Featured Desk from a when? Value?

Hello!
I don't know much about anything, but this desk has been a family peace for decades. Our theory is that a family member brought it with her back from USA in 1883, or that another family member bought it here in Norway in the 1900s. If anyone could clear this up by dating it, I would appreciate it greatly!
Attached is photos of some details on it, all sides of a drawer, the inner construction, and the lock from a drawer.It is about 56" wide, about "29 deep, ca 19" to the table part (30" in total).
Thank you for looking through this.
Best regards, Mr.Glum

 

Hi and welcome.

I don't know much but that hardware looks Art Deco to me but the rest of it doesn't, so maybe an older piece with the hardware replaced sometime in the 1920s-30s?

The secondary wood looks like pine to me, but I am no expert, wait for others.

Values depend on so many factors (location, design, materials, condition, style, age) that we rarely do values. The best thing you can do it take information from the replies you get here and research similar items sold in your area.

 

Thank you for replying, Marie!
I can see what you ment with the art deco style hardware, they might've been replaced. I couldn't see any other screw holes when I took them off, but I guess some are just an universal hole pattern.
Pine is the main material for furniture in Norway, how common is it in american antiques?
The value isn't important, to be honest. If it was enough to adjust my insuranse, maybe.
Again, thank you.

 

Hey Mr. Glum:
Thanks for posting your very attractive desk. It sounds like pine is much more common in furniture of the era in Norway than it is in the U.S., where a desk like this would likely be primarily of walnut or oak. Pine would likely be secondary in furniture from either country, though evidently more common in Norway.
That said, your date of 1883 seems accurate. Actually, 1880s or 90s is quite possible. Also, I believe that the drawer hardware is original.
Given the evidence, I’d say that your desk originated in Norway.

 

Thank you Ghopper!
Pine is so common here, and is soft and easy to work with. Oak (which I'm guessing many parts of it is) is the main reason I'm thinking it's brought in from outside the borders. The one whom might have done that brought other furniture, like a rocking chair, dresser, wardrobe, night stands, and so on from New York. No one in rural Norway really had money to spend on things like this at that time. But given it came from a big farm, many in my family think it's something a specific guy bought here around 1910.

May I ask a stupid question? what defines what's "secondary wood"? Is it what you wouldn't see unless you opened a drawer or looked under?

 

Anyone else seeing grain painting on this? Maybe grain-painted pine. Secondary wood are definitely pine. Agree the hardware is original and am on board with a late 19th century date.

 

Thank you so much for replying. So, grain-painting is exactly what it sounds like? Any tips on how to detect it? I forgot to say, I have both keys, but they ended up in the storage box.

OH, so the horizontal lines are the year rings, and the other pattern is painted? I've never seen or heard about grain-painting, but it must've been an easy way to make it classy. Is it seen as positive or negative in our days?

 

OH, so the pattern is painted? I've never seen or heard about grain-painting, but it must've been an easy way to make it classy. Is it seen as positive or negative in our days?

 

A couple pics of the top and maybe the shelf head-on would help. A good pic of the side of the body as well. I am seeing some subtle signs in your existing pics. First pic in grouping, note how the grain goes different directions on the bracket. It is vertical in the main body but horizontal at the top. Looks like this should be all one piece of wood with the spindle section glued on. Look at the drawer side in pic #5. There is some slopped opaque paint or stain that goes on to the edge. Looking at the interior in pic #3 shows all pine boards. If a solid piece, the pine should match on the outside as well.

 

Also on pic #1, the grain on the drawer front stops just short of the edge molding. If natural, it should extend under the molding.

 

I've never noticed that! But sure, it stops right in front of the molding on all sides. It's like that all over. Does that date it in any way?

 

Grain painting was common in virtually all of the 19th century. Certainly consistent with the time period we are talking about here. It was a way of making lesser woods look more expensive. The critical aspect of grain painting on antiques today is condition. Often, the finish is degraded and the piece devalued. Your piece looks to be in good condition from what I can see.

 

The entire 19th century doesn't help me much, but grain-painting was a very interesting concept I didn't know anything of The patina on the desk it self has so much wear and tear, it must've devalued it.

 

this narrows it down a bit..

 

Ghopper writes......
"
That said, your date of 1883 seems accurate. Actually, 1880s or 90s is quite possible. Also, I believe that the drawer hardware is original.
Given the evidence, I’d say that your desk originated in Norway.

This too , narrows down the circa.........

so, I'd say you've received pretty good help..!