Anyone know anything about this beautiful sideboard?

My wife and I have inherited a sideboard that has been in the family for 3 generations. We love it but do not know anything about it. Could anyone help identify the period, style etc. I assume that it originally had a glass mirror attached but no one remembers it.

Antique Sideboard by Archieherbie posted Nov 29, 2018 at 10:07 PM

 

OMG! That is SO beautiful! Sorry, I don't know much about furniture, but I just had to comment. It's gorgeous!

 

Welcome, Archieherbie! What part of the world has your family been in during the 3 generations of owners?

 

North of England

 

Ah. So we need to rustle up a member who's familiar with English furniture. Maybe @Ownedbybear has some thoughts.

 

Thanks for your suggestion of a member that may be able to help Bakersgma. Off to work now but will look forward to hopefully knowing a little more about our prize possession soon.

 

Yeppers.

Late 19th C mahogany sideboard, missing its top. I own one - not quite the same form, as mine has cupbards either side. Are your shelves velvet lined? If you look at the rear of the top and the back, you'll see where the supports went for the overmantel type mirror. My parents got rid of theirs too, and then cursed the fact that they'd done it.

I have Whitefriars ruby glass on mine.

 

Many thanks

Yes, the shelves are velvet lined. The doors are beautifully made and hand still close to perfection. Any ther information about who may have made it, style etc would be most appreciated.

 

Any other photo's would help !

 

Will take some more photos tomorrow. Have to go out. Thanks for your input so far.

 

Welcome, Archieherbie.

 

Green velvet? Mine are. You'll probably never find out who, it's such a typically late Victorian thing. And that's the style: late Victorian.

Try it with some good coloured glass on top. It sings the mahogany. Oh, and DO NOT USE spray furniture polishes. A smear of beeswax once a year and just polish with a soft cloth in between - an old silk scarf or cotton T shirt. Rub your hands on it, too, that builds patina.

 

Thank you. I have used beeswax as suggested. Does anyone know anything about the intracate darker paneled inlays on both cupboard doors amd howtge carving would have been made?

 

Close ups, please.

 

Here are some close up pictures to help those of you who have wonderful knowledge to provide

Sideboard panel by Archieherbie posted Nov 30, 2018 at 10:00 AM

Sideboard doors by Archieherbie posted Nov 30, 2018 at 10:01 AM

Sideboard doors by Archieherbie posted Nov 30, 2018 at 10:03 AM

Front side view by Archieherbie posted Nov 30, 2018 at 2:53 PM

Felt inlaid by Archieherbie posted Nov 30, 2018 at 2:56 PM

 

Anyone who could guesstimate what I should insure the sideboard for, it would be appreciated.

 

Might be hand carved, but most of these were done with some machine "assistance". The darker bits are ebonised. Insurance is tricky: you'd not find an identical one, so you need to look at what it would cost you retail to replace with something similar. Prices on those are all over the place. I'd have said unlikely to be much more than £500 to £800 to replace, but perhaps ask your insurance company. Most here aren't that worried about specific items of furniture, unless they're of huge value.

 

Thank you for your assistance Ownedbybear. It is most appreciated.

 

You're very welcome. I'm very fond of my own sideboard: unlike so much modern furniture it has character and has lived!