Free Antique, Collectible, & Art Appraisals

By Sunhammer, 19 May, 2015

Description

I found this vanity at a rummage sale.

It looks maple, with the drawer bottoms are 3/8" thick cedar (made from bards 14" wide which you just cannot find these days). The drawers for the towers are totally oak, sides and bottoms, all dove tailed.

The locks are half mortis. The pulls had a wool backing glued to them (I very carefully took one off) but most of the wool has disintigrated with time. They have a long serial number stamped into the back.

I also found a signature on the inside back of the left tower. As far as I can make out it reads "N" above "ST WallB". Peices have part numbers engraved on back edges (10, 12, 14, etc). Also, on the back panel are the initials WTC.

One of the sides has cracked due to age, but other than that it is in incredible shape. And from what little I could find on my own it looks like 1880s from England..

Any help pinning down the age and origin, and a rough value would be great. No matter what, I am sure I got my moneys worth.

Thanks!

Re: Antique Vanity - 1880s Europe?

These tend to date from the turn of the 19th century and were made on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. They were loosely based on the Eastlake style, which was popular from the 1870's through 1900. Pieces like this were in demand up until the 1990's, but demand and values for them have declined a great deal since then. Today pieces like this often go for less than $200.00 at auction.

Re: Antique Vanity - 1880s Europe?

Thanks! I thought I had the time frame right based on what I could find. Thanks for confirming it.