My new old furniture: how old?

[Young fogey]

Thanks.

 

[Big Man]

The top piece looks a lot like a suit of Drexel Furniture Company furniture that my parents bought in 1952. Theirs was mahogany and part of the "Travis Court" line. I'm not sure when that line came out, but I believe I heard them call that furniture "pre-war Drexel."

Are there any markings on the back that may give a clue?

 

[Young fogey]

I don't see markings but from what you say, my guess about the period was right! Thanks.

 

[Big Man]

I don't see markings but from what you say, my guess about the period was right! Thanks.

If it's Drexel furniture it will be stamped somewhere (bottom of drawers, on back or bottom of the piece). I don't think I've ever seen any Drexel furniture that was not marked. I don't have a photo of mine, but would be glad to make one if you like. The drawer pulls on yours I believe are exactly the same as on mine.

 

[Small Town Girl]

How old do you think this desk is? It has definitely seen better days, but I still love it. I did a Google search for Landstrom Furniture and even asked for help at my local antique shop. The dealer at the antique shop said it might be from the 40s, the cashier pulled up a catalog from 1929 that he said had something similar, but I’m not well versed in furniture and would love your insight.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^^^
I couldn’t tell you much about that piece except that I like it and would have likely snapped it up myself if the price was within reason.

 

[tonyb]

This seems as good a thread as any for this …

I hadn’t planned to buy anything today, but a friend convinced me to join him at an air-conditioned antique mall, where I found this chair, which I believe is a genuine Thonet. If it is the real deal, it still isn’t worth big money, seeing how Thonet made these bentwood chairs by the millions (literally) and still produce a similar model (the No. 14) today. Knockoffs are certainly plentiful, too.
If this is a knockoff, it isn’t a recent one. It wouldn’t be worth the trouble to produce such a convincing fake today.

 

[tonyb]

As it turns out, Thonet offers authentication services, free of charge, with the caveat that a response will not be instantly forthcoming. I emailed ‘em a bunch of photos yesterday evening.

I’m into this thing all of $55 plus tax. I have no intention of selling it, but as with most of my old swag, I like to think I got a good deal.

 

[tonyb]

And …

Closer examination shows this piece to carry the mark of Jacob and Josef Kohn of Vienna, an established furniture manufacturer which, along with others, began making bent beechwood furniture after Michael Thonet’s patent expired in 1869.

The three largest of the many bentwood furniture manufacturers in Austria — Kohn, Thonet, and Mundus — merged in 1923.

 

[tonyb]

As it turns out, Thonet offers authentication services, free of charge, with the caveat that a response will not be instantly forthcoming. I emailed ‘em a bunch of photos yesterday evening.

I’m into this thing all of $55 plus tax. I have no intention of selling it, but as with most of my old swag, I like to think I got a good deal.

Thonet got back to me today. Impressive.

 

[tonyb]

Further communications with Thonet have left me all the more impressed with the company. I haven’t put so much as a nickel in their accounts yet they take the time and trouble to help me identify this old chair. They ask that I not disclose the details of our communications, so I won’t.