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Antique armoire questions

3293 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by sireaustin, Aug 4, 2010

sireaustin

Discussion Starter · Apr 9, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

Hello everyone,
My girlfriend inherited this armoire a few months ago and Ive been trying to find out more information on the piece. Its made out of oak, and the two front door panels are quarter sawn oak. I'm thinking its early 20th century. It comes apart. Doors are removable, Pompadour is removable, also the top and the sides are in multiples. It does have a marking( D.L. Norfolk,VA) on the inside that I'm assuming is probably the maker and the location. There is also a stamped "37" on most of the pieces. Im also having a hard time finding any machine marks, there are alot of scribe and pencil marks throughout the piece. some screws are used, but they appear to be hand made possible? the slots look like they are cut my hand. Any info or even ideas on more info would be great!

Thanks a lot!
Austin

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davidpettinger

· #2 · Apr 13, 2010

That piece maybe earlier than the 20th century. Do you have any pictures of the secondary woods used like in the drawers for sides and bottoms. Also, pictures of the joinery for the drawers and hinges. Pictures of the inside of the drawers and backs of the doors also important.

The initials and city on the back, maybe the original owner or the furniture store. Right now, I think this piece is alot older than you think. Look at the back edges of the drawers, even underneath the unit. Good quality US Virginia made furniture may have a stamp mark in the wood. The 37 may be the numbering for the pieces of lumber pertaining to this piece. Everything marked 37 was specifically for this piece. It could also refer to a catalog number of a maker.

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hairy

· #3 · Apr 14, 2010

I agree about the numbers being for that piece. We refer to this as 89. Each part has 89 on it.

I put cleats on a board that runs inside the sidewall on each side. Shelves lay on the cleats. The shelves are what hold the boards in place.We use it in the kitchen to store can goods, cereals, etc. Sorry I don't have pics of the inside.

Around here they are referred to as a knockdown armoire. It can be disassembled without tools. The doors lift off, the top lifts off, the sides and back pieces interlock.

I was told mine is from the 1920's, it was made in Indiana.

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davidpettinger

· #4 · Apr 14, 2010

Nice chunk Hairy, kind of reminds me of the Chronicles of Nardia. Did it have cleat marks inside from before? Because, if it did, then it is possible that it was originally a linen press that was converted to an armoire.

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hairy

· #5 · Apr 15, 2010

It had a divider in the middle, and each half had a rack to hang clothes. They are not being used, but I have kept them to return to original.

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sireaustin

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 16, 2010

Here are some more specific pictures that you asked for. So there are some machine marks on the secondary wood, but they are all straight marks. Some of the secondary wood is oak and the rest I think is some kind of pine.