Antique English? Breakfront

[danmosheim]

I have just completed some remodeling work on what appears to me to be a 19th century English breakfront cabinet. The case, cornice and base are stained pine and the door frames, moldings and panels are quartersawn oak. I would appreciate for my client any info anyone might have concerning this piece. Opinions and specualtions welcomed and appreciated. My client informs me it has been in her family for at least two generations.

I'm not sure if I've got the 'post a picture' feature with the link above right, but if not, you can see images and a description of the work we did on the piece on my blog here
Thank you ....

I have edited your post, to make it visible!
You found a hole in the forum code that stopped the whole post displaying!
DaveL

 

[Blister]

:shock: never seen one of those before :shock:

cant see this one :lol: it must be hiding

 

[Chris Knight]

Gotta love the unguarded shaper and dust collection system.. :wink:

 

[Woodmagnet]

Dan, can you take your camouflage jacket off
it then take another picture please.

 

[OPJ]

I don't see it either.

 

[bjm]

It's on his blog - Dorset Custom Furniture

Brian

 

[danmosheim]

Thank you DaveL for fixing my post. I couldn't figure out what my problem was so I posted my question to my UK blog too. Now that everyone can see the photos, I look forward to hearing what people have to say about it's possible origin ... Thanks ... dan

 

[dickm]

Not an expert by any means, but that piece doesn't <look> English to me. That style of small panels usually says Jacobean, but I would expect the rest of the piece to be heavier if it was. But can't place a more likely origin.

 

[MikeG.]

I don't know if anyone else feels as uncomfortable about this as I do. However well the alterations were done, surely this "remodelling" removes any historical integrity that the piece had..........the equivalent of drilling a hole through the base of a Ming vase so that you can convert it into a lamp stand.

Mike

 

[thejhw]

My first reaction on looking at the web-site and seeing what was proposed was almost one of scandal, however I'm not sure that the piece is an antique, or English.
I would have it checked out by an authority before I started work, anyway.

Jim

 

[newt]

In the picture of the original what is the black strip near the top that hangs down on the right side?

 

[thejhw]

In the picture of the original what is the black strip near the top that hangs down on the right side?

It's a rubber band or a strap that's been wrapped around it for moving; to keep the doors from opening.
If you go to his blog you can see a much larger pic.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1XF-wsEQ6hQ/S ... iams+1.jpg


Jim

 

[Paul Hardy]

I would think it very unlikely that the cornice and base would originally been made from a different timber that the doors and panels. If the unfinished interior surfaces look antique, it's possible that the oak parts and pine carcass were built-in either as a shop fitting or library, and then removed and converted to a free-standing piece at a later stage, the base and cornice being added.

Paul Hardy

 

[danmosheim]

I was wondering when we'd get to the value destruction comments. In most cases, I am a careful and sensitive restorer and was careful to discuss what we were doing to the piece with the client before proceeding. Two of my former employees have been accepted, and have completed, the rigorous, very limited, 2 year Smithsonian Institution restoration program. If this were indeed a worthy antique, I would certainly have counseled against my client's desires, but given that it was (a) not original as it was .. (b) an unduistinguished and not particulalry valuable piece even if it were all original .... and (c) more sentimental then monetarily valuable to the client regardless. I suppose I could refuse on principle, but ..... why? and what would that prove? Anyway, I've fixed enough stuff over the last 30 years to be somewhat relaxed about the whole thing, trying to do the right thing whenever possible without completely losing my mind .... Your observations are all interesting, but I think I have to agree with Paul Hardy, that it is perhaps something that was not originally free standing and was cobbled together by someone in the (recent or not recent) past. Probably that guy across town from you .... Thank you all for your input.

 

[danmosheim]

I received this email a few minutes ago from my breakfront client. I'm always happy to see a bunch of capital letters and exclamation points. Also, we all looked it over one more time today and it seems obvious the doors and the cabinet were made by craftsmen with completely different skill levels .... a marriage made in antique dealer land I'd say ....

[email protected] <dcf6>
BREAKFRONT
HI DAN, I JUST RECEIVED THE PICTURE OF THE BREAKFRONT. HOORAY!! IT LOOKS GREAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! GAIL



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