Whilst sipping a Ketel One and sitting in my J M Young arm chair this past holiday, I wondered what other makers during that period were really innovators or just knock off artists?

I know J M Young did manufacture for the Stickley Bros and others during high volume production times. There were many makers within a 100 mile radius of each other in the Finger Lakes/upstate area in NY, where many a piece was designed and built.

As Stickley items lead as the hallmark, are J M Young items a present or future winner as they don't seem as prominent as lines like Harden, Lifetime, etc.. and are a bit rarer to find in the open market.

Thanks!

Since you are writing about J M Young, just how much difference does the finish make in the value of piece? What if a J M Young chair is refinished with new leather and glued joints? What should that price be verses the same chair with a beat up old finish and original leather seat?

Thanks, Bev.

I guess the ultimate is the original. untouched, super clean, mint condition antique. Most valued, most expensive.

Then there is the "antique" antique. It has the wear and tear, the loss of color and the look of it's age. It looks the part and acts the part. Probably the most sought after.

Next is the rejuvinated antique. It has been cleaned and retouched so it has the original charm and all the scrapes, bangs and dings are masked, well. No large repairs and everything has been held to the period and the makers original design. Still has great value and deserves it's fair market price.

Finally is the often misdirected and refinished antique. The antique someone thought would look really great if we stripped off this nasty old finish and made it look new. Sad thing is many items end up like this and you must restrain yourself from making very low offers and remarking that it has lost the majority of it's worth due to the refinish job which never should have happened.

I think it has all to do with you. It matters what it is and what it looks like. If you plan to use the item, it should be capable to handle that use. Tight joints and new fabric should not lessen the value- except if pegs and tenons have been drilled or cut out to glue up or if Pleather or a really gawdy fabric is used to replace a period look to satify someone's taste in their home.

I like to see chairs with really period fabric and leather that is as close to what would have been used originally. It's wierd that they used a really low grade leather some times back then, but technology today can duplicate the look and finish of leather to reflect the exact feel of what they used.

The J M Young I have has a recovered seat in odd leather like material. The finish seems very original with all the marks of wear for 80 year old chair.

My other Stickley has new fabric and reglued joints(with hide glue) as does the Limberts I found. Both look very "antique" and I am proud I had restraint to not overdo the chairs and loose that original look.

BTW, I went to a local shop and they have the match to my J M Young, the rocker. It has a crisp label and replaced fabric( not original, but not an issue). The issue is someone slapped a ton of shellac all over it and left drips and runs, and it's shiney too! They want $795.00 for it! Like I said, a misdirected attempt at restoration. I am tempted to offer $250.00 for it and bring it back to life. Would be cool to have a matched set.

I believe a piece should be functional. I don't believe in having to say "Don't sit in that, that's the original leather and it probably wont hold you!" But there is a fine line in keeping things original versus making them functional. I've been told by a pretty major dealer that certain pieces will bring the same amount in original finish or refinished, simply because of the demand for such an item.
I think with JM Young the price would only change slightly between the two versions. Mainly because JM Young doesn't bring the high overinflated Gustav prices in any condition, but yet you still have functional useful pieces after a refinsh.
To recap, I personally feel that the original finish value of things mainly pertains to the big manufacturers of the day. If you start getting much outside the Stickley's, Roycroft, and Limbert there's much less of an effect.
But that's just my opinion and I don't have any books published under my name!
By the way, mrm, what model JM Young do you have? Is it in the book? Photo?

It does not have a label or marking but it has been authenticated by the author of the J M Young Arts and Crafts Furniture book, Dr. Michael Clark. Professfor at Elmira College in NY. (I do believe him too!)

He states in his email it is definitely a JM Young, possibly the #455 model. He would confirm with more research on his end of his extensive catalog of files and folders on JM Young furniture he has. He stated he may re release that book with an updated version in the future. That would help all of us.

It's cool to have provenence like this from the guy who literally "wrote the book" on JM Young stuff!

I am going soon to check that rocker out again and see what they will do on price.