How do I identify my antique desk?
Look for a furniture mark that can tell you the manufacturer. Many antique writing desks have a label or mark on the back or underside. This can help you identify the piece.
What is an old fashioned desk called?
Davenport Desk or Ship Captain’s Desk The Davenport dates from the 1790s, developed by a British furniture-making firm named Gillows (also known as Gillow & Co.).
What era are secretary desks from?
The secretary’s provenance is likely to have been French, appearing in the first half of the 1800s in France as an offshoot of the plainer escritoire, or writing desk. Traditionally made from wood and often ornate, a secretary may also feature various metals, such as gilded accents, and inlays.
What is a Larkin desk worth?
often is called a Larkin desk by collectors, but it is also called a side-by-side secretary or a bookcase desk. It was made circa 1910, but unfortunately the prices of most oak furniture have suffered a downturn in recent years and the insurance replacement value of this piece is currently $1,800 to $2,200.
How do you date an old desk?
How to Determine the Age of Antique Furniture
- Look Past the Style of a Piece.
- Examine Bottoms, Insides, and Backs.
- Check for Perfectly Matching Elements.
- Try to Figure Out What Tools Were Used.
- Look at the Wood and Upholstery Fabric.
- Investigate the Screws and Other Hardware.
How do I update my old secretary desk?
- Open the front panel to expose the desk, and remove any small drawers and their knobs.
- Remove the secretary’s main drawers, then remove their hardware and patch any holes.
- Paint the frame and all the drawer fronts a color that’s darker than the desk paint, and let dry.
What is Larkin furniture?
A–There were numerous pieces of Larkin furniture, ranging from Hoosier-type kitchen cabinets to wooden ice boxes to a variety of desks, chairs, tables and other pieces for every room in the house. At one time the furniture was given away as premiums with the purchase of Larkin soaps and food products.
What are curved table legs called?
Spider legs are delicate, thin curved legs, usually extending below a round table top in a group of three or four. They typically end in spade feet or no feet. Found on many late 18th-century and early 19th-century candlestands, tea tables, and other light, portable pieces.
Where was Larkin furniture made?
Larkin’s first factory was located at 196-198 Chicago Street in Buffalo’s Old First Ward area, and by 1877 the company had grown so rapidly that Larkin purchased property at 667 Seneca Street in the Hydraulics neighborhood in order to build a larger factory, adjacent to rail lines and the needed raw materials.
What happened to the Larkin Soap Company?
The company was sold in 1941, liquidated in 1942, and the new owners continued a mail-order business until 1962.