Date archive
2011
Posts originally published in 2011 from the RareVictorian collection.
Daniel M. Karcher Bookcase For William S. Auchincloss
It's not often that you can definitively identify a maker for a particular piece of Victorian furniture and equally rare is identifying a piece's original customer. When lucky enough to have some of this information, you
"Based On The Quality of Work" And Other False Reasonings
There are a lot of methodologies that people use to identify a particular piece's maker, but few of them drive me more bonkers than "based on the quality of the work it surely was made by so and so". Relative to what? Ho
No Reserve - Signed Alexander Roux Bed
You don't come across a signed, Rosewood Alexander Roux bed for $2k that often (current price with no reserve). It's not an overly grandiose bed in size or sophistication of design, but the carvings are exceptionally wel
George Hunzinger Receipt
I recently purchased this original George Hunzinger receipt from 1900, which is two years after George Sr's death. Notice the "& Son" in the logo. I assume that this is an example of Hunzinger wholesaling to another
$4,594 Seems A Bit Steep
There must have been a few bidders that REALLY wanted this Victorian-era terrarium. Either they know something about it that I don't know or they had some excess money on hand that they wanted to part with. This terrariu
Update and Book Giveaway
I know that I have been very silent in past weeks so I thought that I would give you an update on what's going on and give away a copy of a recently published book that will be of interest to many of you. My life has cha
Fontaine's Exceptional Antique Auction Tomorrow, 5/21
press release: The following Monumental R.J. Horner Figural Mahogany Dining Room Set. 12 Pc. Figural carved set will be offered at Fontaine's Auction Gallery in Pittsfield MA, on May 21st 2011 at 11am EST. The set includ
Neo-Grec Parlor Suite For Sale
I get a lot of offers to buy Victorian furniture and recently I've been passing on them personally and handing the opportunity on to you. Here is a Neo-Grec three-piece parlor suite that I have not run across before. It
Leon Marcotte-Attributed Credenza For Sale
After having been in a private collection for 36 years, you can now own a piece of the Cummins Diesel estate from Columbus, Indiana. Possibly made by Leon Marcotte of New York in the 1860s, this credenza has all the high
Two Belters are Better Than One
Here is not one, but a matching pair of John Henry Belter settees in an early, seldom-seen grape pattern from the applied crest era of his work. Notice the scrollwork has a ridged pattern instead of the usual flat "taffy
Unusual Brass Chair - ca. 1900
I don't think that I've ever seen a brass chair before aside from those depicted in books. You may also remember this very unusual glass chair that sold three years ago - I haven't seen one again since. It's more common
"Massachusetts Style" Cabinet
Some might be tempted to put a New York attribution on this Neo-Grec cabinet, including myself, but not so fast this time. This one was made in Manchester, Massachusetts by John Bigwood in 1875. We know this because he t
Herter Brother Credenza Will Sell at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
This credenza was bought at an estate sale, misidentified as an Italian piece, and now is coming up for sale at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers as lot 122 this weekend. Fortunately, it has been properly identified as a piece
Allen & Brother Desk on the Roadshow
One my favorite cabinetmakers, Allen & Brother from Philadelphia was profiled in the May 1996 edition of the Magazine Antiques and a desk very similar to this one appraised below on the roadshow is shown on page 723.
M. H. Schrenkeisen Factory
I thought that I'd share this M. H. Schrenkeisen factory drawing from an October 1880 Scientific American cover. It depicts the full cabinetmaking process beginning with raw logs coming into the factory and in the lower
Alexander Roux Cabinet Hiding On Ebay
I've always liked perusing Ebay for Victorian Antique finds because you never know what will pop up at a reasonable price. I believe that I have run across an authentic Alexander Roux cabinet (auction completes on 1/4/11