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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Jeff Drum, post: 9765125, member: 6444&quot;]OK, good, now we are getting somewhere. These are much more useful pics. And indeed, this clearly shows those elusive dovetails!</p><p><br /></p><p>Based on these pics, it looks to me like an old box of oak and other woods with an old drawer on the bottom. Looks like the back, and probably the bottom of box have been replaced when rebuilt, probably in late 19th century as ghopper suspects. Can’t tell about other sides, the front or underneath.</p><p><br /></p><p>Drawer looks genuinely old, could be as old as OP thinks, but could also be newer, especially if box started off from continental Europe where this style of construction persisted. Hard to be sure where in Europe it started without ID of secondary wood due to missing drawer bottom and replaced back and bottom. What wood is the drawer side - can’t tell from here but doesn’t look like oak.</p><p><br /></p><p>Assume drawer is original to box - can’t be sure but assume it was. Though still don’t understand glued pieces falling off the front and glued-up four piece top. Is box as old as drawer and is top original or added - not sure without seeing in person. OP should try to understand why carved pieces are falling off front.</p><p><br /></p><p>With these pics I am even more suspicious that the carving is not original and added later, probably when box was rebuilt. Maybe some of the carved wood pieces are original? But on at least most of what is seen, the quality of carving is not there, and depth too shallow as ghopper pointed out. Carving was added to old wood like ghopper said in Victorian times, but because it was added later to existing wood pieces it couldn’t be as deep and the skills weren’t there due to time pressure. This is similar to “clobbering” added to silver in Victorian times.</p><p><br /></p><p>Word to the wise, next time post all pics before asking questions. Help us to help you, as komokwa is fond of saying. I conclude this is a heavily re-worked piece put together with old and new wood. If OP thinks it is better than this, he should take it in person to an auctioneer or other appraiser to be evaluated live.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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