Period furnishing for our period homes

Part of the former WavyGlass.org site. Threads for member introductions and where members had threads devoted to their own houses for showing off their pride and joy!
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Gothichome
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Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by Gothichome »

Being century home owners we are also antique hunters. We buy not for resale but for the joy of the find, and how it brings our homes to life.
I would like to start this thread dislaying and bragging about our finds. Whether it be Georgain simplicity of the 1700 to early 1800s, Victorian opulence' into the arts and craft earas or the chrome legs and arborite table tops of the 50's I believe we are all on the hunt.
Please feel free to add to this thread if you so desire.

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Our latest find, the mermaid candle sconce from a bout 1880 found a pair of them at an antique mall last summer. I had to make the mounting board due to not having the original mounting brakets (please forgive the none period robson screws) The peg lamp fonts are from the same period (1880)bought off a dealer and restorer of oil lamps. The shades are about 20 years earlier than the fonts. I have them mounted on either side of the front door.

CS in Low Hud
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by CS in Low Hud »

Those lamps are awesome! Do you light 'em?

We have a good many antiques, but the best find was this parlor set from a neighbors barn:
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It was orriginally bought by a Baltimore gangster's wife during Prohibition. From there it was sold to a relative when they fell on hard times (the repeal of Prohibition ... and a bad investments in racehorses, so the story goes). That was the mother of an elderly neighbor of my parents. When the furniture came to her in the 1950's or 1960's, her husband hated it and put it into the barn where I had first seen it. When the elderly couple decided to sell the farm, they sold off the contents of the barn. My mother managed to be first in line and plunk the sold sign down on the set for me as soon as the doors opened. We had them reupholstered (making the elderly ex-neighbor very happy) and love them - though they don't really fit the style of the house. As a three-year-old my son was quite intrigued by all the faces, and we would lay on the couch and make up stories about all the figures and faces, particularly the two fully figured recumbent lions on the back of the couch.
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Chris

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Gothichome
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by Gothichome »

CS, that is a great parlor set. With an even better story. Would I be wrong in placing them late rococo early renisance revival era about the second quarter of the 1800's to mid century? No I have not put oil in the lamps yet they are fully restored with new wick, I will at some point and light them up. I noticed a revival occasional table with what looks like an equally old chest on top, what's the story on those great pieces?

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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by CS in Low Hud »

Hi Gothic,

I think the parlor set dates from the mid-twenties. I'd like to claim 1800's, but I don't think the evidence supports it. The history of the set (as reported by the elderly neighbor) is that they were imported from Italy. If that's the case, they were shipped un-upholstered, because there are English markings on the frame. There was still a rococo revival going on then (more so over-seas), so... let's just call it "bootlegger chic."

The occasional table was very kindly given to us by the neighbor about a year or so ago. She's in her 90's and still comes to Thanksgiving at my folks' place every year. She said that the table is "part of the set" and wanted everything to be together. That said, the carving on the table is similar to the couch and chairs, but I would say it is not as well executed. There are no maker's marks on any of the pieces, so it's difficult to know for sure, but I would say the table and the parlor set are from two different manufacturers. maybe.

The chest is actually a Regina Disk Music Box ("style 9") from 1899/1900. It plays large 15.5" tin disks (you can see a box of them under the chair in the photo). This came through the family from my wife's grandfather, and coincidentally, is also a rococo design.

Chris

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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by Neighmond »

I just overhauled a Regina coin-operated music box that plays the larger tin disks. The thing had a lot of faulty dampers on the comb and a torn hole in the mainspring that had to get recut. They have a real pretty sound when they are playing well.

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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by CS in Low Hud »

It does have a great sound, you are right!

Chris

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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by Gothichome »

CS, it had me fooled by about 100years. Even still they look great. I've seen the disc music boxes before but they were always in plainer boxes and always needed work or at least a new comb although I have been temped I always pass them up the ones I've seen have always been more expensive than the quality would justify.

Here our source of evening entertainment, a1909Edison with signant horn. It sits on a Period tiger maple stand.
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by Neighmond »

That Edison is one of the nicer ones to work on-I used to be able to have one apart, clean, overhauled, pivots polished and together in half a day.

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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

Post by CS in Low Hud »

That's really, really nice! I must say... I've always wanted an Edison machine - but maybe the record player. I have a box full of old Diamond Disks in the attic.

That ceiling lamp looks pretty great too!

Chris

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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes

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Once again, found the Edison at an out of the way antique store. It is unrestored and works great. I had to instal a new belt and the rubber tube connecting the horn other than that it's almost plug and play as the saying goes now. It does have one issue though maybe Neighmond can help with. The rod that holds the horn up is missing the little adjusting hook that hooks the horn. It is currently attached with a spring and it sits way to heavy on the needle. To make it play smoothly I haVe to hold the weight of the horn. I could shorten the spring but it would still need the hook to be complete. The stand is a bit of Victorian mass produced furniture. It has four iron corners under the tablle top. The legs are secured with a wing nut. I suspect it predates Ikea by at least a hundred years. And no special key needed. I'm not sure but I think it shipped as a knocked down table ready to be shipped flat. Probably sold via catalogue sales.

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