I have a L&JG Stickley #735 sideboard that has been refinished. It has what looks like old cedar drawer boxes with oak drawer fronts (there is a partial "The Work of ..." sticker in the top left drawer). I had never heard of cedar drawer boxes on a Stickley sideboard before (we had one before that had solid oak drawer boxes). Is it likely that these are original, is it possible that they were rebuilt. The piece also has veneered end panels. Does this sound right? Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks.

Chris,

Welcome to the Forum. I hope that you do have a Stickley sideboard. That would be wonderful.

Could you post a picture so that members can identify it? Some of furniture experts could even quote you the page number. I swear that some on them could even recall what the cover looked like on that original catatlog.

In other words, they are good. (These experts are much better than me.)

Get that picture up and you will get lots of feedback.

Bev.

I don't know the model but I would think cedar drawers are highly unlikely - original would more likely have been oak and maybe later would be maple/birch I assume. Are you really sure its cedar? Cedar is a softwood and wouldn't really work too well dovetailed to oak fronts. They would wear really fast as well which is probably enough reason to assume it's not cedar. Stick your fingernail into it and see how hard it feels or if it leaves a mark. I'm guessing maybe they're really maple and the lack of grain and a little colour makes them look different. Veneered end panels is quite possible. Looking at the catalog pic the side panels are not divided into vertical sections, which would suggest solid panel piecs, so it's quite possibly a glue-up or even plywood, with a veneer to get an effective grain pattern. I know that LJG changed the way they did back panels on bookcases, over the years, going from T&G to solids (or vice versa ?) and then I think ply in later years, so there are bound to be variations in other pieces as well.