Looking for information about this dresser

9 years ago

This dresser is solid wood (walnut I believe) and has seen lots of use as is evident be the very worn drawer bottoms and slide rails. It's obvious that it has been painted at one time because whoever removed the paint and refinished it didn't do the best job in the world. Despite all that the dresser has lots of sentimental value to me as it belonged to a very dear friend and neighbor who died a few years ago.

My neighbor lived in an Victorian era farmhouse and had many antiques in her home. I know this dresser is old and probably had a mirror at one time. I am curious if anyone can help me determine about when this would have been made and what style furniture it is.

This picture was taken in my friends home and I am including a link to photobucket that contains several pictures of the dresser.

Here is a link that might be useful: dresser pics

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Comments (9)

sombreuil_mongrel
9 years ago
It's about 1870-80, and I think it is missing a lower skirting and probably had casters. From the angle it looks like it is sitting flat on the floor. If it were a few inches taller it would look a lot lighter.
Casey
DonnaLL
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks Casey, yes the dresser is sitting flat on the floor and it's possible that it had a piece of skirting around the bottom, but it's hard to tell by looking at the bottom. My main interest was in trying to find drawer pulls that fit the style. I believe it may have had round drop pulls originally and since someone drilled more holes these will no longer work. I'm just not sure what style pulls would look best.
Donna
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lazy_gardens
9 years ago
They often had carved walnut "cup" pulls
calliope
9 years ago
I have a piece with absolutely identical drawer pulls. It's on a circa 1900-1910 rosewood dry sink and they are original to the piece and I suspect if these were added to the dresser in the picture then someone obtained antique ones hoping they'd fit the venue. It's obvious that the patina has been removed from these because mine were so green they were almost black. If these are in fact the original pulls, I'd move the age of the piece up to turn of the century. The joinery on my dry sink is quite similar. Yes, the casters, perhaps short legs and maybe skirting has been removed. I have a gut feeling there was no skirting on this piece.
chibimimi
9 years ago
I'm with sombreuil on the date and the skirt. Those pulls are not original. The originals were probably Eastlake-style bail pulls -- along the lines of this one from Van Dyke's, but probably a little simpler.

I have a similar age dresser. Behind the skirt are feet with large (roughly 3" diameter) glass glides. They are not seen unless you lift the dresser.

Here is a link that might be useful: Eastlake pull from Van Dyke's
DonnaLL
Original Author
9 years ago
No, the pulls on the dresser are not the originals they have made in India stickers on the backs. :) I thought I uploaded this picture to photobucket, but obviously I didn't. You can tell this dresser has had a few different pulls over the years.

Donna
sam_md
9 years ago
This piece has the original ebony pulls, you can see some of them are missing. This piece also has a marble top and similar lines to yours.
DonnaLL
Original Author
9 years ago
The ebony pulls on yours are the style I believe were originally on my piece.
Donna
chibimimi
9 years ago
Van Dyke''s also has Eastlake drop pulls, and I'm sure you can find them at other hardware suppliers, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Eastlake drop pull