Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ghopper1924, post: 10052522, member: 5170&quot;]The design looks to be neo-Classical, based on mid-19th Century antecedents, but later, with some strong aesthetic movement elements in the drawer hardware and case turnings. Its possible that the drawer hardware was added later; you noted something about a ghost of a knob on one of the drawers, and it&#039;s possible that the entire dresser had glass knobs, like you see at the top of the piece. I would want to look at it in person to ascertain this. But the present pulls look historic and go with the piece, so I wouldn&#039;t worry too much about it.</p><p><br /></p><p>The case seems to be walnut with birdseye maple veneer on the drawers, as you noted. Although it was certainly a thing to make less expensive woods look more expensive with techniques like grain painting, I do not think that is the case with this piece. The curly maple veneer would have been a selling point and nothing to cover up.</p><p><br /></p><p>Without having the piece in front of me, I&#039;d say this dresser is from about 1870 or so, probably American. Impossible to ascribe a maker to it without some kind of label, since there were dozens, if not hundreds, of cabinet makers in the country at that time, and the vast majority did not label their work. </p><p><br /></p><p>This dresser is not within a price point where you should have to worry overly much about finishes. Someone seems to have messed with it in the past, in any case. You seem to be aware of how to spruce up shellac, which is usually done (lightly) with a brush and denatured alcohol, to even things up. If you wanted to strip the whole thing and thoughtfully refinish it, that would work too, although my personal approach is to intervene with the least intrusive method possible.</p><p><br /></p><p>Since you like the piece, I&#039;d say the main thing is to respect the original intention of the craftsman and keep close to the original appearance. Which you seem to have no problem doing.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in