This late 1920s buffet made by Berkey & Gay has just enough presence to fit in almost any décor and can be found at a very reasonable price.

The definition of an antique, like many other definitions we have long been comfortable with, has been under pressure for a number of years. What was once considered “junk” is now highly sought after as “collectibles.” Second-hand or used furniture has become “vintage” and anything older than a black-&-white television set is considered to be “antique” . . . by some. And that “some” has the potential to become a major factor in the older and antique furniture business in the future. It’s just a matter of perspective.

For an old Baby Boomer” like me, antiques were made in the 19th century or before, and the stuff our grandparents had was “really old,” while our parents’ furniture was just plain embarrassing. To our children, whose earliest reference point is Big Bird and the Cookie Monster, the 1950s and 1960s were the dark ages and there was nothing worth mentioning before that. But now, those kids are pretty much grown up. They own houses, make car payments and hopefully by now have enough loose spending money to broaden their horizons by doing a little “antiquing.”

But in many cases, antiquing to them is not the quest of a precious piece of a lost past style or art form. It is the search for something that predates them but also has a functional role to play in their crowded lives. Whatever the object, it must fit into their already crowded lifestyle without too many compromises. In other words, the “antique” chair must still be able to be used as seating and the chest of drawers had better work well on a daily basis.

This is not an antique by any definition but it is a most useful piece for almost anybody, especially if crowded for space. Here is a desk, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers all in one. It is called a chifferobe.

Under those restrictions, almost no piece of 18th-century furniture fit, and very few 19th-century pieces do, either. What really works for them, at least in the beginning, is some piece of 20th-century furniture that has a style and flavor totally at odds with most of the rest of their contemporary possessions but is well-enough made to function in today’s lifestyle. And the price tag is realistic enough to afford on their budget. The average 30-something buyer with some newly discovered disposable income and an emerging interest in older and antique furniture probably is not confident enough (yet) or interested enough to spring for $5,000 for a period highboy. But they will shell out $350 at the local antique mall for a nifty looking 1930s chifforette for the guest room. Don’t know what a chifforette is? Perhaps it’s time to brush up on your 20th-century furniture terminology. Don’t forget the old definitions, like armoire, dry sink, banquet table and davenport desk, but add a few new ones to the inventory, like priscilla, oriental walnut and borax.

In previous columns I have mentioned a number of good reference books on 20th-century forms and styles, including “Furniture of the Depression Era” by Swedberg, Collector Books; “Colonial Revival Furniture” by Lindquist/Warren, Wallace Homestead Books; and “American Manufactured Furniture” by Don Fredgant, Schiffer, among others. But there are several more that would be excellent additions to a furniture library in the area of 20th century furniture.

Traditionally styled dining sets like this one never go out of style and an can be acquired at a very reasonable price in today’s market.

There are two good books out on the Heywood-Wakefield phenomenon of mid century. One is by Steve and Roger Rouland titled “Heywood-Wakefield Modern Furniture – Identification and Value Guide”, Collector Books, and the other is “Heywood-Wakefiled – With Price Guide” by Harris Gertz, Schiffer. Both will go a long way toward sorting out the sometimes confusing array of Heywood-Wakefield modern pieces.

If early century wooden chairs are your flavor, take a look at “American Wooden Chairs 1895-1908” edited by Tina Skinner, Schiffer. This is a reprint of the Phoenix Chair Company 1908 catalog with current prices, original catalog numbers and the wood and finish of each chair. Good background reference material.

An Art Moderne style set like this by the famous maker Karges will hold its value over many generations.

For the arty and crafty folks, there are many good publications on the subject but two that will give you a broad look at the furniture of the period without bogging you down in the philosophy that generated it are “Furniture of the Arts and Crafts Period –With Prices” edited and published by L-W Book Sales. It includes examples by Stickley, Limbert, Roycroft and others. The other is “Stickley Brothers Furniture Identification and Value Guide” by Larry Koon, Collector Books. The color photos, many from David Rago Auctions, and the comprehensive descriptions make identification of Stickley material much easier.

To get a handle on what Larkin actually had in the way of furniture, check out “Larkin Oak” by Walter Ayars, published by Echo publishing in Summerdle, Pa.. It is reprints of the Larkin furniture catalog with original prices from 1901 to 1922. The companion volume of “Larkin China” also by Ayars, traces the development of Buffalo Pottery and the imported china offered by Larkin.

Modern designs from Heywood-Wakefield from the 1930s to the 1950s are always in demand.

Phillip Kennedy has a self-published book about nothing but the 20th century kitchen monster known as the Hoosier cabinet. He traces the evolution of the form and sorts out the variations produced by Hoosier Manufacturing Co., Sellers, Napanee, McDougall, Boone and others. If the kitchen is your territory, this is a must have book.

One final overview of good quality furniture of the period can be found in “Popular Furniture of the 1920s and 1930s – From Modern to Traditional,” published by Schiffer. It is a reproduction of the 1920s and 1930s catalog of the Elgin A. Simonds Company, part of the Dent Furniture Company consortium of the Great Depression era. It includes current prices and contains lots of examples you have probably seen before but couldn’t quite identify.

While you may not find exactly the piece you are looking for in any of the publications, they will give you an idea of what things from the period generally looked like and where they may have originated. It’s a good start.

Fred Taylor is a antique furniture Worthologist who specializes in American furniture from the Late Classicism period (1830-1850).

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Send your comments, questions and pictures to me at PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or info [at] furnituredetective [dot] com.

Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com. His book “How To Be A Furniture Detective” is now available for $18.95 plus $3 shipping. Send check or money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423.

Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, “Identification of Older & Antique Furniture,” ($17 + $3 S&H) and a bound compilation of the first 60 columns of “Common Sense Antiques,” by Fred Taylor ($25 + $3 S&H) are also available at the same address. For more information call 800-387-6377, fax 352-563-2916, or e-mail info [at] furnituredetective [dot] com.

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’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the hall
Not a customer was stirring, they were all at the mall;

The prints were hung on the easels with care,
In hopes that Dealers all would be there;
The Dealers were nestled in that draughty old shed,
While visions of Stickley and Roycroft danced in their heads;

And mamma in her Mink, and I dressed by the GAP,
Had just pushed our way in without causing a flap,
When out on the podium there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my seat to see what was the matter.

Away to the porter I flew with a flash,
The one who always stutters, “we-we-we only take cash.”
The lights hung from the ceiling hung dusty and low
hid the dings and the dents on the stuff down below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature toy sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
It could be an Ives or Hubley, my memory cracklin.’
Oh my God, it’s a real early Maklin!

Now the old auctioneer, so lively and quick,
Was a master of all the Old Auctioneer’s tricks,
More rapid than race cars the bidding began,
As he whined, and shouted, and took bids from his fans;

“Now 100, now 120, now 140 and 160.
And 180 and 200 and 220 and 260!
Bids from the ceiling and bids from the wall.
And bids from the phones at the back of the hall.

His eyes how they twinkled! His dentures were scary!
His cheeks were like roses, from drinking cheap sherry!
His nose was all runny and he gave it a blow,
And he said, “who’ll give 280” and continued the show;

The handle of the gavel he waved in his hand,
And the bids now came faster and higher than planned;
He had a broad face and a huge beer belly,
That shook when he laughed and scared children silly.

He was quick and cunning, selling the sleigh from the shelf,
And I continued on bidding, in spite of myself;
Then a wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Let me know I was bidding against the public; ‘nuff said;

The gavel came down and the end of the bidding,
And I could hear the commotion from where I was sitting,
The bidder who won took his treasure with care,
Flipping it over to see the name that was stamped there,

Cries of anguish were heard through the hall,
“It’s made in Taiwan! I won’t pay at all!”
He yelled and he screamed and threatened to sue,
The Auctioneer, nonplussed, knew just what to do,

He pulled off the sign that hung on the wall,
And read the fine print for the good of us all,
“It says right here” in a voice smooth as vinyl,
“When the hammer comes down all sales are final”
I’II see you in court if you want to fight,
“So happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

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Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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Let’s start with one of North America’s oldest furniture styles, the so-called Pilgrim or Puritan style, beginning in the early 1600s. Most of the folks of this period were VERY recent arrivals and the furniture they crafted for themselves had a very familiar look to it. After taking into account what might be called “regional influences”—meaning the Colonies—the style itself is essentially “Jacobean,” that catch-all Latin term referring to England in the time of King James I, Charles I, the Commonwealth, the Restoration, Charles II and James II. In other words, most of the 17th century until William and Mary came along, circa. 1688. The furniture was blocky, big, solid, dark and ungainly, mostly made of oak—just like at home. The Colonists were true to their heritage.

Early in the 18th century the effects of the William and Mary reign became felt in American furniture thought. It took a few years to get here, but the Colonies always lagged behind, transportation being what it was. The Dutch craftsmen employed by William introduced a new, lighter, more comfortable form with bun—or Spanish—feet, elegant turnings and decorations and teardrop pulls, and they influenced Colonial furniture in turn. Some of America’s most prized antiques are Colonial interpretations of William and Mary.

This William & Mary highboy shows the verticality of the new form in the late 17th century.

After William’s death in 1702, Mary’s little sister Anne became Queen of England and the Colonies dutifully imported (belatedly of course) the newest style named after the new queen. The QA style was slim and elegant with graceful curves, subtle decoration, slipper or pad feet and valanced skirts, all in all a very feminine form. This English style also created some of America’s most cherished works.

Just as Thomas Chippendale borrowed the QA style in 1750, adding dog ears, pierced splats and heavy acanthus carving and calling it his own, the Colonies borrowed the new style from Thomas and used it right into the Revolution, being careful not to call it “Georgian,” as the later version of the style was known in England.

A Philadelphia chair circa 1776 shows the rococo changes Chippendale made to the basic Queen Anne chair.

At long last, the Revolution! Surely, this called for a new American styling and so it was called “Federal,” in honor of the new country based on federal, rather than royal principles. So who were the great designers and builders of America’s new furniture? Among the strong stylistic influences were George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton, respected English designers of the period. Also prominent were the Adam brothers, Robert and James, Scottish architects greatly influenced by first century Roman architecture.

The end of a D-end Federal period banquet table shows the influence of Thomas Sheraton in the tapered legs.

On this side of the Atlantic, the best known practitioner of Federal was the Scotsman residing in New York named Duncan Phyfe, whose work was influenced by the early traditional English designers, but also by the Directoire and Empire of France and the Regency of England. Phyfe’s contemporary, Charles-Honore’ Lannuier, recently arrived from France and worked in the Directoire and later Empire field as his contribution to Federal furniture.

By the end of the first quarter of the 19th century, the facade of Federal had fallen to the unabashed Europhile Empire style; Napoleon’s only lasting positive contribution to the world. He had directed his architects to develop a new style for his “Empire,” which they enthusiastically did, combining classical motifs from Egypt and Greece with animistic additions such as carved animal feet and wings. Napoleon of course didn’t make it, but his style survived in England, modified only slightly, as Regency, and in America first as Empire and then in later versions as “Late Classicism” or “Restauration” as late as mid-century.

This classic Empire chair was made by Duncan Phyfe, circa 1820. (Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences photo).

Victoria became queen of England in 1837, and that started a 60-year binge of digging up and recycling styles of the past, politely called “revivals” under the umbrella label of “Victorian,” and America joined the bandwagon. Major revivals of style included Rococo-Louis XV, the revival of a phase of European art of the 18th century featuring rocks (rocailles) and shells (coquilles), Renaissance, a revival of 15th and 16th century Italian styles, Gothic, a revival of 15th century styles which was itself a revival of the 9th century as well as other lesser known revivals.

This chair by Belter illustrates the decorative flavor of the Rococo Revival of the mid 19th century.

A Renaissance Revival bed, circa 1875, reflects the architectural element of the style.

It also included a newer form based on the architectural concepts of an Englishman named Charles Locke Eastlake, whose idea of linear simplicity was driven to absurdity by American factory designers.

A reaction to all this elaborate revival erupted in Europe in the late 19th century, led mainly by William Morris in England and produced the Arts and Crafts movement, quickly embraced in America by Elbert Hubbard who started the Roycroft colony in Aurora, New York, by the Stickley family and by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Thus, it appears that for most of America’s existence, we have mooched our styles from abroad. Then, at last, came the great American contribution to American furniture: In the latter part of the 19th century we started to reproduce our own borrowed history and in the process accidentally produced the one true American style—Colonial Revival.

This 1930s table shows the creative redesign of Colonial styles in this Colonial Revival Depression era interpretation of the Jacobean style. This was our new style.

Fred Taylor is a Worthologist who specializes in American furniture from the Late Classicism period (1830-1850).

Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com. His book “How To Be A Furniture Detective” is now available for $18.95 plus $3 shipping. Send check or money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423.

Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, “Identification of Older & Antique Furniture,” ($17 + $3 S&H) and a bound compilation of the first 60 columns of “Common Sense Antiques,” by Fred Taylor ($25 + $3 S&H) are also available at the same address.

For more information call 800-387-6377, fax 352-563-2916, or e-mail info [at] furnituredetective [dot] com.

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An original Gustave Stickley recliner. The seats have been recovered; originally they would have been dark brown/black.

We are often asked about “Mission Style” furniture, people see a piece of Mission furniture by well known makers such as Stickley, Limbert or Roycroft on one of the many Roadshow-type television series and wonder what makes them so valuable and their own nameless pieces worth one-tenth the price. The answer is a combination of these usual responses: These pieces by famous makers; they are all hand made; they are of a limited production; and they are of very good quality.” All of which are not entirely true.

While pieces by the above mentioned giants of the style are of good quality, they were in most cases neither rare nor entirely made by hand. What sells these pieces is the fact that the companies that produced them are well documented, providing a provenance to a maker, and the auction market loves nothing more than an iron-clad provenance to fame. The sad fact is that there are many fine pieces out there in the Mission Style built by local cabinet makers, students and craftsmen working from plans in Gustave Stickley’s “Craftsman” magazine1 that duplicated his factory pieces, but will never be deemed “as good” or as valuable as one with a Stickley brand on it.

Stickley’s “Craftsman” magazine was not the only publication offering Mission Furniture designs. During the heyday of the style (1900-1916), Mission furniture plans were available from a wide range of sources; even text books for industrial arts courses in public and high schools contained measured drawings for case pieces such as desks, book cases and coat racks in this style. Several of the text books in our collection from the period 1901-1912 all show pieces using identical construction methods as the big name makers, such as through tenons, quarter sawn veneers and fumed finishes.

These pieces are every bit as well-made as the best of the Stickley originals, in some cases better, but they are orphans without a name, at least for now.

The good news in all this is that with every rise in value for the originals made by the Stickleys, Roycroft, Greene & Greene, and Limberts of this world, the principle of “a rising tide lifts all boats” comes into play. These pieces by lesser or unknown makers will appreciate as well and start to gain the respect they deserve, which is how it should be. After all, the only difference between a Stickley piece and one made by an industrial arts student in 1912 is often just the name tag.
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1 The “Craftsman” magazine first appeared in 1901 and was published until 1916.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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While appraising this 1908-09 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. “St. Bernard Mission” model Mission-style pool table, one must look at different markets to find the true value.

When appraising any item, appraisers are faced with the possibility of having to examine more than one market to determine values and decide which one is the most appropriate for the piece in question. Take, for example, a 1908-09 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. “St. Bernard Mission” model Mission-style pool table. Tables in this style could fit into multiple markets, but to narrow it down, the two most appropriate would be Mission/Arts & Crafts Furniture or Antique Games Room/Pool Table markets.

To begin, the appraiser’s first task is to determine which of these two markets to use by checking where these pieces trade the most often and at what prices. In the Mission Furniture Market, this pool table would be highly desirable to collectors of the Mission Style by noted makers such as Stickley, Roycroft or Limbert. But because of it’s large size and function requires a dedicated room, the number of potential buyers appears to be limited within that market.

As a piece in the Antiques Games Room/Pool Table Market, we find there is a much larger dedicated base of collectors, and this is where the majority of these tables wholesale and retail in the greatest numbers. For this reason, it would be in this market a value would be determined by examining current retail and auction records within this market.

In the current market, the value for these pool tables is still influenced by both markets; it’s value gaining a premium from its Mission Style design and it’s rarity as an Antique Pool Table. While other antique pool tables of comparable vintage can sell for less than $10,000, it’s not unusual for one of these Mission Style examples to sell for more than $20,000.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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