Refurbished Victorian Eastlake Dresser

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MRDucks2

MRDucks2

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Joined
Jul 17, 2017
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Location
Bristow, IN
I thoroughly enjoy the physical aspects of restoring old furniture. From the 1800's - 1940's. Seeing the methods and the transition from largely handmade to handmade in a factory to early factory production. Some of the pieces we buy are nearly perfect, others have seen a hard life and need more work. Sometimes the best option is to use more modern materials to fix damage, especially on the backs of mirrors, bottoms of cabinets or drawer bottoms. I also leave old repairs in place at times, especially if they are novel or interesting even though they may "detract" from the piece.

But, the real magic comes from those that my wife Jennifer decides to transform. That is what happened to this early Victorian Eastlake Dresser. Edit: all of the floral elements, knobs and embossing were made by her.
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Yea, she added it all. Eastlake influences by nature are pretty geometric. All of the floral, leaf elements, and the knobs are cast from resin. The embossed roses on the flat surfaces she made by thinning a sculpy type substance and using stencils.
 
I appreciate seeing this and the interest behind doing restoration. My FIL passed away 2 weeks ago (almost aged 98) and we are now in the process of dealing with a 125 yr old home (only 2 owners!!!), filled with antiques - some documented back to the early 1800's. In the house, the craftsmanship ranges from amazing mantles and leaded glass windows, to plain pine molding. For someone like me, that likes wood, it is a step into a different age.

Very nice collaboration for a work that deserved to be preserved. Kudos Mike.
 
Beautiful piece of art...not furniture, IMO. The wife and I frequent antique shops ( we are antiques, too). I am at a loss for words when I look at funiture of the olden days. I have seen some where it is impossible to see the joints of two pieces of wood.
 
We appreciate all of the responses. Thank you. I find it interesting that of what would have been some of the lower end furniture may be better built than some of the higher end stuff from a few years later.

Some of the early factory made furniture was also built like a tank. There is also a period of early factory made when everyone was trying to make their mark and they have a wonderful mix of joints, decorations and drawers.

At the same time, see the hand made pieces used to be about dove tails, but now seeing tapered drawer bottoms, mixes of cut nails, pegs and clever fits and hand cut or engraved details is also fun.

The mix of woods in most pieces, too. Nearly everything has poplar and oak/ash with beech thrown in before you get to the walnut (or poplar stained like walnut). Every piece is an adventure.
 
MRDucks2 said:
I thoroughly enjoy the physical aspects of restoring old furniture. From the 1800's - 1940's. Seeing the methods and the transition from largely handmade to handmade in a factory to early factory production. Some of the pieces we buy are nearly perfect, others have seen a hard life and need more work. Sometimes the best option is to use more modern materials to fix damage, especially on the backs of mirrors, bottoms of cabinets or drawer bottoms. I also leave old repairs in place at times, especially if they are novel or interesting even though they may "detract" from the piece.

But, the real magic comes from those that my wife Jennifer decides to transform. That is what happened to this early Victorian Eastlake Dresser. Edit: all of the floral elements, knobs and embossing were made by her.
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Amazing work, bravo!!
 
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