Antique vanity

I bought this antique vanity about two years ago from someone. The owner I bought it from said she repainted it and I remember her mentioning it is old but I can not remember exactly how old this piece is and I have considered selling but I would like to try to get a ball park on what the value of it is before... Any info or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

Methinks it's from the 20's, maybe 30's. And why was Milady's dressing table painted brown??!!

Brad will know.

 

Welcome Lleigh!

 

I think it's more 50s. The back doesn't say 20s; it's made from some kind of board. If it were 20s/30s that would be plywood. The hardware is all 50s/60s too, unless they replaced the slide and the hinges both.

 

It's a nice vanity , nice paint job.....but poor choice of color ... YUK !!!

That said this site is more about finding out what you have rather than placing value on items for sale......although someone may come along and offer an off the cuff estimate.

 

It is really nice. I just have been trying to get all info I can about it. I love it!! I wasn't excited about the color of it but I'm glad I did get it. I know there were tons of people really wanting this piece....

 

Well then , keep an eye on this thread as more members flock to give their opinions on what you have here !

Some , like me , may suggest repainting it a more marketable color before you offer it for sale !

 

The color would look great in the right room; it looks like Weimaraner brown, kinda grayish.

 

I sold one similar from the 50s-60s era several years ago.
The ones I have seen were painted white with gold trim. More of a French Provincial look.

There are several shown here if you scroll through
https://www.google.com/search?q=196...yICh2gTg1E&biw=1563&bih=1032&dpr=0.85#imgrc=_

 

That sounds like a much nicer , salable color !

 

I think 50s - 60s. With the paint, it is pretty much just used furniture at this point. In our group shop here in the Midwest, this would be priced under $100.00. It could be bought at auction for considerably less.

 

I'm glad I have gotten this much already about it! I actually paid right under 200 when I bought it. I have been wanting to re paint it but have been having the hardest time deciding on color!

 

Try to paint it something you like but would be good for resale when you're ready.

 

Hi, I'm still pretty new here and still mostly am reading! Fascinating stuff all!!!! To comment on this vanity....I'd probably save myself a lot of effort and not repaint but look hard for a friend to trim it up with some gold paint to spice it up! Just my HO!

 

That might work, if you think it will enhance the look !

 

This ad from Life magazine has what looks like your vanity off to the right. This ad is from 1961. Looks like the hardware and shape are the same, but it had a different mirror. Also looks like it had a piece of wood around the top of the vanity, kind of like a cornice? Not sure what it would be called.

This was the Versailles line by the Bassett company. (Got that from the printing on the back of your piece, and it matched up.)
https://books.google.com/books?id=w...=bassett furniture "versailles group"&f=false

Fig

 

Fig, I saw that same ad on a couple of website. The size of the mirrors are quite different. The OP's mirror is small and oval while the ad's mirror is large and rectangular. Wonder if the OP's mirror is a replacement?

Here is a bedroom set of Bassett's "Versailles"with probably the OP's (Original Poster) vanity table that has been refinished in "distressed Paris Grey." The pic was on PinIt. I had a hard time seeing it because of their popups. It was from Etsy, but no longer there. Note the mirror.

--- Susan

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/226728162462977351/

 

When I found that ad, I got several hits from newspapers.com (that requires a subscription). In the Google search results, it sounded like there were ads for this furniture line running all through the 1960s, and maybe there was even one from the late 1950s. It's possible they changed the mirror style. However, the mirror that was posted in the original post above looks a little odd to me because it seems too small for the wood that is it attached to. So, I'm guessing the mirror is a replacement on the piece under discussion. Perhaps the original broke.

 

Wow! Super cool that I have gotten so much info from all of you!! I have been thinking about selling it but honestly I'm not sure I can even let it go. It may not be worth a lot but I think it's a really pretty piece. More ideas on color? I noticed the comment to paint it white and the other comment to just trim it with gold. The color is actually a pretty color but it's too dark I guess for me. If it's repainted should there be some sort of top coat or seal over it? I also don't know what could be put on top across it to protect the top part I actually even had the idea that maybe there is a way to get a piece of glass or something cut for the top but that middle part opens so I'm not sure...

 

One can get glass cut to fit, beveled and with little fuzzy feet to keep the glass from sitting directly on the wood, but I should think three pieces might be expensive. One could get one whole piece, hide the family diamonds in the mirror section, and add an elegant mirror to hang on the wall.

While I don't mind "brown furniture," I find brown paint dismal, especially in Milady's bedroom. White always works, but so does a pale aqua, or a butter yellow, or light watermelon. Milk glass, or colored glass, or even plain glass, boudoir lamps, a vanity tray to hold perfumes (painted Limoges with flowers the color of the vanity), a silver-framed photo of Milord paired with a tiny silver bud vase...

Have I just redesigned your bedroom??