1893 Custom Maple Dresser & Full Size Bed

Would appreciate an appraisal on this custom 1893 maple dresser and full size bed. Many thanks! 

📌 Item Description

• Type: Matching bedroom set – dresser and full-size bed
• Date of Manufacture: 1893 (documented by family provenance)
• Origin: Modesto, California
• Material: Solid maple with a warm, honey-colored finish
• Features:
  • Dresser: 6 drawers of varying depths, original brass bail-pull hardware, turned side columns, hand-cut dovetail joints, and flame-figured maple fronts
  • Bed: Headboard, footboard, side rails, 5 wooden slats, on original casters
  • Decorative carved maple leaf motif on both the headboard and footboard
• Condition: Excellent – no major damage or visible restoration, original hardware intact, drawers and joints appear structurally sound

🪵 Construction & Craftsmanship Notes

• The hand-cut dovetail joinery, classic turned wood elements, and use of high-grade figured maple are all hallmarks of late 19th-century American craftsmanship.
• The presence of Grain-matched drawer fronts, visible in the dresser, suggests custom work likely by a regional artisan or small-scale cabinetmaker rather than mass factory production.
• The carved maple leaf panel is distinctive and possibly symbolic of a family emblem or regional pride (Canada, Northeast U.S., or simply naturalist decorative motifs popular in the 1890s).

🧾 Historical Context

The 1890s were a transitional time in American furniture, blending late Victorian styles with emerging Arts & Crafts simplicity. Your piece appears to sit between these periods, showing restraint in ornamentation but richness in wood grain and hardware.

The fact that it was custom made for your great-grandmother in 1893 adds personal provenance and regional interest, especially for collectors in California or the Western U.S.

💰 Estimated Value (2025 Market)

Category

Estimated Value (USD)

Dresser alone

$700 – $1,200

Bed alone

$500 – $900

Combined Set (retail/gallery value)

$1,200 – $2,000

Factors Influencing Value:

• Positive: Excellent original condition, beautiful maple grain, original hardware, provenance
• Limiting: Size (full beds are less in demand than queen/king), and regional market variation

🧑‍⚖️ Authentication & Appraisal Recommendation

Your set is authentic based on:

• Family provenance (1893, Modesto)
• Visible construction details: hand-cut dovetails, hardwood grain patterns, pre-machine-made hardware
• Age-consistent wear and finish

If you intend to:

• Insure the set
• Sell through a gallery or estate auction
• Donate with tax documentation

…then a professional furniture appraisal by an ISA or ASA-certified appraiser is recommended for written valuation.

🧠 Collector & Seller Notes

• Appeals to collectors of:
  • Late Victorian or Arts & Crafts transitional furniture
  • California-made antique American pieces
  • Maple furniture enthusiasts
• Best resale platforms: Chairish, 1stDibs, Etsy Vintage, or regional estate sales