forum would be able to tell you about care

 

This is a great start, thank you for the info . That one in the link you provided looks very similar to mine, so if the date on that one is more or less accurate, I can assume my one is of a similar vintage.

I am glad I saved it too.

 

Welcome Edgar.

Yay!!! Thank you for rescuing it. Just so people can see:

 

Hi Boland, thank you for the welcome. I'd be very interested to hear from those people for sure. I have no clue what I should do to it care wise.

 

You're welcome.

 

And also worth some good money from what I can see (but has a wide price range)

 

A case of 'brown furniture' still having value due to the fact that it is small enough to fit in homes, and very handy too!

Hope your wife will change her mind.

 

Ohh that is interesting. I would assume the wide range in value is down to condition or something like that? Using my completely untrained eye this one looks to be in original condition, the finish on it looks old, but remarkably very little wear given it's age. It looks to have had a sheltered life.

 

Ha, yes it is very useful that's for sure.

 

Most bentwood was originally stained very dark, and usually of mixed woods. It is not the sort of form where the grain is showcased. If the finish looks dull, dingy or sticky but intact.... that is, no flaking, checking, gatoring or loss.. you can rub it gently with 0000 steel wool dipped in mineral spirits. Test in an inconspicuous area first! Wipe the liquefied gunk off with a soft rag as you go. That will remove any old wax and dirt build-up but not dissolve any finish. Follow with a good furniture wax and that should be enough.

 

Thanks for the information. I think I'll do a little more homework before I attempt to clean it. I don't even know what "checking", "gatoring" or "loss" is.

 

Basically, if the finish is damaged, loose, not intact. Such as this...

 

Another vote for cleaning and paste wax. Not sure I would use steel wool unless there is some flaking/detrerioration of the finish. If there are scuffs or nicks where white wood shows, they can be touched up with a bit of walnut stain or a touch-up pen before waxing.

 

My one does not look like that. I've taken a few close ups of it, maybe that will better help determine what the finish is like.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm starting to think I should get someone who knows what they are doing to clean it. I may be in over my head here. It's a lovely piece of furniture the least I owe it is to not ruin it

I posted some more pictures, it's overcast here today so the light isn't great.

 

Hard to say from photos, but it appears you may have a colored lacquer finish sprayed on. It is worn away in spots. I would avoid cleaning those areas. They will always be lighter unless you have them touched up by a professional.

 

Really doesn't look that dirty. A quick once-over with mineral spirits should give it a good clean. Might need a little elbow grease to get off the white paint scuffs. Worn areas with light wood showing will touch up with a walnut stain or Walnut Howards Restor-A-Finish, which also provides a bit of sheen. A coat of paste wax is the last process.

 

Would the lacquer finish have been added after it was made?