Restore or not, is this worth it?

[munruben]

Friend gave me this a few weeks ago, had no further use for it. Question is, Any idea what timber this is and is it it worth restoring? Anyone know anything about this style of furniture?. My friend tells me it was made around 1940. The picture makes it look better than it really is but don't think it would be that difficult to restore.

[wheelinround]

:2tsup: Nice score John restore it regardless wouldwood maybe able to help with ID of it PM him and get him to have a look.

Seems the horse likes it

[munruben]

:2tsup:Seems the horse likes it Yeah she is always horsing around. :)

[Woodwould]

I can't tell from the image what timber that is, but I would think the piece has little commercial value. Where it might be of value, is as a TV cabinet (if you remove the shelf and bore large dimeter holes in the back for ventilation).

You could even install a pair of drawer or shelf runners and a turntable so the TV can be pulled out of the cabinet and rotated to best view it.

[munruben]

Thanks Woodwould. I didn't think it was worth anything but like you say I could probably convert it for some useful purpose. Thanks for your input. Appreciated:2tsup:

[Bloss]

I disagree about the commercial value (it will have a value although it might not be all that high), but in any case it looks to me like a useful item and design well worth doing up for your own use.

Or put it on eBay and let someone else do the work while you spend the dosh.

But it is a sufficiently nice piece of reasonable quality not to be hacking around with IMHO - simply strip back, make sure the joints are secure etc and finish to suit your use and the wood.

[woodcutta]

I think you have proved one thing -you wont be able to turn it into a stable

woodcutta

[RufflyRustic]

Hi John, I think the cabinet is an interesting piece. I think it would look great with a little refinish work on it, even just to sell on perhaps.

cheers
Wendy

[Woodlee]

I think the value is up to who ever would buy it or want it .
Personally I think it is a nice looking piece .It would make a nice project for a DIY person.
Not claiming to be an expert on furniture or restoration , but I would do it just for the experience.

Kev

[blackhole]

That will be simple resto

sandpaper + elbow grease + varnish

mostly flat surfaces = use power sander

If you wanted to sell it as is I reckon you would get a number of offers.

[munruben]

Thanks Wendy, thanks guys. appreciate your comments.

[Woodlee]

Looks to have some fairly well figured timber in the door frames from the pics.
Or am I just seeing what I want to see.?

Kev.

[JJK]

It looks like a nice unit, wide solid planks, figured door frames,beading on the back of doors is interesting. Look like a well made unit!
Well worth restoring but as always get, proper advise on what to do. :2tsup:

[munruben]

Thanks for the input guys

[Clinton1]

isn't it a chamber pot stand?

[Woodwould]

isn't it a chamber pot stand?

What gave it away - the tell-tale stain on the bottom shelf? :U

[munruben]

What gave it away - the tell-tale stain on the bottom shelf? :UNow you tell me:D

[wheelinround]

Means it could be a shyte of a job eh John :D

[munruben]

Means it could be a shyte of a job eh John :DNo exactly my cup of tea.:)

[Clinton1]

Hmmm, seems I lost a reply to this thread a few days back.

Thought it was worth the comment about it being a chamber pot stand... remember the chamber pot and water jug 'sets' you used to get?
That might put a different slant on the restoration or and modification.

It may be worth more if it is restored and presented for sale with a chamber pot or bowel (:D sorry, couldn't help myself), or with any modification done in a manner that allows it to be put back to original... without incurring any damage.
An example might be to pull the back of it off, store it away, put on a replacement back which you will pierce to allow electronic's cables to enter/exit and turn it into a tv stand, video/dvd cabinet. Later you can replace the back if you want to sell it in 'original condition'.

A 1920's cabinet (if that is what it is) is worth a few $ only; in the future it will be a sought after antique (to someone) and minimising the modification and keeping it original might have been a good thing.

An example is:
About 15 years ago, when I was in Qld,the fashion was to go to garage sales, and buy old cupboards that had 20 coats of leftover house paint on them, applied over the last 70 years.
People would gut them, add a shelf or two, paint them again, trim the doors down and make the doors able to open and then slide into the cabinet. Turn them into tv cabinets.

At the same time I was buying the same cupboards and removing the paint, fixing any loose joints and refinishing/waxing them... turning them into restored antique "Gentlemens or Ladies Dressers".
Hidden under all that paint was a lot of silky oak and red cedar. :rolleyes:

[petersemple]

An example is:
About 15 years ago, when I was in Qld,the fashion was to go to garage sales, and buy old cupboards that had 20 coats of leftover house paint on them, applied over the last 70 years.
People would gut them, add a shelf or two, paint them again, trim the doors down and make the doors able to open and then slide into the cabinet. Turn them into tv cabinets.

At the same time I was buying the same cupboards and removing the paint, fixing any loose joints and refinishing/waxing them... turning them into restored antique "Gentlemens or Ladies Dressers".
Hidden under all that paint was a lot of silky oak and red cedar. :rolleyes:

I once helped to restore a garage sale dresser. That was a very nice piece indeed when finished. As you say, it was top notch red cedar.

Peter

[Woodlee]

Hmmm, seems I lost a reply to this thread a few days back.

Thought it was worth the comment about it being a chamber pot stand... remember the chamber pot and water jug 'sets' you used to get?
That might put a different slant on the restoration or and modification.

It may be worth more if it is restored and presented for sale with a chamber pot or bowel (:D sorry, couldn't help myself), or with any modification done in a manner that allows it to be put back to original... without incurring any damage.
An example might be to pull the back of it off, store it away, put on a replacement back which you will pierce to allow electronic's cables to enter/exit and turn it into a tv stand, video/dvd cabinet. Later you can replace the back if you want to sell it in 'original condition'.

A 1920's cabinet (if that is what it is) is worth a few $ only; in the future it will be a sought after antique (to someone) and minimising the modification and keeping it original might have been a good thing.

An example is:
About 15 years ago, when I was in Qld,the fashion was to go to garage sales, and buy old cupboards that had 20 coats of leftover house paint on them, applied over the last 70 years.
People would gut them, add a shelf or two, paint them again, trim the doors down and make the doors able to open and then slide into the cabinet. Turn them into tv cabinets.

At the same time I was buying the same cupboards and removing the paint, fixing any loose joints and refinishing/waxing them... turning them into restored antique "Gentlemens or Ladies Dressers".
Hidden under all that paint was a lot of silky oak and red cedar. :rolleyes:


The wash basin and water jug (called a ewer ) set usually sat on a wider stand with a stone or marble top that had a back board covered with ceramic tiles and a shelf for the soap dish.
At least the one I had anything to do with anyway .
The two door cupboard underneath was used to store the towels.

My Great Grand parents had one in the guest room (sleep out) on back of their house .

I saw one of these wash stands and a wash basin set in an antique shop in Alice Springs a few years ago they were asking $2,500.00 for the whole deal.


Kev.

[CuriousBird]

Hi Munruben, I wouldn't sand it back - it looks like there's still a lot of the good old polish on there.

You can easily acheive good results without losing its antique patina by using a Reviver...

Over the parts displaying unsightly use (top for example) do a wet and dry sand with 280 grit (or finer) wet&dry sandpaper, with mild soapy water (just to remove gunk & bumps - don't sand through the polish) Then do the whole thing over, rubbing with 00 grade steel wool with a Reviver solution (turps & boiled linseed oil or metho & BLO). This sort of 'melts' the old polish and repositions it. Remove excess with rag as you go. Wait a week for oil to cure, then wax. lovely! Rhianna

[astrid]

highly unlikely a simple reviver would do much.
a lot of these 1940 pieces were made out of really good australian hardwoods that they sprayed gunk on to make em mahogany or something.
I've stripped and restored dozens of these and usualy found honey myrtle or sassafrass under the gunk.
strip and restore it

Astrid

[munruben]

Thanks Rhianna, thanks Astrid. I have taken all comments on board and will get around to restoring it in the not too distant future.

[Saskatoon]

Hi, just saw this thread. Curious about whether you have found out more about the piece.
From the photo it looks like the decoration on the doors and the handles are in Art Nouveau theme. If so the piece could date from early in the 20thC., though it does seem to have a mixture of styles.
Terry

[AlexS]

Missed this one earlier. I'm interested in the moulding on the inside. Never seen that before - was it common?

[astrid]

I've never seen it either. but I spose you've got to hold the door panels in with some thing. This is just better done beading:)
I'd put it about 1935
well made, whats the timber on the door frames?