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lovieb

help identifying inherited furniture

lovieb
10 years ago

Would love any info on my beautiful furniture. I know nothing about it. I can't find any identifying marks anywhere on either piece. Any help would be appreciated.
Still trying to figure out how to post multiple pics.

This post was edited by lovieb on Sun, Feb 16, 14 at 11:22

Comments (16)

  • peegee
    10 years ago

    Wow - what a gorgeous triple dressing mirror with drawers!
    Stunning!

  • lovieb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you, this is the other piece. Would love to know more about it. People ask about it and I would love to be able to say something intelligent about it.

  • Fori
    10 years ago

    It sort of has an art nouveau feel to it with the mirror shape. Can you do a closeup of the hardware and carvings? And serious furniture people would like to see the back and the joints and how the drawers are made.

    Very pretty, but that chair simply won't do! :P (It's not that bad. )

  • lovieb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you for responding, I have the pics you're asking for will try and upload them. art nouveau is more than I have had. Thank you. I will not take offense about the chair. That came with my husband. Pretty good deal.

  • lovieb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hope these pics helps.

  • Fori
    10 years ago

    It's certainly gorgeous. Now you need one of the furniture guys to stop by! This board can be slower than others so it might be a bit.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    10 years ago

    That wood on the side of the drawer is an asian species, perhaps teak. Then, the round motif of the mirror-plex looks like a Moon Gate, so you may be looking at something far-eastern in origin.
    Casey

  • lovieb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am so excited to have your help, I will wait for the "furniture guys" and see what they have to say.
    Love this site, gonna share it with my gardening friend.

  • colleenoz
    10 years ago

    Sorry, Casey, I think you're talking through your hat on this one. To me the two pieces clearly are a set and Art Nouveau/Edwardian. Nothing about either piece says "Asian" to me, especially when you look at the decoration in the corners, the pediments and the edges.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    10 years ago

    I just decided that the primary wood is ash; I looked a little closer at the end-grain of that drawer. Ash also has very prevalent use in Japan.
    Further, the gadrooning around the edges (carving) is clearly not the typical classical Greek lamb's tongue carving, but more closely resembles lotus flowers. It's Edwardian/Japanese.
    Casey

  • lovieb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you for all the postings. I'm adding a new pic, of the carving. Is the smaller piece a desk or vanity? It looks like it once had a leather piece that fit down in the top. But why would you have so many mirrors on a desk. Thanks for all the help.

  • lazy_gardens
    10 years ago

    The smaller piece is a dressing table, hence the mirrors.

    The edging is a fairly common design motif ... a stylized flower or half flower. You can call it a rose, a lotus or whatever.

    The hard core pieces of the various design movements are pretty clearly separated. The ordinary manufacturers would take a popular style and add some trimming to make it more "in the mode" without going to a hard-to-sell extreme.

    So you see pieces like this - a basic simple bedroom piece that has overtones of Eastlake in the long straight lines of the larger piece with a bit of edge molding that's close to Arts and Crafts, the rounded mirrors for a bit of Art Noveau or Jungenstihl flavor. In ash (maybe elm) which was a popular light wood that went well with the lighter color schemes of the post-Victorian tastes.

    If I had to guess, I'd say English Edwardian era (1900-1915).

    Oriental would be way low on my list.

  • sleeperblues
    10 years ago

    I'm with Lazygardens on this one. They are definitely transitional pieces and are post victorian. I see a lot of melded influences, somewhat of a hodgepodge. Don't get me wrong, they are lovely pieces. I loved the bevelled mirrors.

  • calliope
    10 years ago

    Another vote for transitional .....likely Edwardian era. I see too many style conflicting influences to peg it differently.

  • lovieb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you all so much, I'm glad to know the smaller piece is a dressing table. Having all this new info is great. I love searching the internet for similar pieces, now I actually have something to work with. :) Can someone explain the slanted upholstered part of the larger piece. Is it just decorative or did it serve a purpose? I will take a picture tomorrow and post it for your perusal. You all are wonderful.

  • lazy_gardens
    10 years ago

    The slanted bit was for you to place your foot on as your maid buttoned your shoes? or as you buffed the toes up a bit?

    I really don't know :)