Can anyone tell me anything about this desk?
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This is a kneehole desk. "The kneehole desk was developed in England in the early 18th century. Its top was supported by two banks of cupboards, or drawers, separated by a space for the legs of the person seated at the desk. Larger versions - known as library tables or partners' desks - enabled two people to work facing each other." www.britannica.com/
Your desk looks like a Victorian mahogany desk from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. It is heavy, massive, substantial, with dark finish, ornate carvings and decorations. These are typical features of Victorian furniture.
Take a good look at your desk. Check if there is suddenly plywood or particle board somewhere. These materials were not used in furniture making until the 1930s.
I think you have Antique Victorian Carved Mahogany Kneehole Desk. The price of such antique table can be very high $ 500-1000 (possibly higher) www.maynardsfineart.com/
WOW!! Thank you so much for all your information on this Piece, Paula
You need to look for identifying markings. Look under the desk, behind and in a drawer. You should also see if the drawers are dovetailed. If the dovetails are uneven, the desk was handmade, which makes it older and more valuable.
I found the green image in the drawer & the numbers on back of piece
I looks like it might be walnut or chestnut.
They both were effected by a blight which lessened the availability for furniture making.
Perhaps furniture made with these woods before the blight is more valuable now.
I am not convinced this is a desk, but I believe it may be a French style vanity. Do you have a place in the back center or top center where there were holes for a mirror? Look for holes or feel for filler where holes may have been filled in, sanded over and refinished.
This closely resembles a vanity made in the 1930s by Continental Furniture Company in High Point out of North Carolina. Vanities were quite a hot ticket item in those days it it would have had a matching stool or bench or chair that is smaller than a normal sitting chair.
My reasons for not thinking this is a desk, but rather a vanity is it looks like the top is smaller than a desk. Desks typically have much more space to work--even ladies writing desks.
Perhaps if I saw it in person, I would think differently.
Are you asking to value the piece?
I am going to see if I can find a photo the vanity I am thinking of. And if I find it I will post back.
It's great that you found the maker's label. When I answered your question, these photos with maker's label were not yet added, and I had to search for at least something a little bit similar to your desk for quite a long time. It is unrealistically difficult to identify and determine the year of furniture manufacture only from one not very good quality photograph, without having any more information.
So the label says your desk is made by American Furniture Company, Batesville, Indiana.
"The American Furniture Company in Batesville, Indiana, has its roots in the Batesville Carving Company, which was founded in 1866 by Frederick Greemann, and Schrader Furniture Company, created by Herman Schrader in 1875. Schrader and his associates established the American Furniture Company on 21 April 1879, which came under new management in 1885 with John Hillenbrand as a principal investor. The Hillenbrand partnership, however, was dissolved on 31 December 1887. In February 1888, the American Furniture Company organized yet again, this time with John St. Clair as president and John Hillenbrand as vice-president." indianahistory.org/
It says that in 1913 the American Furniture Company remained a manufacturer of "high grade bedroom suites."
Also, you added a photo of the back of your desk. Although your desk looks very similar to a Kneehole Desk, but Kneehole Desks usually have finished, nice looking backs, since they were used for more than just against a wall. And the back of your desk is not finished.
Therefore, I now also think that you rather have a vanity desk, but it had a mirror, like this Vintage Ornate Walnut Vanity Desk with Mirror by American Furniture Company Hillenbrand Industries Master Made Furniture Batesville Indiana www.ebth.com/
Another American Furniture Gothic Revival Walnut Burl Vanity Desk Mirror Dressing Table circa 1930s was sold for $2000 www.1stdibs.com/
The American Furniture Company made furniture in a variety of styles. I found a piece of bedroom furniture with label "American Furniture Company - Hillenbrand Industrials - Master-Made Furniture - Batesville, Indiana", which is an example of English Revival furniture, the style was inspired by 17th-century English design www.silive.com/
The style of your table was apparently also inspired by English design, but the Victorian Period (19th-century), as the pattern of Victorian furniture was copied (see flowers at Victorian carved oak Puginesque washstand www.the-saleroom.com/
I found the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office Volume 325, August 1924, which says that the logo, like the label on your desk, was patented in 1923, claims use since Feb. 6, 1923 (Ser. No. 181,000; page 229). Particular description of goods: Beds, Dressers, Chifforetes, Man's Rob Cabinets, Vanity Dressers, Night Stands, Bedroom Chairs, Bedroom Rocking-Chairs, Bedroom Benches, Man's dressers, Lowboys, All Being Articles of Hall, Living-Room, and Bedroom Furniture.
So, your Vanity Dresser (Desk) was made after 1924.
You've added a photo of the back of your desk where it says 565 WAL. I found Art Deco Antique Tall Chest on Chest, with exactly the same label as your desk. It has 395 WAL, and it was made in 1925 www.harpgallery.com/
Your desk seems to be in good condition. The price of your desk without the mirror will not be high, perhaps $200-400, but the price depends on demand and how quickly you want to sell it.
Your vanity looks very dark in your picture but I would venture that it is gorgeous up close.
Looks like you have received a lot of information but maybe not everything.
I would suggest you take a few more pictures - especially some up close showing the handiwork as well as some good fron , side and full back and present these to both of the following sites and see if they can provide more specific information about your piece.
I would really love to know when it was made and maybe the value??
You will need to join the sites and it will be a little trouble but you will receive some awesome information.
www.antiquers.com/
www.reddit.com/
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