The Historic District

Casey, good catch on the worms. I didn't pay enough attention to the holes. After blowing up the first picture, it shows a "clean cut" with the tracks full of sawdust. I haven't had any experience with woodworm, so I can't tell the difference between the two, if there is any to tell.

Kansas.1911 wrote:Why does polyurethane get such bad press?

What others said, but also since it actually sits on top of the wood and protects it, your piece will never develop any kind of patina, which everyone wants.

kelletim wrote:

Kansas.1911 wrote:Why does polyurethane get such bad press?

What others said, but also since it actually sits on top of the wood and protects it, your piece will never develop any kind of patina, which everyone wants.

Not entirely true. Wood will develop a patina with or without a clear finish. It will just take longer with a finish on it. Even finishes with UV inhibitors will allow a patina to develop, although quite slow.

Thank you for the discussion about polyurethane. I have a buffet that was refinished with poly in 1981--it seems to have developed a patina. We serve beverages from it.

The picture is of a PIECE of an old desk that we purchased because I wanted a filing cabinet that wasn't a metal, new one. After digging about, it might be the left side of a Derby Desk Company (Boston) roll-top desk. It is on casters that don't show.

In the progression of my husband's hobby--he discovered some tung oil stuff, leaving poly behind. This happened during his walnut phase! We suspect this is a piece of Armstrong furniture from Kansas City--they loved to make locally produced replicas of the hot furniture from the East Coast.

Don't think you're going to set a drink down on it, tho!

My husband fell in love with this 5-shelf curio when a private home was prepping for an auction. Surprise on me. Ah, but it is more places to decorate at Christmas. It has not been refinished, to our knowledge. It's said to be 1870s and from Pennsylvania. It has cute little carvings in it that remind me of folk carving. The carving doesn't resemble Eastlake designs. I'd be interested if anyone knew the correct term for this curio, or any stories behind their popularity. Having an 1870s piece in a 1911 home would not be that unusual in real life here on the prairie. It would have been a "family piece," perhaps.

Kansas, com join us at the new place - I'd love to see those pictures over there

www.thehistoricdistrict.org

A woman in town collected Fostoria for her upcoming wedding in the 40s. The couple stayed engaged until all their parents had died, and by then it was too late. She moved to a nursing home in May. The boxes were stored in the basement, never opened, never used, stickers never removed. I have four lovely pieces out of hundreds of this pattern, and a sad story.

This photo shows the vase, the toothpick holder, a cigarette case w/lid, and a drinking glass. I didn't know what the cigarette case was until I got home and researched it. It doesn't matter that I don't smoke. Who puts their cigarettes in Fostoria anyway?

Kansas, those are fine pieces of furniture. Your corner shelf can not be called an eterge but is defiantly a very nice Victorian corner shelf. If nothing else if they found an open liked to fill it. If you can get more clutter in that space the better, five shelves would make any Victorian smile. As long as there was a house made to dust of course.

We called ours a "whatnot". Yours is nicer than lots of them, they were a popular item to home make.

Kansas.1911 wrote:

My husband fell in love with this 5-shelf curio when a private home was prepping for an auction. Surprise on me. Ah, but it is more places to decorate at Christmas. It has not been refinished, to our knowledge. It's said to be 1870s and from Pennsylvania. It has cute little carvings in it that remind me of folk carving. The carving doesn't resemble Eastlake designs. I'd be interested if anyone knew the correct term for this curio, or any stories behind their popularity. Having an 1870s piece in a 1911 home would not be that unusual in real life here on the prairie. It would have been a "family piece," perhaps.