Identifying an Antique Desk?

You piece looks newer, meaning no older than the 1980s based on what I can see from the photos.

The construction looks newer, machine joining, etc. Do you know if it is the original hardware?

The piece looks a lot like a Bombay company piece, but they did not usually use that type of hardware, which is why I asked if they are original.

There are a lot of Bombay pages on Pinterst, so perhaps you can match your piece to one of their old catalogs or fan pages. Sadly the company has been gone for a while.

If you are asking because you want to sell the piece, sofa/console pieces typically sell from $25 to $200 depending on where you live and the supply and demand. In places like big cities where people live apartments they don't sell. They sell best in locations where people have large homes and space to put a table behind a sofa or by a window.

Post back what you learn! I will keep digging through my resources!

Thanks for sharing

The picture is kinda dark but it sure looks like a really neat desk. You will probably have to ask an antique dealer or get an on-line appraisal.

• I have never seen a desk like this but it is possible there is something missing that would help identify it.
• If you have any antique shops in your area you may be able to show them several photos and they might have something similar in one of their books.
• You can many times get free on-line appraisals and although they may not be accurate in the true value (what an item can bring in a sale) they can many times tell you something about the piece itself.
• Here is a link that has several sites listed but many of them you will have to "log-on" to be able to seek a free appraisal. As far as I have gone it appears these are legitimate sites and give very good information.
• antiques.lovetoknow.com/Free_Antique_Appraisals_Online

Hopefully you will find out what type of desk you have so please reply or comment and let us know what you find out.

There could be several explanations, the first of which was this did not start its life as a desk. It is possible it started out as a ladies vanity which would not have had locks and the mirror is long gone. This is a remote possibility as the piece does have a very masculine feel to it.

Can you tell if there are any places in the top that were refinished (meaning the holes for the mirror bolts were patched and filled)?

The other thing is that it is possible that the original drawers broke and were replaced. The hardware on the drawer pulls does not look original to me (at least not from the photos). I have very early 20th century desk and the pulls are a very dull brass. The ones you show look too shiny. Most of the desks of this era, at least those I have seen in PA and in the US, have pulls that are brass and you can see the age and patina in them to guesstimate if they are original or not.

The third is it truly did just come that way. I have seen very old desks with no keyholes/locks. Typically this was on the more feminine ladies writing desks, but it is possible that it just came that way.

It is a lovely piece and looks very sturdily made. Have you talked to an antique dealer in your town about it?

I find that many antique dealers where I am are very friendly and love to share information and help people understand what they have. It is always best to have someone look at it in person and give opinions vs. photos.

They may see something in person that I cannot see in photos and be able to give you an on the spot answer. Seeing pictures I can only speculate.

Thanks for sharing!!

Unfortunately the photos are dark and do not show things that are important for me to see, like a full front view, a full back view and a better view of the legs. I would also want to see the construction of the drawers.

If you can post better photos next time you are at the storage facility, perhaps I can offer more specifics.

Cybergrannie has a lot of good furniture knowledge and she may see something I am not and offer you more guidance. She also knows some really good sites to get free appraisals once you have really good photos.

I can offer you tips on how to sell it once we figure out what you have.

Will look for more info from cybergrannie or better photos if you can see the piece. I feel bad I can't offer you more.

IDing furniture from a few photos is very challenging.

Thanks for asking!

It is a beautiful piece of furniture. I can't make out the mark. To determine age, look at how the drawers are put together. Pins and dovetails were the way drawers were made before 1860, when machines took over. Here is a helpful article to read: home.howstuffworks.com/.../how-to-identify-antique-wooden-furniture...

I cant find the company, so it may be out of business. Your best bet is to bring the pictures to a dealer.

www.furniturecityhistory.org/.../colonial-manufacturing-co

Here's a link about the company, which was based in Michigan and closed in 1983.

If you get to the Smithsonian, they have some of their catalogs on file:

americanhistory.si.edu/.../SILNMAHTL_12186

You may be able to find an original ad for the item! That would be cool!

There are lots of Pinterest pages devoted to the comoany's secretary style writing tables, which is one of the names I have heard this style of desk called. The legs I call spinit style...like piano...I have heard some desks like this refered to as piano style because of how it opens.

You may want to sort thru the Pinterest pages to pin down the age of your piece, which is lovely, by the way. I adore this style desk!!

You have a neat find. Some of the pieces still have value, but not all. I don't see an exact match at the moment in eBay's sold section. If you check back often, you can get an idea of what the are valued at in today's market.

Thanks for sharing this sweet item!

There are quite a few of this style desk available so it is not rare and most were made during the approximate same era and most were mahogany.
This style is usually referred to as; spinet, writing or secretary desk.
Colonial Mfg. Company was only well known for making all kinds of expensive clocks and making side furniture was a very tiny portion of their business and most pieces were reproduced over and over until a small change was made that could still be produced with the same cuts and dies of the previous style piece.

• Many people seem to think the Colonial Manufacturing Co. desks date back to the 1800's but their company history shows they only started making anything other than clocks in 1911 but never made very many pieces/styles until 1950's (until 1959). Here is a quote from their history pages:
• "The company introduced decorative French and Italian Provincial furniture during the 1950s along with its clocks. In 1959 the company eliminated furniture manufacturing and concentrated on the
• more profitable clocks and updated its clock offerings during the 1960's."
• There is some history of this style desk as well as very similar desks being sold over the the past several years (other than eBay) and most sold for $00-$125. Most people do not understand that bulky furniture is very expensive to ship so the majority of pieces are sold within the area where the desk is located. Larger cities will always have more changes of selling quickly and usually for more money than a smaller city - but this does differ with the type of people who live in the small cities. This is one of the reasons it would be very difficult to offer a qualified value even if the desk is being sold for "this or that" price (where was it located?).
• If you Google Colonial Manufacturing Company you will see several very similar desks - one or two very close style to yours - some have been sold but the picture may still be seen.
• www.google.com/search?q=colonial+manufacturing+company...:
• You can check out these sold items; some from past years but still about the same value as today:
• 2014:
• www.ebth.com/.../1377569-colonial-manufacturing-mahogany...
• www.ebth.com/.../1003561-mahogany-spinet-top-writing...
• www.ebth.com/.../2537953-colonial-mfg-co-solid-mahogany...
• Sold in 2018:
• offerup.com/.../
• Information:
• www.instappraisal.com/.../solid-mahogany-desk
• www.varagesale.com/.../uujaa22k-antique-colonial-mfg-co...
• As you can see - sold prices are what most list as the value of an item but that is only a small part of the true value. You may want to ask for a free appraisal and see what someone in the antique field will tell you.
• www.instappraisal.com/how-long-does-it-take-me-get-free...
• www.antique-shop.com/.../index.php?board=2.0
• antiques.lovetoknow.com/Free_Antique_Appraisals_Online

If you are really interested in the company history, they produced several books that can still be purchased today or maybe downloaded for free.
Here is a 12 page (of 45 pages) link that describes their history but it is a very boring article unless you are really into the history of their clock manufacturing.

docs.nawcc.org/.../407_34_46.pdf

Take the drawers out and look on the sides. The marking can also be on the bottom.