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ademink_gw

Need info on Buffet - maker Harvest of Louisville (??)

ademink
16 years ago

We have a buffet that was purchased from the previous owners of our home...and they purchased it from the previous owner....it has been in the house for a LONG time. :) House was built in 1904.

It appears to be cherry or mahogany (I'm not furniture or wood expert). I found the maker name in a drawer today - Harvest of Louisville. I can find NOTHING at all on the internet about this company.

Anyone ever heard of this maker or know anything about this style of buffet? Age maybe? 30s or 40s? It is heavy, very well made (definitely not cheap) and the inside drawers have nice detailing like wooden adjustable drawer dividers for silverware, etc. It's around 6 feet long...maybe a touch less.

Here are pics:

TIA! Andrea
























Comments (25)

  • lindac
    16 years ago

    Lovely!! Mahogany..classical style, very fine piece of furniture! Lucky you!
    I think you are close about the dates....maybe later like even 60's....hard to tell with a quality repro.
    But please find something else to put on top besides that very contemporary brightly colored glass. I might suggest somethink like the link and a pair of tall candle sticks.
    You have a very formal piece, you will have a lot of fun acessorizing it.
    Linda C

    Here is a link that might be useful: covered dish

  • ademink
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Hi Linda! Thanks for your input! I'm not sure about it being from the 60s b/c the "hand me down lineage" supposedly goes back further than that, according to the family we purchased it from. It is the daughter of the second owners that purchased the home in the 30s. However, she may not be remembering correctly and perhaps it is from the 60s...?

    As for getting rid of my bright glass...sorry, not going to happen. ;) LOL I'm a 40s-70s Blenko (and Rainbow, Viking, Pilgrim, etc) crackle glass collector and the entire dining room plate rail is lined w/ pieces. They're staying! :)

    I'm a non-traditional decorator so it works for me!

    We are actually looking to sell the buffet eventually and go with more mission style furniture to fit in our Arts and Crafts style foursquare. That's another reason why I'm trying to find out more info on this piece.

    Thanks again, Linda!

    I would love any more info that others might have to offer as well!

  • ademink
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    That age makes sense w/ what the known history is of the piece - cool! Wonder why there is NO info on the maker anywhere??

  • ademink
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Never looked at the back of mine. I'll have to check it out!

  • Stocky
    16 years ago

    It's a Mahogany (veneer) buffet from the 40's . It's a "mass" produced piece that was part of an entire dining room set. Either seperated from the rest of the pieces along the way or purchased seperately. The company stamp on the inside is not a big deal, that's what they did back then.
    The top is a Mahogany veneer ,the drawer/door faces are Mahogany veneer and the sides are 1/4" Mahogany plywood. The frame work of the piece is a "generic white wood" usually something like Poplar.

    Don't assume that heavy equals well made. Most pieces that are heavy are actually crap. Usually made up of partical board or some sort of composite.

  • patricianat
    16 years ago

    Hrrrumph. Poplar is quite heavy. I am not talking about composite but real poplar.

  • Stocky
    16 years ago

    lindac ,
    What exactly do you wanna teach me about how furniture is made ?
    When did I say IT was made of particle board ?. Heavy is a relative term. That's not a heavy piece. Try carrying a French Provincial triple dresser. THAT'S HEAVY !

    Your 100 % wrong linda. It would be highly unlikely to find a top to a buffet of that style in solid anything.
    You've just shown how uneducated you are when it comes to this stuff. Cherry bedroom sets are almost always solid. It's a much cheaper wood that Mahogany and more readily available. You almost never find Cherry veneer on anything.Cherry bedroom sets are like Maple bedroom sets ,also always solid. When was the last time you saw Maple veneer, other than Birds Eye Maple ?

    You cannot compare your Cherry bedroom set to a Mahogany buffet and say " mine top is solid , so hers should be to"
    Your Cherry Bedroom set ,which I'm sure is as you would say is "lovely" is a Chevy, the Mahogany buffet is a Cadilac (not quite Mercedes).

    Lets get back to why this top IS NOT SOLID

    The reason for this is two fold .
    1. a solid board like that would warp over time.
    ( this is also why table leafs are made the same way unless they are under 12" wide and even then that's a rarity)
    2. it would be to damn expensive and difficult to come by.

    Since you are a hobbyist and I refinish this exact piece at least a half a dozen times a year let me explain how a top like that is made up .

    It's built in 3 layers . The bottom layer is most likely a junk wood, sometimes Poplar but not always, it's made up of multiple boards approx 3" - 5" wide they are running length wise across the top of the piece and joined together.
    Next is a VERY thin layer of wood is running in the opposite direction of the boards , this would be front to back .
    We now have a sort of basket weave effect and this creates the stabiltiy.
    On top of that comes your quality veneer. Now the edges might be left as is with the boards showing, they might have edge banding on them or they might have a solid piece of stock about 2 inches thick used as a trim piece to hide the underlayment and substrate ( or substrata as some refer to it).


    Lindac , I'll send ya a plane ticket on me, come visit my shop and I'll teach ya a few things.


    CLASS DISMISSED .

  • colleenoz
    16 years ago

    Stocky- where exactly does Lindac say the top is solid? Here is her quote:
    "It's very likely that the top is veneered, I can't see well enough to even suggest if it is or not.
    Very fine mahagony furniture was very often veneered so that the grains would match...it's not a detriment." I can't find anywhere where she says the top is solid.

    She mentions her solid cherry bedroom set in reply to your statement:
    "Don't assume that heavy equals well made. Most pieces that are heavy are actually crap. Usually made up of partical board or some sort of composite." In the context of your previous remarks it does come off as if you're implying the OP's buffet may well be particle board under the veneer (apart from the plywood sides).

    "READING FOR COMPREHENSION" CLASS DISMISSED

  • Stocky
    16 years ago

    Gee you two wanna gang up on me ?
    I've forgotten more than the two of you will ever know.

  • ademink
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Anybody have any idea how much my piece of crap veneer buffet w/ inappropriate crackle glass on top is worth?

    :)

  • Stocky
    16 years ago

    She mentions her solid cherry bedroom set in reply to your statement:
    "Don't assume that heavy equals well made. Most pieces that are heavy are actually crap. Usually made up of partical board or some sort of composite." In the context of your previous remarks it does come off as if you're implying the OP's buffet may well be particle board under the veneer (apart from the plywood sides).

    All I'm implying and explaining is the average consumer thinks that heavy means it's good, and that's completly wrong.
    linda is telling me about her SOLID Cherry bedroom set that is "lovely" and I'm telling her you CANNOT compare the two.


    Let me guess your a hobbyist/collector as well ?

    Your furniture knowledge is ?

    or you just thought you'd join in on the fun ?

    .

  • mrskjun
    16 years ago

    ademink, it depends on the part of the country to reside. I'm in the deep south and in my shop it would sell for around 400.00. Check local antique shops to find the value in your part of the country.

  • ademink
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Getting ready to sell this piece and checking in again to see if someone can give me an estimate of value for my area - Indianapolis.

    Thanks in advance!!!

  • lindac
    15 years ago

    I would start by asking $600. Wehre are you going to sell it? Shop? Want ad? Tag sale:?
    be prepared to dicker...you can't ever ask more but you can take less.
    Linda C

  • texasredhead
    15 years ago

    There were several posts recently about spam. That's what I think of the individual who has forgotten more than the rest of us know!

  • Stocky
    15 years ago

    texasredhead,
    I'm gonna call that last post of yours a swing and miss.
    Nice try though.

  • sunnyca_gw
    15 years ago

    Andrea, you have a very nice buffet & love your crackle glass. I got my laughs for the day above!!You might see what new ones are going for about that size & then you can play up fact that it is all wood (won't give off fumes either!) and so go for higher price. A very servicable piece! Good Luck on the sale! Jan

  • sass2050
    15 years ago

    Andrea, I'm with Sunnyca on this one. I think you have a beautiful buffet (oops Sunny said "very nice buffet" please don't jump on me Sunny, lol) and I wish you luck on selling it. I ALSO got my laugh of the day from the comments above.

  • ademink
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I'm going to try craigslist...plus the neighbor across the street actually has owned the matching table and chairs for about 30 years! He used to be frothing to get his hands on this thing so I thought I was try him first. I will keep you posted! Thanks for the advice and you'll be happy to know that my crackle glass will be moved to an appropriate danish modern piece! :)

  • ghudak
    11 years ago

    I need help to identify this furniture piece. There is a label on back that says "Harvest Furniture Co." louisville, Ky. Anyone know date or value I do have the missing drawers. It appears to be Mahogengy.
    ghudak@gmail.com

  • lazy_gardens
    11 years ago

    Stocky said, "I've forgotten more than the two of you will ever know. " Apparently so, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

    GHUDAK: Can you include a picture?

    My search is complicated by the popular furniture chain "Harvest Furniture" of California. I'm having a hard time filtering them out.

    BUT:

    Harvest of Louisville goes back at least to 1948 because Berkey & Gay declared bankruptcy in 1948 and the rights to use the name were is purchased by Harvest Furniture Co. of Louisville, Kentucky.

    Their offices in the 1950s were 903 W. Main (helps if you are checking city directories)

    I saw one city directory listing from 1955-56 for them, and they are mentioned in the early 1950s trade magazines.

    One government stipulation mentioned them and Ashley-Rhodes Inc, and an Arthur J Rhodes.

    Someone else mentioned a sticker on their chairs:
    Harvest Furniture Manufacturers
    Ashley-Rhodes Inc
    Louisville, Kentucky

    If you are really serious about it, try searching the Louisville newspapers (online archives) and city directories from 1948 and back in time.

  • patty_cakes
    11 years ago

    I would buy it in a hot minute, veneer or not! ;o)