Help identifying a 3 drawer chest

Ive seen maybe one or two exactly like this one online but not much information about it. Its made of walnut and has dovetailing.
Wondering when it was made or who made it. Does it have any value?
Thanks.

 

Somewhere around end of 19th and early in 20th century. Drawer construction was changing a lot in this time so if you take a pic of the side of a drawer pulled out the date can be pinned down better. Won’t know the maker factory unless it is marked, usually inside a drawer or on the back.

Not really collectible, so value is just as a piece of dated but solidly constructed used furniture.

 

Would think a bit earlier. Circa 1870. Would expect hand cut dovetails. Value is not great right now and depends on your market. Here in my Midwest market, would say under $150.00 at retail in good condition. Maybe 1/3 of that at auction or other wholesale markets. You might do better (or worse) in your market. Sadly, a lot of these are getting painted these days.

 

Yeah, I am goin with Brad on this one. Late Classical style in solid walnut, sadly, it's lumber is worth more than the piece itself, which is weird.

 

That's a very honest-looking piece.

Debora

 

I love sturdy old chests/bureaus like yours because of the solid wood construction, large/roomy drawers on the bottom, and small "hanky" drawers on the top. I have a similar chest in butternut with hand-cut dovetailing and was told it was late 1800s. I bought it 20+ years ago for about $50, but it had an ugly coat of black paint, so I stripped it and refinished it with many coats of hand-rubbed tung oil. I suspect you'll never know who made yours -- most were probably made in small no-name cabinet shops or home work shops. If buyers nowadays prefer to do a trendy paint job on old furniture, then it wouldn't be worth your time and money to refinish it if you plan to sell it.

 

VERY nice indeed Joan !!! ... Joy.

 

Thank you, Joy.

 

Thank you all for all your helpful responses! Im a bit surprised that these things dont have much value in price. A neighbor of mine had dragged this piece out to the curb to just throw away and I couldnt stand to see it go to the garbage. Me and a friend rescued it and it has been my dresser ever since. Diddnt want to refinish it until I knew weather or not it had value. Now I can Just wish I had a skeleton key that worked for it!

 

Don't look at us Todd...we luv the stuff !!
BUT....
at your age.....most folks.....livin with their parents....just getting into small apartments..... sometimes with more than one roomie..... well you guys just don't have the space for these older pieces....or just want newer items....from online stores.....don't think they can afford it....or want it unless someone ships for FREE !!
You , on the other hand....fit in here just fine !!!

 

I'm glad to hear you rescued this chest and are using it. I've been around long enough to know that furniture trends change often enough that sometime during your lifetime, your solid walnut chest is likely to be valued more than it is today, so I would recommend refinishing/restoring it at some point. I'm picky about drawers that don't slide easily, so if yours don't I'd recommend rubbing a candle along the bottom edges of the drawers and also the wood pieces they slide on.

You may even find a key some day if you look through collections of old keys at antique stores/shows, flea markets, junk shops, etc. Here's a photo of a key I found that works for one of the drawers on my butternut chest (the other locks are missing or broken). A key for your chest will probably be similar. If you find one, try it out first with the drawer pulled open because sometimes a key will turn the locking bar up, but not down, which could leave a drawer unable to be opened if tried when the drawer is closed.

 

Hi,
If you want a key to your locks and can not found anyone who will let you try keys find a lock smith like Bev's family.
I still have about 75 keys left. I buy them up when I find them cheap. Had about 200 but after given them away and using some on my locks I am left with around 75.
greg

 

I don’t disagree, as I said late 19th to early 20th depending on the dovetails (which we haven’t seen yet). I put it past Late Classical, and more Eastlake style (most popular 1870-1890). But with the chamfered corners with beaded doo-dads and excessively worked base I could see it still being made into the 20th century, which is why I was curious about the dovetails.

 

That is a wonderful Idea!! The drawers were always giving me trouble when I would close them. The candle did just the trick. I went to the hardware store the other day and got all the supplies to refinish.
Just waiting on perfect weather!