Featured If this dresser could talk...

I recently inherited my grandmother's dresser. It's been through quite a bit, and I'm hoping to possibly restore it.

Now that it's in my home, I'm wondering 1) how old it actually is, 2) what wood it's made from plus what veneer is laid over it, and 3) what overall style it would be considered to be.

There's absolutely no ID anywhere on the piece, other than a hand penciled inventory mark on the back in cursive-style numbering. It's been painted over twice. It's got a veneer that's somewhat chipped, which is why I suspect it was painted over. The veneer is unfortunately really cracked on one side, due to many moves and humidity fluctuations.

Despite the surface damage the piece is solid and has a satisfying "snick" when it slides back on its wooden rollers. There's a little piece of wood carved out for watches or jewelry. The joints are dovetailed but I'm not sure if it was done by machine or by hand.

I was able to research the current drawer bail pulls; they're brass plated base metal from the National Lock Company out of Rockford, Illinois, which made this pattern anywhere between 1903 and 1940.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated.

 

I don't see any veneer,the inside of the drawer looks like sycamore.

 

I wonder whether that "organizer" section was added sometime along the way.

I'm sure, @verybrad will have very useful input.

 

Think probably from the teens. Impossible to say wood with that paint but a lot from this period were mahogany veneer. See some maple in the drawers but that would not carry through to the exterior. The "till" is probably original and billed as a feature for gentlemen. Legs look to have been cut down. Probably not too much higher but would not expect them to truncate like that. The other possibility is that they are correct but missing casters.

 

Don't know if you are still able to go back. Use the edit button, click full image. People using phones will be able to see our pictures better.

To me looks like a man's dresser. 1920s-30s. The drawer slide would have been cuff links or collar studs. The section being probably for collars.

Since you say there is damage to the veneer, and stripping will dry it out even further, you might want to look into doing a nicer paint job.

 

Ideas
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/vintage-dresser.34419/page-2

https://www.google.com/search?clien.......0i67j0j0i7i30j0i8i7i30j0i8i30.jlem8QXPNGc

 

Wow, thanks for getting back to me so quickly everyone!

Here's some pics of the veneer damage:

(On the back)


(On the front.)

 

Ouch. Poor baby. I expect Brad is right about the age, and missing casters would be my guess too; someone's always taking them off, or they fall off due to age. One might have been lost in a move at some point, and it was just easier to take out the rest too. It would have worked as well for a lady as a gentleman. The till would have held gloves, and the slid-y bit could have held her lingerie pins and safety pins. In the old days, a woman didn't want her bra straps showing. Us grown-ups still don't, but....

 

Welcome, MountainLark.

I still use very small safety pins for that. Maybe I should buy some fancy lingerie pins....

 

Would you strip a veneer? Honest question. Stripping wood is hard enough.

 

Interestingly, bras were a relatively new article of clothing when this dresser was made.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_bras

Debora

 

I'm not sure about what to do regarding the veneer, honestly. I certainly won't pry it off, at least not on the front three sides, as I'm not sure how to get it re-veneered properly -- or if that's even an option.

I'm wondering if a "milder" paint stripper like Blue Bear (soy-based) would work on veneer, but won't do anything without proper research and a test patch first.

My idea is to chip off as much of the two layers of old white paint as I can, check on the condition of the veneer, and then, if it warrants it, repaint -- but perhaps jet black instead of white. I'd also see about getting the original hardware re-plated(?) if it doesn't shine up, or simply replaced with solid brass pulls with a similar design.

 

Meadowlark. I'm with you. Great piece to experiment with. Since it from the teens, then it is an antique. I am waiting patiently for my mahogany bed and dresser to slide over a hundred years, which it is close. This place has casters. https://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/furniture-casters-wheels
Kiko

 

Well, I'd hate for the "experiment" to go wrong, as it's been in my family for so long! Hehe.

Many thanks for the caster link. Those sure would make moving the piece around easier for cleaning and such.

 

No problem in stripping veneers with chemical strippers if careful. Would not use anything water based. Even so, it is a lot of work and getting all the paint out of the grain and crevices is usually difficult.

 

I hear you. Two coats of paint - especially the old stuff is a daunting task. My living and dining room were never painted so all the trim is the original stained fir. When I tried to remove the paint from the bedroom I found the original stained trim but so many gouges filled with paint and old paint, it was a hopeless task. I did do one door, so its possible. I use citrus stripper and then use a palm sander to get the last layers. You have to be very careful with a pam sander though when using a heavy grit. You can buy veneer to replace if you are handy. It's possible. I used a heat gun to strip the paint from part of the outside of my house, (It was terribly alligatored) but that was just to get a surface to paint.

 

Now I need to look into finding out if the soy gel strippers are water based. If so, ooof, I've got my work cut out for me.

That being said, the paint seems pretty fragile. Maybe it will just chip off with a credit card and sheer determination...

 

Is citrus stripper water based? Cool story about the stained fir. Bet it looks great now.

 

Removing hide glue veneer. http://antiquerestorers.com/Articles/SAL/removen.htm

 

Hi,
I have stripped a lot of veneer pieces but I have always used a methyl stripper it is faster but more dangerous to your health. It is best used with very good ventilation. Any loose veneer can be reglued. I always fill in missing pieces with shellac or wax. I have used old veneer but it is difficulty to find pieces that are the same thickness. New veneer is so thin it will not work on older pieces. Old pieces will show their dings and such. To replace them is like doing a face lift on an older woman. I think it was Helen Hays that said I worked hard to get this wrinkled and I am not going to get them fixed.
greg