The Antique Victorian Furniture Blog

The Jan. 26 episode of Antiques Roadshow featured a particularly interesting piece of antique Victorian furniture, owned by a woman named Cathy Crocker from New Hope, TX. A recent article in the McKinney Courier-Gazette Star Community Newspapers tells the story.

The piece was identified as a Texas Fall Front Victorian desk, valued between $2,000 and $2,500. It had been abandoned in a barn that Crocker’s grandparents bought back in the 60s. The drawers had to be chiseled open because of the rats nests. Crocker stripped and cleaned it and has been “hauling it around” for years.

She sent a picture of it to Antiques Roadshow and was selected to appear. She was told that essentially some pioneer cut down a tree and built the desk. Now she understands its value and gives the desk due honor in her home.

You’ll have to take a look at the photo. It’s a fascinating piece of furniture. I never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity and creativity of the Victorian cabinetmakers.

Click here to see the desk and read article.

Technorati Tags: Antique, Antiques, Antiques Roadshow, cabinetmakers, Desk, Drawers, fall front, Furniture, Texas, Victorian

I ran into a column written by a woman named Anne Gilbert. Anne is known as The Antique Detective, and her column appears in the publication ElmLeaves, which is part of the Sun-Times Group in the Chicago area. People send Anne photos of their antiques, in order to get her expert assessment of them.

This particular column contains some interesting pieces. There’s a desk that converts into a bed, c. 1916. There’s an Arts and Crafts table in the style of Gustav Stickley, which currently has little value because of its poor condition. But Anne reports that if it could be attributed to a specific maker like Stickley and then professionally refinished, it could fetch $5,000 at auction.

And for us? How about an antique Victorian parlor table, Renaissance revival, c. 1875. Excellent carvings. Shop value in the range of $800.

Have a look.

Technorati Tags: Antique, Antiques, Arts, Auction, Bed, Crafts, Desk, Renaissance, Revival, Table